I hate polls but lets do one anyway...

[OuchThatHurts]

Your vote here is completely anonymous but feel free to chime in if you like. In the last few years I've seen hundreds or perhaps thousands of posts mentioning or implying recreational drug use. Our community here is mainly athletes - bodybuilders, powerlifters, football players, and jocks of many other varieties. Obviously, recreational drug use is detrimental to health and fitness in general as are most any drugs. What I'm curious about is getting some percentages from this particular demographic regarding who's doing what and how much.

I want to focus strictly on recreational drugs specifically and not drugs of a therapeutic or performance enhancing nature.

Non-recreational examples might be aspirin, ibuprofen, NSAIDS, SSRI's, or testosterone and analogues, nicotine, et al -

The drugs I'm referring to are (to name a few): marijuana, stimulants like cocaine, opioids like heroin or oxycontin, ecstasy (MDMA), ketamine, etc.

Alcohol should be on this list as well but only if you are abusing alcohol such as binge drinking or addictive alcohol consumption.

 

[thebrick]

No recreational drugs for me. I had my share of pot and coke long ago but haven't touched anything in many years. I am just fine with a glass or two of red wine on occasion these days. I must be old and boring

 

[OuchThatHurts]

No recreational drugs for me. I had my share of pot and coke long ago but haven't touched anything in many years. I am just fine with a glass or two of red wine on occasion these days. I must be old and boring

Nah. Boring is sitting around a room waiting for your turn to get another line or getting so baked that you just sit around and vegetate all the time. I don't think a few glasses of wine is boring. I do that almost every day - but I don't really see that as "use". It's more of a beverage and it can greatly enhance the culinary experience. Especially Italian with a southern Italian red or even one of the better zinfandels. Yummy!

 

[oldfella]

I'm same as brick here, do not touch them at all!! I did my share of experimenting and full blown research many years ago. I rarely even drink alcohol these days. I do get a kick out of watching individuals' personalites change as the night wears on though. Quite funny to watch the guys and girls slowly write themselves off and then try to pick up each other at the clubs. Then you have the speed and eccy freaks, while I feel sorry for them I just sit back and laugh as they one by one get thrown out of every night spot in town!!

 

[bigrig]

marijuana.. probably every other weekend, but i don't go crazy.. if i'm going out to a bar and i don't want to drink but chill wiht friends i'll do a bit and just drink diet cokes/water... i've been doing that for a decade.. but that's it.. no other drugs...

 

[nosmas]

If I use. It is daily...

Do you think this will open up a hornets nest OUCH?

Now. I would not drink... even wine. I cant. See I realize I am cursed to live the rest of my life either all the way (and I mean all the way baby) clean (no wine, no nothing) or all the way using. I am not a personality of moderate consumption of anything. If its food, sex, working out, working at a job, whatever...I am unable to moderate. I go all in or dont play at all.

 

[oldfella]

Nos, i think it will only open a hornets nest if the hornets do not read the purpose of the post correctly. it is asking a fairly straight forward question about rec drug use. Not the morals of such! As long as the hornets do not start debating what is use/abuse then it should be cut and dry. Sure voice an opinion as you and myself have done. But other than that I think it will be interesting to see the poll results!

 

[nosmas]

Ya I missed the purpose off the bat.
To eager to spill out some things pent up inside.
I am one of those far off outliers on the chart.
I hope I am the only one who had to make the poll choice I made.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Do you think this will open up a hornets nest OUCH?

It may. But then again, it's my nest! And in this nest, we stay civil.

Seriously though, it shouldn't. I don't have any problems with anyone discussing their use of drugs. The problem is that we (or I) cannot help someone with a drug problem from this forum. It's just not possible.

This forum is for members to lend each other support. I wouldn't deprive anyone of support in that sense but it is imperative that this forum NOT take the place of legitimate counseling and rehabilitation when those types or treatment are clearly necessary.

If someone comes in here and says "I need help with my cocaine problem." What shall we say to this person? "We will help you!"

No. We will not do that.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Do you think it would have been better to create the poll such that only when it is concluded, would the percentages be known?

 

[nosmas]

The promise, or the hope, is that the results show in part how much rec use has diminished in a persons life after they pick up a heavy piece of iron. That most will say "a long time ago, but not anymore...ever" and I would place my bets that in the 30yrs and older category you find this to be the case most often. Late teens early 20s will show rec use more often.

 

[nosmas]

Do you think it would have been better to create the poll such that only when it is concluded, would the percentages be known?

You mean does it effect a persons decision to pick a choice with complete honesty if the % is known?

 

[OuchThatHurts]

You mean does it effect a persons decision to pick a choice with complete honesty if the % is known?

Of course. The percentages of the poll displayed create bias as people generally don't want to fall into the minority - especially if that minority might be ostracized - which of course here they wouldn't.

 

[nosmas]

Of course. The percentages of the poll displayed create bias as people generally don't want to fall into the minority - especially if that minority might be ostracized - which of course here they wouldn't.

Its anonymous....

besides, the very forum it is in will effect its outcome.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Its anonymous....

besides, the very forum it is in will effect its outcome.

Yes. It's unavoidable. This is not an attempt to achieve an outcome of any relevance other than for our entertainment here. I've been surprised more than once in here that's for sure.

You threw me a few curve balls if I remember back... hmm

 

[oldfella]

Of course. The percentages of the poll displayed create bias as people generally don't want to fall into the minority - especially if that minority might be ostracized - which of course here they wouldn't.

Interesting....so if guaranteed complete anonymity do you still think the results would be skewed? And you are correct, Ostricizing is not what we do here, tough love maybe and yes weed out the buttheads. But those with geniune need to open up and discuss personal issues would or should feel at ease in here. We are all in this together. I am looking forward to the outcome also. One last comment........In order for there to be an abuse problem, you as the individual must recognize this and admit to it. Then seek professional help for the problem. Think about your personal level of use and really think hard..........is it a problem???

 

[nosmas]

This is an interesting question and will be fun to read. We get to learn something.

 

[da-sol]

I used to when I was young and didn't know better I would never use recreational drugs anymore.

 

[thebrick]

If I use. It is daily...

Do you think this will open up a hornets nest OUCH?

Now. I would not drink... even wine. I cant. See I realize I am cursed to live the rest of my life either all the way (and I mean all the way baby) clean (no wine, no nothing) or all the way using. I am not a personality of moderate consumption of anything. If its food, sex, working out, working at a job, whatever...I am unable to moderate. I go all in or dont play at all.

I totally understand that thinking. I have those tendencies myself. Being honest about it is a huge acknowledgment about oneself.

 

[nosmas]

I totally understand that thinking. I have those tendencies myself. Being honest about it is a huge acknowledgment about oneself.

You related to my BS from the get go and have always had this sort of way of telling me it is possible to become a better person than the one I have been or that better things await me in long term sobriety regardless of my faults...but also that it dont come easy!