1. Who here DOESN’T use any kind of substance to get by?
By substance I mean
Alcohol
Drugs – like hard drugs like meth or heroin
Natural ‘drugs’ – pot or the oil derived from pot, peyote, or shrooms
Synthetic drugs such as pcp, ecstacy (molly), K2, bath salts
Or natural supplements like st John’s wart or valerian root
Pharmaceuticals – medications prescribed by your doctor or meds you purchased off the street
Like you literally take/consume/smoke/shoot NOTHING to deal with your mental health struggles?
2. If you don’t take any substances of any kind do you use HEALTHY coping strategies?
For example you don’t self harm at all – cutting, burning, picking, purging, starving yourself etc.
Instead you draw, write, sing, dance, paint, exercise etc
I’m just curious because I seem to be a freak of nature in the mental health world. I do not use any substances whatsoever (I’ve taken meds in the past & have had terrible results doctors don’t want to give them) and I’ve self harmed once but other than that I’m straight edge taking all the pain as it comes.
I know this might make it seem like I genuinely have mental illness but I’ve been in some kind of care since I was a child, at least 6 in patient stays, one solid attempt, and I know I’ve has enough rough days/nights to actually have what I’m diagnosed with.
I just want to know how many others just take the pain full force.
7 comments
I don’t use any substance to help my mental health. I don’t really know how I cope. I sometimes will write letters to people. I think that the fact I write letters to them makes my thoughts less destructive. I write what I wish I could tell that person about my life. How they’ve helped me, what I wish I could tell them, etc. it makes me feel less alone and makes me kinda realize “hey if I kill myself these people would care” or “hey if I do kill myself, at least they’ll find this and they’ll know.” I usually hide these letters somewhere in my room and never give them to the people
I don’t use anything either, I’ve been prescribed Meds a few times but they just aren’t for me. I’d rather find a permanent solution. Meds just mask the symptoms (or try to). I dont know how I got by at first but now I just think about my family and how much it would hurt them. I sometimes write poetry but it’s not actually poetry more just writing what’s going on with me. I’ve also recently started to teach myself guitar (when I’m feeling really bad and need a distraction). You aren’t a freak! 🙂
Hi
I use some substances to get by SOMETIMES and other times I DO NOT use them.
Substances I use sometimes:
– smoke a cigarette (just one)
– weed (once a month or less)
– a sleeping pill sometimes
-homeopathy sometimes
-junk food
-alcohol (beer specially)
Things I do:
-write
-paint
-pray
-sing
-exercise
-oversleep
-read
-come to SP
-talk to my psychoanalyst
I avoid medication because they mask the problem and I believe you should feel the pain and the sorrow to get over it. Medications put you happy but happy doesn’t mean cured.
Stable and cured is a different thing than this fake happiness medication gives you.
But sometimes nothing of this works…to be honest. And sometimes it works…
I don’t use anything too. If I need to copy, I just think that the situation is temporary and another day will be better. It usually is better, unless I go outside and see idiots. Then I regret being alive.
Im begrudgingly straight edge i used to smoke weed all the time but i dont have a connect to do so in this new city I’m in so i just live and it sucks balls.
I normally do drawing and excise to deal with my emotions.
I have never done drugs in my life, and before this year I had also never smoked a cigerette. I used to self-harm but have been over 2 years clean. I occasionally smoke when with my friends who smoke, but other than that I don’t do anything either. I drinks sometimes socially, but haven’t drank in over a month.