20. What are your views of drugs and alcohol.
This, like the last question is loosey goosey.
Do I drink and do drugs? do I condone or condemn the use of drugs and alcohol?
First, I live in a state that has the 4th highest rate of drunk driving deaths in the US. 33 years ago SM and I gave up both drinking a cocktail or beer if we went out. One of us is always the designated driver. If we are not going out, we rarely but occasionally have a glass of wine or a beer in the summer.
If marijuana was legal, I would smoke it, SM would not. Yes, I did inhale in college. My gateway must have not worked because I never did any other drugs. I had plenty of opportunity, I just made a choice not to.
Prescription drugs are crap. I don't like the feeling of being out of control and after major surgery refused to take the icky things once I got home. Pain and I deal with each other just fine and I don't have to puke. That's not to say that I don't think that pain meds aren't fandamtastic for those who need them, because they are. When you have certain conditions you need to get ahead of the pain in order to maintain some levels of control. My brother fought melanoma for 13 years and it metastasized to his lungs and brain. He had to have pain meds and he hated it but it was necessary.
I like 99% (that's an exaggeration but close) of the adult female over 50 population was on an Anti depressant. First one then another until I hit the big time and was prescribed Lexapro. I hated the way it made me feel, or should I say not feel anything. So I talked to my doctor and he said if I didn't like the meds to stop taking them. And so I did. Cold turkey. Do not, if you ever are on Lexapro, just stop cold turkey......it can really mess you up.
You are supposed to reduce your intake over at least a month's time. When I went back to the doctor and told him the horrible side effects I was having from going off the drug first he indicated that my symptoms were impossible and then he said, well why did you stop taking it? (And we wonder why I hate doctors. Listen much idiot???) I did some research then and found out my big mistake and read that this prescription drug is as addictive as heroin. Oh nice, did anyone tell me that before I started taking it? UMMMMMM I think the answer would be no. I had withdrawal so bad, Sweet Man really was ready not to come home anymore. It was horrible for both of us. I did manage not to kill anyone or maim myself or SM but I'm telling you, my opinion of drugs is don't take them until you find out if you can not take them later on.
And with this post, I have to put the other 10 truths on hold for awhile. I will bet back to them after the first of the year. I really feel like enough of my truth is way too much for me, I can't imagine how you are putting up with it. Thanks for hanging in this long.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow, just found your blog tonight and am already in love. I am a 65 year old recovering mormon still living in southern Utah. I love finding more crones that are sassy, opinionated, pagan and enjoying life. I'll be back again.
ReplyDeleteI admire your honesty in answering all those questions. For me it would be opening a can of worms that needs to be kept closed at this point in my life. Time for some lightness, eh?
ReplyDeleteHI, like Lynn I just found your blog through Kath in u.k.
ReplyDeleteI also am a Pagan and just wish more people would find the joy of it.
I have no faith at all in Doctors, my husband has had a lot of illness over the years and has first hand experience of side effects, deciding for himself not to take the medication and getting a raw deal from the doctors for it.
Other incidents like getting rid of a loved cat on the advice of a dr who said it was causing excema in my youngest (it was no different after ) My father was in a mental hospital because dr said he was imagining his pain, he died 2 weeks after being moved to a general hospital with cancer.
Look forward to reading your back blogs
Briony
Greetings Linda...ready for some time off from the truths, eh...relax it's okay...though we've all been enjoying it...
ReplyDeleteThat is a tough one. I had a sister who was addicted to cough syrup--loved the codeine. She took her poor little kids into the doctors with make-believe colds all the time just to get RXs. It was so sad. There is nothing worse than going so low that you bring your kids into your illness. Her husband started tracking her medical records and noticed the frequent ER visits with colds and the empty bottles and became suspicious. She didn't realize she left a paper trail. His in-laws even looked the other way and pretended they didn't see what was happening. They're nearly as much to blame as she.
ReplyDeleteI have a glass of wine, don't do drugs and hate taking pills for what ails me. I have the knees that are arthritic and the elbows and the hip and on an on....so if Marijuana were legal, I probably would smoke it to ease the pain, but only at home. Sometimes I wish I could grow it, but that is illegal too. Oh well maybe I'll drink some rosemary tea. :(
ReplyDeleteI like you. I like that you tell it like it is. You did smoke pot. You did inhale. I did too.
ReplyDeleteAs for antidepressants, I do think they are over prescribed. Everybody wants instant happiness these days. What ever happened to working on it?...well maybe that never existed, but it should.