Which is worse…

… Quitting an addiction that is socially discouraged, or widely accepted/endorsed? Most Endorsed Drugs:​ Most Shamed Drugs:​ ~ Nicotene​ ~ Heroin/Fentanyl​ ~ Sugar​ ~ Methamphetamine​ ~ Caffeine​ ~ Crack Cocaine​ ~ Alcohol​ ~ Cocaine​ ~ Cannabis​ ~ MDMA​ ~ Prescription Stimulants​ ~ Psychedelics​ ~ Prescription Antidepressants​ ~ Steroids​ ~ Tylenol/Ibuprofen/Midol​ ~ Kratom​ ~ Antihistmines​ ~ GHB​ ~ Sleep AIDS​ ~ Cannabis *We’ll define ”endorsed” as provided via prescription, sold in stores legally or as a highlight drug at clubs/parties.

Quitting a person who you know has no respect for you, can be harder than any drug. It's why some men have problems walking away from abusive women, and why some women return to abusive men.

Well, I can tell you that... doing my level best to not eat anything that has refined sugar added to it... in my 40's.... for 3 years now... after decades of being an unknowing (and unhealthy) sugar addict, like the rest of society.... ....one of the best decisions I ever made. And friends, family, society in general... I think there was a lot of positive encouragement, even if I don't share birthday cakes with anyone anymore... and if you give me chocolate I re-gift it, etc. The physical resurgence has been nothing short of UNREAL. My own family (jokingly) barely recognize me. Weight, yes, but also overall fitness, energy, sleep patterns, mood, mental health... in the bedroom (no joke)... if anyone out there is thinking about getting off sugar... DO IT! I could say that the "sugar industrial complex" (or "diabetes industrial complex") is a grand conspiracy by the (so called) "Food and beverage" industry (and the politicians and bureaucracies they capture) to make us all fat and sick... wanting more sugar ... and in need of expensive medical treatment but.... the reality is.... it is just basic capitalism playing on human weakness for sweet tasting treats. We either go along with it (and suffer, sooner or later) or we say "F this, man. You can keep your sugar. I'm out." Nobody ever holds a gun to your head and forces you to eat refined sugars. The illicit drugs.... especially opioids/cocaine/meth ... definitely way worse ... and will kill you way faster. So... if someone has themselves mixed up in that crap... they have bigger problems to deal with before learning to drink beverages that don't have sugar in them.

Any addiction, when past the point of control, can be dangerous, detrimental and even fatal. Column B might do it faster, but plenty of folks die from abuse in column A as well. Like all addictions, you cannot help anyone until they are ready to admit they have a problem and seek the help. Until then, you are wasting your efforts and time.

Alcohol does more damage than everything else combined. The social pressure to drink is enormous.

westwoody said: Alcohol does more damage than everything else combined. The social pressure to drink is enormous. Click to expand... I agree, folks personalities change and often not for the better. I use drinking n driving laws as an excuse. Always preferred weed to liqour

ChromeGasCap said: Quitting a person who you know has no respect for you, can be harder than any drug. It's why some men have problems walking away from abusive women, and why some women return to abusive men. Click to expand... 🙌 Quitting a familiar person regardless of respect can indeed be harder than quitting a physical substance. Choosing to demote a person who has held importance to you after discovering they have no respect for you? Painful. Realizing they won’t be tapping into the potential you saw with them and having to accept it? Equally agonizing. Aside from the people who will find themselves in a compromising position if they leave said individual, I’m inclined to say it’s more so the reasoning they keep choosing the individual and the short term perceived benefit. There’s often immediate (though fleeting) gratification for connection, validation, orgasm & pain relief (whether emotional or merely physical)… And people who genuinely have no respect for an individual or their future will keep them around as a placeholders, intermittently shifting in level of kindness and consideration like Jekyll & Hyde, even “upgrading” when the opportunity presents. My best wishes for anyone going through THAT… 🙏 andmac said: Well, I can tell you that... doing my level best to not eat anything that has refined sugar added to it... in my 40's.... for 3 years now... after decades of being an unknowing (and unhealthy) sugar addict, like the rest of society.... ....one of the best decisions I ever made. And friends, family, society in general... I think there was a lot of positive encouragement, even if I don't share birthday cakes with anyone anymore... and if you give me chocolate I re-gift it, etc. The physical resurgence has been nothing short of UNREAL. My own family (jokingly) barely recognize me. Weight, yes, but also overall fitness, energy, sleep patterns, mood, mental health... in the bedroom (no joke)... if anyone out there is thinking about getting off sugar... DO IT! I could say that the "sugar industrial complex" (or "diabetes industrial complex") is a grand conspiracy by the (so called) "Food and beverage" industry (and the politicians and bureaucracies they capture) to make us all fat and sick... wanting more sugar ... and in need of expensive medical treatment but.... the reality is.... it is just basic capitalism playing on human weakness for sweet tasting treats. We either go along with it (and suffer, sooner or later) or we say "F this, man. You can keep your sugar. I'm out." Nobody ever holds a gun to your head and forces you to eat refined sugars. The illicit drugs.... especially opioids/cocaine/meth ... definitely way worse ... and will kill you way faster. So... if someone has themselves mixed up in that crap... they have bigger problems to deal with before learning to drink beverages that don't have sugar in them. Click to expand... Highly agree with this! I love how you will re-gift chocolates. An elegant way to still accept but honour your own body. 🙏 westwoody said: Alcohol does more damage than everything else combined. The social pressure to drink is enormous. Click to expand... Social pressure is the exact reason I rarely go out and am selective with who joins me. It’s more pleasant to eat a steak overlooking the lake alone than be pressured to drink to enjoy social connection. 🤷🏼‍♀️ However, my question still stands. Allow me to rephrase. Do you think it’s easier to quit a drug when people partake in the same substance regularly and may ask you to join, or to quit one which is shamed in discussion and often not related to unless they have also previously partaken or personally know someone who has quit?

TheBellaRoseXo said: 🙌 Quitting a familiar person regardless of respect can indeed be harder than quitting a physical substance. Choosing to demote a person who has held importance to you after discovering they have no respect for you? Painful. Realizing they won’t be tapping into the potential you saw with them and having to accept it? Equally agonizing. Aside from the people who will find themselves in a compromising position if they leave said individual, I’m inclined to say it’s more so the reasoning they keep choosing the individual and the short term perceived benefit. There’s often immediate (though fleeting) gratification for connection, validation, orgasm & pain relief (whether emotional or merely physical)… And people who genuinely have no respect for an individual or their future will keep them around as a placeholders, intermittently shifting in level of kindness and consideration like Jekyll & Hyde, even “upgrading” when the opportunity presents. My best wishes for anyone going through THAT… 🙏 Highly agree with this! I love how you will re-gift chocolates. An elegant way to still accept but honour your own body. 🙏 Social pressure is the exact reason I rarely go out and am selective with who joins me. It’s more pleasant to eat a steak overlooking the lake alone than be pressured to drink to enjoy social connection. 🤷🏼‍♀️ However, my question still stands. Allow me to rephrase. Do you think it’s easier to quit a drug when people partake in the same substance regularly and may ask you to join, or to quit one which is shamed in discussion and often not related to unless they have also previously partaken or personally know someone who has quit? Click to expand... My guess is, it is the same. If you're an addict, it's never easy to quit and the pressures are everywhere, all the time. I quit smoking when most everyone in my social circle smoked. I drink socially and could make that same statement about alcohol. Luckily for me, nobody in my circle would purposefully tempt or encourage me to start a habit i had/have broken. That won't be true for every addict. You choose to quit your bad habit and take control of your life or you don't. This isn't me preaching either-there are a number of things i need to start or stop doing to improve my overall health and well being and "addiction" or my addictive nature plays a part in the procrastination prior to getting there.

TheBellaRoseXo said: 🙌 Quitting a familiar person Click to expand... I was hooked on a lady who did enormous damage to me I KNEW she was harmful and couldn’t quit. Fortunately she is long gone but the experience has made me far more careful. Not cynical, just careful. Do you think it’s easier to quit a drug when people partake in the same substance regularly and may ask you to join Click to expand... Being around drinkers makes it impossible to quit. The only way I was able to quit was cutting out toxic drunks from my environment. Most alcoholic people are in denial. Like 99%.

A new year ahead. Stay clean.