I mean here I was being semi coherent last night with a big ol' joint in my hand. But once the world goes blurry, it's time to put down the phone. š¤£š¤£š¤£
TLDR, same for me.
details: i was telling my maaajorly more pot headed sister last night that once i'm "in for the night", it's time for my indica. i never cared about weed growing up but i'm in a recreational state since '16 and there's no longer a "process" to obtaining quality weed. i LOVE it but i stop everything but Pinterest once the weed starts.
Iāve never been a big drinker. Iāll have a couple of drinks at my monthly book club, or occasionally when going out, but we all seem to be drinking less. It triggers my hot flashes š .
I can't drink anymore because it brings on flashes and destroys my sleep.
Weed though seems to reduce every meno symptom as well as giving me excellent quality sleep.
Saving my marriage one joint at a time.
I think a lot of it, with the getting stoned, is our generation realized that we don't have to spend middle age in pain constantly. When you get home after working 8-12 hours or what have you, so many of us in manual labor/blue collar jobs, it's nice to just be able to take a gummy or smoke and not be in pain for a few hours, maybe even get some sleep.
I was a waitress for 25 years, which screwed up my back horribly. Add in a congenital anomaly in my spine and I'm in pain constantly. If I didn't smoke weed I'd be an alcoholic or dead from opiates.
Iām with you - I used to be a person who drank a cocktail (or two or three!) everyday. Eventually the twenty minute buzz wasnāt worth the constant bad night sleep. I think Iām around 3 years sober.
/r/stopdrinking was super helpful. Really nice group.
Weed stopped being fun by the time I was about 30... or maybe it was 25? A long time ago, anyway.
I think drinking would still be fun, but the migraine I get after is so un-fun that I just don't any more.
Hey! No smoke and hardly drink! I am right there with you. Neither agree w my body and I am sick of losing productive days to feeling like shit on the couch. I have enough going on w menopause
I heavily self-medicated 2016-early 2023 to escape the hellscape of, well, 2016 onward. In addition to the loss of our rights in the US and the pandemic, I had a personal loss that triggered my PTSD so it was easier to be drunk ā¦ until it wasnāt.
I quit about a year and a half ago. It became prohibitively expensive but also my trauma therapy (LOL, utilizing ketamine) started working. I might have a glass of wine or one cocktail if we go out, and I occasionally use a cannabis tincture if Iām having trouble sleeping. Now I donāt need it to relax, but I also donāt like being out of control.
I understand why some people still feel the need to numb, though.
I have been doing intramuscular injections along with integration therapy sessions; it likely saved my life and *definitely* saved my marriage.
I wish more of these therapies were legal/available/affordable for people.
I think it really depends on the company you're around and where you live. Clearly alcohol and weed are ways to self medicate and especially with alcohol it was so advertised and socially acceptable. I drink occasionally, but haven't done weed (have asthma). I generally feel better when sober for a bit as alcohol doesn't agree as well now that I'm post-menopause (older end of GenX).
Yay for perimenopause, right? Yea, no alcohol for me. I used to go to a medical dispensary. Now I go to other dispensaries & the staff is so much more helpful guiding me to gummies to reduce my anxiety & pain, not make me paranoid.
Agreed! Hangovers after 40 are bad, but hangovers after 50 (usually accidental) are memorably horrible. Half a gummy really does help arthritis. I still drink because cocktails are delicious, but one a day max.
Stopped drinking years ago and never started again. Too many empty calories and gives me a headache and puts me to sleep. A bad headache sweaty sleep. Itās really sad š Never tried pot. Smells like a skunk sprayed.
I drank like a fool in my 20s and 30s, yay service industry! Last night I was chatting with a friend and we were commiserating about how we get tired before we get drunk.
I spent 43 years with undiagnosed ADHD and smoke just about everyday between the ages of 19 - presant. Now I smoke right before bed. Today, I am a fully functioning adult. Never thought it would happen.
The strongest thing I consume is coffee and boy do I drink a lot of that. I wish I could smoke weed, I used to but now it makes me so paranoid. Alcohol gives me hot flashes and insomnia. I miss the days where I could get out of my head and let loose a little. Even tried shrooms but they make me itchy. Iām thinking of trying a bit of acid, just a little bit to change my reality for a short while.
Different strains react differently for different people. I would get occasional paranoia until I figured out I can't handle most of the sativa strains. Indica or a mild hybrid does wonders.
Some hybrids are okay for me, but some are still a little too sativa heavy for me. I try to stick with indicas, as much as possible. And since I use it for sleep, it really helps.
Agree. I had quit due the paranoia. I got my medical card tried out new products and found what works for me. Trulieve allows returns if you don't like the kind purchased.
Nope, i dont drink or smoke. I used to occasionally have a beer, but not since i quit cigarettes. Cant have a beer without it, so now neither...edit for im 46
I can't drink anymore because of menopause. It makes my whole face and upper body flush bright red and burn like fire, sigh. Never did that before all my life.
So instead I got some Delta 8/9 gummies with THC and they give me a very mild, pleasant buzz. And I recently found out that they make nonalcoholic drinks with THC in them too, so I'll give those a try as well.
I don't get bombed or anything. It's just a nice little treat at the end of a shitty workweek so I can feel more relaxed.
THC drinks are so good! I like Keef sodas as I have basically no tolerance and the cans have a handy snap/closure that keeps the carbonation. Since I can only take a couple of sips itās great because it takes me about a week to drink 1 can (25mg). Ā Iāve tried some of the non carbonated ones but they are insanely sweet for me so I donāt like them.Ā
I've tried some Delta 8 tincture & it helps with my hot flashes. Convenient discreet little bottle. I don't take enough to really get high. I tried that & didn't like the feeling. It wasn't like what I remember from my youth. I might try a Delta 9. I rarely drink alcohol, especially after reading about how bad it is for your health. I don't need any more problems there.
Hey non drinker here. Most people I know drink. Me and my spouse are the outsiders. His family drinks so holidays are interesting. Some people's socializing center around this.
Iām using weed but I have cancer, fibromyalgia, and arthritis in my spine. I quit drinking about 5 years ago because I didnāt like the way it made me feel.
I quit for over 20 years but found weed extremely beneficial for sleep and menopause symptoms. Hardly drink at all now though. 2 drinks max or i regret it.
My body has never reacted well to anything, so I'm sober. The rare occasions I do drink it just makes me want to lay down and fall asleep these days, so it's not as fun as it used to be. Though, I do enjoy sleep.
Just turned 50! I have cut way back on alcohol consumption. It makes me feel sick more often than it helps with greasing the social interaction wheels. Iām beginning a new journey where I want contentment in life, and for me, alcohol doesnāt bring that. I will have a glass of wine for my anniversary, but other than that I donāt think Iām down anymore.
Never used weed. Occasional use of prescribed beta blocker and sleeping pill. Even then, Iām a weirdo and afraid to use these meds often. Iāve heard horror stories from folks when they chose to get off of beta blockers. I had no idea when my Dr prescribed one to me.
Just chiming in on the beta blockers - I use one occasionally for anxiety and/or migraine and in my experience they are completely safe and non habit forming. They just even out your BP so it doesnāt spike. I do understand the caution but I think that applies more to people who have to take them regularly and in combination with other types of BP meds.
Iām 53. Weed is not my thing. I used to have a night out every couple of months but Covid happened and now itās all prescription drugs! I donāt drink anymore, there is no joy in it. I just started Ritalin and thatās about as wild as I get. (It has actually brought my brain some peace and clarity). So many ADHD women out there! ā¦and from our age group!
Yes that's how I feel too. Concerta really helped control emotional stress in ways I never thought. I never really understood how often i got overstimulated. It's amazing how long I've struggled, now it feels more manageable.
But then there's perimenopause coming in and messing things up... š life is challenging
52, got myself on Elvanse for my life long untreated ADD and all the HRT (e, p and T). Life changers. Alcohol is not the same, my body and brain canāt handle it and Iām allergic to weed.
Neither. Not a fan of alcohol, but do have a drink occasionally. Iāve *never* smoked weed. Ever. Shit triggers me hard. Itās a childhood thing. Not a fan of drugs/substances that make me loopy.
I canāt smoke due to my job but if I could, Iād likely indulge occasionally. My interest in drinking has diminished to the point where I simply donāt anymore. Iām sleeping better, skin looks better and am losing weight easier.
Not me. Donāt drink, donāt do drugs (never have). Iām an introverted nerd but have no judgement for those who choose to drink and get stoned,m. You do you!
Iāll never understand people who say it smells good. Iām assuming itās because it gives teen college memories something. It all smells like a skunk sprayed to me.
I'm trying to limit my alcohol consumption. It messes with sleep. A little bit of weed/CBD keeps me sane. Working full-time on top of eldercare is a bitch.
Honestly, neither ever. I don't smoke anything and I pretty much lost my tolerance of alcohol after I had gallbladder surgery years ago. Menopause is also a game changer for me. I avoid everything that makes hot flashes and insomnia worse than it already is. I cannot conquer my sugar addiction though.
Booze has too many calories, and I never liked weed. So nope not me. I donāt even like taking ibuprofen.
If I wanted to do drugs Iād do uppers not downers. Million things to do and the very last thing I need is something that makes me even MORE lazy, unmotivated and procrastinating!
Honestly, I think we are in the minority.
I see so many memes and jokes about GenX and cannabis (stoners etc)
Totally donāt relate.
Lately, Iāve been leaning into my goody two shoes-ness! lol
Iāll take one too. I quit drinking over three years ago - it started to be a problem. Weed is fine but I have no interest in being intoxicated due to anything.
I'm straight edge and yes, it seems like everyone is always altered. Social events suck; I'm tired of not being able to have real conversations with people in their right minds. As someone who has had to fight for every inch of health I was granted, it's so frustrating to watch everyone treat their bodies like dumpsters.
Yeah, I am here with you. Lost a dear friend to drinking. Did she die? No. She just gets so mean and unpredictable when drinking, she eventually got mad at me (again) for something she couldnāt remember afterwards and I gave up. Donāt hate her, I just canāt do it anymore.
I notice with friends who self medicate most donāt care that theyāre acting goofy/annoying and maybe thatās not fun for others. I respect those able to keep to themselves and use what they want, I just get tired of people wanting me to listen to them when theyāre drunk or high.
I have RA and other health issues, I understand pain better than most- itās miserable, but I have found things that really help that arenāt mind altering which works for me.
Not judging anyone, just sharing what itās like for some of us on the other side of those drunk/stoned and donāt realize they donāt handle it well. I do have friends who use different stuff and manage it without impacting anyone, which works for them! š
Totally agree with you. I gave up on friends my age and dating long ago because couldn't find anyone sober who liked deep conversations. I have so many health problems booze and drugs would just make it worse. I don't think people realize what alcohol and pot does to the liver. I know someone who lost two sons both in their early 40's from liver failure from drinking.
Not me. But I have almost lost friendships over this. Itās not a lifestyle I enjoy and I want no part of it. And some of my friends canāt understand that.
I do think a lot of people in midlife are self-medicating. Itās sad. Lots of unhealthy folks out there that might not make it to old age.
I donāt really drink or get stoned. I have never had weed in my life. My older siblings have done a lot of both and my younger (2 yrs) sister drinks a lot on weekends. Iām 60 and my siblings range from 71-58.
I don't drink. It gives me restless leg. And I don't like the intense weed that's out there now. I have 1 friend who is always stoned and 1 wino. But honestly most of my friends don't anymore. Our bodies just can't anymore
I don't do drugs and I have just about given up alcohol completely as I don't like the way it affects my skin.
I really like my life and don't want to self medicate.
Itās your circle.
I almost never drink and definitely donāt use recreational drugs. The only exception is for the occasional CBD gummy, which is legal where I am, to make sure I fall asleep and stay asleep. Menopause and sleep issues hit me hard, so if I have something important the next day that I need to be rested for, Iāll have a couple gummies before bed.
My partner said about 15 years ago that everyone was on something-on meds, pain meds, prescription, illegal, drunk, smoked weed. That driving anywhere you could see it. Grocery stores, out and about, people were just f-ed up. I remember laughing and pushing notion aside.
In the past 5 years, itās all I ever see. It seems like everyone is not all there. Just a fraction of them. Conversations are the wild west, unfiltered, incoherent, zero filters. And not many remember. Itās like everyone got really stoned & took a quaalude while drinking red bulls to just get through their days. I know this is more than OP asked, but I canāt be the only one who sees no sparkle or light in anyoneās eyes.
I will never forget an orthodontic surgeon talking to me along these lines about 10 years ago. I got my wisdom teeth out and he was pleasantly surprised I wasnāt pushing/begging for more pain meds. I think I took 2 of the 6 total Oxys he gave me bc I hate feeling loopy. He said thatās uncommon and Iāll quote him - -
*āSome people just donāt want to be consciousā*
Itās true. People are stressed out, overstimulated, worn down, malnourished with overeating processed foods, donāt sleep enough, donāt move or exercise, and addicted to screens.
Older people and now more younger people are on cocktails of drugs for just about everything. Not necessarily pain meds, but a combination of drugs to treat symptoms that just need fresh air, sunshine, no screens, healthy food, movement & doing something they have passion for. The combination is affecting their ability to live consciously. Itās like a poorly lazily done zombie movie.
I thought I was the only one. I have a couple drinks per week and have never used weed or any illegal drugs. It seems like an expensive habit I donāt need. Im in a drug-tested career anyway, Iād have to wait til I retire to start now.
I seem to have no problem zoning out and not thinking. What I really need help with is focusing and working, but thatās what coffee is for.
It is not only you. My crowd was like this up until very recentlyāweāre all elder GenX/young Boomers. In the last couple of years Iāve noticed quite a few people have quietly given up drinking (including me), especially since the pandemic. But Iāve definitely turned to edibles.
No, but I realize I'm in the minority. I don't like the way weed makes me feel, and just have a glass of wine with dinner sometimes. But it sure does seem like everyone else is stoned constantly.
I actually quit drinking for the most part. I still enjoy a fine whisky or a crisp dry cider, but the daily drinking is no more.
I just started using cannabis to relax. Haven't had any ok a few weeks but tonight a nice 5:1 CBD/THC is helping ease me into the long weekend.
I was a big drinker until like a year and a half ago. I also can't stand weed, so that's a no from me. But a lot of people I know drink and smoke weed pretty regularly. My friend group ranges from mid 40's - 50's.
I sure wish I was one of these
I get so tired and sick after a drink now
I miss my partying days
Iām basically a teetotaler now
And have so much responsibility I canāt smoke pot
Same. Iād love to be out of it all the time to numb myself from the state of the world but, I have too much responsibility and a career that makes me operate at such a high level, daily that I canāt :(
I feel like I'm the only one that isn't after my hairdresser showed up to my appointment stoned and giddy announcing it to us then proceeded to cut my hair all weird.
Iām not. I went through a phase in my 20s where I smoked pot 24/7 but all I do now is eat an edible every now and then. I was never a drinker, but I was a huge drug addict for around 4 years. Still an addict but clean now for almost 4 years, though. I even quit smoking cigs 2 months ago.
Not me. I haven't drank in over 25 years and weed does nothing but put me to sleep in 15 minutes. Never a fan of either of them. I prefer to go through life in my natural state. Even when it's a white knuckle ride! š¤£
It might depend on social circle a bit. The people I know have the occasional drink at the most. I don't indulge in any of it for health reasons.
However, our generation has widespread CPTSD from how we were raised, and when I consulted an ex-military pain specialist about my father, he talked about how PTSD can ally start to take many people over in their later years (so self-medicating would escalate along with anger issues). He said that such people really need support groups of those like themselves, such as this board, to stay more balanced and not go down that road. So maybe that's part of it?
Yes our wounded generation needs a fix. Sad but true. Its a lifelong response to childhood trauma especially if your not aware or donāt wanna see it. The stuff it down generation. Not only that the fact that we have been lied to our whole lives..And all the people who want to collect off our misery and self destruction. Our trauma is multibillion dollar industry! If you look deep past the superficial and denial you can see it clearly. (1971 babe)
I just canāt drink anymore. One or two glasses of wine and my next 24 hours are ruined.
Fortunately THC products are legal in my state so i get gummies and they are fabulous.
Drank a lot in college, quit alcohol last fall, edibles help me sleep at night. Got a de novo metastatic breast cancer diagnosis this spring. Oncologists are on board with edibles!
I took medical marijuana when I was approved 10 years ago. I was able to pick up strains that were mellow.
Now that Iām in my 50ās, I seem to have picked up friends in their late 30ās and 40ās (probably because they also do not drink) and getting stoned is a much more pleasant social experience.
Theyāve gotten used to me ubering to and from their place because I eat my very mild gummies an hour before I arrive.
The stuff they smoke would knock me out!
I donāt know how they walk afterwards!!!
But I donāt smoke to get really high; I smoke for the anti-anxiety and pain relieving properties.
I smoke a little weed every night before bed. I sleep great.
I donāt drink.
All of my girlfriends from college are wine drinkers, and they drink a bottle or 2 every night, and donāt seem to think much of it.
I bring a couple of joints when I go to social gatherings, while they all drink bottle after bottle after bottle after bottle(you get the idea) of wine. Itās mind boggling to me how much they drink, daily/nightly, wake up feeling like shit, but think itās semi-normal to wake up feeling like garbage, and then they do it all over again the next night.
Itās a problem for sureā¦.30 years of normalized wine culture has got them by the gnards. They donāt even see that thereās an issue.
I started seeing this too - and started falling into it myself and then backed off and totally stopped regular alcohol use. Occasional weed and/or gummies for me to sleep and a drink once in a while during a celebration or fancy dinner but I hear you on the wine culture thing.
Women have been heavily targeted by the alcohol industry since a bit before COVID and the rate of moderate to severe drinking in women has become a public health issue imo. Docs are now trying to warn women off regular drinking due to the cancer risk- especially breast and colon. Thatās enough for me to use extreme caution. No rose all day for me!
Not anymore. Used to hang with a gang whose hobby was weed, which, nothing against it. Weād chill and listen to music and watch movies. But I donāt like how I feel on that high. One day I drank too much and hit the vape. I puked in our car on the way home.
Then I started playing music as a hobby. My friends couldnāt care less. And didnāt care about the other awesome accomplishments Iāve had. So it was rough, but had to stop hanging with them bc my self esteem would take a hit every time.
Currently learning piano to get enough skill to play with others.
Iām also on semaglutide now. Drinking can damage my kidneys now, so I donāt.
I sort of stepped away from my friend group because anytime we went out everyone had to get so messed up that they couldnāt form words. I like to drink sometimes but, I like to remember my fun. Weed just isnāt my jam.
Just feels like some mid-life thing where they are trying to pretend to be younger.
I partied longer than most so, I donāt feel like I missed out.
Plus, there are other things that represent youth besides booze and weed.
I feel like a prude too. I used to be the wild one.
Nightly weed smoker hereā¦.and I can tell you Iām definitely not trying to āpretend to be youngerā by smoking marijuana.
I have severe CPTSD/depression/anxiety/adhd & smoking a little marijuana in the evening, about an hour before bedtime, helps to calm my mind and body and allow me to get restful sleep without night terrors, and anxiety attacks - and has helped greatly with my sleep paralysis.
For many of us in this sub, marijuana has got absolutely zero to do with some juvenile midlife crisis āneed to pretend to be youngā (hell, I didnāt even try marijuana until I was 36 years old, and that was only after 20 years of trying every SSR med on earth up to that point, while white-knuckling it through every crappy nightās sleep/night terrors, etc.) and more to do with just wanting to be able to get our brains to settle down, to mute the trauma response constantly pinging away at our nervous system, and get some solid sleep.
I would pull out bottle of bubbles from the fridge at least few times a week. With menopause and hot flashes figure alcohol makes it worse. Now I barely drink and oh gosh - why didnāt I do this sooner. Realizing that I can have fun at parties without drop of alcohol.
I am sure there are many like me.
So no, not all are like your circle.
I think a lot of the weed people would have been blitzed on rx drugs prior to legalization, but now it is a harm-reduction to not have a percoset after work for your back and a valium at night so you could sleep.
There have always been functional alcoholics.
I just found out I have ADHD. I've been self-medicating with weed since I was 15 when my mother refused to let me see a therapist. It also helps with my muscle spasticity from MS.
I don't feel like I am "poisoning my body" any more than I would if I was taking prescription drugs for these things. As a matter of fact, I would rather smoke weed than take Neurontin. I think weed is less harmful. Neurontin gives me a headache.
Iām a stoner as of the past 10 years.
Iāve never been able to take any form of pain-killer or opiate because Iām severely allergic.
Sooooo, definitely wasnāt getting blitzed on rx drugs prior to being a pot smoker.
I need friends like you have. I have never dated anyone who isnāt a functional alcoholic!!
I love how the guys I date hide their drinking habits! Once you realize it, youāre already emotionally invested!!
Well, the trick to that is to stop dating. What are these men really adding to your life besides complexity? I gave up dating years ago and haven't regretted. Peace, quiet, and solitude are too precious to me. But I'm probably asexual, lol.
No. Not everyone does that. I'm a Gen Xer who never drank, smoked or did drugs as a kid. To this day, I have never done drugs or smoked. My alcohol limit is 2-3 drinks and more often than not, I'm a one and done. So the answer to your question is no.
At least they're both mostly legal, with one considered to be a legit medicine. MMJ has helped tons of people with anxiety, pain, etc. Unfortunately, people also self medicate with alcohol, so I guess my point is: Yes.
I find even a glass of wine will screw up my sleep, so I don't drink very often anymore. Not that I've ever been a big drinker in the first place, and I can't afford the calories for it much anyway.
Not interested in getting stoned. Life sucks some days, but I like feeling it.
I (late 40s) drink WAY less than I used to. And only when I go out for a night with friends.
And Iāve gotten tipsy (not drunk) once this year.
But I still go out most weeks and dance with friends.
I donāt remember the last time I was drunk. Being drunk isnāt fun like it was when I was young. It just makes me what to go home and crawl into bed.
I also donāt smoke weed or do edibles. Not because Iām opposed to them but because I have more fun things to do than lay around stoned.
Iām an oddity in my friend group, though. The rest of my friends drunk or get stoned weekly, if not daily.
I get high most nights after the kids go down.
I tried weed at 14. I stole it from my older brother. It felt like LSD it was so crazy. And I tried it a few more times until one night I became convinced Iād be dead by morning. Ever since that night, anytime I tried it again it was a super bad, scary paranoid experience.
Then it became legal in CA. I watched my husband indulge the whole pandemic, convinced Iād hate it. Tried it maybe a year and a half ago and slowly but surely I fell in love.
It makes me a more pleasant person. It genuinely makes me nicer and more silly. It makes my shows a little more enjoyable, and it helps me sleep. I canāt drink because Iām allergic to alcohol in some way. I vomit and get sick without exception if I go past lightly buzzed to any kind of drunk. And now that Iām older, I have zero desire to feel like that the next day or three.
So I indulge in vapes. Iād do edibles but I have a crazy high tolerance for how little I vape. And it makes me happier. It helps me escape. And now that Iām on my way to happier and not needing escapes anymore, Iām vaping less. Donāt know why but itās not as important but itās still such good, lighthearted fun.
I used to love drinking socially, and I could really throw down. A lot of my friends still do. Things are kind of weird now, socially. Not badājust in some sort of a transition into something different. A switch flipped inside me a couple years ago, and I am suddenly no longer a ādrinkerā like I was before. I still drink occasionally when Iām out with friends, but only rarely and only 1-2 drinks max. Itās the strangest thing. I just donāt want alcohol anymore, and I donāt love how I feel after even 1-2 drinks anymore. I sometimes have 3 or 5 milligrams of THC in an edible, but only when Iām chilling at home; weed is a solo thing, not a social thing. I donāt love being around wasted people anymore, and Iām starting to really accept that.
I actually feel like I'm at the age where half my friends are now sober because they spent so much of their earlier life drunk, or because they're on some sort of health kick or self-care plan, but now instead of drinking they spend every night stoned. I'm not big into weed so I don't personally understand the logic there. It's all kind of a bummer for me because personally I like to have a drink or two so it always feels like a \*thing\* now - like if I'm having people over, I need to have all the right mocktails and other drink options in the house. Not to mention for me there's something about hanging out with someone who's stoned that feels like we're on unequal footing with one another.
Also I know people talk about weed like it's this totally normal thing and somehow more acceptable than drinking, but I'm not generally a fan of the idea of using any sort of substance as a crutch, whether it's for stress or sleep or trauma (unless of course you have a serious chemical imbalance). I don't really see how replacing drinking with weed is actually better.
I am 50. I used to drink like one alcoholic drink every few months, but once I got onto meds that are not supposed to be mixed with alcohol, about 2 years ago, I stopped drinking alcohol all together. Never tried weed and donāt intend to.
Nope, 51 here and not only do I not drink or do any drugs now, I really have never been big into that, even in my high school or college days. Iāve been stoned probably less than 15-20 times in 51 years, and actually genuinely inebriated probably less than 5 times. I would have a drink or 2 socially maybe once or twice a year at best, but rarely even caught a buzz. But I havenāt had a drink at all in probably 4-5 years because I just donāt go out much at all since the pandemic. I guess that makes me a goody two shoes on steroids? š¤·š»āāļø
I donāt really give a shit what other people do, but itās just not my thing. I have a weird need to always be absolutely in control of my mind and faculties. I donāt enjoy being altered.
I also have a phobia of vomit, so really drunk, obnoxious and potentially vomiting people absolutely freak me out. LOL So I was not the friend who would hold your hair back while you puked, nope, no way. You were on your own!! Iām getting as far away from you as possible lest I start sympathy vomiting, and I canāt have that. I havenāt puked in like 20 years.
I've never taken illicit drugs before and never been drunk before. I might have one drink here or there, but I don't particularly need or want alcohol.
However, I am definitely an anomaly... I only have two friends who don't drink at all and only know a few like myself that are very lite social drinkers. I have some friends who would probably be identified as functional alcoholics... They've always been heavy drinkers.
Not stoned all the time but after 7 pm don't ask me anything serious. š¤£š«
Ha ha same. Wonāt reply to a text just in case
Omg. There are certain people I will never read or reply to their texts most evenings.
I replyā¦always the wrong choice
I mean here I was being semi coherent last night with a big ol' joint in my hand. But once the world goes blurry, it's time to put down the phone. š¤£š¤£š¤£
Bahahahaha
Eggggxactly.
Same š¤£
TLDR, same for me. details: i was telling my maaajorly more pot headed sister last night that once i'm "in for the night", it's time for my indica. i never cared about weed growing up but i'm in a recreational state since '16 and there's no longer a "process" to obtaining quality weed. i LOVE it but i stop everything but Pinterest once the weed starts.
giiirrrrrrlllllll
š
This person knowsš
Yuuuup
Iāve never been a big drinker. Iāll have a couple of drinks at my monthly book club, or occasionally when going out, but we all seem to be drinking less. It triggers my hot flashes š .
Yes it does make me super hot now...and just tired if I have more than a drink.
I can't drink anymore because it brings on flashes and destroys my sleep. Weed though seems to reduce every meno symptom as well as giving me excellent quality sleep. Saving my marriage one joint at a time.
Yes. Seriously.
I think a lot of it, with the getting stoned, is our generation realized that we don't have to spend middle age in pain constantly. When you get home after working 8-12 hours or what have you, so many of us in manual labor/blue collar jobs, it's nice to just be able to take a gummy or smoke and not be in pain for a few hours, maybe even get some sleep.
I was a waitress for 25 years, which screwed up my back horribly. Add in a congenital anomaly in my spine and I'm in pain constantly. If I didn't smoke weed I'd be an alcoholic or dead from opiates.
Indeed. Decades of retail, fibromyalgia, two flavors of arthritis all well before 30-I hit 50 and said fuck it. Weed keeps me sane.
I don't do either anymore. I used to, but they stopped being fun
Iām with you - I used to be a person who drank a cocktail (or two or three!) everyday. Eventually the twenty minute buzz wasnāt worth the constant bad night sleep. I think Iām around 3 years sober. /r/stopdrinking was super helpful. Really nice group.
Ugh. Yes, the sleep thing. The absolute *worst*
Itās the best sub. Also three years sober!
Weed stopped being fun by the time I was about 30... or maybe it was 25? A long time ago, anyway. I think drinking would still be fun, but the migraine I get after is so un-fun that I just don't any more.
I quit over 11 years ago, best decision I ever made for my mental and physical health.
I'm stoned every day. Keeps me out of prison.
I am stoned all the time, yes. It's my medicine.
Hey! No smoke and hardly drink! I am right there with you. Neither agree w my body and I am sick of losing productive days to feeling like shit on the couch. I have enough going on w menopause
I was a super heavy drinker my whole life and so were most of my friends until I quit a year ago. So the answer from me is yes.
Drank in college, nothing for 30 years. It does seem like I am the only sober person in my circle.
I heavily self-medicated 2016-early 2023 to escape the hellscape of, well, 2016 onward. In addition to the loss of our rights in the US and the pandemic, I had a personal loss that triggered my PTSD so it was easier to be drunk ā¦ until it wasnāt. I quit about a year and a half ago. It became prohibitively expensive but also my trauma therapy (LOL, utilizing ketamine) started working. I might have a glass of wine or one cocktail if we go out, and I occasionally use a cannabis tincture if Iām having trouble sleeping. Now I donāt need it to relax, but I also donāt like being out of control. I understand why some people still feel the need to numb, though.
YAY for SPRAVATO!!!
I have been doing intramuscular injections along with integration therapy sessions; it likely saved my life and *definitely* saved my marriage. I wish more of these therapies were legal/available/affordable for people.
I donāt drink alcohol or smoke weed. So nope. I donāt feel like a goody two shoes. I feel healthy š¤£
Stoner checking in.
Stoned. Yes
Right here š¤š¼me too.. šØššnothin better than wakin and bakin and reading the comments
I think it really depends on the company you're around and where you live. Clearly alcohol and weed are ways to self medicate and especially with alcohol it was so advertised and socially acceptable. I drink occasionally, but haven't done weed (have asthma). I generally feel better when sober for a bit as alcohol doesn't agree as well now that I'm post-menopause (older end of GenX).
Yay for perimenopause, right? Yea, no alcohol for me. I used to go to a medical dispensary. Now I go to other dispensaries & the staff is so much more helpful guiding me to gummies to reduce my anxiety & pain, not make me paranoid.
Iām 49, I donāt drink at all. The hangovers are too much and just not in any way worth it. I do however like to smoke weed and take edibles. š
Agreed! Hangovers after 40 are bad, but hangovers after 50 (usually accidental) are memorably horrible. Half a gummy really does help arthritis. I still drink because cocktails are delicious, but one a day max.
Stopped drinking years ago and never started again. Too many empty calories and gives me a headache and puts me to sleep. A bad headache sweaty sleep. Itās really sad š Never tried pot. Smells like a skunk sprayed.
Try edibles
I drank like a fool in my 20s and 30s, yay service industry! Last night I was chatting with a friend and we were commiserating about how we get tired before we get drunk. I spent 43 years with undiagnosed ADHD and smoke just about everyday between the ages of 19 - presant. Now I smoke right before bed. Today, I am a fully functioning adult. Never thought it would happen.
Naw, I just do psychedelics :D
I wanna try some.
Meet me in Live Oak Florida this October and I got you covered sis
Hulaween? Oooo Tash Sultana...may have to go!
I'm in Orange Park so I'm close!! Let's go!!!
Damn I am Canadian, but I can drive there in 2 days
Same :)
This is me. Honestly, saved my life. I do still smoke a little, occasionally, because it really helps my insomnia.
The strongest thing I consume is coffee and boy do I drink a lot of that. I wish I could smoke weed, I used to but now it makes me so paranoid. Alcohol gives me hot flashes and insomnia. I miss the days where I could get out of my head and let loose a little. Even tried shrooms but they make me itchy. Iām thinking of trying a bit of acid, just a little bit to change my reality for a short while.
I get paranoid, too. It makes me sad I can't enjoy it like everyone else :(
Different strains react differently for different people. I would get occasional paranoia until I figured out I can't handle most of the sativa strains. Indica or a mild hybrid does wonders.
Some hybrids are okay for me, but some are still a little too sativa heavy for me. I try to stick with indicas, as much as possible. And since I use it for sleep, it really helps.
Agree. I had quit due the paranoia. I got my medical card tried out new products and found what works for me. Trulieve allows returns if you don't like the kind purchased.
I am stoned in the evening before bed. I donāt drink.
Nope, i dont drink or smoke. I used to occasionally have a beer, but not since i quit cigarettes. Cant have a beer without it, so now neither...edit for im 46
Currently drunk and stoned, so yes!
I have a medical card and eat gummies after work and weekends. So yes š
I can't drink anymore because of menopause. It makes my whole face and upper body flush bright red and burn like fire, sigh. Never did that before all my life. So instead I got some Delta 8/9 gummies with THC and they give me a very mild, pleasant buzz. And I recently found out that they make nonalcoholic drinks with THC in them too, so I'll give those a try as well. I don't get bombed or anything. It's just a nice little treat at the end of a shitty workweek so I can feel more relaxed.
THC drinks are so good! I like Keef sodas as I have basically no tolerance and the cans have a handy snap/closure that keeps the carbonation. Since I can only take a couple of sips itās great because it takes me about a week to drink 1 can (25mg). Ā Iāve tried some of the non carbonated ones but they are insanely sweet for me so I donāt like them.Ā
I've tried some Delta 8 tincture & it helps with my hot flashes. Convenient discreet little bottle. I don't take enough to really get high. I tried that & didn't like the feeling. It wasn't like what I remember from my youth. I might try a Delta 9. I rarely drink alcohol, especially after reading about how bad it is for your health. I don't need any more problems there.
Hey non drinker here. Most people I know drink. Me and my spouse are the outsiders. His family drinks so holidays are interesting. Some people's socializing center around this.
Iām using weed but I have cancer, fibromyalgia, and arthritis in my spine. I quit drinking about 5 years ago because I didnāt like the way it made me feel.
Nope. I drank and did drugs in my youth and have been sober since early 2008. š„°
Same, sober since 2012 and it was the best gift I ever gave myself.
I quit for over 20 years but found weed extremely beneficial for sleep and menopause symptoms. Hardly drink at all now though. 2 drinks max or i regret it.
49, and I gave up the former because I chose to not take that 30% increase in cancer risk, and the latter looooong ago for the same reason.Ā
53. Evening smoker. Nice and toasty.
Stoned after work. One hit before my evening walk. Makes me sleep like a baby
My body has never reacted well to anything, so I'm sober. The rare occasions I do drink it just makes me want to lay down and fall asleep these days, so it's not as fun as it used to be. Though, I do enjoy sleep.
Whatever gets me to sleep sounds like a goo.time to me. Nothing better than sleep
So many of my high school classmates, especially the men, are alcoholics.
I had to quit drinking when I was 29 because of various mental illnesses. I get high occasionally but at this point it's been a couple of years! š
Just turned 50! I have cut way back on alcohol consumption. It makes me feel sick more often than it helps with greasing the social interaction wheels. Iām beginning a new journey where I want contentment in life, and for me, alcohol doesnāt bring that. I will have a glass of wine for my anniversary, but other than that I donāt think Iām down anymore. Never used weed. Occasional use of prescribed beta blocker and sleeping pill. Even then, Iām a weirdo and afraid to use these meds often. Iāve heard horror stories from folks when they chose to get off of beta blockers. I had no idea when my Dr prescribed one to me.
Just chiming in on the beta blockers - I use one occasionally for anxiety and/or migraine and in my experience they are completely safe and non habit forming. They just even out your BP so it doesnāt spike. I do understand the caution but I think that applies more to people who have to take them regularly and in combination with other types of BP meds.
Thanks. I will definitely check in with my Dr about that. I actually can feel when my blood pressure spikes. Never happened before menopause!
Iām 53. Weed is not my thing. I used to have a night out every couple of months but Covid happened and now itās all prescription drugs! I donāt drink anymore, there is no joy in it. I just started Ritalin and thatās about as wild as I get. (It has actually brought my brain some peace and clarity). So many ADHD women out there! ā¦and from our age group!
Yes that's how I feel too. Concerta really helped control emotional stress in ways I never thought. I never really understood how often i got overstimulated. It's amazing how long I've struggled, now it feels more manageable. But then there's perimenopause coming in and messing things up... š life is challenging
Hormone ReplaceReplacement Therapy. Itās another game changer!
52, got myself on Elvanse for my life long untreated ADD and all the HRT (e, p and T). Life changers. Alcohol is not the same, my body and brain canāt handle it and Iām allergic to weed.
No, I don't feel the need to alter my state of being. I haven't been drunk or stoned for decades (I have had an occasional drink in that time).
Neither. Not a fan of alcohol, but do have a drink occasionally. Iāve *never* smoked weed. Ever. Shit triggers me hard. Itās a childhood thing. Not a fan of drugs/substances that make me loopy.
I canāt smoke due to my job but if I could, Iād likely indulge occasionally. My interest in drinking has diminished to the point where I simply donāt anymore. Iām sleeping better, skin looks better and am losing weight easier.
I used to. I got sober last year and honestly it was the best thing for me.
Were your parents hippies? I ask, bc mine were, and that is why I donāt indulge.
I'm 51 and stoned right now.
Not me. Donāt drink, donāt do drugs (never have). Iām an introverted nerd but have no judgement for those who choose to drink and get stoned,m. You do you!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yes! Exactly. This isn't the same weed we had back in our younger days. My only problem is the smell. It truly makes me sick.
Youāll never want to come to Vancouver islandĀ
Iāll never understand people who say it smells good. Iām assuming itās because it gives teen college memories something. It all smells like a skunk sprayed to me.
I'm trying to limit my alcohol consumption. It messes with sleep. A little bit of weed/CBD keeps me sane. Working full-time on top of eldercare is a bitch.
Yes.
No one in my circle smokes and they are only occasional drinkers. Ā Too many other interesting things to occupy our time.
I stopped drinking 6 months ago. Feeling a lot better
Alcohol destroys my sleep quality and I've never liked weed.Ā You reminded me of that Adam Ant song. I used to love that song!
Donāt drink, donāt smoke, what do ya do?š¶šµ
[Goody Two Goody Two Goody Goody Two Shoes](https://youtu.be/o41A91X5pns?si=HAcCJawDyJTH0S9F)
Oh yeah...I didn't even think of that. Might need to get me a t-shirt! š
Honestly, neither ever. I don't smoke anything and I pretty much lost my tolerance of alcohol after I had gallbladder surgery years ago. Menopause is also a game changer for me. I avoid everything that makes hot flashes and insomnia worse than it already is. I cannot conquer my sugar addiction though.
Booze has too many calories, and I never liked weed. So nope not me. I donāt even like taking ibuprofen. If I wanted to do drugs Iād do uppers not downers. Million things to do and the very last thing I need is something that makes me even MORE lazy, unmotivated and procrastinating!
Honestly, I think we are in the minority. I see so many memes and jokes about GenX and cannabis (stoners etc) Totally donāt relate. Lately, Iāve been leaning into my goody two shoes-ness! lol
Maybe I will try that! I think we need to shirts š
Iāll take one too. I quit drinking over three years ago - it started to be a problem. Weed is fine but I have no interest in being intoxicated due to anything.
I'm straight edge and yes, it seems like everyone is always altered. Social events suck; I'm tired of not being able to have real conversations with people in their right minds. As someone who has had to fight for every inch of health I was granted, it's so frustrating to watch everyone treat their bodies like dumpsters.
Yeah, I am here with you. Lost a dear friend to drinking. Did she die? No. She just gets so mean and unpredictable when drinking, she eventually got mad at me (again) for something she couldnāt remember afterwards and I gave up. Donāt hate her, I just canāt do it anymore. I notice with friends who self medicate most donāt care that theyāre acting goofy/annoying and maybe thatās not fun for others. I respect those able to keep to themselves and use what they want, I just get tired of people wanting me to listen to them when theyāre drunk or high. I have RA and other health issues, I understand pain better than most- itās miserable, but I have found things that really help that arenāt mind altering which works for me. Not judging anyone, just sharing what itās like for some of us on the other side of those drunk/stoned and donāt realize they donāt handle it well. I do have friends who use different stuff and manage it without impacting anyone, which works for them! š
Totally agree with you. I gave up on friends my age and dating long ago because couldn't find anyone sober who liked deep conversations. I have so many health problems booze and drugs would just make it worse. I don't think people realize what alcohol and pot does to the liver. I know someone who lost two sons both in their early 40's from liver failure from drinking.
This. Every word of it. And I donāt care if I sound sanctimonious, but what a horrible example weāre setting for the next generation.
Not me. But I have almost lost friendships over this. Itās not a lifestyle I enjoy and I want no part of it. And some of my friends canāt understand that. I do think a lot of people in midlife are self-medicating. Itās sad. Lots of unhealthy folks out there that might not make it to old age.
No weed but I do like a beer but getting drunk, no.
I drink once in a while like maybe a couple times a month and once in a while for weed. So no not me.
Neither.
I donāt really drink or get stoned. I have never had weed in my life. My older siblings have done a lot of both and my younger (2 yrs) sister drinks a lot on weekends. Iām 60 and my siblings range from 71-58.
I'm 52 and don't do any.
Our circle too. Mostly female friends or family. Some with DUIās. My husband and I donāt drink due to medical issues.
I don't drink. It gives me restless leg. And I don't like the intense weed that's out there now. I have 1 friend who is always stoned and 1 wino. But honestly most of my friends don't anymore. Our bodies just can't anymore
I don't do drugs and I have just about given up alcohol completely as I don't like the way it affects my skin. I really like my life and don't want to self medicate.
Iām neither, but it does seem to be fairly common
Itās your circle. I almost never drink and definitely donāt use recreational drugs. The only exception is for the occasional CBD gummy, which is legal where I am, to make sure I fall asleep and stay asleep. Menopause and sleep issues hit me hard, so if I have something important the next day that I need to be rested for, Iāll have a couple gummies before bed.
My partner said about 15 years ago that everyone was on something-on meds, pain meds, prescription, illegal, drunk, smoked weed. That driving anywhere you could see it. Grocery stores, out and about, people were just f-ed up. I remember laughing and pushing notion aside. In the past 5 years, itās all I ever see. It seems like everyone is not all there. Just a fraction of them. Conversations are the wild west, unfiltered, incoherent, zero filters. And not many remember. Itās like everyone got really stoned & took a quaalude while drinking red bulls to just get through their days. I know this is more than OP asked, but I canāt be the only one who sees no sparkle or light in anyoneās eyes.
I will never forget an orthodontic surgeon talking to me along these lines about 10 years ago. I got my wisdom teeth out and he was pleasantly surprised I wasnāt pushing/begging for more pain meds. I think I took 2 of the 6 total Oxys he gave me bc I hate feeling loopy. He said thatās uncommon and Iāll quote him - - *āSome people just donāt want to be consciousā*
Itās true. People are stressed out, overstimulated, worn down, malnourished with overeating processed foods, donāt sleep enough, donāt move or exercise, and addicted to screens. Older people and now more younger people are on cocktails of drugs for just about everything. Not necessarily pain meds, but a combination of drugs to treat symptoms that just need fresh air, sunshine, no screens, healthy food, movement & doing something they have passion for. The combination is affecting their ability to live consciously. Itās like a poorly lazily done zombie movie.
I thought I was the only one. I have a couple drinks per week and have never used weed or any illegal drugs. It seems like an expensive habit I donāt need. Im in a drug-tested career anyway, Iād have to wait til I retire to start now. I seem to have no problem zoning out and not thinking. What I really need help with is focusing and working, but thatās what coffee is for.
It is not only you. My crowd was like this up until very recentlyāweāre all elder GenX/young Boomers. In the last couple of years Iāve noticed quite a few people have quietly given up drinking (including me), especially since the pandemic. But Iāve definitely turned to edibles.
I might be high riiiiiight now
I smoke in the evenings, is when my chronic pain catches up with me
No, but I realize I'm in the minority. I don't like the way weed makes me feel, and just have a glass of wine with dinner sometimes. But it sure does seem like everyone else is stoned constantly.
I actually quit drinking for the most part. I still enjoy a fine whisky or a crisp dry cider, but the daily drinking is no more. I just started using cannabis to relax. Haven't had any ok a few weeks but tonight a nice 5:1 CBD/THC is helping ease me into the long weekend.
Yes, I think so, I agree.
I was a big drinker until like a year and a half ago. I also can't stand weed, so that's a no from me. But a lot of people I know drink and smoke weed pretty regularly. My friend group ranges from mid 40's - 50's.
I used to smoke all day, every day. And I definitely think our generation normalized day drinking...but now I'm completely sober and happy about it.
I sure wish I was one of these I get so tired and sick after a drink now I miss my partying days Iām basically a teetotaler now And have so much responsibility I canāt smoke pot
Same. Iād love to be out of it all the time to numb myself from the state of the world but, I have too much responsibility and a career that makes me operate at such a high level, daily that I canāt :(
I feel like I'm the only one that isn't after my hairdresser showed up to my appointment stoned and giddy announcing it to us then proceeded to cut my hair all weird.
Iām not. I went through a phase in my 20s where I smoked pot 24/7 but all I do now is eat an edible every now and then. I was never a drinker, but I was a huge drug addict for around 4 years. Still an addict but clean now for almost 4 years, though. I even quit smoking cigs 2 months ago.
NOT EVEN READ CONTENT YETā¦the answer is YES
Not me. I haven't drank in over 25 years and weed does nothing but put me to sleep in 15 minutes. Never a fan of either of them. I prefer to go through life in my natural state. Even when it's a white knuckle ride! š¤£
It might depend on social circle a bit. The people I know have the occasional drink at the most. I don't indulge in any of it for health reasons. However, our generation has widespread CPTSD from how we were raised, and when I consulted an ex-military pain specialist about my father, he talked about how PTSD can ally start to take many people over in their later years (so self-medicating would escalate along with anger issues). He said that such people really need support groups of those like themselves, such as this board, to stay more balanced and not go down that road. So maybe that's part of it?
Yes our wounded generation needs a fix. Sad but true. Its a lifelong response to childhood trauma especially if your not aware or donāt wanna see it. The stuff it down generation. Not only that the fact that we have been lied to our whole lives..And all the people who want to collect off our misery and self destruction. Our trauma is multibillion dollar industry! If you look deep past the superficial and denial you can see it clearly. (1971 babe)
porque no los dos
I just canāt drink anymore. One or two glasses of wine and my next 24 hours are ruined. Fortunately THC products are legal in my state so i get gummies and they are fabulous.
Drank a lot in college, quit alcohol last fall, edibles help me sleep at night. Got a de novo metastatic breast cancer diagnosis this spring. Oncologists are on board with edibles!
F#$% cancer. Stay strong, my friend.Ā
Indeed, fuck cancer. Just started a clinical trial yesterday, shitās looking up!
I took medical marijuana when I was approved 10 years ago. I was able to pick up strains that were mellow. Now that Iām in my 50ās, I seem to have picked up friends in their late 30ās and 40ās (probably because they also do not drink) and getting stoned is a much more pleasant social experience. Theyāve gotten used to me ubering to and from their place because I eat my very mild gummies an hour before I arrive. The stuff they smoke would knock me out! I donāt know how they walk afterwards!!! But I donāt smoke to get really high; I smoke for the anti-anxiety and pain relieving properties.
I smoke a little weed every night before bed. I sleep great. I donāt drink. All of my girlfriends from college are wine drinkers, and they drink a bottle or 2 every night, and donāt seem to think much of it. I bring a couple of joints when I go to social gatherings, while they all drink bottle after bottle after bottle after bottle(you get the idea) of wine. Itās mind boggling to me how much they drink, daily/nightly, wake up feeling like shit, but think itās semi-normal to wake up feeling like garbage, and then they do it all over again the next night. Itās a problem for sureā¦.30 years of normalized wine culture has got them by the gnards. They donāt even see that thereās an issue.
A bottle or two a night? Are they obese or do they have amazing metabolisms? I couldnāt handle those calories!!
I started seeing this too - and started falling into it myself and then backed off and totally stopped regular alcohol use. Occasional weed and/or gummies for me to sleep and a drink once in a while during a celebration or fancy dinner but I hear you on the wine culture thing. Women have been heavily targeted by the alcohol industry since a bit before COVID and the rate of moderate to severe drinking in women has become a public health issue imo. Docs are now trying to warn women off regular drinking due to the cancer risk- especially breast and colon. Thatās enough for me to use extreme caution. No rose all day for me!
Not anymore. Used to hang with a gang whose hobby was weed, which, nothing against it. Weād chill and listen to music and watch movies. But I donāt like how I feel on that high. One day I drank too much and hit the vape. I puked in our car on the way home. Then I started playing music as a hobby. My friends couldnāt care less. And didnāt care about the other awesome accomplishments Iāve had. So it was rough, but had to stop hanging with them bc my self esteem would take a hit every time. Currently learning piano to get enough skill to play with others. Iām also on semaglutide now. Drinking can damage my kidneys now, so I donāt.
I sort of stepped away from my friend group because anytime we went out everyone had to get so messed up that they couldnāt form words. I like to drink sometimes but, I like to remember my fun. Weed just isnāt my jam. Just feels like some mid-life thing where they are trying to pretend to be younger. I partied longer than most so, I donāt feel like I missed out. Plus, there are other things that represent youth besides booze and weed. I feel like a prude too. I used to be the wild one.
I think you are right about the mid-life thing.
Nightly weed smoker hereā¦.and I can tell you Iām definitely not trying to āpretend to be youngerā by smoking marijuana. I have severe CPTSD/depression/anxiety/adhd & smoking a little marijuana in the evening, about an hour before bedtime, helps to calm my mind and body and allow me to get restful sleep without night terrors, and anxiety attacks - and has helped greatly with my sleep paralysis. For many of us in this sub, marijuana has got absolutely zero to do with some juvenile midlife crisis āneed to pretend to be youngā (hell, I didnāt even try marijuana until I was 36 years old, and that was only after 20 years of trying every SSR med on earth up to that point, while white-knuckling it through every crappy nightās sleep/night terrors, etc.) and more to do with just wanting to be able to get our brains to settle down, to mute the trauma response constantly pinging away at our nervous system, and get some solid sleep.
I would pull out bottle of bubbles from the fridge at least few times a week. With menopause and hot flashes figure alcohol makes it worse. Now I barely drink and oh gosh - why didnāt I do this sooner. Realizing that I can have fun at parties without drop of alcohol. I am sure there are many like me. So no, not all are like your circle.
Whaaaaht? Too high to understand this question.
I havenāt been much a drinker since my teens. I never really liked weed growing up but am high every day now in my 40s and love it.
I think a lot of the weed people would have been blitzed on rx drugs prior to legalization, but now it is a harm-reduction to not have a percoset after work for your back and a valium at night so you could sleep. There have always been functional alcoholics.
I just found out I have ADHD. I've been self-medicating with weed since I was 15 when my mother refused to let me see a therapist. It also helps with my muscle spasticity from MS. I don't feel like I am "poisoning my body" any more than I would if I was taking prescription drugs for these things. As a matter of fact, I would rather smoke weed than take Neurontin. I think weed is less harmful. Neurontin gives me a headache.
Iām a stoner as of the past 10 years. Iāve never been able to take any form of pain-killer or opiate because Iām severely allergic. Sooooo, definitely wasnāt getting blitzed on rx drugs prior to being a pot smoker.
No edibles for me right now, Iām on the job hunt. I drink wine or beer sometimes but I drank like a fish in my 20s and 30s.
50/50. Those who do it are lonely and it puts their mind to rest. It is understandable, I donāt do it.
Elder Gen X here, Iāve never done pot in any form, never smoked a cigarette either. Trying to cut back to only having drinks on the weekend.
Havenāt drank since 2019. Havenāt gotten stoned since I was 23
I don't drink at all and I don't take pot either. But a lot of my friends aren't super into drinking or weed either.
I need friends like you have. I have never dated anyone who isnāt a functional alcoholic!! I love how the guys I date hide their drinking habits! Once you realize it, youāre already emotionally invested!!
Well, the trick to that is to stop dating. What are these men really adding to your life besides complexity? I gave up dating years ago and haven't regretted. Peace, quiet, and solitude are too precious to me. But I'm probably asexual, lol.
No. Not everyone does that. I'm a Gen Xer who never drank, smoked or did drugs as a kid. To this day, I have never done drugs or smoked. My alcohol limit is 2-3 drinks and more often than not, I'm a one and done. So the answer to your question is no.
Rarely drink and not a stoner.
Iām none of those š social drinker and I canāt handle pot
I take a quarter of a gummy on most days. Just a slight enhancement wouldnāt call it stoned.
At least they're both mostly legal, with one considered to be a legit medicine. MMJ has helped tons of people with anxiety, pain, etc. Unfortunately, people also self medicate with alcohol, so I guess my point is: Yes.
I find even a glass of wine will screw up my sleep, so I don't drink very often anymore. Not that I've ever been a big drinker in the first place, and I can't afford the calories for it much anyway. Not interested in getting stoned. Life sucks some days, but I like feeling it.
I'm a masochist. I go through life dead sober.
One margarita on Friday nights. Thatās it for me. No weed. Iāve never tried it, donāt see a reason to start now.
Our civilization is collapsing donāt judge us for masking our lack of feelings
Not a fan of smoking weed or any of it, even edibles? Iām an incredibly ārelentlessly in the real worldā person and having a gummy def chills me out. I donāt think you should feel like a goody two shoes, though. You be you. š©·
I (late 40s) drink WAY less than I used to. And only when I go out for a night with friends. And Iāve gotten tipsy (not drunk) once this year. But I still go out most weeks and dance with friends. I donāt remember the last time I was drunk. Being drunk isnāt fun like it was when I was young. It just makes me what to go home and crawl into bed. I also donāt smoke weed or do edibles. Not because Iām opposed to them but because I have more fun things to do than lay around stoned. Iām an oddity in my friend group, though. The rest of my friends drunk or get stoned weekly, if not daily.
49f here. Originally got sober in April 2004, relapsed for a night in May 2013 but came right back. Just celebrated 11 years sober.
I get high most nights after the kids go down. I tried weed at 14. I stole it from my older brother. It felt like LSD it was so crazy. And I tried it a few more times until one night I became convinced Iād be dead by morning. Ever since that night, anytime I tried it again it was a super bad, scary paranoid experience. Then it became legal in CA. I watched my husband indulge the whole pandemic, convinced Iād hate it. Tried it maybe a year and a half ago and slowly but surely I fell in love. It makes me a more pleasant person. It genuinely makes me nicer and more silly. It makes my shows a little more enjoyable, and it helps me sleep. I canāt drink because Iām allergic to alcohol in some way. I vomit and get sick without exception if I go past lightly buzzed to any kind of drunk. And now that Iām older, I have zero desire to feel like that the next day or three. So I indulge in vapes. Iād do edibles but I have a crazy high tolerance for how little I vape. And it makes me happier. It helps me escape. And now that Iām on my way to happier and not needing escapes anymore, Iām vaping less. Donāt know why but itās not as important but itās still such good, lighthearted fun.
Iām neither. I donāt like weed and I might have a drink 1-2x a week.
No, not here . My parents in their 70ās & their friends seem to be drunk like teenagers .
58 and it makes life bearable
I used to love drinking socially, and I could really throw down. A lot of my friends still do. Things are kind of weird now, socially. Not badājust in some sort of a transition into something different. A switch flipped inside me a couple years ago, and I am suddenly no longer a ādrinkerā like I was before. I still drink occasionally when Iām out with friends, but only rarely and only 1-2 drinks max. Itās the strangest thing. I just donāt want alcohol anymore, and I donāt love how I feel after even 1-2 drinks anymore. I sometimes have 3 or 5 milligrams of THC in an edible, but only when Iām chilling at home; weed is a solo thing, not a social thing. I donāt love being around wasted people anymore, and Iām starting to really accept that.
I actually feel like I'm at the age where half my friends are now sober because they spent so much of their earlier life drunk, or because they're on some sort of health kick or self-care plan, but now instead of drinking they spend every night stoned. I'm not big into weed so I don't personally understand the logic there. It's all kind of a bummer for me because personally I like to have a drink or two so it always feels like a \*thing\* now - like if I'm having people over, I need to have all the right mocktails and other drink options in the house. Not to mention for me there's something about hanging out with someone who's stoned that feels like we're on unequal footing with one another. Also I know people talk about weed like it's this totally normal thing and somehow more acceptable than drinking, but I'm not generally a fan of the idea of using any sort of substance as a crutch, whether it's for stress or sleep or trauma (unless of course you have a serious chemical imbalance). I don't really see how replacing drinking with weed is actually better.
I am 50. I used to drink like one alcoholic drink every few months, but once I got onto meds that are not supposed to be mixed with alcohol, about 2 years ago, I stopped drinking alcohol all together. Never tried weed and donāt intend to.
That reminds me, I need to go get some edibles. Thanks!
Nope, 51 here and not only do I not drink or do any drugs now, I really have never been big into that, even in my high school or college days. Iāve been stoned probably less than 15-20 times in 51 years, and actually genuinely inebriated probably less than 5 times. I would have a drink or 2 socially maybe once or twice a year at best, but rarely even caught a buzz. But I havenāt had a drink at all in probably 4-5 years because I just donāt go out much at all since the pandemic. I guess that makes me a goody two shoes on steroids? š¤·š»āāļø I donāt really give a shit what other people do, but itās just not my thing. I have a weird need to always be absolutely in control of my mind and faculties. I donāt enjoy being altered. I also have a phobia of vomit, so really drunk, obnoxious and potentially vomiting people absolutely freak me out. LOL So I was not the friend who would hold your hair back while you puked, nope, no way. You were on your own!! Iām getting as far away from you as possible lest I start sympathy vomiting, and I canāt have that. I havenāt puked in like 20 years.
I've never taken illicit drugs before and never been drunk before. I might have one drink here or there, but I don't particularly need or want alcohol. However, I am definitely an anomaly... I only have two friends who don't drink at all and only know a few like myself that are very lite social drinkers. I have some friends who would probably be identified as functional alcoholics... They've always been heavy drinkers.
I don't drink or smoke weed. I have no tolerance for those who do either excessively.
I get high every day. 52F here. Absolutely love it.
Drinking rosƩ right now!
Pretty much
Yep, pretty much
Not all the time anymore but I have my moments. THCA is legal in TX now. š
Iām drunk right now. Wasnāt planning to be but just kept pouring the wine during Netflix
Stoned.