The straight edge lifestyle seems to fit my personality quite well. I don't feel as though I need illegal psychoactive drugs to cope with life or to be social or to be eccentric. I can't smoke anyways (unless I want to hurt myself and stay sick a lot) because I'm asthmatic.

As Mike noted we've seen how destructive substance abuse probelms can be. Both of our parents grew up in alcoholic homes. Our mom grew up in an abusive alcoholic home. Our mom and all of her siblings have rather severe emotional problems due to this. We had an uncle that had substance abuse problems which led to a divorce, bad feelings with his kids, and ultimately to his death. I was the second family member to his body after he was found. Papaw and a friend found the body and then Papaw called us.

While we were in college one of the guys we went to High School with OD'ed and died. While we worked at ACS one of the guys on my team OD'ed and died.

Since we have witnessed the destructive potential of substance abuse, substance abuse is in our family, and the fact that we have obsessive personalities-- we decide to abstain.

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Do you find it hard to maintain this lifestyle?


Nope.

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Do you ever feel pressured to give in and experiment?


I don't really feel pressured though people have tried to pressure me.

Quote:
Do you find yourself judged based on what you DON'T do rather than what you do?


Yes! I've been called lame, boring, fearful, limited, judgmental, self righteous, prude, and socially retarded! And thats just from people from this board! lol Don't worry guys I'm not going to name names!