How did friends react when Swim told about ecstasy

[Butmunch]

This is a subject that is quite close to Swim because of the response Swim got from some friends. Swim has a lot of friends who drink a lot, many times they grab quite a few drinks a day.

So one day Swim decided to spill the beans to his friends and the reaction was something Swim definitely did not expect. Swim was looked upon like he was the biggest drug addict in history, he had the feeling like the only thing they wanted to do was throw him into a clinic. Swim is quite angry at the hipocrisy because these friends themselves abuse alcohol to a ridiculous level, and then judge Swim because he occasionally rolles.

Off course these friends are just a smaller number of people that Swim hangs out with, but Swim enjoys hanging out with them and the way they reacted was distressing to Swim.

So have any of you Swiys have any similar experiences with friends who themselves abuse (legal drugs) and then act all high and mighty towards you.

I guess this topic could be moved to another part of the forum but I put it here because in Swims experience it involves ecstasy which is the substance Swim is most used to and Swim uses it about once a month. So if the moderators think this thread should belong in another part of the forum, please by all means move it.

[Alicia]

yes, and welcome to society ignorant and dimwitted view on substance users. Alot of the time when in social situations where swia is not familiar she will play the hole innocent routine. Where she is shocked by silly things and can entertain her company, When everyone is talking about down to earth things.

Its best sometimes to not even go there with some people, til the world gets over its "No you cant do, you druggie" attitude it will never sadly change. its all very discriminating and nasty.

[Nature Boy]

It's such a shame that there's this stigma attached to ecstasy use because of all the bad press and propaganda its received since the early 90's. There are many people SWIM knows whom he wouldn't bother discuss his ecstasy use with, ironically they all drink pretty heavily too. If SWIM ever brings it up, he'll mention MDMA specifically and explain quickly how it is a safer and more reliable version of what ecstasy is supposed to be. At least this way, SWIM would seem to know what he's talking about therefore reducing the more naive individuals' fears.

[Psych0naut]

SWIM is pretty lucky, most of his friends do ecstacy as well, so they don't bother, and the ones who don't, don't bother either. This goes for most other drugs SWIM does as well. There is no stigma on ecstacy among the friends he has, not even among friends who only drink.

Most of SWIMs friends have tried it before, out of the ones who haven’t, most have an open mind and after SWIM educated them about it they don’t really judge him, esp. since SWIM has only done it 5 times in his life. A few have labeled him as a “druggie”, swim does not even bother arguing with these people, and yes these are the types that get really drunk at every fri/sat night. In SWIM opinion one is better of rolling once every few mouths than getting drunk twice a week. It really is a shame how socially acceptable alcohol has become here, and how since “everyone” abuses it, its fine to get drunk every week, or have a few drinks every night. But god forbid one experiments with a much more mind expanding drug such as MDMA or Shrooms, then they are ruining their brain and life, please.

[Butmunch]

Originally Posted by smithdogg1

Most of SWIMs friends have tried it before, out of the ones who haven’t, most have an open mind and after SWIM educated them about it they don’t really judge him, esp. since SWIM has only done it 5 times in his life. A few have labeled him as a “druggie”, swim does not even bother arguing with these people, and yes these are the types that get really drunk at every fri/sat night. In SWIM opinion one is better of rolling once every few mouths than getting drunk twice a week. It really is a shame how socially acceptable alcohol has become here, and how since “everyone” abuses it, its fine to get drunk every week, or have a few drinks every night. But god forbid one experiments with a much more mind expanding drug such as MDMA or Shrooms, then they are ruining their brain and life, please.

Yes Swim has also explained to some friends about what ecstasy is really about and most understand. But some friends as Swiy said are those that simply call you a "druggie" and don't even bother listening when Swim tries to explain about ecstasy. Swim has given up explaining to those people and simply avoids the subject. I guess Swim is lucky since these friends have been friends to Swim for a very long time and Swim doubts that they would abandon him so fast.

Swim guesses it will take a lot of deprogramming to make people realize the truth about ecstasy.

[Micklemouse]

The general consensus around A Certain Mouse was a mixture of "What kept ya?" & "Whoopee!"

[The Doors]

Most of SWIM's friends were pretty skeptic and still are a bit reluctant when SWIM talks to them about ecstacy and his other drug use. SWIM says what he has to say about the drug and if they don't believe him then too bad for them - SWIM doesn't let the general opinion silence him out anymore.

Some of SWIM's friends actually decided to try MDMA with him and were very pleased with what they got, some even received the therapeutic soul forgiveness aspect of the drug. SWIM only has a few friends which he will do certain drugs with, and it is better to keep it that way. Some people just aren't responsible and mature enough to handle using drugs and SWIM hates seeing people go the wrong way with them after he initially thought they could handle it, though he knows that he is not responsible for that.

[pinklepork]

Swim had a similar reaction from a friend about ecstasy not too long ago. Most of Swims friends don't care one way or the other but it was very distressing, awkward and annoying the way this one certain friend reacted. Like Swim was some huge druggie and a lost-cause. Swim has had to take precautions that this friend never find out about any further ecstasy use, a big drag when this friend hangs out with all your close friends and knows about eveything.

[Butmunch]

Originally Posted by pinklepork

Swim had a similar reaction from a friend about ecstasy not too long ago. Most of Swims friends don't care one way or the other but it was very distressing, awkward and annoying the way this one certain friend reacted. Like Swim was some huge druggie and a lost-cause. Swim has had to take precautions that this friend never find out about any further ecstasy use, a big drag when this friend hangs out with all your close friends and knows about eveything.

Yeah that is a problem if you need to hide it from your friends. But Swim noticed that the people who have a problem with Swim taking ecstasy don't know anything if much at all about the drug so it's pretty easy for Swim to hide the fact he's rolling as long as there is no extreme jaw clenching action . It is pretty easy for Swim to act semi normal and even if Swim cant act semi normal Swim can always just say he's wasted. Since most of the time Swim is with friends at parties or outside it's pretty dark, so the dilated pupils aren't really noticeable. But Swim still hopes one day he won't have to hide the fact he's rolling from this group of friends.

[podge]

Swiy shouldnt have to hide anything. Swiy's friends should trust swiy's decision and respect it. Tell swiy's friends to go do some research before they start getting all high and mighty with swiy. Swim has had similar reactions when hanging out with people who arent his closer friends and who have no idea about drug culture other than getting pissed 2-5 nights a week. Just tell them that from swiys experience being drunk is potentially a lot more hazzardous than rolling and even tell them that swiy has rolled in front of them before and they couldnt even tell the difference. Also make sure to reinforce the fact that MDMA isnt addictive unlike alcohol.

[The Doors]

SWIM still friends it pretty aberrant that the SWIMS and SWIYs should have to justify anything we do - does SWIM start asking everyone why they drink or do whatever it is they do?

[bob_arctor]

SWIMs friends were very worried and staged a kind of meeting together, to talk to SWIM about the drug-use. Some of them experienced the thing as very distressing, as they cared very much about SWIM, laying awake at night obsessing about it. Two of them stopped contact with SWIM for a while as a means as putting pressure, and to get away from the source of anxiety.

The whole thing was not so dramatic, and everybody understood eachother, but perhaps didn't agree what was the sane thing to do.

[Nagognog2]

The year was 1978. Bongo approached his friends/colleagues with the experiences of MMDA (not MDMA - that came later). Would they care to embark on a psychology-project to find the applications of this substance? "YES!" was the answer - except for one or two who were frightened of the idea of going that deep into the psyche. The rest would be happy to find something that could do what Bongo was extolling.

Thus began the project that, although underground now, remains alive today.

Wait for the book.

[Peace Frog]

A lot of SWIM's friends have heard that he's tried Ecstasy and been very distressed over it, claiming that he will turn into a drug junky and not go anywhere in life.

What they don't seem do understand, is that SWIM (unlike what the media would like to portray), is able to use Ecstasy responsibly and not abuse it "just to get high". That is not SWIM's view on things. SWIM has only taken Ecstasy maybe a handful of times, and never once had an experience he didn't like... yet he still knows the difference between occasional use and abusive use.

SWIM has had many friends (some who enjoy the sauce) accuse him of being an addict and telling him that if he continues down this road he will be lost...

SWIM does not see it this way, he is more knowledgable and intelligent about the self and about the substances he injests, and has not done anything to harm anyone around him. Had they not heard that SWIM had taken E, they never would of noticed any difference.


My advice, though it is sad... is to just ignore these people. If you can explain to them that you are a responsible user, so that they do not worry about you and just go back to treating you like the person you are, then good; if not, then it's too bad that they won't understand.

It's especially harder when it's someone you care about, (Which is a situation SWIM has been in...) If they don't trust you even with taking care of yourself, then how can they say they trust you at all?

[thePhantom]

none of SWIMs close friends do it - just one . Swim and him always roll together, with his friends ... SWIMs friends always talk down to him despite him only doing it 6 times to date, always one month minimum apart ...

[Peace Frog]

People like that are caught up in the media and don't choose to believe that they are being lied to to keep them from expanding their minds.

Don't let them get to you... instead, feel sorry that they don't understand things like someone who knows themself enough to responsibly use Ecstasy...


"Everything is good; in moderation."

[sterling77]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

Thus began the project that, although underground now, remains alive today.

Wait for the book.

Bongo better not be joking.

[Wangsta]

It's actually quite interesting when people get shocked when others take ecstacy because alcohol has taken the lives of probably 100 times more than ecstacy users. (Probably even way more than that) SWIM had a roomate who came back from rehab and what SWIM found interesting was what he said about the people who had it the worst.

Out of all the drugs, heavy alcohol users were affected physically more than the other drugs. He said the alcohol users had extreme liver damage and many other symptoms caused due to extreme alcohol use. So just because a drug is legal does not mean that it cannot cause extreme damage to the body if overused (just like any drug.)