| If you use drugs and alcohol, you have | | | | While this is a very important point |
| probably heard quite a few "scare stories." | | | | regardless of what your current age may |
| You may have read, or heard from | | | | happen to be, it is even more so if you are |
| well-intentioned people, that you will either | | | | relatively young. For example, if you are |
| die or end up incarcerated. Perhaps you have | | | | twenty years old, it is not likely that you |
| believed these warnings or perhaps not, but | | | | have spent much time looking twenty or thirty |
| most likely you have not placed a lot of | | | | years into your future. What do you want your |
| faith in their accuracy and shrugged it all | | | | life to be like when you are forty-five or |
| off. However you have seen these warnings, | | | | fifty years of age? What do you think it will |
| there are two main problems associated with | | | | be like? |
| dismissing them-- one is that those dramatic | | | | |
| ends can happen as a result of using drugs | | | | If you are in the majority-- those who |
| and alcohol; but the other is that more often | | | | indulge in recreational drug and alcohol use |
| than not, they don't. | | | | for years or decades-- do not waste your time |
| | | | making too many plans. Don't put too much |
| If this adds to your confusion, it need not. | | | | stock in ideas such as a comfortable, happy |
| The truth is that many people do die as a | | | | family life, a promising career, or excelling |
| result of drugs and alcohol, including | | | | at whatever current interest you love the |
| overdoses and accidents while | | | | most. In time, the importance of all of those |
| under-the-influence; the truth is that many | | | | things will vanish. Your motivation and even |
| people end up incarcerated due to drug and | | | | your desire to attain them will vanish. Your |
| alcohol use, from everything from driving | | | | body, mind, and emotions will become |
| while intoxicated to possession of illegal | | | | sluggish, caring less and less about it all. |
| substances to other crimes. | | | | |
| | | | These days, there are plenty of people who, |
| However, many do not. Many people use alcohol | | | | years and decades past, were exactly like |
| and a variety of drugs without ever getting | | | | you! They had dreams and goals-- but allowed |
| arrested, and without becoming a tragic | | | | drugs and alcohol to get in the way. They are |
| fatality. Many people indulge in | | | | the majority of the past's drug users-- |
| "recreational" drug use and alcohol abuse for | | | | perhaps they too once looked forward to lives |
| years or decades without finding themselves | | | | and futures, but when they allowed drugs and |
| amongst those statistics. | | | | alcohol to become the number-one priority, |
| | | | they became today's middle-aged generation |
| You, perhaps, may be one of those people who | | | | whose lives consist of little but sitting in |
| could smoke pot and get drunk on a regular | | | | one 12-Step Meeting after another, talking |
| basis for twenty years! If this prospect | | | | about the past, quite unsure that it was the |
| sounds appealing to you, however, it may be | | | | drug and alcohol use that got them to where |
| beneficial to you to take a look at people | | | | they are today. Tell yourself that you want |
| who have done exactly that. | | | | more from life-- tell yourself that you |
| | | | deserve better! |