Vick, I agree - we all use something to cope - some of us realize it, some don't.
I have a friend who always expresses her disgust with my love of the magic green herb, but she pops neurofen like candy ...
The difference is I know every positive and negative effect my vices cause me and I compensate accordingly - whereas she's convinced pain killers are ok cause they come from a pharmacy.
I had 4 operations last year, and after each surgery they gave me these super powerful painkillers - each pack has 1 missing ... I took a couple the other day when i woke up during the night in pain, and felt like i had a hangover for 3 days after. It was awful, I could feel the medication still in my bloodstream - I drank 2 pots of green tea and it still didn't make me feel any less numbed.
We should understand *exactly* what everything we put in our mouth does to us - food, medication, smoking, etc - and make our choices accordingly.
Since I cut alcohol and processed food out of my life, I can feel parts of my body I never knew existed
My next aim is cigarettes - i hate smoking, i hate being a smoker, but I don't really want to quit yet ...
I still do some things I know I shouldn't, but I'm the one who has to pay the price ... & that's punishment enough to not do it next time! (usually)