A CLOSER LOOK
What Is This Doing for Me?
Understanding how substances fit into our lives
Coffee in the morning. Medication when something hurts. A drink with dinner. Cannabis to relax. Nicotine for a boost.
Substances are already part of many of our lives. We don't always stop to think about why we reach for one, what we like about it, or what it actually does for us.
It turns out those are useful things to know.
START WITH SOMETHING FAMILAR
We reach for things that do something for us.
Coffee might help us wake up. A medication can ease pain. A glass of wine may be something we enjoy with dinner. Cannabis might help someone relax.
Sometimes we're looking for a particular effect. Sometimes we like the ritual or the experience. Sometimes it's simply pleasurable.
There's nothing unusual about that. Substances have effects, and some of those effects are things we value.
HERE'S SOMETHING WE MAY NOT REALIZE
The same substance doesn't feel the same to everyone.
Think about something meant to help us sleep.
ONE EXPERIENCE
“I take it at night and it helps me fall asleep. I wake up feeling rested and ready for the day.”
ONE EXPERIENCE
“I look forward to my coffee every morning. It helps me feel awake and ready to start the day.”
ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
“It helps me sleep, but I feel groggy the next morning. I have to weigh the better night's sleep against how I feel when I wake up.”
ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
“For me, it's almost more about the ritual. I like making it, holding the warm cup, and having that quiet moment before the day gets going.”
A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
“Coffee makes me jittery and uncomfortable. Even a small amount can leave me feeling wired, so I usually avoid it.”
Even something sitting in the medicine cabinet.
ONE EXPERIENCE
“A glass of wine helps me relax and settle into the evening. I enjoy the taste and the way it makes the moment feel.”
A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
“I didn't like how it made me feel. I felt strange and out of it, so even though it helped me sleep, I didn't want to keep taking it.”
Same kind of medication. Three very different experiences.
Or something as ordinary as coffee.
ONE EXPERIENCE
“My allergy medicine works so well I barely think about it. I take it, my symptoms ease, and I get on with my day.”
ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
“It helps my allergies, but it makes me sleepy. Sometimes that tradeoff matters more to me than the relief.”
Same coffee. Three very different experiences.
A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
“I didn't like how it made me feel. I felt strange and out of it, so even though it helped me sleep, I didn't want to keep taking it.”
Same kind of medication. Three very different experiences.
Or something we might enjoy with dinner.
ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
“I enjoy a glass of wine, but it makes me sleepy pretty quickly. That's usually the effect I notice most.”
A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
“Wine doesn't make me feel relaxed at all. I can feel flushed or uncomfortable, so I usually don't enjoy it the way other people seem to.”
Same glass of wine. Three very different experiences.
TAKE THIS WITH YOU
We do not usually think about these together.
Sleep medicine. Coffee. Allergy medicine. Wine.
We tend to put them in different categories. But each can affect how we feel and the experience can be different from one person to the next.
A QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU
What might I discover if I got curious about an experience before deciding what it means?