Don’t take non-OTC drugs without consulting a physician first. You could really screw yourself up with some of them, the hard stuff especially. The potential ups of doing them aren’t worth the likely losses.

People who take aspirin or ibuprofen take it for a specific purpose, and when they no longer need it, they stop. With things like steroids, heroin, cocaine, and Adderall (if they don’t have specific conditions like ADHD), people frequently end up chasing a horizon that only gets further away the harder they run to catch it. It’s a miserable existence and it causes them, and often their friends and loved ones, endless pain.

You deserve the best from yourself. That includes self-care. You’re more than your flaws and disorders, whatever they may be. Don’t make those an excuse to wreck yourself in pursuit of a goal that probably isn’t real.

I think so, yes. Always OK. Is it always the best possible way to go? Probably not.

And no, I don’t think it matters if it’s physical or mental, what matters is balancing the risk of the drug vs. the benefit. So for example my kid takes Adderall for ADD, I don’t, because I know how much I like speed and also have a (very far past) history of disordered eating and still occasional anxiety about eating - I judge the potential risk too high even if it would “fix” my mind in one way, and make me better in that way.

But yeah, if it will improve you overall why wouldn’t it be ok?

Why do you want to be better? What is the problem?

It’s ok if you call then medicines instead of drugs. Otherwise maybe ok anyway.

In short, yes, but it has to be carefully controlled, and on your terms.

I have adhd, I regularly take medication for it. It has a significant effect on my personality. I takes away the “excited labrador puppy” energy, which is replaced with a more calm and considerate version of me.

It’s worth noting that this change is something I wanted. The improvements for others is a nice side benefit. It’s also done with medical supervision.

It’s also worth noting that the change does become more permanent. Even when unmedicated, I can mode switch far more easily than before. My brain understands the new state better and so can recreate it, even without chemical support.

Better is better. Everything else is just silly pointless judgment

It’s entirely okay to use medication to improve your mental health. There are serious things like depression, anxiety, and mania out there that are chemical in origin and there is nothing wrong with using chemistry to get rid of them.

You should do this with the help of a good doctor and trusted people who can help give you perspective on how you’re doing. When you say “take drugs to make yourself a better person” I can’t tell if you are looking for permission to get high or addressing the topic of mental health meds in earnest.

Seeing as how this topic isn’t part of Rule 3 for which the answer is to go seek professional help, nor is there a rule specific to stupid answers, I’m gonna go ahead with this one.

…

Not really. If you need drugs to make yourself a better person, once you’ve made your life as that better person and the drugs run out, will that life still be compatible with the drugless you? Will you still be able to handle it? To like it? For it to like you? How desperate will you be to find an alternative?

And every drug has a downside, a cost both physical and mental. Have you informed yourself what that cost is? And I’m not talking about the success stories, if it’s not obvious, I’m talking about the ones that took any of these drugs and it failed them. Can you handle those kind of results? If you can’t take into account the cost of failure and whether it outweighs the cost of success, then that drug isn’t for you.

Also, I’d ignore the “go for it” type of comments. Their bias is the equivalent of a “bootstraps” type of success story and not that much reliable. A more reliable success story is that of fighter planes:

Initially, engineers looked at bullet holes in the fuselage to figure out which areas to strengthen and have fewer planes downed. When that didn’t work, some smartass said that if a hit downed a plane, then it won’t make it back to base. So the engineers strengthened the areas without bullet holes instead.

Well guess what, the downed planes won’t make it to Lemmy and tell their stories to you. Imagine that.

I… think this question is a bit more complicated for this community. Following are only my personal opinion

Prescribed medication? I think so, I’d rather be physically and mentally healthy rather than have the other alternative. And usually medication (even ones with noted negative effects) are meant do do more good than harm so…

Recreational drugs… the line between this and the above is surprisingly not as clear-cut as it seems. I believe there are active lines of study of using various psychedelic compounds to treat mental disorders or other conditions… Personally I would take medically prescribed psychedelics if I am 1) under medical supervision and 2) based on evidence it would help my mental health (maybe that’s the answer to the question?)

Hard drugs: I don’t see how they can make anyone a better person, and no

I’m a better person with Adderall. I feel more like myself, like I escape a frustrating fog. I’ve been on it for ~14 years. It doesn’t seem to have the same effects on everyone.

Everything in life is ultimately brain chemistry and addictions. Most of the drugs in our chemistry soup are the substances the human body synthesises on its own. Biology is a funny thing. It can handle immense complexity, but can struggle with precision.

If you have the self awareness to seek out and optimise your brain or body chemistry where it might be lacking, I’d argue that you are the better person than someone that suffers through the deficiencies of their natural biology.

However, humans have a very difficult time assessing their own brain chemistry objectively without biases. It is both harmful and unsafe to self diagnose or self medicate without the assistance of someone that is trained to objectively asses your situation and needs.

No. And it makes no difference if it’s mental or physical. Take only what’s prescribed by your doctor for medical necessity.

Yes.

Some people have to use pills their entire lives. I take some for my disability. They make me more patient and less excited/stressed. They also reduce episodes in which I might harm myself or do things I regret. I am not my disease. I am me, and the medicine is like using crutches for my mind.

I can not solve my issues by talking to a therapist, so medicine is a requirement.

I find it kinda idiotic not to accept medicine that will make things better for you. It’s irrational. I don’t blame you for feeling it this way, I am not sure if this is a gendered issue, but as a man I took it quite hard when I had to start taking meds, it was as if I had a weakness and was less than my peers. “Men are supposed to be stoic and tough” (I have since changed perspective)

Take your meds, no-one will give you a medal or appriciate it if you don’t. You are also not weaker if you take them. It just makes life easier, like a good bed or a good home. Is having a good home a weakness? “What? You can’t survive on the street? You pussy!” /s

See the irrational way of thinking? Any comfortable choice can be called some form of weakness. So then the queation becomes: Why choose to have difficulty when nobody gains from it?

It really depends on the drug and who gave it to you.

When a doctor gives you medication against high blood pressure its to keep you healthy.

When the guy from the gym gives you testosterone that he got from his friend its a very bad idea.

If its a drug you can buy yourself at the store, like caffeine, it really depends on the dosage cause you can get caffeine poisoning.

Regarding stuff like weed or LSD or similar. They shouldn’t be taken regularly because they can be mentally addictive and might further psychological issues or get you over the edge faster regarding psychosis.

And for harder drugs like Heroin, Meth… No. Just no.

What a cracker of a question!

Short answer, yes.

Long answer, what sorts of side effects happen as a result of said medication? I don’t think there’s a single medication or even supplement out there that doesn’t have some sort of side effect (e.g., ibuprofen can cause gut bleeding, iron supplements can lead to constipation, grapefruit can screw with all sorts of medications), so balancing the cost benefit ratio is important.

Which drugs?