[mosaiclifestyle]

As someone who recently became more conscious about the effects these substances have on me, I found that alcohol was the toughest one to grapple with.

I knew objectively that I felt "dumber" and more on edge for the next couple days, beyond just the immediate hangover, but the thing that always pulled me back was social acceptability. Not just in the form of peer pressure to drink, but also in the glorification of functioning through hangovers. Seeing people who are able to drink often / in excess and perform at a high level almost seemed like something to aspire to, when in reality my brain / body just can't do it -- at least not to my satisfaction.