The whole bill against alcohol is its treachery. Its happiness is an illusion and seven other devils return. —William James, American philosopher and psychologist (1842-1910)

While William James’s comment is about alcohol, it can be extended to other drugs and to foods that are high in the trifecta of sodium, fat, and sugar. These substances can bring so much to us at first.

There’s a tingle of excitement cracking open a bottle of beer, striking a match, or tearing open the bag of chips. That tingle lets us know we can feel something. There’s comfort in the rituals of our use; we perhaps feel as if we create some order or have some control in our lives.

We may feel connected to others; a smoking break brings people together. Sharing a bag of cannabis edibles makes us nostalgic for swapping Halloween candy when we were kids.

We may feel more connected to our own selves, especially if we feel as if we need to mask parts of ourselves or pass as something we are not. A warm fuzzy feeling might replace the dread we always feel, which lessens an ever-present angst.

The release that comes from that first shot, inhalation, or bite tells us that at least one........

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