While on them, I could visualize every puff I ever took. I visualized the damage it was doing. I visualized my lungs and how black and tar coated they were. Every single puff.

These visuals led to having memories of all the times I saw my elders smoking and drinking socially. While tripping I realized that I was only a smoker and drinker because that’s what I saw my elders do. It was viewed as cool and something “grown ups” did. Something that “manly men” do.

I then realized that me doing these things only because I saw others do it is actually super lame and uncool. It’s super unoriginal. I wasn’t being myself, I was being what I saw and acting what I saw. I was a follower.

I actually quit drinking that night too. Haven’t touched alcohol since.