The period of life where I wanna "rock and roll all night, and party everyday" is SO over. I'm not saying I'm opposed to going out and drinking, I'm just saying it's going to be few and far between for me. Special occasion kinda stuff, and I'm not talking about the "I-spell-checked-this-document,-and-it-was-perfect-when-I-typed-it" kinda special occasions. As recently as three years ago, I didn't think it was unusual to stay up all night partying. I could hang with the best of them, just ask anyone who knew me: I was a LOT of fun to hang with. I still am, but I don't drink to excess anymore. The past few times I've gone to a bar, I haven't drank at all. Whether I'm driving or not, I just don't like the feeling of being out of control. I have spent a LOT of money in therapy getting my wits about me and clarifying my thoughts, so why cloud them. I LOVE the lucidity that I have gained by being mentally healthy. I don't want to lose that, even for a few hours. Party folk might think this kinda boring, and they are right. I LOVE a night on the town, but I'll take boring over not knowing how I'm going to get home, because I'm too drunk to drive. That's excitement I can live without. I find when I DO go to bars to meet friends, etc, I either don't drink alcohol at all, or I drink VERY sparingly. As for illegal drugs, FORGET IT. Sudafed messes up my sleep for two days when I take it, I can only imagine what cocaine or meth or E, or whatever would do to me. I never really took drugs (rare for a person with my particular brand of mental illness... we tend to self-medicate) but I gotta say that there is NO way I would consider it now. All and all, it's not as bad as I used to think it would be. I'm just happy to have my wits about me, and able to take care of myself if I need to.