drugs and pool players

I'm one of those who always drinks when he shoots pool. I get out once a week, so I want to have some fun. I went sober for about a month and my average went down some. I think it was because I wasn't having as much fun. I did wait untill afternoon at the state tourney before drinking anything and I won both matches while sober. I ended up taking 5th in the A div. which will move me up to AA next year. I know that if I would have started drinking at 8:00 A.M. I would have never been able to perform at midnight. I think I shoot my best when I have just a slight buzz 2-3 beers and then 1 every hour or so. I know I'm terrible after I get too drunk. I think if I quit completley, I would eventually be better off. I don't think I will ever do it tho' because shooting league night for me is about having a good time.
 
Add

One thing that nobody has talked about is Riddelin (sp) or Adderall (sp). These are two drugs that ADD (Attention Deficiency Disorder) take in order to concentrate. My son has ADD and I can see a huge difference in him when he takes this (one of the two) drug... His concentration is immense compared to normal people, but compared to him without the medication it is even more noticeable.

I have been told that I have various symptoms of ADD as well (I wonder where my son got it from...lol). I had been told that the medication would give you intense concentration if you were ADD but if you weren't it would act like speed. Well, I tried it once, because I was curious, and I can honestly say that I have never felt the concentration that I felt that day. Maybe I am ADD or maybe not, but I was definitely zoned in that day...

I would be interested to hear from people on this medication and how their game changes with or without the medication....
 
I think drug usage among pool players has always been pretty much a mirror image of what is going on (drug-wise) in the country. The 70% number for pro players someone tossed out is, to be kind, suspect. I know a fair amount of pro players and drug use is not part of their playing repertoire. If you go to any major tournement, you'll probably see only a few players even drinking a beer; most of the pros know that to come with your best game, consistently, you need to be eating right, sleeping right, and "on the natch". Yeah, drugs and pool have a history...so do drugs and medical practitioners - they just do a better job of keeping it quiet. Some stats: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/druguse.htm
 
I'm a soda junky. I have to have a nice big glass filled to the brim with ice and coca-cola. I'm hooked on the sugar and caffeine.
 
JDB said:
One thing that nobody has talked about is Riddelin (sp) or Adderall (sp). These are two drugs that ADD (Attention Deficiency Disorder) take in order to concentrate. My son has ADD and I can see a huge difference in him when he takes this (one of the two) drug... His concentration is immense compared to normal people, but compared to him without the medication it is even more noticeable.

I have been told that I have various symptoms of ADD as well (I wonder where my son got it from...lol). I had been told that the medication would give you intense concentration if you were ADD but if you weren't it would act like speed. Well, I tried it once, because I was curious, and I can honestly say that I have never felt the concentration that I felt that day. Maybe I am ADD or maybe not, but I was definitely zoned in that day...

I would be interested to hear from people on this medication and how their game changes with or without the medication....
Click to expand...

I actually did mention ritalin as a stimulant and performance enhancer. I have mild ADD, and I was never prescribed ritalin, but caffeine and ephedrine have a big effect on my concentration, when used in the right amounts. A cup of coffee can make me hyper-focused for an hour or two, but it only really works once a day. A second shot of caffeine a few hours later will make me more awake, but it doesn't affect my concentration nearly as much.

5aheadforpinks said:
Pros:

Marajuana: Allows your brain to ignore outside stimulation, aplifies your nervous system, your more aware of what your body is doing. Nerve Stimulant.

Cons:

Marajuana: Effects wear off after only about 30mins, which leads to a sleepy state in which you feel too exhausted to play more. Slows breathing down = less oxygen to brain = easy mistakes.
Click to expand...

I think most of what you said about various drugs is true, but pot must affect you very differently than it used to affect me. For me it was never a stimulant of any sort, it only ever slowed me down (in a pleasant way, but not conducive to competitive endeavors). Also, 30 minutes for me was always more like 4 hours.

-Andrew
 
excop said:
Why do some player's think that drugs help them shoot better? I can understand maybe in the short run they might but after this abuse takes place for a long time won't it hurt your game?
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DRUGS ARE BAD MMMMMMMMMKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY
 
Black-Balled said:
Bill Hicks:
See I think, drugs have some ddone good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us. Do me a favor, go home tonight, take all your albums, all your tapes, and all your CDs, and burn them. 'Cause you know what? The musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years? Reeeeeeeal f'ing high on drugs.
Click to expand...

Hey. This little quote is featured in the intro to "Third Eye" (last track) on Aenima, tool's second album. :D
 
JDB said:
One thing that nobody has talked about is Riddelin (sp) or Adderall (sp). These are two drugs that ADD (Attention Deficiency Disorder) take in order to concentrate. My son has ADD and I can see a huge difference in him when he takes this (one of the two) drug... His concentration is immense compared to normal people, but compared to him without the medication it is even more noticeable.

I have been told that I have various symptoms of ADD as well (I wonder where my son got it from...lol). I had been told that the medication would give you intense concentration if you were ADD but if you weren't it would act like speed. Well, I tried it once, because I was curious, and I can honestly say that I have never felt the concentration that I felt that day. Maybe I am ADD or maybe not, but I was definitely zoned in that day...

I would be interested to hear from people on this medication and how their game changes with or without the medication....
Click to expand...

I've tried Adderal, and experienced the most focused concentration I've ever experienced in a non life or death situation. I, too, have characteristics of Adult ADD.
 
Drugs ultimately destroy you...period. Ever heard of Earl "Goat" Manigault? The guy could take four quarters off the top of a basketball backboard. He had a vertical jump of 52 INCHES. He wound up on heroin.

Here is a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Manigault

So any short term concentration will definately send you down the pipes later on.

ridingthenine21 says no to drugs!
 
ridingthenine21 said:
Drugs ultimately destroy you...period. Ever heard of Earl "Goat" Manigault? The guy could take four quarters off the top of a basketball backboard. He had a vertical jump of 52 INCHES. He wound up on heroin.

Here is a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Manigault

So any short term concentration will definately send you down the pipes later on.

ridingthenine21 says no to drugs!
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Not trying to condone illegal drug use, but, per 100,000 users (of each respective drug) alcohol and tobacco are significantly more dangerous than any commonly used illegal substance, including heroin, meth-amphetamine, and cocaine.

There is even evidence to suggest (but not prove) that those who smoke tobacco and cannabis are less likely to develop lung cancer than those who only smoke a similar amount of tobacco, without the pot.
 
Chris said:
Not trying to condone illegal drug use, but, per 100,000 users (of each respective drug) alcohol and tobacco are significantly more dangerous than any commonly used illegal substance, including heroin, meth-amphetamine, and cocaine.
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Did I mention I don't drink or smoke either?

ridingthenine21 (still says no to drugs--except caffeine :p )
 
ridingthenine21 said:
Did I mention I don't drink or smoke either?

ridingthenine21 (still says no to drugs--except caffeine :p )
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No you didn't, and I certainly didn't mean to imply that you were a smoker or a drinker. My apologies if that is how I came across.
 
Chris said:
Not trying to condone illegal drug use, but, per 100,000 users (of each respective drug) alcohol and tobacco are significantly more dangerous than any commonly used illegal substance, including heroin, meth-amphetamine, and cocaine.
Click to expand...

While this may be true, addiction to cocaine or heroin or meth can screw up your life a lot faster than cancer or liver disease will. I'd rather die of cancer at age 50 than resort to prostitution and/or armed robbery in order to pay for my habit at 32.

However, you raise a good point about how the health risks are comparable, which is why I don't smoke and avoid getting drunk more than once a week or so (except when on vacation, of course :D ).

Didn't this thread used to be about pool?

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
While this may be true, addiction to cocaine or heroin or meth can screw up your life a lot faster than cancer or liver disease will. I'd rather die of cancer at age 50 than resort to prostitution and/or armed robbery in order to pay for my habit at 32.

However, you raise a good point about how the health risks are comparable, which is why I don't smoke and avoid getting drunk more than once a week or so (except when on vacation, of course :D ).

Didn't this thread used to be about pool?

-Andrew
Click to expand...

This is pool forum?!?! I thought this was a curling forum. :p
 
Slowhand wrote:
> A long time ago, I used to smoke pot before I played.
> It seemed to improve my vision, therefore I had better
> depth perception and I could pocket balls more easily.
> It also seemed to allow me to tune out my surroundings
> so I was better at concentrating on making the shot.


Next to drinking good beer and red wine, I've never done drugs (not even coffee or crack) -- but I still wish I could have the cake and eat it too: When I drink & play I often go for shots that I would normally never attempt when being completely sober. But sadly my consistency is way off already after one beer (as I get that good'ol "aw who cares" attitude even before I feel the alcohol..).

So if I could only keep that "drunkenness" when I'm seriously playing, I think I could improve my game quite a bit. But of course that's the egg and the cake... or the empty stomach and the chicken... or something.

-- peer
 
:cool: I think drugs are just a way to shark yourself and who needs that when others already do it for free. But I'm not an expert there. Still a couple a beers makes for a loose game. Some people I met play pool as an alternative to doing the drugs their peers were doing. Good on 'em :cool:
 
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