Historical Patterns of Drug Use for Emotional Pain Relief
By
PaulHoule
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
This article explores the historical and psychological connection between human trauma, emotional pain, and drug use throughout human history. It examines how people have consistently turned to substances like marijuana, alcohol, and other psychoactives to cope with emotional crises, noting that what's new in the modern era is not drug consumption itself but how drugs have become more specifically targeted for emotional relief. The piece provides historical context, including consumption statistics from 19th century London, to illustrate the longstanding relationship between human suffering and substance use.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledAs long as humans have experienced emotional crisis (which is to say: for all of human history), they’ve attempted to ease their pain with drugs
What’s new about our modern era isn’t drug consumption, it’s that drugs have become much more specifically focused
quickly industrializing late nineteenth-century London, population 1 million, consumed an estimated 200 million quarts of beer, 50 million quarts of wine, and 10 million quarts of rum each year
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