Nothing's a problem until it is. Or as has been brought up, until the "first step" is taken; when we realize that whatever we are addicted to has power over us, and as a result our lives are unmanageable. For me, alcohol isn't a problem because it doesn't work anymore anyways. It has become a stimulant rather than a sedative, and besides the fact that my neurology can't seem to tolerate any stimulants at all these days, the hangovers have become more brutal than ever. I like booze in theory, but now just have an occasional wine with a meal or a
really occasional straight shot of something if I'm feeling particularly healthy.
My vices now, besides weed, are ice cream and my pain pills. I realized recently that I had complete control over the pills, but not the ice cream--at least not one particular variety. Then I realized the ice cream was worse for my health, at least since I've been in my post-hernia autoimmune meltdown. It would be different if I didn't have control of the opiates, but I realized that's because of my perception. I think of the codeine as heroin, and I understand how physical tolerance works. I could probably handle twice as many as I'm taking now, but I know that soon enough they would be only half as effective. Weed helps.
So with the ice cream, I had to develop a similar "love-hate" type of relationship to it, like I have with the pain pills. Meaning that if I want to continue to be able to enjoy it's "effects", that I would have to moderate my "usage". One obvious difference is that for all of it's deadly qualities, opiates don't spike my blood sugar. I may have to stop the ice cream completely; I have a lot to learn about late-onset type 1 diabetes.
Weed's funny, because it's only negative effects, as long as I have the right kind of strain and am vaping it, are on my pocketbook if my garden's not productive, and on my motivation, if I'm not being productive.
