Are drugs good?

This question doesn't really make sense. Yet Western society answers with a firm "NO".

I have ADHD and have a prescription for Methylphenidate (MPH). Often I don't feel like taking it. Shouldn't I be able to just do the right things? I can just decide to be productive. Right? Needing a drug to function feels like a flaw in who I am.

I also have sleep apnea. That means I stop breathing at night, which makes the CO2 concentration in my blood rise until I wake up. This has quite bad health implications if untreated. However, I have a CPAP which is a device that constantly blows air in my mouth during sleep to prevent the airway from collapsing.

Shouldn't I be able to just breathe correctly? Can I just decide to not stop breathing right? Needing a CPAP device to function feels like a flaw in who I am.

No it doesn't! I never had an aversion to using this medical device.

I think I had a flawed model. This isn't about "drugs are good" VS "drugs are bad". This is about manipulating reality. The real question is: What [...]

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First published:
November 28th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/o8iLAADkmSgyXddSu/drugs-aren-t-a-moral-category

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Drugs Aren’t A Moral Category

LessWrong (30+ Karma)