My issues weren't with drugs or alcohol (there are plenty of other things to get addicted to in this life). Nor am I judging myself harshly. I'm a data guy and love that math doesn't have feelings. When you are adequately educated of the consequences and jump in anyway there is a manifest fault in judgment. Mercifully I've been able to recover, but life would have been a lot easier had I made different choices when I was quite young rather than clean up messes when I was much older.