How unusual is it for a bottom not to use poppers?

[Loveitraw]

Never be pressured to go outside what you are comfortable with. No-one who tries that is worth your time.

I love poppers.  They make me feel more relaxed during sex and give me a "glow" that heightens the experience for me.  I do not say this as an endorsement, rather I say it to explain what may be in it for those that enjoy them.  I am clued up on the use of them and they are pretty much my only vice, I drink alcohol rarely and don't do any recreational narcotics. That said what works for one isn't always going to be good for another. So finding what's good for you, even if that's nothing, is all up to you.

I've been offered other things at various times and always declined because I wasn't comfortable with the idea of losing control.  If I'm ever in a place and state of mind where that changes maybe I will experiment more, but the bottom line is it will absolutely be my choice.

I don't have a rule book as such but if I did one that would be underlined would be, "Walk away from pushy fuckers!!"

 

 

[BootmanLA]

10 hours ago, ErosWired said:

You don’t need to have any negative feeling about not using substances. Especially if you’re aware that you may be at higher risk of addiction, you’re playing it smart to stay away from a lifestyle that could lead you there.

Poppers themselves, however, are not addictive.

This is certainly true from a physical standpoint - there isn't any chemical in poppers that can, on its own, cause addiction the way opiates can, or alcohol, or tobacco.

But from a psychological standpoint, almost anything can become an addiction, where you can't do without "x" and still remain functional. That can be a behavior, a food, food in general, a drug that's otherwise non-addictive, or whatever. I can't lay my hands on it at the moment, but I think there's been a little research - not enough - into addiction of this sort being possibly heritable. For that reason, I would suggest his family trend towards addiction might manifest itself with something other than a physically addictive substance. Hence, good advice on staying away from a lifestyle that could lead him to other addictions.

[backdoorjimmy]

11 hours ago, ErosWired said:

You don’t need to have any negative feeling about not using substances. Especially if you’re aware that you may be at higher risk of addiction, you’re playing it smart to stay away from a lifestyle that could lead you there.

Poppers themselves, however, are not addictive.

Aside from poppers, I do not use any substance, and I don’t use poppers the way many guys do - I don’t use them for pleasure, or to get a rush or to feel slutty (got that covered) - I use them judiciously to keep my cunt open and receptive so I can give Tops my best service. For me, they’re not a recreational drug, they’re a pharmaceutical with a use.

Frankly, if you take cock the way you like just fine without them, I’d say don’t bother with them. Sex is much better when your head’s in the game. Plus, if you don’t have any, then the Top can’t ask you for a snort of them and then go limp as a noodle because he thinks he’s somehow immune to that effect. It drives me crazy.

Thanks - I think the main issue I used to come up against was the feeling of being left out or isolated. As someone who doesn't have a huge friend group of his own, I felt a lot of pressure to "fit in" when I could. But I could never bring myself to try poppers because in my head, I equated using them to sniffing glue. It's not a valid comparison but that's what it was in my head.

When I didn't conform I would pick up signals of disappointment or judgement from people around me, but I always dismissed it as me being insecure. Then the incident happened where the guy I was hooking up with bailed and it really stung. He basically said, "I'm sensing a lot of judgement here and I'm not comfortable" when I hadn't said anything except, "No thank you."

These days it just rolls off my back, but as an insecure teenager it was hard on my already fragile self esteem.

[backdoorjimmy]

10 hours ago, Breedthisslut said:

This bottom  does not use poppers, but I don’t mind if my top does.

Same here - my boyfriend and his roommates are into a lot that I'm not into. But that's their thing, and who the hell am I to tell them not to do it? If it's something I don't like, I know where the door is.

[ErosWired]

1 hour ago, BootmanLA said:

But from a psychological standpoint, almost anything can become an addiction, where you can't do without "x" and still remain functional. That can be a behavior, a food, food in general, a drug that's otherwise non-addictive, or whatever.

This should be emphasized, though a distinction might be drawn between addiction and dependence in clinical terms. Dependence refers to physical dependence on a substance, and is associated with symptoms of substance tolerance and withdrawal. In this sense, it would be more accurate to say that there is no evidence of poppers causing dependence as there does not appear to be a development of tolerance to their effect* nor any withdrawal syndrome related to cessation.

Addiction refers clinically to a mental, and consequently behavioral, compulsion in which use of a substance is a conditioned response to an event or feeling. These triggers generate biochemical changes in a person’s brain that strongly influence behavior that can be irrational and self-destructive. Addiction, in this sense, can  occur if a person is essentially self-medicating with sugar, or it can also lead to true chemical dependence if that person chooses to seek relief with meth or heroin. You can be addicted to chocolate, but you’re not going to develop a dependence for it.

Persons with a family history of addiction are statistically at higher risk of developing an addiction, at I believe something like a 50% incidence (I’ll have to go back and hunt down that study to confirm, but you can Google such info). This is because addiction and dependence are believed to be significantly influenced by genetics as well as environmental and psychological factors, on top of the dependence-inducing properties of some substances.

It’s worth noting that the reference manual for the discipline of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - Fifth Edition (DSM-V), reflects this distinction in terms by lumping all such compulsions under the category of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders, with subcategories for Substance Use Disorder and non-substance-related conditions like Gambling Disorder. Though not currently listed, active consideration is being given to whether issues such as compulsive sexual behavior or excessive internet gaming may constitute formal disorders.

 

*It would not, however, surprise me at all if some men who use poppers to ridiculous excess - like, for instance, taking every hit on an “Extreme Faggotmaker Challenge” ‘popper-trainer’ video that lasts an hour and demands 50 hits at 10 seconds each (not an actual vid as far as I know, but such things are out there) - get to the point where their body has gotten conditioned to the stuff and just doesn’t respond as sharply. Anything in excess will dull your senses.

[ErosWired]

1 hour ago, backdoorjimmy said:

But I could never bring myself to try poppers because in my head, I equated using them to sniffing glue. It's not a valid comparison but that's what it was in my head.

That’s a perfectly valid comparison. Both substances are ingested as inhalants. The only difference is that sniffing glue won’t loosen your anus for cock. I would never sniff glue because, being glue, I’d be afraid it might glue my cunt shut instead.

Note to self: Don’t sniff glue.

[Hairypiglet]

Hate them. Migraine city.

[hairyone]

As my asshole becomes more flexible at taking dick, i use poppers less and less. I'm really learning to enjoy all of the sensations of a cock pushing into me, stretching my hole, and taking pleasure inside me. If it gets too uncomfortable, i still might use s little, but only to get past the initial discomfort.  But sometimes that discomfort with the right top can be wonderful, too. 

[NWUSHorny]

I'm versatile, but never use poppers for sex, don't get high, and rarely drink.  I even prefer that my partners not use poppers, #1 I can sometimes feel I burn my skin  when they exhale them on me, which is really bad if they are sucking my dick or eating me out, #2 their dick wilts everytime they huff.

[austin_submale]

Poppers will often give me a headache.  I only use them if a top is into them and expects me to.  I often have them, because top guys will ask for them.

 

[Breedthisslut]

7 hours ago, backdoorjimmy said:

Same here - my boyfriend and his roommates are into a lot that I'm not into. But that's their thing, and who the hell am I to tell them not to do it? If it's something I don't like, I know where the door is.

That’s my position too. Many of my Friends do things that I’m not into, but I don’t fault those that do. If its too much, I either overlook it or I leave.

[shinelover]

Unfortunately I'm prone to headaches so I tend to avoid them now. I used to like the feeling though. More of a weed guy these days.

[str8mature5]

I always use poppers but have been useing them less love all the pressure on my hole as the top pushes his way in.

[SIReast]

11 hours ago, Hairypiglet said:

Hate them. Migraine city.

same here.

 

[Hairypiglet]

7 hours ago, austin_submale said:

Poppers will often give me a headache.  I only use them if a top is into them and expects me to.  I often have them, because top guys will ask for them.

 

Fuck no. If it's not your thing don't provide it. If a top needs it he will bring his own preferred bottle.