u/Mundane-War-3230

I was coming back from work with a friend today. It was raining, almost dark, and the road was pretty much empty. I was about to drop her off when a car suddenly came out of nowhere at what felt like full speed. It almost hit her. I pulled her towards me onto the sidewalk, but the car still clipped my elbow with the rear side. I got angry and yelled at them to stop. They didn't. They drove another 200–300 meters and then, for some reason, reversed back towards us.

The windows were completely tinted. The driver rolled his window down - looked like in his early 20s, and there were 4–5 other people in the car.

I asked him, "Don't you know how to drive???"

He didn't say anything.

He just pulled out what looked like a gun from his waist and started playing with it. He wasn't pointing it directly at me, but he was making damn sure I could see it. He then looked at my friend in a way that made me really uncomfortable, and then looked straight at me.

It was almost like he was saying, "what are you going to do about it?"

The others in the car were laughing - and honestly, my entire thought process changed in a second.

a few moments earlier I was angry and ready to confront him - now I was thinking, what happens if this actually escalates? what if that gun is real? what if I get shot? what happens to my family? Is this really worth it?

maybe he was bluffing - maybe the gun wasn't even real, but I couldn't know that, and there's no way you could have a rational argument with these kind of people.

So I backed off.

He gave me this weird smile, almost like he thought he'd won. Then he floored the car and drove away. I just stood there for a couple of minutes trying to process what had happened.

My friend was shaken and almost crying. I told her not to worry about it anymore. We're both okay and that's the best outcome you can have in any similar situation. I dropped her home and went back myself.

But ever since then, I can't stop thinking about it. Not even so much about the guy or the gun. It's more about how I reacted.

I know logically that walking away was probably the right thing to do - there was nothing to gain by confronting someone who might be armed and had 4–5 other people with him. But emotionally, I still feel like I was a coward.

There's this stupid voice in my head saying, "He was completely in the wrong. You should have stood up to him." And then another part of me says, "You got your friend home safely. You got yourself home safely. What exactly did you lose by walking away?"

I don't know.

Maybe I'm just still running on adrenaline and anger, but I'd genuinely like to hear from people who've been in similar situations.

Is walking away when you have something to lose actually cowardice? Or is knowing when not to fight one of the more difficult forms of self-control?

I'm in my late 20s and recently switched jobs with a pretty decent package. On paper, things are going well. But I still can't shake the feeling that I'm behind where I thought I'd be by now.

I know everyone has their own timeline, and comparison is a terrible habit. But some days it's impossible not to look around and see people my age doing so much better- in their careers, financially, or just in life overall.

I'm trying, though. I'm learning new skills, working on my fitness, trying to become a better person, and generally just putting in the work. Most days I feel hopeful.

Then there are those days where reality just hits, and I feel... small.

The worst part is that it spills over onto the people I care about. When I'm stressed, I get irritable. I've caught myself snapping at my mom, my girlfriend, or my friends over things that don't even matter. I always feel terrible afterward because they don't deserve that.

I'm not looking for sympathy- I know everyone is dealing with something. I'm just wondering if this is a phase a lot of people go through.

If you've felt this way before, what helped? Did things eventually click, or did you just get better at dealing with it?

This is something I've been wondering about from a philosophical and scientific perspective.

People often describe cannabis (or similar substances) as something that helps them see life differently, notice patterns they normally miss, or think more deeply about themselves and the world.

At the same time, neuroscience tells us these substances alter perception, memory, attention, and judgment. That raises an interesting question:

When someone feels they've reached a deeper understanding while high, are they actually seeing reality from a different angle, or is the brain simply generating an experience that feels profound?

In other words, are these substances tools that temporarily shift consciousness - with both insights and distortions - or are they just biochemical changes that our minds interpret as meaningful?

I'm not looking for advice on using them. I'm more interested in thoughtful discussion from people familiar with psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, or personal experience.