My drug of choice is marijuana. I rarely drink because while I have been told I am a fun drunk I am also a hazard to myself.
> to help you relax
Ohhh yes. After a bowl or two I am pretty euphoric and I just want to chill and play some vidya.
> Are drugs and alcohol the answer to me being less of a social retard?
Not necessarily. Each person reacts differently to substances. If you have a hard time opening up then it is a fun way to do so in my opinion. Though anything in excess is a bad thing.
From my own experience, alcohol gets rid of your prohibition, and eccentricity is a big plus in many parties. I remember getting drunk for the first time and getting everyone else to dance, including a half-ton fatass. And as for smoking, it's soothing and gets you sharp for a time.
But this two work as social lubricants in other ways: by simply doing them, you're obeying an unwritten social rule. The biggest and the closest relationships in high school are between the smokers. I don't hang out with them even though I smoke, because I hate their guts, but lots of people are joining the group, basically sitting in a few places where teachers can't see them and puffing the hell out of their tobacco sticks while talking about everything.
What's even better about smoking and drinking and eating as tools of aide in a social life is that it's not stressing you out as much as anything else. You start playing some basketball with your friends, you have to focused on the ball. You watch a film with your pals, you need to shut the fuck up because people are watching and their attention are drawn by the thing. With smoking/drinking, you just take a sip/smoke and then you start talking about shit.
(Edited 43 seconds later.)