This is an interesting point. Let's get philosophical here and I'd appreciate any feedback I could get from you guys.
I keep regressing back to old behavior despite multiple visits to rehab, which I feel like they shape up my behavior pretty well. I always have a firm resolve to do the right thing when I leave, including staying off drugs, but part of keeping clean is staying away from bad behaviors and attitudes.
So why do I keep going back to this? It's like if I got into a car accident-- suddenly, I'm extremely nervous and cautious when I drive now, because I want to avoid another crash from happening. But over time my driving habits loosen up and I'm basically back to where I was, because the memory of how terrible the accident was has now faded.
It's the same for this exact scenario. If you put this exploit in front of me when I just left rehab, I can say with almost certainty I would have just reported it. But I decided to take advantage of it and see it work. Is it because it's interesting? Tempting? Do I lack morals, or do I just not care?
The only answer I can come up with now is that yes, I don't really care. Happy people seem to have a strong moral code and well, they have no problem upholding it because they're happy enough to. I don't feel happy and haven't for about two years now. If only I could find another source of happiness, then maybe I would start caring for myself and my reputation with others, but I'm very lonely and feel neglected by my friends enough to where there's nobody to even be there to stick me to it.
This isn't an attempt at begging for sympathy, I'm genuinely interested how I can become a better person and actually stick to guidelines instead of caving into temptation like this. Thoughts welcome.
Morals are not something you just have and give yourself. They are instilled in you, the only way to have them is to believe them constantly; even in any form of doubt when they are tested. Your hypothetical is basically saying that in the mix of it you can't continue following your morals, you either don't believe enough or just don't want to.
I'm in no place to say you are a good or bad person, but you certainly stepped up; just later than you should have.
I think the final thing I could say is that when you are in bouts of depression and trauma, those are the best times to evaluate yourself, and your surrounding peers. Those are the greatest times to see if you believe in what you say you believe. I hope next time if you are ever in a situation like this again you think twice about cause and effect.