Hah, sounds a lot like my current dilemma. Uncanny. Its amazing how narrow minded we tend to be, and how much of the world we block out at any given moment. I'm currently so bored of where I'm living, this town I grew up in, but I guess in actuality I've grown numb to its subtleties and nuances that make it what it is. I look intently forward to the future when I go back to school and label the present as a rut I'm stuck in, but I'm just ignoring the real problem.

Its difficult to change how you look at the world for the better. The mind is a tricky and elusive thing. We're all addicted to security, of which a large part is accepting the old and rejecting the unknown. Changing one's nature or the way one looks at the world requires a lot more than passing verbalization or willpower, it takes effort and ingenuity.

Letting go of judgments and stereotypes as you did is profoundly important. Throughout my life I've condemned people as shallow or ignorant, without really ever questioning why. Upon doing so I found its because differences make me lonely. As a result I condemn others to justify it, hiding from the real problem. Now I realize that no matter what a person's characteristics are, even if they're different from mine, are their own. It doesn't make anyone intrinsically better or more valuable than me, it just makes them different. Upon understanding this I've not only let go of that negative vanity, but I've learned to enjoy my own company far more.

I had a drug phase for a while for the mentioned reason. Being more aware of the world was great for me. But you're right, people don't need them. They distract people from the truth that they can achieve those highs on their own. Upon realizing that I've since not taken even a sip of alcohol. I suppose if it were offered to me I'd take it, but I don't rely on it for anything now.

Anyway I suggest you read some of Jiddu Krishnamurti's works if you haven't already. 'Freedom from the Known' or 'The First and Last Freedom' are definitely worth the time. He won't provide you with answers or a path to take, which is kind of the point of his teachings. His teachings are meant to let people know they're the only ones who can find 'the truth' or whatever you want to call that elusive state of mind, and provides you with a starting point.