Why do hangovers happen and what can you do about them?

When I started binge-drinking, benzos and codeine helped keep hangovers to a minimum. Sadly, that led to a pill addiction, which led to an almost decade-long use of heroin/meth, and whatever else I could get my hands on. When you're dealing with withdrawals from harder drugs, the hangovers sort of fade into the background.

In any case, if you're getting to the point where you're having to mitigate regular hangovers, you might have bigger worries.

I'd give anything to be a regular person who drinks, smokes and gets wasted once in a while without their lives devolving into absolute chaos, but life doesn't work that way.