Once an addict, always an addict?

[PipPip1234]

Once an addict, always an addict?
by PipPip1234, 3 minutes ago
Hey everyone, I really dont mean to sound depressing & well done to everyone whos doing well but theres one thing I would appreciate an honest answer to. Do you think an addict will always be an addict at heart? I hope not but it seems drugs are everywhere, maybe thats just where I'm from. Does anyone know anyone whos come off drugs and made a real good life without going back to them. I sometimes wonder if heroin/ex-heroin addicts are ever truly free of that grip. Im 21, first tried heroin when I was 16, went on methadone, got off everything then went back to heroin when I was 20, I swear to myself I will never touch that dirt again, never go through the long drawn process of methadone or the pain of withdrawing but do you guys think it can be done?

It seems everywhere I look people either end up on it fully, or on/off/on/off/on or dead. I know it seems harsh. I am going travelling soon, cant wait to see the world but I worry that, no matter where I go, the thought of drugs will never truely leave my mind. I also know how accessible they can be, does anyone understand that or is it just me, honest answers whether yes or no, will be much appreciated.

[weaver71]

Oh yeah, Ric, I know you understand. I just know people are wondering what in the world is weaver blabbing about, until the end. I guess it is a bit humorous. I know I would think I had gone nuts again if I was reading it the first time.

[weaver71]

Hey Algis, no bashing allowed around here, if you say you have a problem with hash, then you are right. The recovery process is the same for all addictions, sex, gambling, heroine, hash, anything. This is an old thread. I want to encourage you to click on Post a Question at the top of the page and start a new thread for yourself. Cannabis is rampant here in Northern California, you don't have to convince me of a thing. Whole lives are wrapped up in that plant. I will say for now, you can get passed you obsessions, but it will take some work. You are already trying it on your own, reaching out here is the first step in the solution. Look forward to knowing you, welcome to the family.

[Algis]

Please do not bash me because it is no where near heroin or lsd, but what should an ex-cannabis/hash smoker do?

I am at the point where i can say no with not too much trouble ( the no is to myself ), but i do want to be high everyday. Every single one. Only way for me to quit was to make a routine for myself and just invest my money somewhere where i couldnt spend it.

However right now i am looking at a cube of hash and i am saying no to it, but i do not want to throw it away for a simple reason that it cost me 50 pounds.

Even if i am not home, i want to be high, but i dont, sometimes i feel that this is it, only today ill smoke a little, but i remember the color of my blood that was taken in the hospital and it was almost black dark, that helps me the most to not smoke.

Please understand, ( i believe heroin user, a sober one for 50 years or someone who had a shot yesterday will understand ) chasing that "same or higher " high led me from 0.1g joints to 3g hash single hits in 3 months.

And it is addictive, people can be ignorant to this who smoke and manage to lead a normal life, but it is, very, very addictive. Specially to people with tougher life, past or present.

[ricart70]

Yeah Tony was responding to this post by someone who came on and wrote a ton of inflammatory stuff . I was on my way out the door and left a small and incomplete response which i probably should have clarified but just felt like writing. If I had more time I would have written more .
   Weaver was replying at the same time I was ,to the now deleted post calling us all a bunch of sobbing cancer stick smoking puppies who HAD to stay sober because we were not in touch with our true selves . He also said we could have some pills if we wanted but we had to just simply use some self control and self knowledge . It was for the most part kind of funny . He said more but i won't go into that
        It's all good Tony I know what was going on .  

[vicki595]

Okay...what a relief...This thing made no sense to me at first and then I looked at the dates!  Nothing between August and Rick's  comment...that means something was DELETED...lol   Thanks for clearing it up though!

[BarbRTR]

For what it's worth, I saw the guys post, and Weaver, you hit the nail on the head. So your response was great. But ya, it looks funny to Ricart now. :)

[weaver71]

If a moderator reads this, could you please remove my response to the post that was erased.

My response looks like a crazy rant at Ricart.

[digger1976]

Well I didn't know what was going on there for a minute, haha! I always miss the arguments, ;(

[ricart70]

LOL You're going down weaver !!    ;))   Just kidding . buddy

Yeah that is a great point on what works for others . I say whatever keeps one clean is a great thing and I have enough things wrong with me that I could do better to focus on those things rather than publicly ridiculing others beliefs and methods .  They should have left the post up but it would have turned into a cauldron for sure  .   ;)

[clean_in_ks]

Funny, Ben!!!!!!!!!!!

[zerokewl123]

Lol I was getting confused on that ok gotcha

[Ben727]

On a humorous side-note, I read half of Weaver's response thinking it was directed at Ricart because I didn't realize there was a post that got deleted.

[weaver71]

My post should be erased too, it was a response to 12 step bashing and pro-psychedelic therapy, just to explain to future readers. Oh well.

[clean_in_ks]

And the negativity got deleted....so for anyone that didn't read his comments....it may not make a lot of sense.....oh well~

[weaver71]

Though I agree with a great deal of what you wrote, I find it as egocentric as those you are criticizing. My motto is focus on what you are for rather than what you are against. So, 12 stepping doesn't work for you, I respect that. I tried the 2000 mic LSD approach, it helped until I came down. I have other issues that needed to be dealt with, therapy and lithium were really the answer for me. I wouldn't be so arrogant to say that is the answer for anyone else. I tried shrooms, MDA, even took datura stramonium, but my issue was chemical, not mental. I hope you can learn to respect whAt works for others. I practiced shamanism for many years, so I get your opinion and agree on many points. What I find troubling is you think what works for you is the only way, kinda sounds like the people you are complaining about. Good luck finding peace, it seems you still have some anger and resentment to deal with. You maybe should expand your mind and deal with that. I wasn't gonna respond to this, but the negativity seemed to need addressing. Good luck.

[ricart70]

I don't have to be sober . I want to be sober . The biggest part of me anyway.
I don't want to spend my spare time getting high. I am better when I am doing something else with my spare time. and no I don't smoke cancer sticks or believe in the supernatural  . Gee willikers !   ;))     old thread

[curiousbystander]

Thank you for your input. We can use all the info we can. He has been in and out of jail/prison for 5 years. His sobriety has been dictated by imprisonment. As soon as hes out it is not long until he is using again and violates probation. Thus leading him back to serve more time. He has not learned the tools needed to help himself in his addiction. We try and explain that he needed to tell the doctors but he does not think he is an addict and that this medication is different than shooting up heroin. Is he in denial or thinking he is fooling us?

[nursegirl6572]

This is an old thread.  You would be better off starting your own new thread.

A brief answer, yes, there are times when an addict will genuinely need pain medication for whatever reason.  An addict needs to make formulating a plan for handling these situations part of their recovery from day one.

A plan for handling pain would include many safeguards, one big one being honesty with the medical professionals.  If he isn't being forthcoming about his history of addiction, that isn't good.  That doesn't always mean an addict is drug seeking, or doesn't need the pain medication, but it isn't the right way to handle the situation.  Being honest with the medical staff adds accountability which is crucial.

Yes, cellulitis can be very painful.  Him taking morphine for it doesn't automatically mean he's relapsed, but because he didn't tell the staff he's an addict, he's on a slippery slope and is absolutely risking his sobriety.

[curiousbystander]

Would a clean herion addict accept morphine at the hospital and pain medication for cellulitis? I know this condition is painful but would this cause a relapse if he would take prescribed medication. He didnt tell the doctors he is an addict. How should an addict deal with pain?

[PipPip1234]

A year sounds like a long time but I dont know what percs are, if you were on them for a long time I'm sure that probably delayed the healing process too, you seem to doing real good & Im sure landscaping is an energetic job :-). I bet it was worth the wait though, waking up full of life! Good on you!.

[shrimpman]

Awesome job on quitting-----You will keep feeling better as your body tries to get back to normal-----for me It took about a year for my energy level to return to what I think is normal----I was snorting 10 t0 12 perc 10s daily when I quit with the help of many on this forum---I'm 53 and operate a landscape business and would be dead today if I had not stopped----Life is so much better without pills controlling it------Best regards, Jon

[PipPip1234]

Yeah I think you guys are right, sometimes worry that it will hang over me the rest of my life but Im going to turn the bad time/experience into a positive.

gnarly - hey, most of the withdrawls have gone, still cant sleep & my legs are pretty uncomfortable but I know its the healing process, I look at is as my body fixing itself.

hellc@mst - I think you may be right too ha ha.

[hellc@mst]

I dont know,but wasnt George W Bush an addict( coke fiend and alcoholic). He was pretty successful. Regardless of his own agenda and personal politics, becoming leader of the 'Free World' is a fairly impessive accomplishment. I might add that he wasnt a fan of 12 step programs or "aftercare therapies". May explain a few things though.

[gnarly_1]

hey PipPip .....hate to say it but once an addict always an addict...but you dont have to live in active addiction....how is your methadone withdrawals going?? I just wanted to encourage you you can get past this but it takes some work  N/A has a very helpful program and its free
as addicts we need to change the very way we think you will learn skills to help you deal with things like cravings and triggers to live in recovery you have to change persons places and things from our drug past it is the only way to truly let go of the lifestyle if your willing to go to meeting change what needs changing its possible to live a normal clean and sober lifestyle
keep posting for support good luck and God bless......Gnarly