Seeking Help

[FlawlessGoHard]

I am new to this forum. I found it when searching for help with drug addiction. I started snorting coke about a year ago. At first it was every now and then, but recently it have noticed that I've been using far more frequently. I think maybe because I've been so stressed out lately and I have no other outlets. My drug use is starting to push people away from me. I would like some help on how to get ahold on this before it gets to be an even bigger problem than it already is. I'm 22 years old and the son of two addicts. (one of whom is 5 years clean.) I am just looking for help because not even my recovering mother can seem to help me get my life back on track. Any positive feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[lifewithoutcoke]

Hey there, hadn't heard from you in a few days. I hope you are ok:) Can you let us know? Worried about you...
xoxoxo
Liz

[gizzy32]

Welcome to the forum. Cocaine is also my DOC and took me down to a place I never knew existed. It is an evil drug, with cravings so bad, most don't understand. Your so young with your whole life ahead of you and now is the time to fix this before it's too late, this drug will kill you. Most times addiction is progressive and gets worse until treated. I needed help to stop, that and hitting a few horrible bottoms that almost cost me my life. Are you willing to get some type of aftercare? N/A, councellor, etc? Also hanging around those that use is a big NO NO. Sometimes we have to change our lifestyle to stay clean. What are you willing to do?

If you want this bad enough, I have no doubt you will get clean, it just takes some work, but so worth it. Hope you come back on, this is a great support group and has helped me so much. Best of luck. Life is a lot better clean. You can do this:)

[lifewithoutcoke]

And FYI, what Laurel meant by "bump" was she was bumping up the thread so that I could find it and post because it was buried under a bunch of other posts...

NO PUN INTENDED!!! LOL!!

[lifewithoutcoke]

Hi:) Welcome to the forum. Liz here, recovering cocaine addict of 15 years. I'm really glad that you came to the conclusion so quickly that you have a problem. Some of us took a little longer (ie, 13 years or so....eek)
It's an easy drug to "stop". Once you detox (about 3 days) you pretty much feel normal again. However, that's not the issue with this drug. It's all about the cravings, because you use it to begin with to fill a void and that void will not fill itself. So eventually, you start wanting to escape again and that's where the relapse comes in.

I have tried and tried and failed repeatedly (more times than I can ever count anymore) and this time around I am 21 days clean (I have been pretty much a daily user for years). I am seeking aftercare this time around. It's not something you can whiteknuckle through...as they say so eloquently on this forum:) They are right.

I have all sorts of resources online I can hook you up with if you would like. Message me. NA is the way to go or substance abuse counseling one on one. You really need to let someone help you with this, please please trust me on this. Recovering is going to take a complete overhaul of the way you think. Because the way you process everyday thoughts is what got you here in the first place.

I am SO PROUD of you for getting yourself here! That is awesome and took SO much strenght, please please please believe this! But the real work is only just beginning for you, as it is for me:) Doesn't matter, 15 years, 1 year, whatever...we're all in this together.

I finally hit bottom (again) this time around when I blew a hole through my septum. Yeah, really fabulous...lol. That stupid infected hole is what is keeping me away from it. I have no doubt that I would probably have relapsed again if it wasn't for that, and because of it, I started to seek out the aftercare I needed and now? Now it's not about the hole, it's about changing my life so that I don't need this crutch anymore. But that takes support outside of yourself.

The hole is scary, but it's only the beginning. Go to the health pages on here - there are posts about what it really does to you inside. It's freaky stuff. There are a lot of us on here who have had heartattacks at ridiculous ages, and overdosed....it's scary stuff.

Us addicts, we all have one thing in common from the get go: We don't think we need anyone to help us initially, we're bull headed like that. We think we should be able to do everything on our own, without help. Well true strength comes in finding out we do need help and admitting it. And seeking it.

So on that note, WELCOME! You made it here!! This is the first day of the rest of your life, if you choose life :)

xoxo
Liz

Feel free to read some of my posts if you want, they are all about this, obviously...lol...and if you wanna just talk, message me:)

[laurel453]

bump :)

[pattifan]

Hi Flawless,

It isn't that difficult getting off cocaine, the real problem is staying off it despite the cravings.

The idea of going to Narcotics Anonymous is a really good one, as you would get far more help and support there than we could give you on the forum.

An alternative, if you are able to access one, is to see a professional counsellor, perhaps by referral from you family doctor.

You have made great strides by accepting your problem, and also by recognising your need for help and sharing it with the list.  The next step is to get that support in place.

Very best of luck in your efforts.

Take care

[Dav125]

The best thing you can do is get away from the coke. Make the decision and pursue outside help if necessary..Your use is going up because life in general is not going as well as you would like and therefore your becoming more and more reliant on "your feelgood" fix. I say this as you sound like me 35 year ago..Work seem to be humdrum, so my goal in the day was getting by work and then out for the evening tracking down coke to stimulate me. And eventually it flipped my whole life upsidedown.

You need to turn this around and "get out" of this routine of using the coke as a crutch..The longer you wait,the worse things will get..Give yourself some credit here. You are not as lost as you might think you are at times. Acknowledging to yourself that its becoming a problem is a huge step. Most never even see it coming..Do try..

[Tab57]

A good source of help is Narcotics Anonymous (NA). There are chapters nationwide so finding a local one should not be difficult. Congratulations om reaching this decision. It will be one of the best ones that you will ever make. I sent you a message with additional suggestions.

Please post all questions and/or concerns that you may have as this is a great place to get answers from people with a wide variety of experience with addiction issues.