I'm guessing this might be a bit too personal for some people here, but here goes: A little story to kick it off. For the better part of a year, I was addicted to these pain killers called Tramadol. They weren't a controlled substance until just a few weeks ago because doctors initially didn't believe them to be addictive. They were very, very wrong. I started just taking a couple on the weekend to get high. Eventually it became every day. Then my tolerance built up, and I had to take more and more. Now, the recommended maximum was 6 pills a day, and that was supposed to be taking 1 or 2 at a time. I got to a point where I was taking 24 a day, all at once. I was so addicted, I started buying them from a website in Thailand ordering by the thousands. There was no intervention, nobody knew, but one day it just hit me that if I kept going the way I was, I was going to kill myself. So I let myself run out and quit cold turkey. If you've ever been through painkiller withdrawals, you know how bad it is. Don't ever quit painkillers cold turkey if you don't have to. I couldn't take a week off of work, and I damn sure couldn't sleep. I was in constant pain and jittery all day. It was by far the worst week of my life, but I made it through to the other side and here I am today, still clean. Even being clean, I'm still feeling the effects of the addiction because I put myself in thousands of dollars of debt that I'm now struggling to pay off. I'm now 8 months sober, and even with the debt, I'm extremely thankful every day I wake up and don't have the urge to use again. Has anybody here dealt with addictions of their own, or had a family member/friend have an addiction problem. Talking anything, pills, coke, heroin, booze, etc. If so, were there any interventions held? Do you think they work? Do you think it's something in your genes? Are some people predisposed to addiction? Like a family of addiction problems. Or do you think it's the addicted person's fault and theirs only?
Congratulations on 8 months of sobriety. I come from a long line of drunks on both sides. I'm conscious of that and make an effort to keep drinking to a minimum. I'll drink a few beers or one mixed drink, but I make myself stop. After college, I made myself do this.
Despite the fact that my extended my family is full of alcoholics, for quite some time I didn't really believe in the idea that one could be predisposed to it. I just thought hey, if you got out of control and realize you need to quit, you can do that. The father of one of my best friends growing up was a brutal alcoholic. But, he was a nice guy, and generally a pretty decent Dad despite his alcoholism. For that reason, my friends and I didn't really pay much attention to his antics. Once we got to the age where we started to drink a little bit (17ish) , it became pretty obvious that our friend had a problem. We liked drinking, but there was a point where you stop. Most people have gone too far once in a while, or at least once, but our friend was drinking until he passed out every single time. His little brother who was a couple of years younger than us and is now a freshman in college is the exact same way, it's like they have it hardwired into them. They're both great guys and know they shouldn't do it, but once they start they just can't stop. After having been around them and their drinking, I absolutely believe in addiction and the strength of those who can beat it.
I've done my share of drugs. Cocaine is truly a helluva drug. Got a taste and went crazy on that shit for like 6 months. One weekend, right after getting paid, I spent the entire three days snorting cocaine, smoking dro to balance me out, come Sunday I hadn't slept and was flat broke for the next two weeks. Swore I would never touch it again and haven't. I didn't take pills a lot but when I did I went hardcore. Again, woke up Monday broke and didn't really remember anything about the last 3 days. Never again. I smoked bud for a long time, sold it too but after a few run ins with the law I became very paranoid and couldn't enjoy it, so I quit that too. I did some heavy drinking from 19 to 22 but after my first son arrived I knew those days were over as well. Every now and again I'll get loose on some Crown or down a few beers. Congrats on your sobriety, I've seen many, many people destroy themselves on pills.
And to your question about being predisposed, not sure about it honestly, some people have addictive personalities. Just his they are, if it's not this, it's that. I think being exposed to it by family makes it more acceptable. I come from a long line of drug addicts. Growing up it was completely normal for me to see people drunk as hell or smoke bud. Spent many a night with my brother at Reno's off Central Ave while my dad did what he did best back then. It was normal, so naturally when I started doing the same things I didn't think twice about it.
Thanks guys for the congrats. As for the bold, it seems like everybody I know is on one pill or another. You get something prescribed by a doctor and just assume it's safe and the next thing you know you're addicted to it. I think doctors really ought to try alternative methods first and use any kind of pill as a last resort.
Congrats on the sobriety. Your self-awareness sounds like it served you well though I'm sure you'll never be able to put your guard down. You're doing what many won't...or can't..,I don't know.
I think it's a combination of won't and can't. You don't want to stop, particularly if you are stressed like I was, because it just makes the world fade away and all of your problems just go away in your mind. Of course the problems are still there, but you're just ignoring them which makes them even worse. Then there's the can't part of it. I tried multiple times to stop, but once your body is used to those chemicals, when they start to go away your body sort of freaks out. So you take some just to take the edge off. Tell yourself you'll stop for good tomorrow. And on, and on, etc. Quitting was definitely the most difficult thing I've ever done. And you're 100% right about never putting my guard down. I can never take even one of those pills, for fear of falling back down the rabbit hole, and maybe not climbing out the next time. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I broke a leg or something. I know they'd have to give me something for the pain, but that's a dangerous road to go down for me.
My dad did enough drugs to kill Josh Homme a hundred times over, on a job site he had a grand mal seizure. It mentally paralyzed him. He wouldn't leave the house for fear of it happening again. During his stay in the hospital he said he asked god to take all of his addictions off of him sand he's never do them again. He's 14 years sober now. When I moved to Atlanta 6 months ago he was helping me move, it was pouring that day and when he was getting out of the uhaul he slipped and broke his arm in two places. He refused medication out of fear he's slip and the promise he made to himself and god. He's a tough mother****er though.
I'm glad you quit when you did, man. Opiates are no joke. The next step after painpills is Heroin, and the next step after that is you die. I think some people are predisposed to addiction. Liston to Waylon tell it: [video=youtube;qAakzl6s7QI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAakzl6s7QI[/video]
My father-in-law was an alcoholic. Would get wasted as soon as he got off work and would stay drunk on the weekends. He also smoked a couple of packs of cigarettes a day. He was this way for about the first four years my wife and I were together and for several years prior, before I knew him. His dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away about five years ago. He hasn't touched a drop of alcohol or smoked since that day. It blew my mind that he was able to stop both habits cold turkey.
I, like many, come from a long line of alcoholics. I have a very close and personal friend who almost drank him/herself to death before they were 20 years old, but thankfully have been sober for 20+ years now. Fortunately, like IP, I am rather boring and willfully decided never to even try drink or drugs, as it just seemed too dangerous. This does not make me a better person, just fortunate. I have a sister-in-law who was on pills and heroin. That stuff is nasty, and left her broke and pretty much ruined her life. I want to congratulate you on being aware enough to see what it was doing to you before it killed you. One day at a time, my friend, and know that you are not alone and there are people that love you.
Congrats. While I don't understand what it's like to become addicted from recreational use, I do see how one can become addicted due to seeking pain relief. But I guess addiction is addiction. I'll spare the details that most already know to just say, but by the grace of God, there go I. Stay strong & congrats again. It's no easy task to admit you have a problem.
Great job, all, on your sobriety. I refused to ever touch the stuff because I have family members on one side that did crazy shit while addicted to pills/alcohol.
Congratulations! I think that there are different tolerance levels that make you more prone for Addiction, Dependence, or take it or leave it.
Congrats on the sobriety. Make sure to always keep your guard up. Not just you, or any other person that has struggled with addiction. I realized when my best friend in the world got hooked on pain pills that it could truly happen to anyone. I have a few alcoholics and an uncle that is hooked on about everything known to man, or Martian. I am a firm believer that some people are either predisposed, or have that "addicting personality" that makes them more susceptible to falling deeper into the proverbial pit.
Congrats sir. I hope you have found people to help keep you accountable now. There is strength in numbers. After college my Mom told be the history of alcoholism on her side of the family. Suddenly the three week drinking binges in college made more sense.
