Share your experience with drug addiction

[XxAngelzDustxX]

I would like to hear some personal stories/experiences with drug addictions or 1 time trials. If you don't mind sharing I would like to know what you did to get over it and why you tried it in the first place.

I would appreciate some testimonies from you guys that have tried cocaine. If you don't feel comfortable posting about it maybe you can consider PMing me.

Thanks, this means a lot to me..

:)

[dc]

Well I'm not in a drug talking mood, but you can search this forum. We've talked about it once or twice.;) Hope you're not planning on getting into it!

[BrianD]

If you are having personal issues with this problem, I think your school counselor would be a better place to start.

Good luck.

[XxAngelzDustxX]

No, I do not have a drug problem.

I have some friends that are into it and basically I thought RC would be a good place to talk/learn about it (on a personal level) without starting any rumors about me or my friends :)

[pnosko]

Doesn't your chosen username work against you on this topic?

[XxAngelzDustxX]

I guess it does.

I made it up as a screen name a couple years back before I knew what it was. When I signed up for RC I wasn't planning on sticking around so I just entered it as a RC handle.

;)

[JNG567]

school counselor???? come on. I am not to far out of highschool and I know how things are. I have done a few things in my day but nothing I have ever regreted to much. Just remember what you do now can affect you forever. Plus as you get older you realize it dumb to do things just to fit in . I do drink occasionally and smoke pot occasionally too, personally I dont feel there is anything wrong with either and I dont do them to escape for anything I do them to relax. And I can also say my tank looks DAMN cool when im high. JUST MY .02

[BrianD]

I am not to far out of highschool and I know how things are

LOL. I have nothing I can add to that. The comment speaks for itself.

[kevlouie]

Cocaine is a very addictive drug, similar in potency to tobacco. It has a tendency to make people spiral out of control. When they reach bottom it tends to keep them there. Try not to be too down on your friends, they have an illness, but they probably are in denial, so they won't listen. One thing that will help is positive peer pressure. I never really had the peer "currency" to help much but I have helped friends that did quit. If you are a hot chick, then tell them you wouldn't date someone who did it, something like that. Good luck.

[lilbuddy]

Originally posted by BrianD
If you are having personal issues with this problem, I think your school counselor would be a better place to start.

Good luck.

This is not a bad idea but I think you should go to your Parents first. I much rather have my son come to me with any problems guys and gals here at RC are the best hands down but maybe you should talk to your parents.

[BrianD]

Great comment, lilbuddy.

[xeon]

I know more about drug addictions and getting "clean" than I honestly know what to do with. Many years ago when I was in middle school my mother put me in a pretty hard core rehab... too bad I wasn't an addict... I wasn't even a user! This rehab has since been disassembled because of massive law suits.... it was a pretty hard core place as I said. I did learn a lot about drug usage though and have seen first hand how "recreational" drugs like pot aren't as harmless as some think.

Anyway the first step in getting free of drugs is coming to grips that you have a problem and you need help. Step one in 12 steps of NA is something like, "We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable." This is something the person with the addiction must do, unfortunately someone else can't make the decision for them. Often people hit rock bottom before they will come to grips with this important step... but not always.

I have never done Coke, nor do I intend to. I've heard and seen to many bad things to even want to try it. Being placed in a residential rehab and hearing "druggie" stories 7 days a week for 5 months was an eye opener for me.

[dc]

Originally posted by lilbuddy
This is not a bad idea but I think you should go to your Parents first. I much rather have my son come to me with any problems guys and gals here at RC are the best hands down but maybe you should talk to your parents.

Not everyone has parents they can confide in. That would have been my last resort.

[BrianD]

That was why I suggested a counselor, since they are "outside" the situation. I do agree that parents would be preferable, unless they are "indulging" themselves ;)

[tgreene]

I have lots of experience, so what the hell, I'll chime in...

School Counselors: Run, run like hell! I say this from experience, because my HS counselor knew that a close friend was gay and that we hung out together, so he felt compelled to contact my parents and mistakenly inform them that I was gay. Suddenly, my parents began treating me really strange, and I had no idea why. They are under a legal obligation to report things to a higher authority, especially your parents.

Parents: That depends if you are actually close enough with your folks to discuss things of this nature. Honestly, this rules out about 90% of parents. When my folks began to see personality changes, they did the same thing as "xeon's" mom, and had me locked up. Blood tests proved negative, but that's because my friends helped me kick my problems, and the biggie at the time was opium. Oh well, once in a lockdown unit, you're stayin!

Cocaine is not nearly as addictive physically, as it is mentally. I did a lot of coke over the years, and it's probably the simplest drug to walk away from, once the money is gone. It will wreak havoc on your heart, and heart attacks at a young age suck. While I was lucky for all the years I was sniffing, I once had to take somebody to the emergency room for cardiac arrest.

Pot is mellow, and despite what anyone ever says, there simply is no such thing as a "gateway drug". Smoke pot, chill out, get the munchies, and gain 25 pounds!

Pills are undeniably the most serious problem, and are the least looked at from a realistic perspective. I was into pills for years, and still have problems with them, if prescribed for one reason or another. They are easy to get, because they are prescribed at the drop of a hat, and the regulation essentially ends once you have paid for them and left your local Wal-Mart. While they are measured doses of lab-grade narcotics, the side effects can vary greatly and cause a whole number of serious medical issues, some may even be masked by the narcotics, and not realized in time. Because of my past, I'm very candid with doctors, and explain the need for a different solution to pain pills, so I don't find myself back in the addictive trap. It sucks to suddenly wake up screaming during a surgey, because you could only partially be knocked out, due to "past indiscrepancies".

Acid: Seems like fun at the time, but an OD will leave you staring at walls, for a very, very long time! Lysergic acid alters your brain chemistry, not just your perceptions, and everyone's chemistry is already a little different. I've tripped on acid twice, and both times was fighting off suicide as a means to end the bad trips. The same goes for shrooms!

Heroine: I was given a joint that was loaded with it once, and I enjoyed the hell out of it... Because of that feeling, I never wanted to touch it again! I know that if I had ventured on and used it again, I'd probably either be dead or still be stuck there today, almost 15 years later.

Opium: Same as above, but I was lucky that my HS friends helped me clean up... Herione and Morphine are both opium derivitives, and so the end results are the same. This is thought to be the most highly addictive drug, and it's use and addictions go back to biblical times.

PCP: Like the herione, I unknowingly bought a joint that had been dusted... It's bad *** stuff, and everything you read or hear about it, is true!

* Let's get back to the pot... While marijuanna alone isn't that bad, it can create bring aboutthe possibility of respiratory failure due to an alergic reaction. Furthermore, unless you grew it yourself, you have no idea what may be in it. Herbicides, pesticides, or even heroine or PCP as I personally encountered on different occassions.

If you wanna chat further about it, then shoot me a PM, and I'll give you my phone number... It's not something that can be easily conveyed via a keyboard.

Tim

[JNG567]

good post tgreene pretty much sums up everything

[musicsmaker]

I skipped all the replies after "I have some friends". This is going to sound harsh, but you need to stop being friends with them. I have seen far too much of this and had PLENTY of first hand experience (friends getting into coke). Once they are into that, they are gone. There is almost no coming back. Either break away from them, or you WILL be in the hole with them.

[BrianD]

Agreed.

[Wilafur]

Originally posted by musicsmaker
Either break away from them, or you WILL be in the hole with them. i second this sentiment.

[new2]

http://www.na.org/

[tgreene]

I don't, because thats a highly presumptious statement!

I'm sure glad MY friends happened to have seen things differently than you last 3, because they are the ones that dragged me out of the pit.

At least we know who of you would be willing to help a friend in need, and which ones would simply turn your backs and walk away when needed the most... True colors!

[BrianD]

LOL, relax tgreene. You are taking our comments out of context. If you are worried about abusing drugs, I think it is reasonable advice to not be companions with those that do. That doesn't mean you can't be there for them when they decide to give them up.

Think about it.

Brian

[XxAngelzDustxX]

As with dc, my mom would be my last resort because (1) I don't think she would understand, she grew up in a different time and place, and (2) I know how much it would tear her apart.

School counselor? You might as well go straight to your parents and make a family trip down to the police station to turn yourself in for possession. My counselors have a hard enough time talking to me about classes..

My friends, especially one in particular (the one I'm worried about most), have always been there for me whether I was in the right or wrong, when everyone else looked away! The thought of "breaking away" from them has never crossed my mind, I would hope that if the tables were turned it wouldn't cross their minds either.

Awesome post tgreene, would you mind going into further detail about your coke problem? Such as why you did it and your first experience? After how many uses did you actually become "addicted"?

[cecilturtle]

tgreen, I believe they meant you should not hangout with those friends... no one said you should not try to help them...a big difference I believe. FWIW, your experience with a variety of drugs is probably more common than at first percieved...not judging you, I'm just glad you are out of "the pit".


Angel, from your wording it sounds as if you are in denial or that you are nervous about making the jump to cocaine. I hope I'm wrong. Drugs are very serious and you should probably seek help from those you may trust around you...not a forum. If you don't have anyone to trust, then drug rehab places are pretty open and informal even for information to help people deal with loved ones who are users.

[BrianD]

Angeldust, I think you are afraid of the wrong things. If you think an addiction can be beaten without help, you are misleading yourself. You can keep finding reasons why you can't confide in someone, but eventually someone has to get involved.

[XxAngelzDustxX]

Originally posted by BrianD
LOL, relax tgreene. You are taking our comments out of context. If you are worried about abusing drugs, I think it is reasonable advice to not be companions with those that do. That doesn't mean you can't be there for them when they decide to give them up.

Think about it.

Brian



Brian, while I appreciate your point of view, I don't think most people "decide to give it up" when it comes to addictions. They either run out of cash (usually turn to stealing and/or 'borrowing', come down with an illness, or die. How can I call myself a friend then walk away, when they need me most, knowing what might become of them. I think tgreene is taking the comment personally because he has been through similar situations and knows the value of true friends.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by XxAngelzDustxX
Awesome post tgreene, would you mind going into further detail about your coke problem? Such as why you did it and your first experience? After how many uses did you actually become "addicted"?

Again (and contrary to popular belief), I hold a firm belief that Coke really isn't an addictive drug in the sense that you simply can't walk away from it, because you very easily can. Coke creates a wonderfully euphoric and vibrant feeling that "picks you up". While it's not the same as meth, it has a lot of similarities.

The thing about Coke, is that at one time, it was so "fashionable" to snort a couple of lines, or even suck on a rock of uncut base, which was actually my favorite... Believe it or not, I did most of my Coke when I lived in Cleveland, and cop friends had skimmed it off of busts. It's probably the one drug that I never paid for, because I didn't have to. I did a hell of a lot of it, because the 2 groups of folks that I ran with were cops and musicians, and they were heavily intertwined. After seeing folks having heart attacks while in their 20's, I simply chose to walk away from it, before it was too late for me. For a few years following, I would do a line or 3 every now and then, but finally decided to stop all together (my choice, and on my own). The last line I snorted, was the night my Grandfather died, and I was in a different dimension, because we were very close.

Another thing that I forgot to mention in my post above, was Meth... Ironically, the first couple of times I did meth, I thought it was coke, because it was supposed to have been! In the late 80's, we used to shoot a lot of pool for coke, but sometimes some slippery bastard would substitute meth, and when injesting the same quantities as we did with coke, I'm actually quite lucky to even be still alive!

Again, I did it because I enjoyed it, which is the same reason anyone does anything... I did way to much of it, because of the circles that I was in, but because of that same circle, I also saw the worst case effects first hand.

Dance clubs are by far the worst, and we used to hang out at the Agora in Akron, as well as the Palace Theater in Cleveland... In the mid-late 80's, both were extremely well known for drugs.

[kevlouie]

As with dc, my mom would be my last resort because (1) I don't think she would understand, she grew up in a different time and place, and (2) I know how much it would tear her apart.

School counselor? You might as well go straight to your parents and make a family trip down to the police station to turn yourself in for possession.


I hear you. My dad surprised me a lot when I told him I smoked pot in college. He was like yeah me too. I was expecting harse judgement. Sometimes people will surprise you.

I am not so sure about the counselor. The zero telerance crap might get them kicked out of school pronto, so I would be very careful about that. Depends on the person, they are supposed to help but it doesn't always work out that way.

I strongly disagree with tgreene about coke not being physically addictive. I tried it. It turns on all the pleasure centers at once and they stay on for hours. Then you'll spend everything you have to get that feeling back but you can't. Then you're depressed for days but when you feel better you want more again. I haven't done any in 13 years but sometimes I still want that feeling again, and I only did it about 4 or 5 times. It comes down to will power. One of the reasons I tried coke was people were always saying that pot and coke were all equally bad (remember Nancy saying Just say no?) and when I tried pot and it was no big deal, I thought I'd try coke. Thats BS pot is nothing when compared to coke and I can't see how they are lumped in together. Coke will eat you up and leave you hollow inside, look at the people on the street.

Angel, if you're going to help them you have to be strong.

[XxAngelzDustxX]

Originally posted by BrianD
Angeldust, I think you are afraid of the wrong things. If you think an addiction can be beaten without help, you are misleading yourself. You can keep finding reasons why you can't confide in someone, but eventually someone has to get involved.

I am not disagreeing with the fact that a higher authority needs to get involved, I just don't think it will help in this situation. Knowing my friends and their family, it would be out of the question.

cecilturtle, to be honest, I did want to try it at first. They actually didn't let me, we got into a huge argument about it. It basically came down to (1) either we can keep goin out and I stay clean (since I am always with them when they're doing it) or (2) we hang out less, and this is something none of us want. Bottom line is I promised to stay clean, but I am afraid that one of these days something will go wrong and I want to prevent anything from happening.

I started this thread mostly to hear about other peoples experiences with this drug and how they got over it. Is there any other way to do it other than counselors, parents, and rehab? I don't think there is but I don't know what else to do..

[pnosko]

I am not to far out of highschool and I know how things areGood catch, BrianD. Reminds me of the saying-- Hire a teenager-- while they know everything! :lol:

[JNG567]

when I said " I am not to far out of highschool and I know how things are" I am reffering to the fact that many teenagers do try drugs to try to fit in or be "cool" and I know how that is. AND going to a counselor is NOT and option. AND IM NOT A TEENAGER THANKS. I was trying to make the point that many forget the pressures and changes of being a teenager.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by kevlouie
I strongly disagree with tgreene about coke not being physically addictive. I tried it. It turns on all the pleasure centers at once and they stay on for hours.

Ummm, you just described a MENTAL ADDICTION, not a physical one... Trying coke 4 or 5 times, does not make one an "expert" on the addictive principals of a specific substance.

If you harbor addictions to one drug, then chances are you'll have those same feelings for just about every other one out there...

The drugs with the most addictive tendancies, are the depressants. Downers being the worst, because they are so easy to come by, and are not considered to be "fad" or "shiek" like Ectassy, Coke or any of the newer designer drugs. With downs, you don't want to be around others, and become reclussive, and then being that they are naturally depressants, guess what..? You're deeply depressed. Now you need a few more pills to "take away the pain" of loneliness and depression that those same pills put you in , in the first place.

As far as I am concerned, the worst new drug that is being touted an "non-addictive", is Ambien. After a severe injury, I was prescribed Ambien so that I could actually sleep, because I had refused to accept any pain pills for the reasons above. Well, I went from taking 1 a day, to several a day, just because I needed to kill the "feeling" of depression and despair that they quickly brought on. I woke up every morning, praying for the strength to get through the day without killing myself first... This was only a year ago!

Again, I would be a lot more worried about anyone taking any form of depressants, than I would about coke, because of the level of addictive properties.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by XxAngelzDustxX
Bottom line is I promised to stay clean, but I am afraid that one of these days something will go wrong and I want to prevent anything from happening.

I started this thread mostly to hear about other peoples experiences with this drug and how they got over it. Is there any other way to do it other than counselors, parents, and rehab? I don't think there is but I don't know what else to do..

Call your local coroner, and see if you can get a copy of an autopsy photo from a young cokehead that died of cardiac arrest. Pictures of carved open bodies have a way of shocking folks into reality... Especially really young carved open bodies!

You have stated that they will not allow you to partake, which gives even more credence to the fact that there is not an addiction of any form present. They simply want somebody there "just in case", because they already know the risks... Kinda like never doing acid alone, and always make sure there is a straight person present, in case things get too wierd.

[beerguy]

I agree with tgreene. Apparently he and I are the only reformed delinquents around here as we both seem to have about the same drug history. I've been drug free for almost 20 years. Yes, as the nickname implies I like beer. Alcohol never seemed to have the same addictive grasp on me that the other chemicals did. I drink beer because I like (good) beer. I don't get hung-over, I don't miss work because of it, I don't try to hide if from anyone and I don't get in my car and drive around.... it doesn't control my life.

Meth has a much longer lasting effect on your brain chemistry. Coke is a mental addiction and therefore much easier to get out of; providing you decide to.

It's that last part that is the toughest. You can never MAKE someone quit. They have to decide that they need to. Until they come to that realization nothing you say or do will have much of an effect. That is probably the hardest part of your role here; the person often needs to hit bottom. Every situation is different but sometimes the best conversation you can have with a person in that situation is:

"I care about you but can't be a part of your life if you continue down this path. When you're ready to turn your life around I'd be happy to provide all the support that I can give. Until then we need to go our separate ways."

That can seem pretty harsh but it's often necessary. Even if you tell them that you think what they're doing is wrong, your sticking around lends approval and acceptance of their actions.

It's a tough road. I'm glad that I had the experience as it's made me wiser, although I don't generally recommend it.

[wdt2000]

No one can be cured from substance dependence unless they want to be!! And even then the cravings will no fully go away. Most people need the help of others to stop, some don't. For me I had to watch a few of my friends die before I stopped doing hard drugs. I always though it would never happen to me or my friends and it didn't for awhile. Another thing that worked for me, hobbies that kept my mind of drugs! And reefkeeping it alot cheaper than a drug addiction.

If your friend is using Opioids or pills that are Opium based everyday than it is time to seek outside help. Opioids are by far the worse thing to be addict to!!


If you are going to do drugs
You should always research any substance you are putting in your body!! You should never get Coke and Meth confused, as they are nothing alike. And please don't mix drugs!!

http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/psychoactives.shtml

Free XTC testing, so you know what you are doing...
http://www.dancesafe.org/

If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I have been clean for 3 years. I even stopped smoking cigarettes when I stopped using. Or better yet.
http://www.drughelp.org/

[wdt2000]

Coke is not just a mental addiction!!! I don't know what coke you did but my body went though hell after using for 5 years and then stopping!!! You can build a tolrance to cocaine and you will go though withdrawal within hours of your last use!! These are all signs of physical dependence.
____________________________________________________

Cocaine is both a central nervous system stimulant and a topical anaesthetic. It is found in the leaves of the Erthroxylum coca plant. The traditional method of coca use is to "chew" the leaves (the leaves are actually not chewed so much as sucked, producing a mild stimulation. Outside of South America it is generally used in its more refined and extracted forms: either powder cocaine, or freebase cocaine which produce much stronger effects than "chewing" the leaves. The term "Crack" is alternately used to refer to street quality freebase cocaine, or to refer to the product of a particular manufacturing process which uses sodium bicarbonate rather than a flammable solvent. Powdered cocaine is generally insufflated (snorted) and crack / freebase cocaine is generally smoked. Smoking freebase cocaine causes a strong, short-lived peak of about 3-5 minutes, while snorting cocaine provides a lower high with major effects lasting closer to 15 - 30 minutes.

From Erowind:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS:
Varies with dose and the tolerance of the user. Increases alertness, wakefulness, elevates the mood, mild to high degree of euphoria, increases athletic performance, decreases fatigue, clearer thinking, increases concentration, increases energy, increased irritability, insomnia, restlessness. With high doses may exhibit a pattern of psychosis with confused and disorganized behavior, irritability, fear, paranoia, hallucinations, may become extremely antisocial and aggressive.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS:
Inceases heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and sweating. Increases speed of respiration, dilates the pupils, decreased sleep and appetite. Can decrease seizure threshold and is associated with seizures, strokes, and heart attacks in susceptible individuals.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:
Although cocaine does not cause dangerous physical addiction, discontinuing regular use can lead to a wide varieties of unpleasant withdrawal and craving symptoms, including: intense cravings for more cocaine, hunger, irritability, apathy, depression, paranoia, suicidal ideation, loss of sex drive, insomnia or excessive sleep. Often, individuals simply take more cocaine to reduce these effects, leading to a pattern of addiction and habituation.

OVERDOSE SYMPTOMS:
Agitation, hostility, hallucinations, convulsions, high body tempertature (hyperthermia), stroke, heart attack, and possibly death.

People with latent congenital heart defects, high blood pressure, or thyroid problems are at higher risk of dangerous reactions and heart failture with the recreational use of cocaine.

LONG-TERM USE:
Heavy, regular use of cocaine is known to cause restlessness, anxiety, hyperexcitability, paranoia, irritability, insomnia, weight loss, and a variety of other less acute psychological symptoms. Insufflation of any substance can lead to damaging the cartiledge and mucosa in the nose, eventually leading to a hole in the septum (the soft structure separating the nostils). If injected, cocaine use can lead to a wide variety of problems including life-threatening infections, shared needle-related blood diseases, etc.
"

[drtherc]

Originally posted by kevlouie
Cocaine is a very addictive drug, similar in potency to tobacco. It has a tendency to make people spiral out of control.

This my friend, is hogwash. "Similar in potency to tobacco"??? Cocaine is addictive. So addictive that most habitual users need to wake up at night to get another fix. How many smokers actually wake up because they need to have nicotine? Cigarettes are a social addiction. Most people that smoke do so with others. If you're by yourself, and no one else wants to go with you, or the weather's bad, or something, most will not go to the trouble. Drug addiction is different. Many start because it's a social thing to do, but when you're addicted, it's antisocial. And you literally have to stop your life until you find your next fix.

AngelDust, I hope you can apply positive peer pressure to help your friends off the cocaine. This means you avoid them, and let them know why you're avoiding them. Someone said to tell them that you wouldn't datea druggie. You're very pretty, that may work. Some of the "anti-drug" commercials on the radio and TV are corny, but their message is clear.

Good luck. My experience? I was addicted to uppers back in "the day" (OK, yeah, 25 years ago). They weren't as potent then as they are now. These were prescription uppers, but they helped me through college, and then I had to go cold turkey, experiencing the nasty withdrawal symptoms-the runs, the shakes, the wet and dry heaves, dehydration, and generally just wanting to end it all. It sucked.

[XxAngelzDustxX]

Ok I just edited my post because I feel like I got too carried away. I am basically trying to say that I do want to stay friends with them but I am afraid of getting into it sooner or later, I can honestly say I don't trust myself. I guess the first thing I should do is talk to them and see what happens from there. It's hard to stay away from them, even for their own good. I know it's greedy on my part but I have a blast going out with them but for their own good I have to make some changes.



I would like to thank everyone for talking openly, there are a lot of helpful posts, it also helped me to talk about it and not worry about rumors spreading at school :)

[wdt2000]

I think what s/he meant was the they are both very addictive. That is nicotine and cocaine. I can tell you that nicotine was hard to quit in the long run, but this might have something to do with it being legal. They are both nasty drugs I would much rather smoke...

[beerguy]

Originally posted by wdt2000
They are both nasty drugs I would much rather smoke...

Yeah that long lingering death from cancer sure beats the hell out a good old fashioned heart attack.

:)

[tgreene]

Okay XxAngelzDustxX, I hate to say it, but what the hell, I will...

The more you write about this, the more "suspect" I am that you are simply looking for responses from others, as to what to expect from trying Coke. It sounds a lot more like you are wanting to do a few lines yourself, even possibly being pressured by your friends, than sounding like any type of serious concern.

You talk about these others folks as if you have joined some freaky secret society, and that the Earth would fall out of orbit if you couldn't be in their little clique...

Honestly, I feel like I've actually wasted a lot of a lot of valuable ASCII characters on this thread.

Hopefully I'm wrong, but I somehow doubt it!

[XxAngelzDustxX]

You're right I just reread the whole post and it did seem somewhat different than how people usually post here. Most posts sound like a robot is typing and everything seems well thought-out.

Well, I sometimes want to describe how I feel but got carried away and forgot that what I say here should be limited because people "suspect" things to be different than what is implied. I was being honest and the truth is I do have a hard time trusting people and finding friends so they do mean a lot to me. I was merely pointing out that the friendship is not based on drugs, take it however you like..

Sorry for the waist of "ASCII characters" lol.

[joeychitwood]

XxAngelzDustxX, if you are sincerely looking for some straight information on drug addiction, I'd suggest disregarding about 75% of what has been posted on this thread by people who supposedly "know." Most of what has been posted is misinformation and BS.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by joeychitwood
XxAngelzDustxX, if you are sincerely looking for some straight information on drug addiction, I'd suggest disregarding about 75% of what has been posted on this thread by people who supposedly "know." Most of what has been posted is misinformation and BS.

I realize that you're an MD, but rather than stating that 75% is merely BS, try elaborating a bit... Also, give personal experiences, and not the textbook ones! ;)

[dellrio]

Acid- I dunno about bad trips.. I say trip while in a bad mood or in bad company.. otherwise it can be very spiritual and beautiful…

Pills= (ectasy) be careful what u take.. research your particular pill before u take..

Shrooms- not too bad- concidering its beeen used for years and years.

Pot- whatever.. I cant smoke it.. it makes me all paranoid

Coke- I am anti coke.. and all my friends know this. I hate coke.. I have never tried and hate that it exists…. Lets just say a friend did it once.. and everytime he hears its come into town and is readily available he goes to the ATM machine!

Crank and meth- what stupid drugs.. I don’t understand what is the hype? Ive never done ti and would rather it not exist as well… my dad turned into a meth head my junior year of highschool…

I disagree about breaking contact with your friends- these r friends and u prolly love them… so be there for when they are ready to quit the drugs.. cause they’ll need your strength…
Also.. I have many friends that do every drug - excluding heroin- however some do that pill form of heroin- I have not broken contact with them but hold a firm position that I do NOT agree with the use of such drugs and since they know this they know better than to allow me to even try it.. b/c they REALLY respect my opinion and wouldn’t even think of trying to persued me otherwise.

Also.. addiction can have a lot to do with the individual.. while some drugs may be addivtive.. some people just have addictive personalities.. that would explain some peoples addiction to pot.. or ice cream… or perfume… if they enjoy it then its all they want..

And if u research coke….. it is physically addictive… I don’t know if it is mentally addictive but it is physically.. u want info.. here is a great place to learn,..
http://www.erowid.org
a physical addiction deals with withdrawl and the inability to function without the substance…

[cryosphere]

Originally posted by XxAngelzDustxX
.....but I am afraid of getting into it sooner or later, I can honestly say I don't trust myself.....

Interesting comment. I would think that if it came down to it you gotta look out for number one if there's a possibility that you might indulge.

FWIW, being in law enforcement and having previously worked around a hospital ER, I've seen the down side of all kinds of drugs both in the young and old. Any drug has consequences.

[musicsmaker]

Is there any other way to do it other than counselors, parents, and rehab? I don't think there is but I don't know what else to do.. Yes there is another way, and unfortunately it is the most common one: Death

I'm telling you this once more and you can take it or leave it. If they do not want help your wasting your time, but it is worth a try. It may very well be the hardest thing you ever have to deal with, but if they do not ACTIVELY seek help, then either walk away from them or they will take you with them. I hope I don't see all your reef stuff for sale in a few months. :(

I realize that you're an MD, but rather than stating that 75% is merely BS, try elaborating a bit... I'll elaborate a bit. Your posts so far have been total crap. "Coke is not addictive." But, then you turn to say "It is only mentally addictive." Well, first of all, who's to say that mentally is not just as bad or worse than physically? If an addiction is purely physical, then it would be no problem to kick it because after the withdrawal you wouldn't think about it would you? And where the heck are you getting that coke is not physically addictive? Why was my ex-roommate sweating, rocking back and forth while sitting in his bed, crying out, and vomiting for several days?

[Jerry W]

JUST SAY NO!!!

(Someone had to say it.)

[sammystingray]

I quit coke around a year ago, and it was a very very bad daily habit, and I completely agree there were really no physical effects.....it was all mental. The feeling is actually something sooooo good, that you never want to feel it. I also quit heroin five years ago, but those withdrawls are well documented, and I won't get into it. My buddies and I spent thousands per week on coke, and being that I have been addicted to many things and know the difference between physical and mental, there was no physical withdrawl from coke. I lived it. The mental withdrawl from it is absolutely insane....it starts as soon as you start coming down....you'll do crazy things to not come down. :( to this day, if anyone puts it in front of me.........I will fail, so I have to avoid these people. Crack, yes that too, is about the same.

for what it's worth, smoking cigarettes has been way harder for me, and one of two addictions I still deal with. Coke is the devil, don't ever try it.....trust me, don't EVER try it. I could go on and on about the things coke has made me do, and what I decided was worth it at the time, but I won't. A lot of my friends were dealers....that's bad. Just pot now, and I don't smoke it of course, but if I did, then I would have just bought 3 POUNDS of northern lights for 100 bucks.....pick the right friends, and life will be simpler. Once you're on the inside, the deals are great, and there's the problem. If you get in the wrong circle, you will throw so many good things away.:( My life sucked really badly up until a few years ago, and drugs and the people that go with them are definately to blame......it's hard to come back after all those years, so why put yourself through it? Stay healthy, happy, and off drugs. Young people have NO IDEA the road it will take them on.

[TheBimbo]

Well I have never done anything more serious than smoking pot, and taking a half hit of acid. But I do have personal experience with almost all of these drugs as I have brothers and a sister, and along came all of their friends. One of my sister's friends slipped me a half hit and next thing you know I was going along with everyone else at the time and my sister freaked out!!! She realized that I wasn't just laughing at them, but I was laughing with them. She wasn't happy at all and they had somebody take me away from her afraid that I'd have a bad trip. Well let's just say that was the first and last time that I did that...
As for the pot, Hell yeah I have done it and inhaled it... But what got me from doing it was being pregnant at 17, and being able to see the affects that all of the partying does to you... I had become responsible for somebody else and it was a rude awakening! Not by any means was I going to do that to my baby!!!
Drinking hell yeah I do that to but only few here and there, mostly go out to get away from the kids. :lol: I can understand alot of what is going on in this thread, I have actually seen quite alot of life in my 31 yrs. Put my brother in jail for thieving from my parents, to buy crack and whatever else he was on at the time. He has a great life now by the way, living out in the boonies with no job, no money and no future at the age of 37, just a pathetic way of life.
It was probably really hard for "angel" to write about this topic as she is directly in the middle of this behavior. I think that she is being responsible enough to talk about what is going on in her life. It takes alot to open up and let it out. Put it this way, when you do the drugs you really don't gain anything but an empty wallet, and then you start to fall into a hole and then next thing you know you are fighting like crazy to crawl out. Tell your friends that you love them, and love to hang out but that you need and want way more out of life. Don't you??? You won't be able to afford things, or have anything in life if you can't crawl out of that hole...
Not sure that any of this made sense but just trying to lend some experience... Life is hard as hell, but it's sooo much better when you are straight....:rollface:

[waterfaller1]

Sammy,very sincere post!Angelzdust..just remember this..there is so much more to life,than drugs.If you did go down that path..especially cocaine..you would'nt be around here any more..another words..things like reef tanks..and things that are cool would no longer be of interest to you.All that would consume your every waking hour,would be "Where will I get my next buzz?"Take it from someone who knows..cocaine is a dead end street..and a nightmare to say the least.Find some more positive and rewarding things to do with your life..and I understand your not wanting to give up on your friend,but really,the only one that can help this person..is themself.They have to want it.I lived with someone,whom I loved very much,who was extremely addicted to crack..I watched first hand..all the horrible things it did to him.I am a bartender,and have worked in a small neighborhood bar,where alot of the regulars were addicted to different drugs..especially crack.To see their physical and mental state crumble,was heart-wrenching..especially after I knew it first-hand from experiences with my boyfriend.I honestly think,if most of these people knew the rammifications of this drug before getting involved,they would never have tried it.You would'nt want to steal something from your parents,and pawn it..get high..and later regret it..would you?Think real long and hard..and make the right choice!Life is very precious,don't waste it high all the time!;)

[joeychitwood]

Originally posted by tgreene
I realize that you're an MD, but rather than stating that 75% is merely BS, try elaborating a bit... Also, give personal experiences, and not the textbook ones! ;) I PM'ed her yetserday morning with my 15 years "experience and qualifications" as a narcotic addict and my 17 years of subsequent recovery.

[Flanders]

How many smokers actually wake up because they need to have nicotine? Cigarettes are a social addiction. Most people that smoke do so with others. If you're by yourself, and no one else wants to go with you, or the weather's bad, or something, most will not go to the trouble. Drug addiction is different. Many start because it's a social thing to do, but when you're addicted, it's antisocial. And you literally have to stop your life until you find your next fix.

You know nothing about nicotine or its addictive properties. It is one of the most addictive drugs, just not one of the most immediately dangerous. This is the typical response you'll see from a non-smoker about cigarettes. It's absolutely false. They are a social addiction for non-smokers.

To answer your question, yes, I had a friend who would get up every morning (had no job), squeeze tobacco out of cigarette butts in the ashtray on the table, roll the foul smelling stuff in a piece of yellow notebook paper and smoke it. If that isn't addiction, then I don't know what is.

[drtherc]

Originally posted by Flanders
You know nothing about nicotine or its addictive properties. It is one of the most addictive drugs, just not one of the most immediately dangerous. This is the typical response you'll see from a non-smoker about cigarettes. It's absolutely false. They are a social addiction for non-smokers.

To answer your question, yes, I had a friend who would get up every morning (had no job), squeeze tobacco out of cigarette butts in the ashtray on the table, roll the foul smelling stuff in a piece of yellow notebook paper and smoke it. If that isn't addiction, then I don't know what is.

Your example doesn't fit my query. I asked "How many smokers (and here's the kicker) wake up because they need nicotine?"

And again, you're wrong. I am a smoker. I light one up in the car on the way to work. I smoke every couple hours all day long. And when I get home, I don't smoke until the next morning. On weekends, I don't smoke at all. I go on vacation, and don't smoke at all. 8, 10, 12, 15 hour flights do not bother me, as far as nicotine. But once I leave for work in the morning, I light up. If I don't have a friend to smoke with, I usually don't smoke. It is a social addiction for most people. This is not to say that some people aren't physically addicted to nicotine. What I said was "most". Question: What would your unemployed friend have done if there was no tobacco around? My thought, though not knowing your friend, would be that he would look for a smoker and ask for a cigarette. Most drug addicts in the same boat would do anything to get that fix. As some have said without actually saying it.

[musicsmaker]

It is a social addiction for most people. Where are you getting that most #?

[beerguy]

I'd like to take some exception to the fact that most of what's been typed here is BS. unless you're talking about everyone else but me. :)

My advice and observations come from a long battle with coke and meth. Along the way I lost my first love; the girl I was going to marry, my apartment, my health, contact with my family, my credit rating and my self esteem. As I mentioned in my post, everyone is different but calling someone's personal experience with a life changing event BS is more than a tad harsh.

[Flanders]

Question: What would your unemployed friend have done if there was no tobacco around? My thought, though not knowing your friend, would be that he would look for a smoker and ask for a cigarette. Most drug addicts in the same boat would do anything to get that fix. As some have said without actually saying it.

Actually, this particular person was arrested for stealing a pack of cigarettes on two occasions. Whether that meets your imaginary criteria for 'addiction,' I couldn't say.

It is a social addiction for most people. This is not to say that some people aren't physically addicted to nicotine. What I said was "most".

Please post a link that supports this. I'd be interested to see if there is a shift that supports this theory. It's certainly possible due to changes in cigarettes over the years (lighter brands) along with the changes in people's smoking habits due to health concerns. I hope you're not making a blanket statement based solely on your own experiences, and expecting us to accept that as fact.

Also, I never said you were a non-smoker. I said your response was a typical non-smoker's response. I guess I should have said it's the response of a sometime smoker who thinks it is the same for everyone. Drugs affect us all differently.

Most drug addicts in the same boat would do anything to get that fix. As some have said without actually saying it.

First of all, I disagree with you somewhat. Some drug addicts, but not all. It depends on the drug addict. I guess you could say that you're not addicted unless you would do anything to get that 'fix.' However, then you'd be ignoring the medical definition of 'addiction.'

http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/books/nicotine/4-addiction.htm

"Incidence, prevalence and risk of progression
Addiction to nicotine is far more common than addiction to cocaine, heroin or alcohol, and the rate of graduation from occasional use to addictive levels of intake is highest for nicotine in the form of cigarettes. Depending upon the definition used for occasional use, 33-90% of occasional users escalate to become daily smokers46 (see also Chapter 5). In contrast, even when highly addictive dosage forms of cocaine (ie smokeable 'crack' cocaine) are readily available in the US, the risk of progression from any use to regular use is the exception, not the rule. The 1988 US National Household Survey indicated that cocaine is currently used at least once per week by about 11% of people who have used cocaine in the past year and by about 29% of people who have used it in the past 30 days. For alcohol, approximately 10-15% of consumers of alcoholic beverages are problem drinkers. Although the absolute estimates may vary, an epidemiological study by Anthony et al47 on the risk of dependence according to the DSM criteria confirms these comparisons and conclusions.

Remission and relapse
Rates and patterns of relapse are similar for nicotine, heroin and alcohol,48,49 and probably for cocaine.50 An analysis of relapse to tobacco use showed that, in the context of a minimal treatment intervention approach, approximately 25% of persons relapsed within two days of their last cigarette and approximately 50% within one week.51,52 For people quitting on their own, the study by Hughes et al52 discovered that two-thirds were smoking within three days of their scheduled quit date.

Reports of addictiveness by drug abusers
Two studies specifically asked polydrug abusers to compare their addictions. The first asked drug abusers to rate their liking on an increasing scale from 1-4.53 Tobacco, cocaine, heroin and alcohol liking scales were 4.3, 4.2, 4.7 and 2.9, respectively. On the need scale, tobacco was rated most highly (3.3) and alcohol most weakly (1.3), while heroin was rated at 2.8 and cocaine at 1.5. A second study54 found that tobacco, when compared to other substances, was associated with equal or greater levels of difficulty in quitting and urge to use, but that its use was not as pleasurable. Using a laboratory-based approach, Henningfield et al55 found that cigarette smokers who also had histories of other drug abuse rated intravenous (IV) nicotine as similar to cocaine on key measures of addiction potential. These findings were recently extended by Jones et al56 in a direct, double-blind comparison of nicotine with cocaine given IV to human volunteers. This study also found similar effects of the two drugs on key measures of addiction potential. Of particular note was the finding that subjects frequently misidentified nicotine as cocaine, and at high doses, as an opiate."

There's so much information on nicotine addiction out there that there's really no need to spread around misinformation.

[elefink]

I'm wondering how stories about abusing drugs and how to do it is more appropriate than discussions about current events.

[BrianD]

Elefink, build a bridge.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by beerguy
I'd like to take some exception to the fact that most of what's been typed here is BS. unless you're talking about everyone else but me. :)

My advice and observations come from a long battle with coke and meth. Along the way I lost my first love; the girl I was going to marry, my apartment, my health, contact with my family, my credit rating and my self esteem. As I mentioned in my post, everyone is different but calling someone's personal experience with a life changing event BS is more than a tad harsh.

WORD!

To point to some weblink that was written by scientists and medical professionals is one thing, but real life experiences consisting of more than having tried it a couple of times, are very much another.

I find it astounding that a few of you folks can be so quick to call BS, but not offer up anything other than "my friend or brother did this...", or "when I tried it that one time, I felt like..."

Beerguy, SammyStingray and I all opened up in a very serious manner, having publicly admitted and confessed to past drug problems. Not having a clue about each others experiences or addictive tendencies, we all said the same thing about the same drugs, and what they are capable of...

Take what the three of us have said for what you think it's worth, but never come out and say that what we have shared is 75% bulls---, without having walked in our shoes!


BTW: I didn't drink any coffee yesterday (caffeine is the #1 addictive substance), and by late afternoon I had a migraine that was so severe that the entire left side of my head felt as if an icepick had been jabbed into the brain stem... It seemed as if the nerves were being paralyzed, because my left eye was burning and twitching, and my face felt heavy and numb. I wanted pain killers so bad, but had to resist, to the point that I was curled up on my shower floor, under a scalding hot shower late last night, hoping to stimulate pain in different areas of the body, to offset the other mental and physical pains... Anyone wanna call bull**** on that one too..?

[elefink]

Recently, I've seen a lot of people complaining that they're threads are being deleted for including controversial subjects. Fine, if the administration of the board don't want to have those subjects duscussed, they should control it. I think some of the reasons given are misguided, but it is a private board and you have the right to control the content.

As long as controversial topics are being banned, I think this one should be, too. Drugs are a very controversial subject. It might be ok, if people were just sharing information about what drugs do to people, but I've read a majority of the posts in this thread. Some are about the different sides of drug policy (ie drug politics) in this country and the way it effects peoples' lives. A heck of a lot of them are basically about how people have degraded themselves and caused problems for their families by abusing drugs. And some are people who think drugs are OK, and others who are apologists.

I think this thread is being allowed because of some sort of pity factor for the people involved. If you are going to enforce a policy about controversial threads here, do it across the board without regard to the subject.

[tgreene]

Originally posted by elefink
It might be ok, if people were just sharing information about what drugs do to people, but I've read a majority of the posts in this thread. Some are about the different sides of drug policy (ie drug politics) in this country and the way it effects peoples' lives. A heck of a lot of them are basically about how people have degraded themselves and caused problems for their families by abusing drugs. And some are people who think drugs are OK, and others who are apologists.

I think this thread is being allowed because of some sort of pity factor for the people involved. If you are going to enforce a policy about controversial threads here, do it across the board without regard to the subject.

You really should re-read this thread again, and then learn to COMPREHEND what has been written, before you use this thread for your own personal jihad against a policy...

[drtherc]

I think personal experiences are the key, here, not medical studies. The fact is that nothing affects everyone the same way. People can get addicted to practically anything. People can die from overconsumption of anything.

In the case of smokers, there are many who live to ripe old ages having smoked non-filtered regular strength tobacco in large quantities for years. There are cocaine users who don't allow the drug to control their lives.

Fact is, many things can kill people, many things do kill people. Any substance can be shed in a negative light, to wit, dihydrous monoxide. Is dihydrous monoxide bad??? Only if used inappropriately.

I can only speak for my own experiences re: tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and pills. I don't think I made blanket statements about everyone, that's foolish. What I have said is that to many people, it's a social addiction. While I have used all of the above, I would not condone their use to anyone.

Some people will die from tobacco use, some will die from alcohol use, but everyone will die.

Flanders, your example of your friend stealing cigarettes and getting arrested, in his case yes, he's addicted. But that's not the norm.

Regarding your medical definition of addiction, most people who use subtances such as tobacco and alcohol would disagree with their doctor about an addiction if the definition is that you drink 3 or 4 drinks a day. You may not agree with my definition as well, which is fine. But addiction, to me, means "gotta have it" or "can't live without it".

[Q-ball]

There's a large difference as well. Specifically, politics and religion were banned from the lounge based on the direction those conversations have a habit of going. This was after NUMEROUS attempts to allow it if people could remain civil. This thread is quite different IMO as not only has it remained civil, but it is also informative. As long as it doesn't resort to personal attacks, a thread like this is perfectly fine. Sorry you don't see the difference.
My .02 on it. I've never been addicted to drugs or alcohol. I do enjoy alcohol, sometimes even to excess...and I do occassionally smoke. I think both are things that can be either a "sometimes" thing (I generally only smoke at work or when I'm out at a bar drinking), or they can become truly addictive if you allow it OR if life just leads you down that path. I do believe personally that it begins as a choice, but after the initial choices are made, the choice may be removed for the most part. Every person is different...both mentally and physically. Addiction is different for everyone, regardless if you want to classify it as a mental or physical addiction. JMO of course, but that's how I see it.
Kudos to all participants btw for keeping this thread going in a positive & civil direction.:thumbsup:

Q!!!

[elefink]

First of all, calling me a jihaddi is extrodinarily offensive and inappropriate. And I'm not sure what you think I'm "jihad" ing against. I never clearly expressed an opinion about my opinion about drugs. I only implied that some people would find the subject matter inappropraite or offensive.

Secondly, I never said nobody was just giving information. But that is not the point. The point is, that as soon as anyone challenged the theme of this thread in any way, flames started shooting off the computer screen. This subject is clearly on the same order as the war and the government.

Thanks, I think you proved my point.

[Flanders]

What about the title of this thread did you not understand, elefink? If you don't want to hear about drug experiences or discuss DRUGS (does that word bother you?), then leave. Do not read any further. Go away.

You're like a liberal who listens to Rush Limbaugh just to get angry. There's no point to what you're doing.

[kevlouie]

Beerguy and tgreene, I think we have different definitions of chemical dependency. When you were doing blow, you didn't have that irresistable urge to call your buddy whom you knew had some? You didn't rationalize how you really didn't have to pay that bill, that you deserved to go out and have a good time and drop that c-note on an 8-ball? The next day after a binge you didn't get depressed and avoid conversations or feel like crap? That is withdrawal and the bodies craving for more drug. You know how you can drink a beer when you're hung over and feel better?

To me social depedence is when you don't have any friends and you hang with a crew to meet chicks. :D I smoked cigarettes for 6 months too and it was way easier to quit that than to turn down free blow.

I have friends (aquitances at this point) that have peed away good careers and good marriages due to their inability to quit. If they were only socially addicted why have they gone into rehab 3 times for cocaine? Oh yeah and if these 2 guys had all the money from nicotine patches and the like... I don't think anybodies opinion is BS, but don't tell me my opinions and life experiences are BS either. thanks Flanders for posting some medical literature stating some of the "givens" concerning this issue. Oh yeah caffeine is the worst, anyone try to stop for a week and see what happens. I wouldn't be crap w/o my Mtn. Dew in the morning.

[beerguy]

:)

http://images.hopdog.com/deadhorse.jpg

[musicsmaker]

That horse is clearly just taking a nap.

[kevlouie]

The high heels are a nice touch

[elefink]

As political discussions beling in the religion and politics forum, this discussion belongs somewhere like this:

http://www.chicagona.org/wwwboard/wwwboard.html

[elefink]

But I do like the picture.

[Flanders]

Oh yeah caffeine is the worst, anyone try to stop for a week and see what happens. I wouldn't be crap w/o my Mtn. Dew in the morning.

Good point, about caffeine -- I cannot go one day without caffeine. However, people don't generally get robbed for the money to buy a cup of coffee. If it is that addictive, why not?

I would argue that it's because caffeine is entirely physically addictive, not mentally addictive.

That horse looks drunk to me.

[musicsmaker]

The reason people don't generally steel and kill for nicotine and caffeine is that they are readily available, and cheap. If cigs were a $100 a pack and unavailable except in limited quantities through a dealer, you bet people would kill for them.

[kevlouie]

Yo yo homey, we gonna roll some fools fo they change and head down to Starbucks. :cool:

[tgreene]

The extent to which someone will go, to get what they crave, is all dependant upon supply and demand!

[drtherc]

Originally posted by musicsmaker
The reason people don't generally steel and kill for nicotine and caffeine is that they are readily available, and cheap. If cigs were a $100 a pack and unavailable except in limited quantities through a dealer, you bet people would kill for them.

Sorta like reef stuff???:D

So, if we made drugs readily available and cheap, we could stop a lot of crime???:eek2: JK, I don't think you're saying that.

My point, I guess, is that, if you can do those things, and still control your own life, then go for it. Problem is that many of them make you lose control. Look at Richard Pryor. It's scary hearing him describe crack addiction. I feel that I'm in control of my tobacco use, alcohol use, and caffeine use. I know that I can go days without all of them, weeks or months, if need be. But I enjoy them all to one degree or another, so I'll keep doing them. Of course, I don't drink hard stuff anymore, it tears me up the next day...:smokin:

[BrianD]

Beerguy, could you get me a picture of a bridge for Elefink since you stole my favorite picture ;)

Elefink, I didn't see any flames. Methinks you are trying to create controversy where no one else sees it. Keep in mind that the policy was put in place to avoid the flame sessions that certain topics inevitably bring. The Lounge allows off-topic discussions, but ANY off-topic discussion is subject to deletion. As Barney Fife would say, we just nip certain topics in the bud.

Nip it. Nip it in the bud, Ang.

Back to drug use. I have never used drugs, but I did save 15% on my car insurance with Geico.

[Q-ball]

You did that just to try to get in close with that lil green lizard though!:lol:

[beerguy]

On the contrary Brian. If you look back, I posted that picture months before you first used it. I refrained from comment when you used it. :)


How's this?

http://www.uwsp.edu/education/wkirby/seattle/troll.jpg

[BrianD]

Beerguy, I believe we need the UN to form a team to search past threads for WMD (woman mashing dead) horse to see who was the original user of that image.

Course, they probably wouldn't find anything and you would get mad and try to throw me from power. I would have to hide in my sandbed.

[beerguy]

I think you should check your shoe Brian, I think you just stepped in the innuen-doo.

:)

[joeychitwood]

Originally posted by beerguy
I'd like to take some exception to the fact that most of what's been typed here is BS. unless you're talking about everyone else but me. :)

My advice and observations come from a long battle with coke and meth. Along the way I lost my first love; the girl I was going to marry, my apartment, my health, contact with my family, my credit rating and my self esteem. As I mentioned in my post, everyone is different but calling someone's personal experience with a life changing event BS is more than a tad harsh. It's a little hard to take advice regarding addiction from someone claiming to be an ex-addict.....but who still drinks.

[beerguy]

If you'd actually read my posts you would have found my explanation of that. I'm not going to get into an argument with you here. You don't have to believe me , and frankly I don't give it crap if you do, but I have very little reason to lie about it.

[tgreene]

I think that has got to be the most assinine statement I've ever read!

He never once mentioned a drinking problem.

What you have said, would be the same as discrediting a compulsive eater, that still eats.

The irony of it, is that it's coming from a self proclaimed narcotics addict, that works around, uses, and prescribes narcotics every day... Or maybe you practice Voodoo medicine..? :rolleye1:

Physician, heal thy self! :bum:

[joeychitwood]

tgreene, stick to giving reef advice. You know nothing about chemical dependency or the problems addiction causes in lives.

If you think that someone can be addicted to cocaine, but use meth or pot whenever he/she wants, or be addicted to narcotics but drink a beer anytime desired, you have some things to learn.

In the meantime, don't be giving misinformed advice to a teenage girl asking questions about a very serious disease that kills 90% of the people who suffer from it.

[BrianD]

Joey brings up some very good points and gives me reason to believe this thread should be closed. Angeldust, I believe this is probably not the best forum for the help you need.

Thanks everyone for their input. Apologies all around for those who felt this thread shouldn't be closed.

Brian