Recovering Drug/Drink users ?

GJ02

GJ02

GJ02

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Seems a pretty poignant subject given the recent news.
I would like to know does anyone know or has been a recovered/ing drug or drink addict ?.
It's hard to imagine what this must be like, waking up and drinking or doing drugs as soon as your awake over and over and over again.
What does it feel like and do you ever see what it is your doing to yourself but it's so far gone it's out of control ?
And how does it feel to come out the otherside clean ?
Would be interesting to hear
 
My best mate had a problem with heroin, after lots of help he finally got clean, moved away, met a nice woman and had a couple of kids. I went to see him in Cornwall and he couldnt be happier. He then returned to Hull a few years later and we were back doing what best mates do again, then he came round one day and asked to borrow £20 as he had "lost his bank card", he then suddenly disapeared and I never saw him for a few years. Roll back to last Christmas and I go for my usual Christmas day pint, just as I leave I see this emaciated bag of bones with black teeth begging out side the pub and realise its my best mate :( I just walked past him without saying a word :(. Turns out he went straight to smack on his return to Hull so his wife left him.
 
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Would be very interesting to hear these stories. Anyone know of any books about the process, biographical rather than educational.

Sad to hear Maximum. You did the right thing. If they don't want to help themselves...
 
I started drinking when I was 12 (most in my peer group did the same). By my early 20s it had reduced me to the lowest point of my life. I started doing drugs when I was 13/14 and they nearly killed me twice by the time I was 19. I'm 6/7 years clean from illegal drugs and I'll be 4 years sober in October. A friend killed himself which I blame the drugs having an effect on his mental health. And I had another friend who tried to kill himself after becoming paranoid, but survived, although he got sober and clean he has relapsed.
 
My oldest friend is a recovered alcoholic. He is the last person I would have thought to become alcohol dependent.
He is a very driven business man and deal maker who managed to keep his head above water during his alcoholic years although he admits the addiction cost him millions through poor judgement.

Amazingly his lovely wife stood by him and kept the family together although she may not have been able to carry on indefinitely.

He then discovered AA through the lawyer who was defending him on drink drive charge.

It is now many years since he touched a drop and devotes his energies to AA, mentoring many people and going to AA meetings wherever and whenever he can.

He often says to me that he cannot believe how many famous and powerful people he meets at AA meetings although of course confidentiality is of paramount importance and he would never break trust.

There is no doubt that AA saved his marriage and his life. Many people cannot hack AA, apparently it's a very difficult journey to make.
I don't know whether such organisations exist for people who drug dependent.
 
Maximum Triceratops said:
My best mate had a problem with heroin, after lots of help he finally got clean, moved away, met a nice woman and had a couple of kids. I went to see him in Cornwall and he couldnt be happier. He then returned to Hull a few years later and we were back doing what best mates do again, then he came round one day and asked to borrow £20 as he had "lost his bank card", he then suddenly disapeared and I never saw him for a few years. Roll back to last Christmas and I go for my usual Christmas day pint, just as I leave I see this emaciated bag of bones with black teeth begging out side the pub and realise its my best mate :( I just walked past him without saying a word :(. Turns out he went straight to smack on his return to Hull so his wife left him.
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Lets be honest, parts of Hull are enough to drive anyone to smack.

Ive no sympathy for alcoholics, it takes time to build up to the level they get to, almost like a determination to self destruct.

Heroin addicts however, I can fully understand, as I need to take regular opiates for medical reasons, and when I start going into withdrawl, its a nasty, nasty situation.
 
A few people in my extended social circle got badly addicted to crystal meth back in 2000. One ended up getting sectioned and has never been right since, most of the others got past it, though I think a handful of them are still hitting it to this day.
 
People's general perception of drink/drug addiction is WAY off imo. You don't have to be in "the gutter" doing drugs/drinking first thing in the morning to be an addict. :)

I've heard the AAs description of an Alcoholic is "someone who cannot last a month without a drink".[citation needed]

Someone who can't enjoy a party/night out without a drink is an addict. Someone who's weekend is boring unless they have a drink is an addict. Someone who thinks not having a drink spoils whatever it is they want to do is an addict.

I used to live with an alcoholic. He wasn't some unkempt bum who spunked his JSA on Special Brew and 20/20, he was a IT Specialist (Cisco, fyi) earning more than double the average, with several properties under his belt, yet he was/is alcoholic. Once he starts, he doesn't stop until the supply runs out/pubs/bars/night clubs are all closed.

I saw my best friend go down a spiral of drugs. It started with the odd puff at the weekends, then picked up during the week until it was a daily event, then it was one before work/uni, then onto one at lunch as well. The "excuses" to have a smoke were frankly hilarious at times. "I've just had an argument, need a toot." "I've just won some money, need a toot to calm down." "I've just nailed my GF, need a toot." "Congratulations, lets have a toot to celebrate!" etc. Anyway, eventually he moved onto the harder stuff, and the last time I saw him he was a walking skeleton. I'm unsure if he ever recovered tbh.

Alcoholism and "alcohol dependence" are the same thing, before anyone tries to state they are different. :)
 
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Dj_Jestar said:
Peoples perception of drink/drug addiction is WAY off. You don't have to be in "the gutter" doing drugs/drinking first thing in the morning to be an addict. :)

I've heard the AAs description of an Alcoholic is "someone who cannot last a month without a drink".[citation needed]

Someone who can't enjoy a party/night out without a drink is an addict. Someone who's weekend is boring unless they have a drink is an addict. Someone who thinks not having a drink spoils whatever it is they want to do is an addict.

I used to live with an alcoholic. He wasn't some unkempt bum who spunked his JSA on Special Brew and 20/20, he was a IT Specialist (Cisco, fyi) earning more than double the average, with several properties under his belt, yet he was/is alcoholic. Once he starts, he doesn't stop until the supply runs out/pubs/bars/night clubs are all closed.

Alcoholism and "alcohol dependence" are the same thing, before anyone tries to state they are different. :)
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Honest mode - On.

I'd probably agree with this. Under that definition, I'm an alcoholic and being honest probably alcohol dependent. However, I have a job (and I'm not sneaking in a drink before/during it - I'd get arrested if I was) and a perfectly functioning member of society. I feel kind of 'meh' most of the time before I've had a drink and often craving one but feel perked up afterwards.
Does any of this bother me? No. I'm quite happy with my life (regarding this anyway) at the minute and don't see any reason why I should change it.
If I started each day with a few cans and couldn't function without a drink then of course I would hope to address the issue and fix it. However, that isn't the case and hopefully it won't be in the future.
Perhaps some of this is growing up in a house with 2 heavy drinkers in my parents. My father was (now retired) a leading expert in a his field and was extremely successful but just happened to love the booze. I've seen him drunk once and booze didn't effect him negatively but I would suggest he was dependent.
 
Agreed :) I was an alcoholic. I used to look forward to my Friday night in the local until the sun rose on Saturday. I'd easily have 25+ pints in those hours from ~6pm to ~9am, then sleep through until Sunday. I had a six day week for nearly a year :o
 
Maximum Triceratops said:
My best mate had a problem with heroin, after lots of help he finally got clean, moved away, met a nice woman and had a couple of kids. I went to see him in Cornwall and he couldnt be happier. He then returned to Hull a few years later and we were back doing what best mates do again, then he came round one day and asked to borrow £20 as he had "lost his bank card", he then suddenly disapeared and I never saw him for a few years. Roll back to last Christmas and I go for my usual Christmas day pint, just as I leave I see this emaciated bag of bones with black teeth begging out side the pub and realise its my best mate :( I just walked past him without saying a word :(. Turns out he went straight to smack on his return to Hull so his wife left him.
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Really? Best friend and you didn't even stop to speak to him?
 
It just shows you how demented these chemicals can make you if you let them get a hold of you - giving up on your wife and your kids.... :(
 
Dr. Pain said:
Ive no sympathy for alcoholics, it takes time to build up to the level they get to, almost like a determination to self destruct.
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I think the problem is not so clear cut. Addicts don't realise they are addicts. That's kind of the point of it being an addiction. The same goes for lots of things, smoking, eating, as well as habitual behaviour addictions such as OCD etc. The addict doesn't know they are addicted. In their mind it's perfectly normal. :)
 
Dj_Jestar said:
Agreed :) I was an alcoholic. I used to look forward to my Friday night in the local until the sun rose on Saturday. I'd easily have 25+ pints in those hours from ~6pm to ~9am, then sleep through until Sunday. I had a six day week for nearly a year :o
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But if you function perfectly well, can hold down a job and not let the drinking impede your time other than at sensible times, where's the issue? :confused:
 
My issue was in the fact I was addicted, and that I'd be spending upwards of £200 every Friday night in a pub. I was concerned it'd get worse, so I stopped. :)
 
Dj_Jestar said:
My issue was in the fact I was addicted, and that I'd be spending upwards of £200 every Friday night in a pub. I was concerned it'd get worse, so I stopped. :)
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But if you can afford it, enjoy it and you don't let it affect your life in any other way than apart from in the pub, where's the glaring issue?
 
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