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question regarding adiction..

Old 01-09-2012, 03:45 PM
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question regarding adiction..

Well, this is my second post, just trying to figure it out if im lying to my self or not...

My mom was an alcoholic for 15 years, she, of course always denied it, she tried everything, even detox centers, nothing worked, I think it was because she never thought she was an alcoholic, eventhough re did horrible things while on her "career".

Well, as far as I understand, an alcoholic is a person, that no matter how long stops drinking, the time that it does, it can stop till is completely wasted...

I also understand that there is a genetic connection, I do not like too drink to that extend, as a matter of fact, I dont like to drink, I just do it in social ocacions, and HATE to be drunk.

On the other hand, I do have a compulsive abuse of certain type of drugs, such as MDMA and other stims (didnt go as far as crack though). Anyways, im a pretty athletic person, Im very much into sports, lifting weights, runnning, and overall brazilian jiu jitsu...I can go without taking drugs for almost 2 months (thats has been the longest Ive beeen without using drugs for the past 4 years) but its like, I go "party" take my head off, may be do it the next weekend, then I take a break of 3 to 6 weeks, then do it all over again... So I think that is playing with my mind, that hability of going for that time without needing any drugs, nor craving (physically) from them, tells me that Im no addict and that I just enhoy using recreational drugs, thing is, I do not stop till all my money is gone or I can bearly walk anymore or I am out of drugs...

I think I have the same problem that an alcoholic has... any thoughts?

thanks for the help in advance.
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Old 01-09-2012, 04:09 PM
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I firmly believe that addiction is partly genetic. However, addiction is also a result of behavior.
Let me explain....
I come from two parents where addiction runs high. On my fathers side, alcoholism ran rampant. As a young child I remember all my relatives on his side were alcoholics. Many died as a result. Guess what, I hate alcohol! Always have. My friends and family call me the cool-aid kid - despite being in 40's LOL!
Sure, I drank a bit as a teenager and later in social situations but never more than a drink or two in any setting. Sure, I got trashed a few times in my life too... But never once did I pick up a drink and not be able to stop. Heck, I haven't had a drink of alcohol in YEARS! Only because I don't like it anymore.

Now, Take my moms side of the family.... Pot heads galore! Cocaine galore!
You see, I grew up on a Texas border town where drugs were EVERYWHERE! Matter of fact, the old joke was, "I don't have a coke problem... At $50.00 a gram, NO PROBLEM! Then there was the whole Ecstasy thing. It was EVERYWHERE and EVERYONE did it especially when I was in high school.
Yep, I did it a few times in my teens but It was just one of those things that happened a few times.

Then as left my teenage years and entered adulthood, I never touched the stuff again! Heck, I was in the Coast Guard and half my buddies smoked pot because were stationed in Humboldt County USA... Biggest pot growing county in the US. My girlfriend who was a doctor (yeah, the older lady thing LOL!) she smoked pot too.... Never touched the stuff....
Then I went into law enforcement after the service. Some of my best friends used -- of course I didn't bust them, they were my high school friends and they knew they had to have their **** straight when they were around me.

So then in my early 40's I was diagnosed with some serious back issues. I began innocently enough with tramadol. Then after 6 months vicoden. The after a year or two I went to oxy. From oxy a year later I went to oxymorphone - Just like Heroin!
Next thing you know, I had a drug problem. I went from dependent to addicted.
I got myself clean and the next thing you know I had to have surgery. Guess what, right back to square one addicted again. I took myself off the meds again and here I am almost 2 weeks clean. I feel as if I have my life back.
My life deteriorated quickly on the drugs.... Never again.
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Old 01-09-2012, 05:18 PM
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hmmm... well, from my moms side, my granpa was an alcoholic too.. so I think addiction its on me genes
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Old 01-09-2012, 05:26 PM
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Perhaps... *BUT* Remember that your behavior dictates any addiction too!
You said it in your post where you like to party hard. Do not allow yourself to think you may be helpless to drugs because someone in your family had an addiction. You are the master of yourself!
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Old 01-09-2012, 05:42 PM
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well, thats what I used to think my friend, I was aware of the genetic aspect of this stuff, even more, my mom always tells me to look out for it, although she doesnt have the slightest clue about my drug abuse, so she thinks im fine, and so did I... up untill now that I have finally admit that I have an addiction problem, like I said, I know is not to alcohol, but im pretty sure its too all stims...

I am considering going to NA meetings, thing is, Ive went to a bunch to AA meetings, I was the one taking my mom to AA, I stayed in there till the end of the meetings for about a month, then she took it by herself.. I guess NA will be about the same, but focus on drugs not on alcohol, I know the program works, but... she was religius, am not, and the 12 steps, while they say they do not encourage any kind of specific religion, it does talks about god... that is the part that I do not like of it. On the other hand, just talking with ppl that go through the same stuff that you are going through is so much reliving (spell) so I could guess that doing it live will be much better...
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Old 01-09-2012, 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted by marcelo View Post
well, thats what I used to think my friend, I was aware of the genetic aspect of this stuff, even more, my mom always tells me to look out for it, although she doesnt have the slightest clue about my drug abuse, so she thinks im fine, and so did I... up untill now that I have finally admit that I have an addiction problem, like I said, I know is not to alcohol, but im pretty sure its too all stims...

I am considering going to NA meetings, thing is, Ive went to a bunch to AA meetings, I was the one taking my mom to AA, I stayed in there till the end of the meetings for about a month, then she took it by herself.. I guess NA will be about the same, but focus on drugs not on alcohol, I know the program works, but... she was religius, am not, and the 12 steps, while they say they do not encourage any kind of specific religion, it does talks about god... that is the part that I do not like of it. On the other hand, just talking with ppl that go through the same stuff that you are going through is so much reliving (spell) so I could guess that doing it live will be much better...
You really can't go wrong w/trying to nip this kind of problem 'in the bud', so to speak. As basically an atheist/scientist type, I struggle w/the whole 'God' aspect of AA/NA and the 12 steps ... one thing you'll find though at NA, should you choose that route (I go to both AA and NA myself), iirc their steps say 'Higher Power' rather than 'God'. You may find it more 'comfortable'. You can always substitute other words for God in your own head anyways though.

The most important (IMHO) things you get out of these programs are the lessons other people share with you ... basically the fellowship aspect, being around others who can share their wisdom about the disease, and how to fight it.
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