one addiction replaced by another

[sweets1313]

so I've recently quit smoking pot after 4 years of heavy every day use and quit taking adderall after 2 years of taking about 60 mg a day I felt great for a while.. but now my bulimia has gotten worse than ever I think about food constantly it's horrible.. I'm so depressed that I'm worse off than when I was a pothead the depression keeps me from doing things that need to be done.. I really don't know what to do when I took the adderall I ate healthy in small amounts all day and felt happy it ceased my binging and the weed gave me something else to do instead of eat when I was distracted.. I try workign out but by the time I get home from work I am too full / tired to do anything but get upset with myself.. I'm open to ANY suggestions.. Help!

[cali]

sweets-
I am sorry you are having a tough time right now. I don't have any words of wisdom but I just want to say that it's a big change that you are going through right now. I don't know if you have a recovery program etc but I know for me, I try to apply the 12 steps to every problem I have.
Good job on not smoking pot-that's a huge accomplishment!!!

[Nina Kay]

Hi Sweets,
Welcome to the Eating Disorders Forum of SR. I hope that you'll keep coming back here regularly. I know that you will get lots of support and encouragement here and that it so important to recovery from our addictions. I do hope that you will find some 12 step meetings near you, because I can't put into words how much it helps to be with others that are going through what you are going through, so that they can understand everything in a way that no one else can. You'll be surprised what a difference that it'll make in your life.

I too, am so proud of you and for you for giving up the pot. My son is into that too and I just feel so happy when someone says that they are not doing that horrible drug anymore. I've watched it do some really horrible things to my son and one of them being that it just seems to make him not care about anything or anybody. He has no drive or ambition, so his precious life just goes to waste. I'm just so glad to hear about your success for today of giving it up.

Like Cali said, you're going through alot of changes and it will take some time for you and your body to readjust. So please try to be patient with yourself and hang in there. I really think that if you give yourself at least 2 weeks from the time that you're off of those drugs, you'll see such a physical and mental difference. And then of course, you'll continue to get better in every way, every day after that for a long while.

There are several others here that have mentioned the same thing about having trouble with food problems after getting off of drugs and alcohol. I'm sure that they'll be along later to share with you. Keep doing the next right thing.
(((((((((((((((Support Hugs)))))))))))))))

[Done-With-It]

Have you tried therapy? I can totally relate. Years of therapy is what helped me.

[trackat8]

I can totally relate on teh adderall issue. I took just 20 mg to help me out in school exams. First time I took it, I studied for a hours, then went out for a 7 mile run, and ate nothing the whole day. I did the same thing over again over the next 2 days, and I went from 125 pounds to 118 pounds. From then on, I was hooked. I was in L-O-V-E with the drug. After I didn't have anymoer and found out my friend didn't have anymore, I experienced months of depression from teh withdrawl. It's a highly addictive drug, and it also made me not able to focus like I did before the adderall. As a result, I told my mom I have trouble focussing and now she's trying to get me a prescription from a guy my friend said it was guarenteed from so-and-so doctor.

My advice is to get a prescription for an anti-depressant. Even if you're already taking one, switch because it's clearly not helping as much as it should. I take wellbutrin, and it's prominent for helping food cravings. And it's true-i've lost weight since I started and I'm so incredibly happy.

Idk if that helps. Something to add on, try and work out on teh days you're not working. Get into a routine and you'll feel so much better about yourself. I myself am so thankful I ran track in hs (just graduated) because I'm in a routine and now I loveee running. You'll learn to like it!

[Nina Kay]

Thank you trackat8 for sharing here. I wanted to Welcome you here and I hope that you'll decide to start your own thread soon and let us get to know you better. Keep coming back, as we're all in this together and we need each other.

[sista]

OH boy do I know how you feel...

I grew up in an active alcoholic home. Therefore I grew up addicted to alcoholics. Started smoking when I was a young teen {my second addiction}. Married an alcoholic, became VERY addicted to him. When be became sober in recovery I was even more addicted to him, then I found my way to Al-anon and learned to give up that addiction. A year later I quit smoking {11 1/2 years ago} and picked up my third addiction, Compulsive Overeating. Though I wasn't ready to addmit that addictions until 14 days ago. And now I can see myself getting addicted to the scale.. So I am working on keeping my overeating dissorder seperate from my weight issues and staying off the scale...

I don't know if I can work on more then one addiction at a time though... without feeling ovewhelmed..


{{{HUGS}}} to you and thank you for sharing this with us.. I needed to hear it..

[deliza]

Take it one thing at a time, I would say.

I struggle with a lot of addictions as well. I ping pong back and forth between alcoholism and bulimia, and again lately anorexia. If I manage to get one thing under control, another one rages out of control. I managed to be sober for almost a month, and proceeded to lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks. Not in a good way, although I did try to do it as healthily as possible.
I just took it one day at a time and really, really cheered myself on a lot for the positive things that I did accomplish, and the addictive behaviours that persisted, I gave myself a hug and reminded myself that tomorrow is a new day, and I can start trying again right now, never give up trying, keep at it, take it an hour at a time if I really have to.

Try to stay positive. One thing at a time. One day, or one hour even at a time. Remember to congratulate yourself for the good stuff you've accomplished.
I really do think some kind of therapy, or a group of some sort could really help you out as well (and heck, me too). It's hard enough trying to overcome one addiction let alone multiple ones, especially alone.

*hugs* to you.