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Old 07-11-2007, 05:33 PM
  # 30 (permalink)  
Sav
Sav
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC,NY
Posts: 128
"Chipping" is a term that means a person who uses only occassionally. People on maintanace like methadone or suboxone are famous for doing it. Since you feel "normal" and aren't getting sick, you think you can "handle getting high". So you do it two, three times a week or month, purely for the pleasure of it, and;

"Really, I can control it! The fact that I'm taking another drug to control my withdrawal has nothing to do with it! I've got a handle on it now!"

If you catch him, this is essentially what he'll say.

And yes, he won't want therapy. If he goes to therapy, he'll have to face the fact that there really is something wrong with him. and that's a major blow to your sense of self. He's probably afraid to go, and he should be. Who knows what will come out? He might get to the root of what's causing this behavior!
I'm not being sarcastic, that's actually a really scary thing, and some people are very brittle. This probably isn't even a concious thing he's doing. It's being done on an unconscious "survival level".

I hate to say it, but you may have to "trick" him into therapy. I don't like suggesting this, but for the sake of your marriage (and your sanity) it may be necessary. You'd have to appeal to his superior sense of self and machismo. Once he's in there, hopefully some good can come of it!

Good luck!
Sav is offline