banksy

my bub jd is going around telling everyone that will listen that he's now sober since hasn't had a drink lately.

problem is he's now abusing Xanax.

an alcoholic that is on Xanax but isn't drinking can't be considered sober, right?

artsoul

Welcome banksy -
I think anyone in recovery would agree with you that sobriety means not abusing any kind of drug (alcohol included). It's pretty tough to convince others, though, if they don't want to see it..... ya know?
Welcome to the community....

banksy

thanks art

it's just frustrating

this guy is high on xanax and he's telling all my bubs he's sober

SNST

A drug is a drug no matter which one you choose

banksy

don't get me wrong

I am proud of him that he's been able to kick alcohol

but Xanax is a dead end road too

Grungehead

IMO it depends. If his doctor has him on xanax for a specific purpose and he is taking it as directed then he is sober. If he is taking xanax to get high than he is not sober. My doctor originally put me on Ativan for severe anxiety. I went to treatment and they kept me on Ativan because they said they would have put me on it for withdrawal symptoms anyway. Now that I am past withdrawal they are weaning me off of the Ativan. I guess everyone has an opinion about it. I had my first heart surgery when I was sober and I was on morphine, fentanyl, and percocet while in the hospital and I went home with percocet. These drugs were for legitimate use so I didn't consider myself as using. If I would have kept taking the percocet after the pain was gone just for the high then I would have been using.

Sorry I didn't see in your post he was abusing them. He's not sober IMO. He has just replaced one drug for another.

SNST

Yes Xanax is a dead road! I abused them for a couple of years, it was total he!! coming off of them, I had to be hospitalized, Ive always been told that alcohol & Xanax are the worse things to come off of and the deadliest. Maybe you should try to encourage him to read up on the dangers of Xanax?

bigsombrero

Welcome. If I may ask - why do you care what he's telling people? Are you an alcoholic? I am - and I found that when I avoid people who abuse drugs and alcohol, I don't have to worry about what they're saying or to whom...

banksy

yeah

he gets the Xanax scripts from a neighbor doctor that thinks he can handle it

I've never had a Xanax myself, but I've heard they're way worse than booze

SNST

My opinion banksy, if it gives you a "buzz" its bad! So it doesnt matter which drug or whether its beer or whiskey, NONE of it is good

Grungehead

I would clarify this somewhat. If you take a drug in order to get a buzz it's bad. If you are laying in intensive care with your chest freshly cut open and they give you morphine and you happen to get a buzz from it that is a side effect.

And actually I didn't really feel much from the pain meds. When you are actually in a lot of pain, pain meds rarely get you high.

bigsombrero

Hanging out with people who engage in criminal behavior just ain't good for you. I'd say get away from this buddy and concentrate on your own sobriety. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Good luck on your recovery.

banksy

easier said than done I'm afraid

can't just kick my bro to the curb

SNST

Im curious, if you guys are that close why cant you talk to him about this?

totfit

Yes, he is sober. He may not be clean, but by definition he is sober from alcohol. What I find "funny" is the number of folks that define sobriety as abstinence from everything, but smoke tobacco, which is one of the most addictive and deadly drugs there is. More alcoholics die from smoking than do drinking. We can define things in a myriad of ways. But your friend is sober, though not "clean" if he is taking xanax outside of medical advice. On the other hand smokers aren't "clean" either. I know I got off topic a bit, but I guess we should just remember that none of us live in glass houses and it is probably a good thing that your friend is not drinking and "sober".

Jawrbeliefs

That guy kinda sounds like the dad on that show shameless

shakeel

I totally agree with totfit. He is sober if his drug of choice was alcohol. I was on xanax among many other prescription drugs while sober and they never took me down the road where alcohol did. I am talking here about drugs prescribed to me for anxiety, panick attacks and what not, not talking about crack, coke and the like. then again if he is abusing them to the point where he gets a high, the issue should be adressed.

chrissp

Let's be careful not to demonize Xanax. It has a purpose. My psychiatric physician is incredibly careful and thorough with following up, etc. I am on daily xanax. It is the only thing that has predictably and reliably prevented or sabotaged my anxiety and panic attacks, sober or drinking.

I had read all of the horror stories about it as well, they are ubiquitous. When I discussed this with him, especially in lieu of my drinking, he encouraged me (since I had access to medical literature) to see whether anxiety patients using it therapeutically are known to be abusers or escalate dosage.

The answer, statistically, and to my surprise, is no: like me, the overwhelming majority on Xanax for diagnosed anxiety and panic and trying to maintain quality of life do not abuse, self escalate, doctor shop, etc. They use it as prescribed. I have been on Xanax daily since December 2010, 1.5 mg/day max, and my dosage actually decreased through time from 2.5 mg/day. I have never run out early, etc.

This underlines the point made often on this forum about not giving medical advice. I am on Inderal, Xanax and Zoloft daily. Do I consider myself sober? Absolutely.

babycat

Interesting thread. I too have used xanax and adivan when needed and prescribed, tho I never have abused them. I never got how people did abuse them as I never experienced any "high" from them. SO, if that is the case with your friend than by all means, I would say he is sober.
The whole "are you REALLY sober" thing is tricky. I know that if I were active in AA, they would say that I am not sober because I will occasionally smoke weed. Well, tho it is not prescribed to me, I honestly only smoke a small amount to fall asleep as I have really bad insomnia, not to get effed up. On the other hand, the drugs that are often prescribed for insomnia can indeed be habit forming.
As another pointed out, so many recovering alcoholics smoke a **** ton of cigarettes and no one bats an eye at that. I think going through a pack a day of cigarettes is far more unhealthy than a few puffs of marijuana a couple nights a week.
And no, I am not substituting one substance for another. I drank to get inebriated, numb, and to forget. Totally not why I smoke weed here and there.
Sorry, sort of got off topic but I still think it relates and it is one of those things that has always bothered me.

banksy

I tried.

he threw a tantrum and called my sobriety a joke because I take an aspirin now and then.

I'm not kidding.