Great Forum
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: England, UK.
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by LoftyIdeals 
Good day to you, Abstinence, and welcome to SR. You'll find great support to help you with your issues. Do you mind if I ask if they are alcohol, drugs or both?
My issues are with certain drugs. I am in total control of alcohol (because I can take or leave the feeling of alcohol intoxication). However, I have no control whatsoever over my compulsive behaviours to use certain downers, such as opiates, cannabis and benzodiazapines; I am completely unable to use any of these substances in moderation. For instance, if I attempt to use any of these substances in moderation, compulsive behaviours will inevitably take over; I have accepted this now.
For me, it is either total abstinence (the wise choice) or I will simply compulsively abuse the substances that I crave. Total abstinence from all drugs (including alcohol and nicotine) is the only way forward for me.
Cheers.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Between Meetings
Posts: 8,997
Originally Posted by Abstinence
For me, it is either total abstinence (the wise choice) or I will simply compulsively abuse the substances that I crave. Total abstinence from all drugs (including alcohol and nicotine) is the only way forward for me.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: England, UK.
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by Sapling
Welcome to SR Abstinence...Have you put any thought into how you are going to do that?
Yes, I have put a lot of thought into it. I know that I have great will power, so that is one advantage. I am also going to engage in dialogue with individuals like yourself on this forum to keep me alert and conscious of the issue. I am very determined.
Cheers.
SoberOutlook
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,089
It's great you are determined, and that you have thought out total abstinence as the way forward. In my experience, if you tried to stop drugs without stopping alcohol, you'd risk simply transfering your dependence entirely to alcohol. I've been on that merry-go-round before. I'm an alcoholic, primarily, but have had dependencies on a variety of rx drugs, including benzos, and was dependent on cannabis for over a decade in the 70s and 80s. Total sobriety is the only way I've found to get off the path and grow.
Have you thought through your plan for withdrawal?
I look forward to your posts, abstinence. Again, welcome.
Have you thought through your plan for withdrawal?
I look forward to your posts, abstinence. Again, welcome.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Welcome Abstinence!
Congrats on making a great decision and reaching out for support - that's what made the difference for me! You may also want to check out the section on substance abuse:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/substance-abuse/
Glad you're here!!
Congrats on making a great decision and reaching out for support - that's what made the difference for me! You may also want to check out the section on substance abuse:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/substance-abuse/
Glad you're here!!
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
Welcome to you, Abstinence. I admire your determination and confidence so very much. This is the primary indicator of your success, and it sounds as though you will do this, one way or another.
I started my journey with this same determination and confidence, and things have worked out for me. One big thing that helped me was the idea of watching myself, and separating myself from these thoughts. These thoughts came from the compulsive impulsive part of me, part that I could control. The key was developing the ability to recognize these thoughts as they arose and just observing them, staring at them, until they just sorta fizzled out.
Then I learned that this ability was being used by lots of people to abstain from their drug of choice (alcohol for me). Point your browser to AVRT and take a look at the Secular Connections forum here, you may find some very useful stuff.
I started my journey with this same determination and confidence, and things have worked out for me. One big thing that helped me was the idea of watching myself, and separating myself from these thoughts. These thoughts came from the compulsive impulsive part of me, part that I could control. The key was developing the ability to recognize these thoughts as they arose and just observing them, staring at them, until they just sorta fizzled out.
Then I learned that this ability was being used by lots of people to abstain from their drug of choice (alcohol for me). Point your browser to AVRT and take a look at the Secular Connections forum here, you may find some very useful stuff.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,947
Hello Abstinence. I like your approach to stopping your substance abuse issues.
A fearless determination to correct my complete failure to live life as an addict arose from being desperate and then confident.
A fearless determination to correct my complete failure to live life as an addict arose from being desperate and then confident.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: England, UK.
Posts: 10
Hello all!
Thank you all very much for your warm welcomes; much appreciated. Sorry that I haven't replied individually, but I do not have a great deal of time tonight.
I am, indeed, fortunate that I have an extreme level of self awareness, and I am also very fortunate to have excellent will power and self discipline. Unfortunately, however, I suffer from psychotic depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, so that makes the addiction issues several orders of magnitude more difficult. Now that I have come to terms with the fact that I have a substance abuse problem, I can face up to it instead of being in a constant state of denial. Being on SR will be exceptionally helpful for me; it's an awesome way of communicating with individuals in a similar position - on a par with NA I would say!
I know that abstinence is only one approach to treatment and recovery from addiction disorders, but it is absolutely the only one that works for me; to reiterate, there is no way I can take my drugs of choice in moderation because compulsions and cravings always take over. Thankfully, I do not have to worry about withdrawals as I made a concerted effort to not become physically dependent on a substance.
This is an excellent forum!
Thank you all very much for your warm welcomes; much appreciated. Sorry that I haven't replied individually, but I do not have a great deal of time tonight.
I am, indeed, fortunate that I have an extreme level of self awareness, and I am also very fortunate to have excellent will power and self discipline. Unfortunately, however, I suffer from psychotic depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, so that makes the addiction issues several orders of magnitude more difficult. Now that I have come to terms with the fact that I have a substance abuse problem, I can face up to it instead of being in a constant state of denial. Being on SR will be exceptionally helpful for me; it's an awesome way of communicating with individuals in a similar position - on a par with NA I would say!
I know that abstinence is only one approach to treatment and recovery from addiction disorders, but it is absolutely the only one that works for me; to reiterate, there is no way I can take my drugs of choice in moderation because compulsions and cravings always take over. Thankfully, I do not have to worry about withdrawals as I made a concerted effort to not become physically dependent on a substance.
This is an excellent forum!
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