Indigochild

Please, if you don't mind, explain what this would mean in your view:

A Functioning Crack addict, a Crack user, a Crackhead.

Also Drug addict as apposed to 'Junkie'.

Is it all the same? Yes? No?

Thanks, IC.

RDBplus3

Freedom from the substances that were controlling my life, and I believed I was in control, because ... (insert justification) ...

Freedom from the Flesh / Self-Will-Run-Riot processes that I believed were 'Me' ... when actually they were out-of-control behaviors that 'I' let run the real 'Me' ... the Me that can now see those thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and NOT have to let them grab control ...

Freedom from having to let those terms have any definition in me ... because thru working the 12 Steps I am now FREE ... from the old Me.

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE

NOWisNOW

Lol...
well i personally consider myself a 'smokable cocaine aficionado'...
ummm Dave Chappell's 'Clayton Bigby' character is just a lil' too stereotypical for my taste tho i've certainly had my moments

welcome aboard, just bring the truth...
=^.^=

CobraCommander

it sorta seems the same but it isnt but both are pretty bad one is just a bit worse then the other. every drug user either works to get drugs, or they sit around selling everything off to get drugs. the working is a functioning one, most people dont even know that person may be on drugs because while their high they use it to their advantage to get more things done.

now there is also a term on having a dependance on a drug or just being a full blown addiction. a dependance means you dont really want to even do the drug but you have to do it because you get sick without it or are in to much pain without it. the opposite would be someone who takes the drug because they just love to party and be smashed and have no care on who it affects. someone with a dependance usually knows they want to quit and takes the effort to and is uninformed about the drug in the first place

there is also enablers, enablers are people who give the drug addict money in fear of seeing them sick and dying. usually parents or family members are enablers.

RedManc7

I'm a junkie. Even before I got addicted to heroin I was a junkie. Still a junkie now even though called time on bloody heroin.

Junkie describes it best as you are literally the embodiment of the drug. Don't see the point in them other non junkie /addict terms - at the end of the day, user, dependent, weekend warrior etc if you binging on Crack, Coke, Meth, or Opiates/ Heroin then you are dancing with the devil still & just one of life's curveballs away from being a fully fledged junkie, flirting with the insanity of addiction. However you wrap it up.

Maybe it different for those whose become addicts through over the counter drugs. Junkie Infers illicit and underground, subculture, maybe dependent better term for cats like TOD who got shimmied by big pharma.

Soberwolf

It's all the same its someone dependant on a substance call it what you want but its the same thing to me anyway

CaringScared

A year and a half ago, my boyfriend would say to me, "I may be a crackhead, but at least I'm not a hype." (=homeless, or addict who will do anything for money)

He is now sleeping on the street. The other day he broke into a bar and cleared out the register.

I love him so, but I can't be part of that.

hopepraylove

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...

larrylive

I was a functioning crackhead for many years. Held a job, actually a few of them. Paid my bills, well a few of them. Moved from town to town and house to house. Lost my family, gave up trying to work and then landed in jail. Functioning is a poor excuse for being a crackhead

teatreeoil007

Crackhead and Junkie in my view are SLANG terms. I think many people associate "junkie" with heroin addiction. While a crackhead is someone who uses a lot of crack?

"Functioning": There is an interesting term. I used it for years to justify how my use of substances wasn't a problems because I WAS functioning...and I may have even thought I was functioning well or better while using...but when a person is high their perception is off - they are deceived into thinking they are functioning better than they really are...

Then, we often here that term "high functioning alcoholic" (HFA). The very first time I ever heard that term was from the lips of an alcoholic! She was using it to JUSTIFY drinking. It worked for her for a while before her life totally spiraled out of control....But generally speaking most people consider a high functioning addict as someone who can still hold a job down and is still maintains their various duties. So, they function...but while they are doing that their body and mind are taking a beating that will later catch up to them if they don't stop using.

story74

I call it labeling. People on drugs are human beings that have a heart and soul somewhere...deep deep down ....

An addict is an addict. I believe a "functioning" addict may function sometimes, and fall other times. Maybe they are smarter, stronger or rich. The "junkie" I think is why a lot of addicts don't want to admit they have an addiction. They don't want to be seen as a junkie. I see a "junkie" as someone who has nothing. No money. No place to live. Maybe some mental problems. They don't have anyone enabling unless it is for sex or drugs.

I think one is able to hide it better than the other...more savy, clever...

But ultimately, an addict is an addict is an addict. They all are sick and need help. All are human beings that have a soul. Maybe some have been more hurt than others...

zombob

My brother was a functioning crack smoker. His job taking down trees (he's really talented as a climber and a joy to watch work) kept him in work near a major city as all folks plant trees not expecting them to be problematic (they all do eventually)--endless work. I've seen him make $1500 in a day and call me the next morning cuz he was out of gas somewhere, broke. Next day we would go make money somewhere (lotsa trees here), he'd pay me, and I wouldn't see him til...He did this for 15 yrs.with some brief respites. He finally got a possesion charge back in '11, was given drug court and squeaked through. His record is now clean from that charge. Sober almost 4 years, he's passionate about his meetings and still does trees, tho not as many cuz he lives fine off less (and he's 52 soon). He never stole for his habit but very much spent every waking hour working for it. Lots of folks are proud of him including me. We call him a recovery miracle now (his words) and that suits me. I, on the other hand have stole many bottles of alcohol and walked right out of many a convenience store in my younger days with a case of beer in each hand (and then ran of course). I'm sober now too but you can be the judge of who was worser--I don't think addiction cares what you call it.

RedManc7

I was a flat out junkie. Wore suits, took gf's shopping and for dinner & holidays & kept up appearances. Still a junkie. I own my own Company and employed c10 full time staff subcontractors between 30-50 business turning over a few Million dollars and amazingly made profit in the 3 years I was a full blown heroin addict. Junkie.
I would use $300 worth before big meetings, presentations etc - the fact I had enough cash to disguise to many my addiction is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. The risks, the lies the deceit the insanity it could have all unraveled at any point.
I can't kid myself that because I could disguise it to other people that means it was less of a problem.
I would meet various heroin pals over a day - often they had smaller habits than me - the ones skint/unemployed and drug ravaged with shabby clothes & not the cash to disguise their habits like I did - we were consuming the same drug, me more, but because when the session ended they pottered about & watched TV when I went back to work would that really make me dependent and them junkies/addicts.
Appearances are deceptive. The brother who held down a job lived an outwardly regular life - am sure he would have been taking risks like me which would have meant one mistake and the house of cards crashes down. Most of those in the dependent category are there because they are still contributing to the economy/fitting in with society. That doesn't mean the nature of the habit is not as bad than someone unemployed.
Scrambling around keeping up appearances lying n deceiving doesn't make your habit better. I wasted 3 years of lost opportunities & career success etc because business was just a way of supporting habit. Am the brother will also have lost opportunities, giving the impression that you are treading water when you should be driving forward and in reality you are going backwards - in my case dependency might be politer but I think more accurate to file under junkie.

teatreeoil007

So true, RedManc! Can't go by appearances, that is for sure...and addiction does not play "favorites". One of my sisters used heroin for awhile and she and the crowd she hung with were mid-to-upper middle class...had some cash to spend; bought high end gear, had nice homes in nice neighborhoods and by all "appearances" even lived on the glamorous side. Lots of nice clothes...invited to important parties...did business with important people. Also consumed a lot of expensive wine...

I had to take some drug abuse workshops in my line of work and one of the instructors warned us to never be fooled by appearances....she gave an example of the "coke Bi_ch" who may appear perfectly dressed to the nines in designer clothing, nails done, hair just so, perfect make-up, etc...'don't fall for it' etc. In fact, she may have a bigger coke habit than someone of lessor means because she can afford it more...anyways, I get your drift!

Soberwolf

Isn't a true miracle we are able to get clean/sober & talk about this, you guys fill my heart with joy & are all good friends

NOWisNOW

once while out on a using binge *crack is my DOC* was making a run with a very 'successful' cook who made the stuff and he told bout when he USED to smoke
remember thinking why earth would anyone ever quit ?
dear God i now know EXACTLY why

white knuckling my 6th day
quack quack
=^.^=

RedManc7

Hey teatree oil! Thanks fir reading and reassuring me it wasn't my mind playing tricky on me! Addiction is the ultimate equaliser - a level playing field. Stay strong everyone.

RedManc7

Soberwolf you've hit the nail on head there - if anyone ever sees me tapping furiously on my iPad then often I'm ranting on here and have to explain what SR is and why it's so important to me.
I get smiles or reassuring nods but I can't convey to them just how much SR means to me and all of us. Keep the faith :-)

Soberwolf

Thanks RedManc

CaringScared

I felt a little regretful for what I wrote. I didn't mean to contribute to some stereotype of addicts being homeless, thieves, etc. My point was more that my boyfriend's habit has taken him places he wouldn't have imagined.

Because of all the great people on this board, I have hope that he could recover some day--even if years out.