Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.

Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

This community is a place to share information and support with others who are trying to stop using drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other addictive substances. Discuss with others, the symptoms of addiction, addiction recovery, ways to quit like tapering and cold turkey, and withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in general "chat", please visit our Addiction Social Community.
 | 

DO YOU THINK THIS IS TRUE?

by beenthere2, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
I have recently read a great book titled "Junkie:  Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict" by William Lee (aka William Burroughs).  The book was written in 1953, however sadly, the subject matter is timeless.



The main character is wealthy and develops a tremendous heroin habit.  But his take on it is what really struck me.  He states:  "Junk (drugs) wins by default.  You become a narcotics addict because you don't have strong motivations in any other direction."  For Bill (the main character, the great irony is that he gains the motivation, the need for money, only after he becomes a junkie.



So do you think this has merit?  Have you examined the motivations in your life?  Is there a link between boredom, ennui and addiction?  Personally, I can see the correlation.
Member Comments (34)

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Beenthere2
So there may be some truth to this, but I think more people are not in this category than are in it.



Most people likely had some sort of pain, went to their general doc, who then, rather than spending the 30 minutes we all know they don't have diagnosing the problem, they wrote out a script and WHAM! it worked - the pain was gone. for a while....



Then the "machine" took over. For me the machine went something like this "Hey this stuff works on more than just physical pain! Boredom, Fatigue, headaches, anxiety - it's a miracle drug. More must work better than less!"



At that point, if you have the right gene combo, you have just checked into the Hotel California, and as you know, you can check out any time you like, but.....you can never leave!



If there is truth to this article/story, then perhaps part of getting out is figuring out what got you in and then fixing that either first or along the way to the exit.



Rex

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: SouthernBelle
Thinking about you today and praying as well.



Two things in my life are absolutely true.



1) God has ALWAYS answered my reasonable prayers

2) He has NEVER done it in the timeframe I originally asked for



How are you?



Rex

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: 2003 Challengers - Your first week is complete!
So, for all who accepted the challenge, and have stuck to your schedule - congratulations! Your first week is complete!



It is extremely important for you to look at your dosage today and compare it with a week ago. If you stuck with your first week schedule, you are winning. Follow the same plan, and you will be to zero in no time!



FOr those who are ahead, adjust your schedule accordingly, and see if you can complete your arrival at zero sooner than expected.



For those who may not have stuck to it, start over this week. There is still plenty of time.



To all - let's use the new year as the resolution to end all resolutions.



Jan 1st - we arrive at zero together - no matter what! Do anything it takes to make that happen. Do not throw things,inlcuding family members or pets, or break large pieces of furniture, but maintain a positive perspective.



There are so many veterans on this board who have used this method and have succeeded. This is why I thought the challenge concept would work, it has a proven track record...



Finally, if you accepted the challenge, please report your status in this thread..........



Rex



by hippy, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: been there
.i can relate,  being a junke at 19 i worked 50 hours a week,

i stole cars on the side, and was a a copman.( ps. a nice way of saying drugdealer the thought sickens me.

in the next 5 years of my life i lived 20 years worth of life

on the very edge.

at twenty four i had 3 choices go to jail for ever,

blow your brains out or get clean and get as far away from the

sreets as you can.

sounds like a good book.

there is one about an addict getting clean. its called

saint mary blue by barry longyear

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Hippee
Hey man, where you been?



Thanks for all of your help during my first week or two! (I am on day 15, hating my body and wishing I could excise my entire back from the rest of my body)  - othwerwise, life is but a dream........;-0



I owe you.......



Rex

by hippy, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: rex
day 15 very nice. freedom is a nector from the god's



peace!!!!!!!!!

by diso, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Rex1
Hey Rex, just wanted to throw out my own congrats--15 days--outstanding!!  Today is day 29 for me.  The bad days have become increasingly infrequent.  My body is getting back to normal. My energy is increasing and the pain is dissipating. I can sleep.  The fog in my head is clearing.  Life is good.  I got a little discouraged around day 15 because I still felt shitty.  Around day 18 I really turned a corner.  I still have my moments but it is easy to see past them now because the good days definitely outweigh the bad ones.



Keep up the fight.  You are far past the worst physical part.  Take one day at a time and realize that each day it does get better.  I have found that finding activities to keep me busy has been great for me both physically and mentally.  I try to wear myself out during the days so that I can rest at night.  Also, when I am busy I can't dwell on the pills.



I recently heard something from a friend.  Pain pills by their nature take away pain.  Without pain one cannot experience joy.  I could experience euphoria when high on the pills but not true joy.  As I have got off the pills my pain in my back (and my whole body) has returned.  Now that I feel pain again, I have begun to reexperience joy.  That is what is so cool about being clean--I now actually feel joy.

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Please post results of your first week!
Rex

by Rex1, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: 1day, Hippee
Thank you.



Hippee, man, when I hear "peace" from someone named hippee, it takes me back to the 70s in Miami, where I can still smell the aroma from the hippees at the park across the street (real, live, true, authentic, hippees), I can hear the Doobie Brothers singin "Oh black water, keep on rollin, mississippee moon won't ya keep on shining on me......." The Dolphins were 17-0, summer has just started, the sun is shining, south beach is waiting, girls are pretty and tanned, and life is but a dream....



Today, my back hurts, I supporting 5 people in Southern California, my job is hell, and I got a two hour round trip commute"



thanks for cheering me up.



It could be worse - I could think that rap music is actual music by real musicians, and enjoy listening to it.



A famous line direct from the 70's (ya gotta picture a hippee standing there with the long hair and long mustache with a harley in the background and a doobie in his hand)



"Do unto others - then split!"



peace back at ya...



Rex











by hippy, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: hey rex
answering your question , from early

i have been working a lot, we just got a 10 in snowfall

more work.

i love miami, in jan or feb or march.

it's 18 degrees here.

this is philly  south street where all the hippies meet.



count your blessings , and focous on the positive.

remember the things normal people do for pain like

a hot bath , ice, tylonol extra strength. and  my fav

strecthing a little yoga. lay on your back lift one leg up

hold 8 seconds , lift next leg same thing.

lay on your back knees up , knees to the right side down

stretch arms left.

then the other way.

those two took back pain i had for 2 years away.



pax'''''''''



by southernbelle, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: rex
thanks for checking in on me.  right now i'm trying to adjust to this medication.  i'm truly depressed, so i feel like i'm doing the right thing.  i see the psychiatrist again tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes.  i got a lot done at work today, tried to stay focused.  the thought just keeps running through my head "what's the use, what's the big deal?"  basically, it all boils down to me feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.  how do you work , have a career, raise good kids, be a great wife, manage your pain, manage to not be stressed?  i feel like i'm just fading away or something.  nothing of the old me is around.  nothing.  i'm just blue right now.  i'm sure i'll snap put of it. my biggest fear is ending up/being like my mom.  oh goash, if that happens.....i remember so many problems when i was young....suicide attempts, electric shock therapy.  it was pretty rough.

BUT I am trying to stay positive, or at least mellow. if a pill helps ease my pain and help my mindset at the same time, then why is it so bad????

by southernbelle, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: rex - again
my mom's the one who attempted suicide and had EST , not me, didn't want you to misunderstand that.  i just don't want to end up liker her.  it's a constant fear i have.  she made our life pretty hard when we were young.

by hippy, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: southern belle
hey belle i hope your doing ok, my prayers are with you.

everything take time, stay on the positive tract

it will get better, your doing your best.

thats our job , to do our best god does the rest.

sometimes we try tyo do the rest, and thats not our job.

sometimes our best is not so great, we just have to keep moving in the right direction. small steps in the right direction

will get where we need to get too.

so take it light.

one of our biggest problems is we focous to much on ourselves,

we judge ourselves to harshly , we need to get our foucous off ourselves and on

our higher power,



peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by lisabet, Dec 09, 2002 12:00AM
To: Rex
Hey Rex - Miami '72 - perfect season!!! Love those Dolphins, although they haven't done anything astounding since!...smile.  for your info - started the tapering - plus no Jack Daniels; had a little "slip" for a few days during Thanksgiving, but then got back on track.  Got news today that I was laid off from my job; feel so wiped out emotionally, but I'm still trying to keep the hydros to a minimum.  I actually scared myself today coming home on the interstate; thought it would be so easy to just "slide" into one of the many tractor trailors; I've never had thoughts like that before, and it really frightened me because for a half second I actually considered it. Only the thought of my son jolted me back to reality.  Some days life just seems too hard. Hope you're doing well.  Love/Peace, Lisabet

by Rex1, Dec 10, 2002 12:00AM
To: Lisabet
I know those thoughts you are referring to, but you're not really considering these seriously, are you?



As hippee says, just keep moving forward Ok, and look at your lower dose compared with last week.



Post if you need support...I'll be praying for you...



Rex



(If you are interested, I will be happy to tell you more about something that will help you, but it really involves looking past this life, and to the life God has planned.Not everyone here believes in that, but I do and always have, so if your interested, just ask. Hint: This life is just a drop in the bucket of eternity, and God has everyone's life planned out if we just ask....)

by Jennibean, Dec 10, 2002 12:00AM
To: REX
You mentioned in a post that hydrocodone in high doses can cause Heart attack and stroke? Would this then also apply to oxycodone and where did you get this information. I have never heard either of those things. I would like to read about that somewhere as you said it could be quite motivating reading. For the most part my Dr's have said that oxycodone is alot safer than teh tylenol that is added to most opiates. Mine doesn't have any tylenol it is straight oxycodone in liquid form. I am starting a taper, started today but woudl love to read some of that scary stuff to keep me going in the right direction. Also you are quite motivating yourself, good luck to you!



Jennifer