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Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
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drug addiction and emotioal and mental maturity
by hippy, Jun 08, 2003 12:00AM
my question is, how much does drug addiction early in life
stunt one's emotional and mental maturity.
Im thinking of a line in N.A. that says grow up or die.
Also being around addicts most of my life , the one's who have not addressed the issue of growing up, seem to be stuck
around the age of 16 around when they started useing to escape life.It seems to me two big things most drug addicts have in common
is the propensity to be immature and irrsponsible.
it seems like we missed the boat growing up when we were supposed to learning how to be mature and responsable.
Along with getting clean , it would seem to serve us well
to incorparate these two things into our lives.
So many of us have been so irrsponsable to the point of
destroying our lives,and famly's, by spending all our money on drugs.
there are a lot of other things we do that fall into this
type of selfish selfcentered behavior.
I have seen the doctor here at this fourm talk about cognitive
therapy, which i think is about being aware of oneself and making mature changes.
My experence in dealing with the 12 steps is simalar
they taught me to take a honest look at myself , beginning
with the fact that i started out with a lot of denial and
the blaming of others for my problems, i no longer do that.
I would think that if i did i would continue to relaps back to
useing drugs as an escape from the emotional pain this type of
life style brings with it. might the doctor have a small list
of behaviors that we could incorparate into our lives that
would help us avoid relaps once clean.
stunt one's emotional and mental maturity.
Im thinking of a line in N.A. that says grow up or die.
Also being around addicts most of my life , the one's who have not addressed the issue of growing up, seem to be stuck
around the age of 16 around when they started useing to escape life.It seems to me two big things most drug addicts have in common
is the propensity to be immature and irrsponsible.
it seems like we missed the boat growing up when we were supposed to learning how to be mature and responsable.
Along with getting clean , it would seem to serve us well
to incorparate these two things into our lives.
So many of us have been so irrsponsable to the point of
destroying our lives,and famly's, by spending all our money on drugs.
there are a lot of other things we do that fall into this
type of selfish selfcentered behavior.
I have seen the doctor here at this fourm talk about cognitive
therapy, which i think is about being aware of oneself and making mature changes.
My experence in dealing with the 12 steps is simalar
they taught me to take a honest look at myself , beginning
with the fact that i started out with a lot of denial and
the blaming of others for my problems, i no longer do that.
I would think that if i did i would continue to relaps back to
useing drugs as an escape from the emotional pain this type of
life style brings with it. might the doctor have a small list
of behaviors that we could incorparate into our lives that
would help us avoid relaps once clean.
Personally, I knew I had substance abuse problems years ago -- I'd go years at a time with abusing anything, but I never let myself think "gee, I've gone through school, have a great job, great spouse (once I married), great friends -- so I must not have a problem like those "other people". Self-acceptance is really key -- my DOC was alcohol -- I struggled with it off and on for years -- when I finally really accepted myself, the alcohol was no longer a problem
The one concept I REALLY don't understand is how any addict can not KNOW that they have a problem -- you don't have to be a genius to figure it out. I understand people not wanting to admit it, but I've heard people insisting they don't have a problem, and can tell that they really believe that they don't. I just don't get it…. Can someone explain that to me?
In any case, the important thing is to get off of the stuff -- and however you do it successfully is the way to do it. Sorry, guess I'm kind of rambling here..
Bmac, what are K4's, btw?
Peace to all -- thanks for being here
it's so good to be back here. i hope nobody has lost faith in me. i am so sorry i failed and haven't gotten better. the best word i could use to describe this place is COMFORT. it just helps in so many ways.
we've all said it before, and we've all been there before, but this time, for me -- it's SERIOUS. i don't have insurance anymore, no choice but to w/d. i've got almost twenty 20 mg oxycontins left, and after that --- i'll have to detox here at home. i don't know why, but i'm more afraid than ever before. god, i'm so scared. maybe its because this time i know it's for real and final. but, it's a relief that i don't have to worry about work anymore. i can w/d and not have to worry about calling in sick or what my boss will think. maybe i should be glad - it's finally happening and i'll be free!
i've rambled too much already. i love you all. my email is ***@**** if anybody would like to email me some encouragement (OR IF YOU NEED ENCOURAGEMENT - we're all in this together!) LOVE YOU ALL!
it's going to be tough, but i know i can do it. everybody (including you, jack) -- please tell me it won't kill me to w/d from oxy. no health conditions that would interfere or anything like that, i'm just scared. tell me it won't kill me. i know it sounds silly, i know it does. tell me i can do it. my willpower and strenght are **** this time.
My email address is posted all over this forum so if it gets too tuff email me, I am up all the time. I am a vampire, I never sleep (yeah right)! There are things you can do before hitting an ER at the hospital. Take care! Bmac in Bama