Different levels of addiction?

[Brokenbutglued]

I look into the community at some of the known drug abusers and wonder how bad off they are. I look at what my husband and I have been through with his addiction. In some ways I don't think his addiction was as bad as some others that I see. Granted I'm on the outside looking in. What do you all think? Are there different levels of addiction?

[narla]

I never got into any trouble with my addictions,they were both legal,we could afford it so I never lost anything financially.what I did lose was my ability to admit what I was doing was wrong and destructive to my life.My addictions were alcohol and codeine,but I believe I was no different to a heroin addict,cocaine addict or anyone else with an addiction, I still needed my drug of choice to function, what I thought was normally.

[selfinduced]

I have been reading your responses and you seem to have a very clear perception of this disease from start to finish. I have become dependent on pills without even realizing it. Now I just want off and will take my last does tonight. I have alot of responsibilities at home and need to function. Will I be able to feel well enough to do my daily activities from day one ? I know the low energy etc., I'm just afraid.

[Beccabeccalynn]

Levels are for people who want to justify or minimize what they have done or pain they caused. I am speaking for myself here. I wasn't that bad and that idea gave me all the permission that I needed to use and abuse. I have noticed that people who swallow don't think it's as bad as someone who snorts poeple who snort don't think at least they don't smoke it and people who smoke say at least they don't shoot up, people who shoot up think they are the only ones doing it the clean way. So it's all in the eye of the beholder. Great question Becca

[troubleinohio]

interesting question and responses..i think there are different degrees of it sort of..i guess it depends on when the addict stops...do they do it before they wade into the deep end of the pool or catch themselves in time in the kiddie section? Most of us didnt realize we had a bad problem or try to quit til we were drowning in the deep end though..

[avisg]

addiction is addiction there are no levels in it we are all addicts  if we use long enough in the end it will all have the same resulsts death ,jail,and nothing else good

[GA Guy]

I've never taken an illegal drug in my life. All my drugs were prescribed to me. But, I am nothing more than a garden variety dope fiend. There are no unique addicts. All roads end at the same spots..jails, institutions, and death.

[pharma9]

I think there are different stages of addiction..the early stages which are most easily broken and then the last stages where one has to do or die.
Actually as i type I realize that one always has to do or die because if one does not stop in the early stages it can progress to a  much more difficult time and a more difficult recovery.
I was fortunate in recognizing my opiate use early altho I had used opiates for 15 years,i really only escalated in the last 5 yearsI realized that I started to use more for no reason other than "because I thought i needed them to get through a day "I was actually looking forward to my next dose for the high not the pain relief.
At this point I knew I had to do something and tapered drastically and quit mid september.I was able to control my pain with otc pain meds and have not looked back
I have been clean for over 5 months and am glad it did not get worse.

[LateAugust]

Interesting question.....   I can only offer my opinion based on my daughter's addiction..    After one trip thru rehab, she still had excellent credit, great job, college, long time friends, close family, healthy, hopeful, happy......      but her addiction didn't stop.....   18 months later  she lost absolutely everything she had.....   I mean everything, self respect, dignity, her word, her relationships,  she did things I never in my life imagined she was capable of doing, she did anything  possible to support her "addiction".....  other than work,  because she was too sick to function in a non-addict world with responsiblilities.    Are there different levels of addiction......  I guess I would have to say no.......  there are just different consequences depending on when your are able to accept you do have an addiction, before it becomes all consuming and takes your heart and soul.  Only when an addict is  willing to fight like hell to put your life as the priority, rather than your addiction dictating your actions, will you escape the danger of the "level of addiction".


Not sure that makes sense to anyone else....  just my life experience....