Don't Know How To Quit..

[jahollo]

Ok, the title is strange...This is the third time I have been back to this forum in 2 years and I will tell you I quit and stayed clean once for 3 months, once 2 months and once for 6 weeks...I do believe this forum is invaluable for mental support and does help...I stopped posting and within a week or so I relapsed...Getting help from an outside source such as this is the real key to quitting...Get on here and brag about your accomplishments, if you have any clean time you sure deserve to..

Well on to the title and question..A little history I am a 38 yrs old and spend my entire 20's in the Army and was injured and was forced to leave the Army...I spent time being depressed and quickly found something that took all of this depression away..Little did I know it would change my actions and my entire life...I was a responsible person who loved to make money and enjoy my family, wow this all changed for the worse..I am now a professional gambler and have supported myself well doing this but the lifestyle is nuts...I play poker, pool and other games I have developed systems at..You would not believe how extensive the underground world of drugs is...This is not exaggerating but 1 in 3 professional poker and pool player take pills...

I dont want to live this lifestyle any longer but I am scared to change..I know humans are creatures of habits. I have been doing this for about 6 years now and the job market is so tough nobody will touch me..I feel stuck and I know quitting the pills is a start, I have weened myself down to 2  7.5's daily and it is a struggle...I feel maybe this is the first step but I dont know if its possible to quit the pills ever if I dont find a regular job...

Sorry for sounding boring but I am struggling with life right now...

[VicAddict26]

I agree with Dez, you have a good story but there is also irony in it,, I'm glad that you have decided the pills aren't the best option, and I know that it must be hard to deal with pain and life changes like looking for a job in the economy we have right now, but taking the pills are only going to make these things harder in the long run,, Life is hard to deal with but the pills only mask that, if you want to get your life back I would recommend the first thing is getting these pills out of your life and see how you feel about things then,, It's amazing how they alter your drive in life,, It would be hard to continue being around people who take them but it can be done,, if you are willing to say no,, Temptations are always going to be around us, and I think it needs to come from within to to be able to resist them.. I hope that helps in some way,, and keep posting,, there are many people here to help with support or answer questions you may have to help you through the hard times,,

[jahollo]

Yes I am getting VA benefits. It was there I started the pill killers without any knowledge of what they can do...They gave them to me for 2 years about 240 a month...After five months they forced me to sign an Opiate Contract eliminating them from any responsibility....Then my doctor quit and my new doctor cut me off...I did rehab at Coatsville in PA at the VA center there..I stayed clean for about 6 weeks after leaving there...I was spending about $1500 monthly for these pills and just recently asked the VA to see a Pain Management Clinic and they declined because at the VA they just give you Methodone for pain..I am requesting an increase in my percentage due to all of these new problems I am experiencing...Thanks for responding and Good Luck

[Dezdon]

You mentioned being in the Army. Do you have your Vet benifiets? Are you getting your pain meds from the VA? If you have your VA benifiets, your entilitled to life long health care. The VA has excellent detox and rehab facilities all over the country. It would probebly cost you next to nothing. If your seriose about quiting, give them a call, find out what they can do for you.
Wishin you the best of luck, you have a great story by the way.
-dez