How is it to be addicted?

[DainBramaged]

An addiction is something that you are willing to die for.

 

[lyssword]

I'm addicted to mmorpg

 

[MisterJackson]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

No one's ever died from withdrawal, as far as I know, not if it's monitored properly anyway. Though it may feel like you are.

You can DIE from withdrawal especially if you are a polysubstance user.

Just had a guy the other night describe it as if his skin were burning off and he couldnt concentrate on anything else, when he was brought in he was in Delirium tremens from a triple whammy of benzodiazepene, alchohol and heroin withdrawal. He was nearly dead when brought in. Another hour or two and he would have been dead.

EDIT: Untreated alcohol withdrawal has a mortality between 35-40% as an FYI. If they make it to a hospital <5% mortality

Ehh, it's debatable I'm sure. I'd like to see where you get your facts and read them myself. I assume you're a nurse or Dr. from your post and avatar, so I'm sure you know what you speak of.

My point was you won't die from quitting if you do it right. When I went through withdrawals my blood pressure hovered around 180 over 120. Staying like that would have left me at risk of a stroke, so I sought care for that.

So I suppose a better statement on my end might be "No one's ever died from untreated withdrawal symptoms.".

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
I'm not a drug addict but I recently went through withdrawal from pain meds. If what I experienced is even the slightest bit like an addiction I'd never want it again.

You were a drug addict, and you experienced the textbook definition of addiction.
And that is exactly how dope addicts feel coming off their fix.
What you may or may not realise is that there is little seperating the medications you were taking from *gasp* heroin.

You should NOT think of it a hit on your character. The only drug addicts who have my sympathy are drug addicted babies and those who aquire a habit from a legitmate pain need. I'm happy to hear you were able to kick the dope. :thumbsup:

I've been clean for 3 weeks.. and I still cant think. My short term memory has taken the hardest hit. I also still have a very hard time sleeping. The restlessness is decreasing. But I threw out my meds and told the dr not to give me a new Rx for them regardless of whatever pain I SAID I was in.

You should be through the worst of it, depending of course on what and how much you were on.
You should consider yourself lucky, while I don't know you at all, I assume you wouldn't have any illicit sources for opiates. Relapses are much harder if you can't go to your local drug dealer's house to get a fix, but you seem like a stong girl if you told your dr to cut you off.
Just hang in there, feel free to PM if you want to talk or need any more information.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Originally posted by: DeathBUA

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

No one's ever died from withdrawal, as far as I know, not if it's monitored properly anyway. Though it may feel like you are.

You can DIE from withdrawal especially if you are a polysubstance user.

Just had a guy the other night describe it as if his skin were burning off and he couldnt concentrate on anything else, when he was brought in he was in Delirium tremens from a triple whammy of benzodiazepene, alchohol and heroin withdrawal. He was nearly dead when brought in. Another hour or two and he would have been dead.

EDIT: Untreated alcohol withdrawal has a mortality between 35-40% as an FYI. If they make it to a hospital <5% mortality

Ehh, it's debatable I'm sure. I'd like to see where you get your facts and read them myself. I assume you're a nurse or Dr. from your post and avatar, so I'm sure you know what you speak of.

My point was you won't die from quitting if you do it right. When I went through withdrawals my blood pressure hovered around 180 over 120. Staying like that would have left me at risk of a stroke, so I sought care for that.

So I suppose a better statement on my end might be "No one's ever died from untreated withdrawal symptoms.".

Thats a much better statement on your end. Untreated withdrawal can be deadly.

My facts are from Wiki and from something called UpToDate.

For the record I'm a student nurse at an inner city trauma hospital.

 

[watdahel]

Yah what's up with addict newborn babies? Where do they get the money to buy their drugs? So they need a constant supply in order to survive?

 

[BrokenVisage]

Just ask someone who smokes?

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Yah what's up with addict newborn babies? Where do they get the money to buy their drugs? So they need a constant supply in order to survive?

Are you The Battosai's brother?

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Yah what's up with addict newborn babies? Where do they get the money to buy their drugs? So they need a constant supply in order to survive?

On the off-chance you're not joking/trolling -

If the mother is taking drugs, the drugs will pass through the placenta to the fetus. Whatever drugs the mother is taking are exposed to the fetus. So it's possible, even common, for babies to be born addicted.

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: Gibsons

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Yah what's up with addict newborn babies? Where do they get the money to buy their drugs? So they need a constant supply in order to survive?

On the off-chance you're not joking/trolling -

If the mother is taking drugs, the drugs will pass through the placenta to the fetus. Whatever drugs the mother is taking are exposed to the fetus. So it's possible, even common, for babies to be born addicted.

That's what fetal alcohol syndrome is.

 

[Tig Ol Bitties]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
My definition of addiction is as follows. Someone uses something, or even someone (usually the former) and get a feeling of euphoria, thus leading that individual to a pattern of using that substance to recreate that feeling.

Only problem is your body compensates for that over time to the point that the euphoric feeling becomes less and less each time while you need more and more to reach that "old feeling".

Pretty soon your body has come to RELY on this substance to maintain it's normalcy.....this is addiction.

When you have physical, mental and spiritual holes because you lack that substance then you are in the full on throws of addiction. When you can't even remember the actual high anymore, but do it to function daily....that is addiction.

Now, withdrawal is a totally different ball game. With addiction one of two things is likely to happen to you. You will either die from it, or realize you're dying from it and quit it.

(Some quit it only to start again to acheive once more that glorious "first high", but this is getting off track)

Withdrawal is only the process by which your mind body and soul must go through in order to cleanse itself and purge that need for that substance.

No one's ever died from withdrawal, as far as I know, not if it's monitored properly anyway. Though it may feel like you are.

Symptoms vary depending on what you use, but it can range from vomiting, to severe headaches, cramping, restlesness, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, weight loss, paranoia, the list goes on and on.

There are many many resources out there for coping with withdrawal, but no one can beat addiction until they get their mindset right first, no matter how hard you try you have to WANT it really bad first.

Everything we put into our body is a poison if you think about it. Everything we ingest is killing us slowly more and more each day. The thing about drugs is it does so on a much larger and faster scale and makes you feel good while it's happening.

Hope I helped.

Yes, I've battled addiction and won.

Although I'm not sure how this applies to all other "drugs" out there, but it's very applicable for one who has a smoking habit, such as myself. This pretty much explains what I went through with my addiction and what I am now going through in battling it. I've only been clean for a week and yes, I get that itching feeling to want to experience that "first high" again, but my gf is a good reminder (quite a nag as well ) and this post is a great reminder for me to continue battling it, so for that I thank you. And I try to distance myself from people I see out on the streets, just one inhale of 2nd hand and it drives me crazy. BTW, I had been doing a pack every 2 days (Reds), sometimes a pack/day, and I actually started to get disgusted with myself and felt stupid for spending so much money on something that was deteriorating my lungs.

 

[duragezic]

Yeah that is a better correction on no one dieing from WDs, cause benzos for one can be deadly with the most severe WDs.

Eh.. I do a fair share of opiates. I've gotten to the point recently where I've done them daily enough that I feel withdrawals by day 2 of not doing them. And lemme tell ya, methadone WD sucks harder than most other opiates. Before it would just be a mental thing where I'd 'jones' for them the next day or two. But with methadone daily it got to be physical: headache, soreness all over, diarrhea (going from constipated on opiates to shooting everything outta your ass heh), and worst of all is the nausea. It gets bad enough to make you puke. And terribly hard to eat.

But I guess the worst part about addicted to drugs is what you are to do when you aren't on them. With opiates, EVERYTHING sounds like a good idea and is fun. Yet the rare day you don't have any its like nothing is much fun (generally left with going to the bar to get drunk). But on opiates I have all this motivation and energy to go and do stuff outside or just hang out and talk with friends.

 

[shortylickens]

My only addictions were sugar and caffiene.

I got over both of them.
Having seen around alchoholic relatives and people in the Navy, I can honestly say I was scared straight.
Too many careers and families destroyed by the sauce.
It just seems so wasteful to me.
If you wanna destroy your life, OD on some good drugs. Save yourself the heartache and go out with a blast. It lets the rest of us get on with our lives quicker.

 

[SophalotJack]

think of is like being thirsty or hungry. But instead of your stomach getting growly, it's your nervous system that gets all finicky and unbearable to the point where it interferes with your ability to focus on anything but getting rid of that feeling. When you are addicted, it's no longer about the satisfaction of the drug, but the need to subdue that nerve racking irritation that comes when you don't have your fix.

I am glad to say that I am not addicted to anything more than cigs. I know that's nothing to be proud, but I would rather need to have a cigarette over other things that I could be addicted to.

 

[ruffilb]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
I'm not a drug addict but I recently went through withdrawal from pain meds. If what I experienced is even the slightest bit like an addiction I'd never want it again.

You were a drug addict, and you experienced the textbook definition of addiction.
And that is exactly how dope addicts feel coming off their fix.
What you may or may not realise is that there is little seperating the medications you were taking from *gasp* heroin.

You should NOT think of it a hit on your character. The only drug addicts who have my sympathy are drug addicted babies and those who aquire a habit from a legitmate pain need. I'm happy to hear you were able to kick the dope. :thumbsup:

I've been clean for 3 weeks.. and I still cant think. My short term memory has taken the hardest hit. I also still have a very hard time sleeping. The restlessness is decreasing. But I threw out my meds and told the dr not to give me a new Rx for them regardless of whatever pain I SAID I was in.

Wow, good job. :thumbsup:

It makes me worry about my dad, though, who was recently on heavy pain meds after tearing his ACL. I sort of doubt his fortitude, but if he's stubborn I know he can give anything up.

 

[Midlander]

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
I'm not a drug addict but I recently went through withdrawal from pain meds. If what I experienced is even the slightest bit like an addiction I'd never want it again.

You were a drug addict, and you experienced the textbook definition of addiction.
And that is exactly how dope addicts feel coming off their fix.
What you may or may not realise is that there is little seperating the medications you were taking from *gasp* heroin.

You should NOT think of it a hit on your character. The only drug addicts who have my sympathy are drug addicted babies and those who aquire a habit from a legitmate pain need. I'm happy to hear you were able to kick the dope. :thumbsup:

Too bad you're not more sympathetic. Addiction is a disease. Like any other disease, some people have it worse than others.

I'm sure most addicts would rather not be addicted to anything. Some are able to stop. Some can't.

 

[meltdown75]

Can someone enlighten me on what it is to be a drug addict?

Well, you really don't care about anything else other than getting your fix. You make time for it above all else... you lose motivation and shirk responsibilities and priorities. You lose hindsight and foresight. You may begin to steal to support your habit. You will lie to loved ones about how much you use. You may lie about spending money on it. It's a pretty dark place for some, for others it is simply a way of life with no alternative. Society has many functional drug addicts - people that keep their addictions private. Sooner or later, the situation comes to a head - no matter how much you *think* you have it in control. Usually you realize that the substance(s) are controlling you - not the other way around.

When a druggy comes down from a high and experiences withdrawal, what does that feel like?

The user might feel dull or bored. Perhaps restless. Also, quite devoid of positive emotion, or displaying no emotion at all. Since the "high" uses up a lot of the positive energy, there is very little or none left over afterwards. Think of a battery with very little juice left in it. The urge to do more, or get high again or "recharge" is sometimes just an urge to feel something. When you become addicted to a particular substance, you might not be able to do anything without being high. The user might find themselves getting high before menial tasks such as cleaning the house or cutting the lawn. The thought process is, "well, since I'm doing this, I might as well be high."

Is that like someone who had sex for the first time and can't wait to do it again?

Interesting comparison... but no. Not in my opinion. Well, I suppose it depends on the sex and how you feel afterwards. For a lot of people, sex is about bonding with the other person - a very deep and profound emotional experience. It could be just as much about the other person as themselves. Depending on the amount of passion / love involved - it might be just about the most fantastic experience one can have... ie. the saying about sex & pizza. "Sex is like pizza - even when it's bad, it's still pretty good." A drug-induced high (depending on the drug I suppose) is more of a selfish pursuit. I wouldn't put it on the same level as sex - although certain drugs can induce stages of euphoria which would obviously be comparable, albeit quite fleeting and not nearly as healthy for you as a good old fashioned roll in the hay.

 

[DannyBoy]

It's horrible.

 

[ThePresence]

The only addiction I had was nicotine, and I'm off it for over a year and a half.
Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but some of the early days sucked real bad.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
The only addiction I had was nicotine, and I'm off it for over a year and a half.
Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but some of the early days sucked real bad.

Yeah, smoking was a tough one to kick! Been almost a year for me.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Originally posted by: ruffilb

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
I'm not a drug addict but I recently went through withdrawal from pain meds. If what I experienced is even the slightest bit like an addiction I'd never want it again.

You were a drug addict, and you experienced the textbook definition of addiction.
And that is exactly how dope addicts feel coming off their fix.
What you may or may not realise is that there is little seperating the medications you were taking from *gasp* heroin.

You should NOT think of it a hit on your character. The only drug addicts who have my sympathy are drug addicted babies and those who aquire a habit from a legitmate pain need. I'm happy to hear you were able to kick the dope. :thumbsup:

I've been clean for 3 weeks.. and I still cant think. My short term memory has taken the hardest hit. I also still have a very hard time sleeping. The restlessness is decreasing. But I threw out my meds and told the dr not to give me a new Rx for them regardless of whatever pain I SAID I was in.

Wow, good job. :thumbsup:

It makes me worry about my dad, though, who was recently on heavy pain meds after tearing his ACL. I sort of doubt his fortitude, but if he's stubborn I know he can give anything up.

Well if you have been following this thread you can see what I've gone through and why I needed pain meds as well.

Also.. with what duragezic said.. I never thought to think that my "upset stomach" that I've been having for a few weeks now could be a withdrawal symptom.. I just figured I had a bug or something. I should look into that.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Can someone enlighten me on what it is to be a drug addict? I've never tried drugs but I think I don't have the genes to get addicted. I don't enjoy smoking and alcohol. My body doesn't cope well with them. I would imagine it would be the same with getting high.

When a druggy comes down from a high and experiences withdrawal, what does that feel like? Is that like someone who had sex for the first time and can't wait to do it again?

Don't eat or drink for a day or two, and the hunger you feel and what you are willing to do for some food/drink will be quite a good approximation.

 

[imported_nerve]

My sister is a nurse at a local hospital over night.

She told me about a kid that was f'd up on something..

His friends dropped him off...

He had his fist up his a$$ and the other hand was squeezing his member.

He said bugs were crawling out of his penis and into his ace..



Say no to drugs