Finally Got It Right and quit crack.

[lynnfromct]

SWIM said....

I have been addicted to crack for almost 14 years. I haven't been to this site since back in June 2008 - I was an active user then... but now - I can say I think I finally licked it.

Granted I was in jail the beginning 3 months. But now, it's almost a year - and I haven't had one even temptation. I don't do NA/AA - that drove me to use the last time I had any clean time. I do have an one on one addiction counselor I see her once a week. But I am doing it. And I feel great - except that I put on 20 pounds... but at least I am not wasting away to nothing anymore.

I don't know how to explain it, I am still bored now and then, and spend alot of time no the computer... much more than ever before. I am unable to work outside the home, I am agoraphobic w/acute panic attacks, both before I ever used and after - it's not a symptom of the abuse. plus I have trigeminal neuralgia it's often called the suicide disease... and I am allergic to the medications that relieve the pain... just for that reason alone - I am amazed I have come this far.

the reason i started using in the first place, was to placate the disease and just not feel the pain every single minute. but I am doing it. and I wanted to share it, because i am proud of myself. not gloating - but damn proud i have made it this far.

[Dickon]

Fantastic. I'm really impressed. My cat found crack such a crazy drug, and in many ways much more scary than heroin. I find it hard to imagine using crack for nearly 14 years. I guess cat got lucky in that he started to feel the come-downs so badly after a year or so that he stopped, and has probably only used it twice in the last 2 years, last time about 10 months ago.

It seems like you're dealing with a lot of other difficulties to, which makes what you did even more impressive. I've always been really stuck for useful advice on how to stop stimulant use, as although my cat has used amphetamines and crack addictively, he's never stopped stimulant use except by using opiates and eventually stopping those. It's hardly practical advice to say: go become a junky, then it's easier to stop the crack or speed, then quit the opiates!

So did you stop in prison because nothing was available? How did you feel? How did you manage to stay stopped when you got out? I think it would be really useful for people on here if you could provide a few more details.

Once again, really well done!

Dickon

P.S. I think you need to have a quick look at the rules of this forum, particularly the one about self-incrimination. People own pets that do drugs, or discuss dreams about doing drugs, or even just talk about SWIM (someone who isn't me)!