The Psychology of Addiction

[just12b4gotn]

The drug culture is a very unique and mystical thing, with a seemingly endless depth, and to some of us, a way of life. It has its own language, code of conduct, and although an outsider may not understand any of it, there are high times that leave a grin on your face and a song in your head. It somehow becomes part of us, though it would be hard to say when that happened.
If any of it seems glamourous to someone, then they obviously don't know shit about it. We may as well clarify that now. There is no glory, no awards ceremony, no attaboys, and the only way to become famous really sucks. Yes sir, the life of a "successful" (sic) clandestine chemist, is only successful if nobody ever finds out.
To add to the equation, we are all pretty much addicts around here. No need to confirm or deny, if they don't feed me, fuck me, or finance me, I really don't give a shit what they say about me, so don't you either.
The roller-coaster ride of addiction is an even greater burden when there is not some kind of "moral support".
Notice, that you tell a secret only to someone that will keep it, and can also bear it.
So the clandestine chemist is even more solitary than the normal cat with a monkey on his back, because there is so much more to lose.
And yet... We are still here.Now I am not even speaking of the guy that turns out four keys a week, and can't drink enough Maalox to cool that bleeding ulcer. Nah, that poor bastard knows he's going to the joint, sooner or later. I mean the coll customer that nobody would ever suspect that turns out a couple of ounces to squirrel away (and tweak)
There are VERY few of us that will actually keep a handle on an active addiction, and balance a healthy lifestyle with it. For you that have experienced it, you know that until you see that you are spun out, you begin to get a grip. The hopelessness, the feeling that you are a piece of shit, all because of a cycle that geared psychologically to take you down. The things you swiped for the bag (vial,etc.), the things you said that hurt the last person you would ever really want to hurt.
The mistaken ( and absolutely fucking stupid) belief that there are "pushers", always pissed me off. No one has to push a damn thing,
Alright guys , I am probably babbling, but I think it is kind of fascinating the way we evolve or dissolve in the drug culture. The hurricane is almost here, so all for now. Any thoughts on any of my incessant babbling?

[Alfa]

For me the balance between recreational drug use and a healthy lifestyle lies in moderation and in case of overdoing it, balancing that out with a period of non-use. One main issue is to keep normal reality my home base instead of alternative realities. Without this balance you can't expect to be productive and careful enough for succes in life. I also became much more picky on which substances to take into my body and thus my mind. I feel no urge anymore to risk a hangover of a week or so. At the times when psychoactive reality was my main hang out, I tended to risk a lot more than now. Whenever I feel the need to cling to a substance, I let go of it for a while, because I feel no need to go into dependency for anything.

[Creeping Death]

I ajust drugs to my lifestyle, not my lifestyle to drugs. For example, i totally fucking adore opiates and benzoos. Although my use of them has never been heavy, it came to a point where i would think about getting high on them at any given time of day. I havent been addicted to them, but when i didn't have any it felt like i was away from a good friend. I missed it.

So now i know that it's very easy for me to form a craving for substances that make me feel good. Using that ive decided to not yet try any drugs that make you feel overly good and euphoric (Extacy, meth, everything thats widely available). At least until i feel secure and content in life enough to not "need" them.

This is not because i think that i'd get addicted or dependant on it somehow, but because i don't want to go around all day thinking "wow, it would be really nice if i had some opium to smoke now". It's a waste of ones life. The only drug so far that doesn't give me those feelings of longing for something is weed. I can smoke some weed, and the next day i might not even feel like toking up at all. Thats because for me, weed is not all that better than being sober, its just different.

So really, you should know your substance long before you try it. Learning about drugs through experience alone is like playing russian roulette for alot of people. The drug is like a rocket being launched, and in order for it to be successful it needs a steady platform. Be steady. Respect the rocket and you'll be fine.

[daeron]

So the clandestine chemist is even more solitary than the normal cat with a monkey on his back, because there is so much more to lose.

i this thing led to the formation of the chem forums,and the hive.when swim was on his peak of action nobody knew of it, except some guys on the net talking about some swim guy/girl doing some imaginary shit.the chemists life is truly the life of solitude.damn man i dont think i ever felt such compassion in a internet post


iwant to point out a couple of simple questions:<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />


how do you know that youre heading towards addiction?Yeah,yeah we all know the sympoms and the pretty story but how can YOU be sure that you arent addicted right now,that youre notdeceiving yourself?and this could be something benign,not full blown crack/meth/H cravings


are we addicted to psychoactives in general?And this is a big question-how many of you guys turned to some other substance after you have realized that youre doing too much of XX substance?


what are psychoactives to us?is it a way out of this fucked up world?is it a enhancer of this beautiful world?or is it just our release valve?


i dont know the answers.but as swim is concerned he has his ups and downs,but lately its mostly downs.


you have to do your best to use the drug and not toallow the drugto useyou


just12b4gotn the answer to the problem of a chemist-product swim found long time ago(or he hopes he did),shift swijs interests into the direction of psychodelics like 2cb and such,because honey/go-go is fun and all but you know the rest...hmm and this starts a new question when should the game be over?

[Nicaine]

Originally Posted by daeron

what are psychoactives to us?is it a way out of this fucked up world?is it a enhancer of this beautiful world?or is it just our release valve?

I guess most of the time, for me, drugs are their own reward. I do them because it feels good. Not to escape, not to enhance anything, not as a release... simply because it makes me feel good, and that's an excellent reason AFAIC.

As far as addiction? If I find myself addicted to something, I'll likely kick ASAP. If it no longer feels good (or the downsides are heavily outweighing the ups), there's no longer any valid reason to keep doing it. That's not to say kicking is always easy, but it always happens eventually.Edited by: Nicaine

[old hippie 56]

To me addiction is is knowing something is slowly killing you and not having enough sense to quit. This is the reason I hadn't cooked in ten plus years. I have slight urges from time to time, but smoking a bowl does help the cravings of harder substances.

[umich]

I have recently gotten into watching a weekly showed called "Intervention" on A&E every sunday at 10pm. I recommend it to all.

[pabel_giboon]

I guess all of us are addicts. One phrase that goes allways arround my head is "every addict is a specialist on his own field" meaning even the most dumb of the pot-headshas a theory on which weed is the best. From that to a specialized clandestine chemist all of us seem to be an expert (at least for each ones undertanding of the matter) and care a lot about drugs but from the inside.


Just like the people working on banning drugs, which care for drugs from the outside, we all concern a lot about it but. Their oppinions and statements elude some truth on drugs and emphatize some lies, and we do the same in the most of the cases.


Comments like the ones in this topic are the only ones in which I find sensefull and sincere. Chears for that, i´ll chopp me a line. HA! sorry for the bad joke

[Potassium Kid]

I agree everybody is different in their own way !Edited by: Potassium Kid

[oldman]

addiction is a word that is basically used out of context when refering to drugs. The definition of an addict is someone who no longer enjoys the use of a substance but for some reason cannot bring themself to stop using. The addiciotn field doesn't really like this clinical definition and have bent it into something more serious and marketable. As nicaine said we all use ____ becuase we want to feel good period! there's no more to it than that. Cravings yeah no body wants to stop feeling pleasure but all things come to an end, quit listening to that little caveman in your head that is rationalizing why you can't stop using cause he's full of shit. Millions of people everyday make a dicision not to use all on therown. there's really nothing to itbut to do it. and don't walk around thinking the world owes you something for living sober for any period of time. Read some books on addiction (none of that 12 step crap either, unless you read my name is bill -- mentions bill wilson was a proponent of LSD will sober from alcohol) Raional Recovery by Jack Trimpy is very good.

[pinkfloyd2048]

Drug use and addiction, in a clinical sense, are much different from the everyday usage of the terms. People use drugs toincrease/decrease punishers and reinforcers. For example, when one takes an aspirin (behavior), the goal is take away the headache (stimulus) by taking an drug that relieves the pain. Therefore, the aspirin is a negative reinforcer because it takes away the stimulus and reinforces the behavior. Drug use spans from caffeine and aspirin to psychoactives like THC and opiates.


Drugtoleranceis where the dosage response curve of a drug shifts to the right (amount of drug v. effect) to achieve the same effect. This is exhibited by people taking more aspirin to relieve a headache to smoking more THC to get high. Addiction is where one needs a set level of a substance just to feel normal, or to relieve withdrawl symptoms. Those who have been alcoholics for years and stop suddenly classicaly show delirium tremens, a physical manifestation of withdrawl, so they drink not to shake.


Although you can look at addiction from many views, I hold that addiction is where you need a certian amount of a drug to feel normal and that the drug being used has impacted social/economic status either by declining self-worth (and other psychologiocal traits), criminal history, loss of income ect.

[RickyTarr]

Pink Floyd


By reinforcement of behavior, do you mean the administration of aspirin, or an activity that led to a headache?


Incidentally, I heard that taking low doses of aspirin reduces your risk of some type(s) of disease. Anyone care to clarify that?


Humbly submitted


Ricky Tarr

[Nostradamus]

I've heard that a daily low dose of aspirin reduces the risk of heart attack in high risk people. (Sorry it's off topic.)

[just12b4gotn]

"when should the game be over?"

when it hurts someone other than you.

[Chrislaub]

This is by far the most mature candid conversation about addiction from drug users I've ever seen. I recently got court mandated NA meetings and I thought I'd push through, maybe even go high once or twice just to prove to the world I could. But I have so much respect for those people. Addiction is classified by hopelessness, lack of self esteem and basically feeling like an unproductive piece of shit member of society. And it's weird, cause I can live up to societies standards (I'm a full time student at the @ a top 50 univ. and hold down a full time job, yet know I think about drugs all day and can't sleep without some kind of downer). When is the game over? What an amazing question. In NA, they say drugs lead to 3 places; Institutions (rehab), Jail or death. Something to think about. Psychoactives can expand your mind, and ecstasy can open doors in your heart you might never otherwise open, but the fine line b/w experimenting and addiction is a dangerous one. No matter your drug of choice, never stop analying your using motivations and patterns, the things we take for granted are so beautiful. But it's true, NO ONE can get help till they admit they have a problem. I've been in denial for too long now.

[oldman]

your not in denial if yuo know you have the problem. You may dey it to other people but unless you're crazy you know whether or not you have a problem abusing drugs or alcohol. If you chose to continue your use when it brings nothing but negative circumstances you makebadchoice. This doesn't meran you're addicted. And neither does the fact that a court tells you you have a problem and must attend religious cult services(12 steppers). Yes this is a violation of the first and several other amendments. It is not fair to the individual nor is it the responsibility of a 12 step group to provide structure to those the law deams need it. Likechrislaub siad you can't get help until you admit you have a problem. If you truly beleive the 12 step philosophy then it will help you but statistics show more people just quit on their own, don't believe that bull they tell you about it being the only way to happiness and freedom, they don't know all they think they do. Most of them ought to read My Name Is BIll by Susan Cheever and they would know that the desire to feel good one way or anothernever leaves you till the day you die. If they don't believe that then they are in denial.

[old hippie 56]

I had to go to them 12 steps, they always asked were you having fun out there using and abusing. I said hell yes, I was having a blast using and I wasn't abusing. I did quit for 6 years, they helped a little bit, but I quit mostly because I was ready to quit. As for feeling good one way or the other, there are plenty of ways to feel good without the use of drugs.

[P!MPJU!C3]

I feel that 4 me there is an unmistakable glamour about doing drugs. But then again coke is a glamourise drug.

When i started coke i did have a quick feeling of dependency. It was only after i quit it 4 a while that i felt i could actually keep this lion under control. I now do a line of cocaine once in a while. My intake is always planned though. I dont snort randomly.

Weed is as Creeping Death said "Just a different state than being sober." Ive come off weed a little bit since i started coke.

I wouldn't reffer to my life as a "high-life. "Specific substance do however play a somewhat important roll in my life. A life filled with other addictions i might add. As pointed out in the topic's name, addiction is menthally endorsed. The physical side of addiction will sometimes be mingled in with the menthal addiction. The strong feeling of not being to be hold out without a certain drug can translate itself in to physical symptones.

Then

The Psychology of an addiction is to be to described differently by different users. It is also heavely deppendant on the possibelity that one has a reason to use.

Addiction to me is the itching. I don't believe that i can't live without a substance.

Ive heard mentioning of the rollercoaster ride named addiction. There are no rollercoaster rides for me. In the hand, not loosing control. I don't at all see why I or anybody else should be taking a roller coaster ride.
The option of a potential healthy life-style that Alfa seems to have chosen for is also my reality. U can get ur thrills. No need to drive onesself in to the ground in my opinion.

P!MPJU!C3

[Sklander]

Junkies... Addicts... call them what you want. You can say that the culture and lifestyle that these type of people follow resembles a religion. Furthermore, you could also they that they drug they abuse is their God.

[Worlock]

Humans are addictive personalities .


It has been programmed in over millions of years of evolution. We tend to do what we did before, because it turned out ok and we survived.


WE hunt the same region at the same time of year, we cook over the same fire pit, we continue in the same employment.


Go camping with a woman and the camp will be set up like her home, relative to position of kitcken , bedroom , dining area.


You sleep on the same side of the bed.


You eat at the same spot at the table . What the food is better there.


Go visiting and sit in the owners spot, see the torture and discomfort on his face as you enjoy his favorite chair, get up and you lose you seat.


WE do what we did before.

[Sklander]

Humans maketheir lives revolve around a pattern. This pattern is ever changing and unbreakable. It is simple... humans are afraid of what change might bring.Edited by: Sklander

[Crackkim]

true story

[old hippie 56]

One must be able to break the pattern, if not he or she will stay in that spiral. Don't be afraid of change, it hard to do, but not impossible.

[oldman]

yeah old hippie, I remember those guys saying their worst day sober was better than their est day drinking. They must 've been hangin with the wrong kind of people before. I guess if that's where you are then you do what you gotta do. I remember this old dude after a meeting noticed I was dispondent and asked "why are you so unhappy?" I responded by telling him I was tryng to accept that my life as I knew it is gone. "I will never have fun again" He told me I needed more meetings. Yeah while I'm getting over accepting this it is very helpful to come and hear you people that've come hear for some 20 years whine and stammer about how some SOB you work with is threatening your serenity and your sobriety. I'm sorry but if oldman was gonna stay off drugs for good he would have to stop listening to these peopleat some point and just get on with his life as a person that doesn't drink or use drugs period. Everything else would be the same.


Then the dude told me if I wanted to have some fun I should come to their AA breakfast one Sunday, cause that'll be more fun then anything you've done. I didn't have the heart to tell him fun for me was going to a chill club rollin on e, smokina bone sippin a Manhattenand watchingmy wife make out in a dark corner with a luscious blonde with big tits.


I wonder if I had told him if he would still have thought the breakfast would be the most fun I would've ever had.

[insanity]

i feel i've rewired my brain into being an addict. hopefully there is a way to cure this disease we call addiction. NA helps but I find I might not be ready to give up, but then another part already gave up. iono. walking in circles.