A Week Of Sobriety!

[darkglobe]

"The time hath come..."

Yep! The time has come for SWIM to (attempt) to go for an entire week without the intake of any psychoactive drug whatsoever, apart from those naturally present in food/drink. This, of course, excludes alcohol. SWIM will continue his intake of Caffeine as he does not sleep well.

SWIM's been begging me to ask you all if you know of any other means of altering his consciousness? Oxygen starvation is not an option before someone suggests it.

Also, what on earth shall SWIM do to kill the boredom? He doesn't even have cigarettes anymore.

~Dark

[_caesar_]

SWIM recently tried this as he had made the decision to quit alcohol for good, or as the people belonging to the cult that is A.A. would say "one day at a time".

He also was coming off a benzo addiction, yes Xanax are truly evil.

He spent the first few week watching movies, do a Google search for the top 100 movies of all time and work your way through the list, find all the Oscar winning movies for the last 20 years, golden globes etc. They all can be downloaded.

He did falter once but is back on track and doesn’t have to keep himself occupied with the cinematic arts.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Helpful post. Thanks!

[darkglobe]

Thanks, _caesar_, for your advice!

SWIM already gains great pleasure from the cinematic arts! He thinks this may not be what he is looking for, but nevertheless, he says thank you!

I think SWIM is looking for some way of escaping reality without the use of drugs (meditation is also outta the question as he's not particularly good at it).

[bcubed]

I have heard (not via SWIM, honest!) that someone who was unable to consume alcohol felt the need to masturbate. A lot.

Hope this helps.

[augentier]

Psshh..excuses excuses! :P Meditation should be given another try..anyone can do it, it takes practice.

I would suggest exercise..when you get bored, go for a walk outside..or go to the gym, ride a bike, go swimming, whatever you can do where you live. If you run, try long distances and get that runner's high - it's real and it feels amazing

[ojos_de_brujo]

Swim thinks this sobriety week is a good idea, Darkglobe. Swim is joining SWIY.

[darkglobe]

SWIM wishes SWIYojos_de_brujo the best of luck and hopes he/she has a happy, constructive week!

3 days in and this is what SWIM writes in his diary....

This has not been the easiest 3 days of my life. Aside from a previous Codeine habit, I have never really considered myself an addict to anything else. My regular intake of Caffeine pills was seen as something normal, but has proven itself to be an addiction of sorts. Cigarette withdrawal symptoms are subsiding now, as I've been a non-smoker for almost a month, now. That is still not completely easy, though. I think this may be the reason why my drug intake has increased sharply over the past few weeks. Another problem I've noticed is alocohol. I only have one or two drinks about every other night, and have been unable to relax without them, but I believe this to be a mere psychological "out-of-habit" thing. I actually decided not to have my regular cup of tea/coffee in the morning, and (although I am tired all day) I am actually beginning to notice a slightly increased sleep time, and also shorter "lying in bed waiting to sleep" phase also. I hope this will be an eye-opener to me, as (although I have no serious addictions) I may decided to change my lifestyle and habits in order to feel healthier and less dependant on artificial means of existing.

I have created a to-do list for myself:

• Control My Caffeine Intake: This may be where the underlying cause of my insomnia resides. At least 2 cups of Coffee after waking, numerous cups during the day, Caffeine Pills and energy drinks all contribute to a jittery, agitated state of mind throughout the day; this causes a bad frame of mind at sleep-time.
• Be Cautious With Codeine: Whereas I used to be full-on addicted to Codeine, I no longer see it as a necessity for existence. I do however use it regularly at a high dose (400mg/twice-weekly). I have decided that I gain very little pleasure from the drug, and seem to be using it to relax. Non-chemical means of accomplishing relaxation are available and just as potent. I plan to totally abstain from Codeine use, but to do so would require a gradual decrease in use. I plan to reduce my dosage by 100mg every 2 weeks, as this worked when I was completely dependant on it.
• No More Nicotine: I sometimes still use Nicotine gum for its stimulant properties. I've decided that I'm not addicted to it, but as I'm now a non-smoker, it makes sense to kick the Nicotine 100%.
• Say Au Revoir To Antihistamines: Okay, admittedly this has nothing to do with addiction, but I do use deleriant anithistamines (first gens such as Diphenhydramine) fairly frequently (weekly/bi-monthly) to escape reality, when my supply of other substances runs dry. This use of Antihistamines is neither safe, practical nor constructive. I plan on replacing Antihistamine use with another recreational drug, possibly Salvia Divinorum.
• Drop The DXM: I'm not going to drop DXM completely, but I will make my use more infrequent. Also, I think my kidneys are suffering due to my regular drinking of 400ml syrup bottles, stashed full of glucose and body-bashing inactives.

I hope this to-do list will help me have a healthier, more responsible lifestyle and I envisage a healthier complexion, more peaceful attitude (I have an extremely short temper) and less painful kidneys!

So.... a short summary:
3 days in it's going okay, but I have to admit to a "something's missing" feeling going on.

I hope you'll join me in wishing SWIM the best of luck in his attempt, and use his diary as a non-preaching warning. As they say "Everything In Moderation..." and "Too much of nothing is bad enough, but too much of something is just as tough..."

[ojos_de_brujo]

Swim wishes you success!
She herself decided to wait untill monday, since Easter in my family comes with champagne and she loves this bubbly drink and doesn't want to wait untill Christmas for a next taste.

Did SWIY ever hear about green clay? Swim drinks this when she's trying to be healthy, it helps clean liver and kidneys.

Swim wishes SWIDarkglobe luck and determination.

[Beeker]

GO FOR IT!!

SWIM is sober ... usually for two weeks because SWIM says something about them neurotransmitt-a-thingies and tolleranceses.

SWIM doesn't count the Dexedrine because even that is a tool for focusing on writing.

[Dvgrn]

SWIM decided to do the same thing, but it continued much much longer. He is twice as productive now, but misses altered consiousness.

Good luck to you.

[darkglobe]

Well, well well!
Five whole days in.... Let's see what swim has to say!
Update time:

F*c$i&g c@nt s£it b+ll+cks tw!t masturbating manatee!

It seems SWIM is having a few communication glitches... let's try again:

The first 3 days of this week were fairly boring, slightly frustrating and empty, but on the whole manageable. The last 2 days however, they have been pretty bloody nasty:

• Lack Of Fags: I've been a non-smoker for over a month now, but due to my total withdrawal from other, more fun substances, I now find myself desperate for a cigarette.
• Coffee, Coffee, COFFEE!: I need Coffee. The end.
• EXTREME Boredom: Yep, reality bores me. I don't hate reality, I don't hate my life. But it's boooooooooring without psychedelics.
• Irritability: I think I could quite easily punch someone at this moment in time. I'm usually generally chilled out (although admittedly short-tempered frequently), but today I'm aggressive and snappy.

There have been some positives so far. Most of these have shown themselves the latter half of yesterday and most of today:

• Short-Term Memory: I believe the combination of Caffeine and regular intake of Dissociatives/Opiates sorta dumbed me down slightly, and although I consider myself moderately intelligent (and I sometimes like my thought trains) I tend to forget things half way through thinking them (hard to explain) and then get frustrated with forgetting them.
• Alertness: I have been more alert, observant and mentally sharp.
• Sleep Pattern: I now have a more regular sleep pattern, and slept 13 hours last night.

So there ya go! Apart from finding myseld reach for the cigarettes and coffeemaker, it's going well...

...on the whole. /

I still wish SWIM the best of luck, and trust he will at least complete the week.

[old hippie 56]

Hang in there, old swim tried sobriety a few times. The last time he had five years clean, sober and celibate. Good luck on your quest.

Reputation Comments on this post:

thanks.

[svenghali]

SWISven involuntarily quit drugs as his school drug tests him on a random but frequent basis. He now sticks to tobacco, alcohol when he's home, and amphetamines, as they are prescribed to him, so he can binge on those all he wants. The occasional DXM experience as well livens SWISven's day (perhaps once every two months). He used to use cannabis on a once-every-four-hours regimen, as well as a little cocaine. Now, every time SWISven is chilling and the bowl comes around, he has to wave it by...

[darkglobe]

An update: SWIM completed his week of sobriety. Just that once, though

[TMM]

Nicely done. It sounds like SWIY knows exactly where he stands with each substance. Which is always a good thing.

[ojos_de_brujo]

Swim completed a few weeks of (trying out) sobriety in april and may. She realised her physical dependence of prescription drugs was bigger than she expected it to be. She now quit smoking, alcohol and masturbating. Until further notice... (nice one flaming someone who was honest at the time and almost died in the process) Oh yeah, Swim tries to quit something every day, and she could, if she could only find a reason to do so.

[darkglobe]

Heh -

Originally Posted by ojos_de_brujo

She now quit smoking, alcohol and masturbating.

I'll leave it to your imagination which one is hardest for me

[LookingForHer]

Originally Posted by darkglobe

Also, what on earth shall SWIM do to kill the boredom? He doesn't even have cigarettes anymore.

Do something productive :P

Get a hobby basically. Something hands-on. A craft, or art. You don't have to be the next star. Just have to have FUN doing what you are doing, that's all that matters.

Otherwise, play computer games, lol.

[darkglobe]

Computer games are Swim's saviour! Lol.

Swim has been playing Deus Ex (a 9 year old FPS game) online, for about 9 months (he first started when banned from DF for a while) and that has done wonders for Swim. He didn't touch drugs for ages! The nicotine is still being a bitch, though. Swim now considers himself a non-smoker but does have the occasional cigarette when he really needs it (once every few weeks ish).

ANyhoo - after the last week of sobriety Swim has been... well, let's just say "livin it up" a little. He has now decided to go for another period of sobriety (this time accompanied by a regular excercise regime and detox program).

Swim knows this time it will be easier, as all of his more recent drug use has been occasional and has always been for a specific reason, not just to "get a buzz" or to "liven life up".

=) Here goes nothin'.....

[pillpopper96743]

Holy Shit Darkglobe, your avatar fuckin scared me. SWIM has been sober for over a week and he cant take it. He played vidoegames and watched movies to pass the time. Snuff and cigs had helped alot. He also worked on his car and lifted weights. Withdrawal fuckin sucked. SWIM had took 7 hydros earlier and has never felt better in his life. He appreciates them way more now than he ever did.

[drano]

Sobriety? You mean like dealing with the reality that is always there whether you like it or not from a standpoint completely within that same reality? Can you really handle having that kind of power?

[podge]

Swim is 8 days into his 2 and a half week detox from illegal drugs - going excellent. A little bit of trouble sleeping the first couple of nights but nothing major. Feel great, no boredom or depression ( except when at work but thats undrug related.lol ).

A spliff would be nice but swim can get by. Swims finding this much easier than he had expected. Pity he finds himself smoking more cigarettes.....gonna quit those little bastards soon.

[darkglobe]

Stick at it dude!

Bit worried about SWIpillpopper tho! Swiy're not supposed to appreciate them more, lol.

PS: Avatar is Captain Spaulding from Rob Zombie's movie "The Devil's Rejects". A scary character, indeed!

[Greenport]

Swim does this every once in awhile too. It is very cleansing to the soul.

However, when Swim does it, he excludes caffeine as well. He also excludes fast food, heavy amounts of sugar, or anything that can put a person in a different state of mind than naturally received from living a "healthy, completely drug free life."

It reminds swiM why he takes drugs :P