Can an addict return to casual use?

[drug-bot]

swims is wondering other peoples experience/opinion on whether or not a drug addict can return to casual drug use.
some background- swim was a heroin addict for awhile and is currently on methadone matience and feels good, he now uses some drugs occasionally, and is wanting to become a normal recreational drug user when he's off of methadone in like a year or so. he has been told by many people former addicts (in the na cult), and drug councellors that an addict cant go back to a recreational user, swim thinks its an over-generalization, but wants others imput. so?

[chillinwill]

when NA definitely emphasizes that you cannot ever return to normal use....SWIM was a heroin addict as well and SWIM's opinion in this matter is as long as it doesn't take you back down the path where you were and all the problems it was causing, then one can dabble in some recreational drugs...just keep in mind when SWIY was a heroin addict and the chaos that exists with that addiction....if SWIY sees his using getting out of control again, SWIY might have to abstain from all drugs forever but for some people, this isn't always the case

[hippie_lain]

I think its possible but thats some slippery ground. it will start out casual but in my experiences it donest stay that way very long. for me one drink never turns out to be one drink. and Every time i used or drank it got easier and easier to use again and again. so if you do choose to dabble just be as careful as you can. good luck

[Spare Chaynge]

swim is walking down a street he falls into a whole he try's to get out but he cant, it takes him along time to get out of the hole he does not want to go back.

swim is walking down the same street and sees the hole he knows the hole and does not want to go back, he falls into the hole again but this time recognizes the hole and is able to get out quicker.

swim is walking down the same street again and sees the hole he knows the hole and he dives for it. He does not like the hole he is able to quickly get out.

swim decides to walk down a different street to avoid the hole all together.

i don't know what you can get out of that..
swim got out of it that i might be able to return to the drugs but i have to be aware of my thinking and how the drugs are affecting my life.. once im aware i can get out easier than the first time and clear my mind for a while.

swim also got out of it,, if the hole is as bad as it was the first time,.. fuck no he wont do it..it all depends on how quickly he can get out of it..

swim has 6 months totally clean and sober and has not decided to return to the hole.. he hopes to state off drugs and alcohol for at least a year.. to totally dig him self out of the hole..

swim thinks that if a person were to totally change there way of thinking.. one could go back to using drugs and alcohol.. part of swims problem is he allways needed more and he allways had to do people one better..

what if swim could just be happy with a benzo and some whiskey chilling at the house. only on the weekends.
what if he did not need to show people up by having the most and best drugs..
swim has to totally get out of the drug life style in swims opinion to use successfully..
dont hang out with people who are addicts. dont hang out with dealers.. have them drop it off at your house.. only use one dealer who you trust.. retire to your house for the night rent a movie and relax with a friend or girl that is not into shooting dope or coke or whatever you are into.. Swim guesses most would have to hide there drug use from what ever normal person that they were hanging out with that night..

dont use to cover up emotions, only use to enjoy the night..

swim has not tried this... swim has a friend who got 9 months clean a speed addict he went back to drinking and did this well for 3 or 4 years .. just recently he is becoming beligerant sometimes because he is so drunk.. he is teetering on the point where some people are wondering if his drinking is a problem... he seems to teeter back and forth from he has a problem to no he does not.

swim would advise one to not try it.. you may end up be buried in that hole

[Lobsang]

Originally Posted by drug-bot

swims is wondering other peoples experience/opinion on whether or not a drug addict can return to casual drug use.
some background- swim was a heroin addict for awhile and is currently on methadone matience and feels good, he now uses some drugs occasionally, and is wanting to become a normal recreational drug user when he's off of methadone in like a year or so. he has been told by many people former addicts (in the na cult), and drug councellors that an addict cant go back to a recreational user, swim thinks its an over-generalization, but wants others imput. so?

Well SWIy you knwo what they used to say when I was in AA. If you think you can control your drinking then there is only one way to find out. So I have found that if a person is asking this question then it is likley that they are going to try to do it. So if SWIy does it and crashes the plane then he will know that SWIy cannot do it. And he will have to start all over again in recovery.

Now I can only speak for most of the people I have known in recovery. I would say that most people cannot do what you propose. Now I am not saying no one can. Because I have know of people that have. So if a person generally does not know if they can do it and is questioning the chances are high at some point they will do it. Sooner or later as the question will always be in their mind. So one might as well get it out of their system now. But personally I would not do it.

Now it also depends what kind of drugs a person is talking about. I think I could take LSD or another psychedelic occasionally and be fine. But I really do not need it. So I do not do it.

[Spare Chaynge]

Swim does not think that its best to get it out of there system now for the new comer.. At only six months swim is only just now getting respect and materials back.. if he were to relapse now he would blow his chances of getting out of community college into a university. fuck his chances of paying his car off and fuck his chances of developing friend ships that might save him down the line..

swim imagines the longer one stays in the program the more likely that when he does go out he will have benefited so much from the program that he will not want to continue using for long.. where as if you have 3 months you have only begun to see the benefits.. you dont have much of a support network to pull you out... basically not much to lose. You would also not have the tools to use to get yourself out of a relapse if you were not in the program for long.

every month swim stays sober he gains so so much... this is not mentioned in aa or na but the material possessions keep on building up. hes on his way to living the so called capitalist dream..

also hes building up a social life in aa and na.. if he were to use now hed loose most of his friends.
If swim was to use at 3 months he wouldnt give a shit and go find people to hang out with..

people who tell people to go out and use do not consider this point to them the program is black and white. life is black or white. be in the program or not(jails, instistutions or death)

if one were to relapse one must get rid of the na and aa philsophy that a drug is a drug..

using alcohol for 3 days or shoting dope for 3 days... what will be worse... consider the facts if .... hiv,aids, hep c, possibleuy felony possession charges, one would probally go through withdrawl in this time from heroin if they were to quit...

most people on alcohol would not get aids or hiv .. would definitley not get hep c and would not get arrested for felonys..

Anybody can see that using heroin over alcohol is way more destructive if you try to argue other wise you are arguing just to argue.

basically my above post is the method that should be used to prolonging your so called relapse or return to drug.. this way the addiction and unmanagibility will sneak up on you and hit you right in the ass after a year or to... but not if you use some slightly modified tools aa taught you. and some common sense

[MiMoMo]

Originally Posted by drug-bot

swims is wondering other peoples experience/opinion on whether or not a drug addict can return to casual drug use.
some background- swim was a heroin addict for awhile and is currently on methadone matience and feels good, he now uses some drugs occasionally, and is wanting to become a normal recreational drug user when he's off of methadone in like a year or so. so?

SWIM is certain that SWIM could resume recreational dalliance with every past love potion in his experience. Why? Because SWIM has been voluntarily abstinent for nigh on 2 years. This stint of narcocelibacy proves that SWIM can appreciate sober awareness and its enrichment from altered consciousness. As recently as last month, SWIM graciously declined an offer of assorted gratis concoctions and company from a young aspiring model. Yet, SWIM still enjoyed the nymphy nubile's innanities over exotic cuisine and coffee. SWIM isn't afraid of addiction, SWIM just doesn't want the messy work and bother of repeating a school class already aced. SWIM can recall and recreate any past cool groove without the need to actually trudge one's wagon wheel through the muddy rut again. Why repeat the past when what you've learned has already prepared you for future allure?

And ain't that the damn rub? Seems the trait for those that could resume to recreate is exactly the notion that they don't really need or care to! Paradoxically, its like you can only do it if you don't want to... There are many fine forum threads on the dream of weekend use and casual relationship liasons with jealous and demanding drugs. And to paraphrase brother Lobsang, "If you have to ask (the price), then you can't (afford it). My best friend who chased dragons, now reluctant slave to master methadone, recently announced to me his almost, nearly, oh so close independence. And flippantly added that a new source and needles stand at the ready, just in case... Give me a break. Shouldn't one be able to totally dry out for a while before claiming freedom to get wet again? By the way, SWIM is not a member of any cult other than being treasurer of SWIM's own personal fan club. Maybe club delusion?

Good tidings drug-bot, may the wind be at SWIY's back in SWIY's journey through the universe.

[marek_gen]

in swim's experience this is not possible

swim is addicted to caffeen "again" i managed to stop for 1 year, then swim started drinking coffee for a few weeks it went ok, but then the amounts started increasing and the frequency of use also increased and now swim does not stop drinking coffee

[moda00]

I think it is quite difficult if not impossible for most addicts to return to casual use of their drug of choice/addiction. I also think that any substance use is somewhat risky.. but at the same time, I do believe it is possible for some addicts to become "normal" recreational users of some substances upon their recovery.

I do think it is important to have a period of total abstinence in most cases, to clear one's head and get one's life in order.. but down the road, I think there are individuals who are able to use other substances on occasion- alcohol, marijuana, mdma, psychedelics, etc. without problems. Again, I don't think one can go from addiction to recreational/normal use of the same substance.. swim knows she could never be a casual user of heroin or cocaine and will never touch these drugs again, but for example after a period of total sobriety, she resumed very occasional (perhaps once a month) use of some entheogens and occasional pharmaceuticals without problems. It is important to be vigilant however, and monitor oneself for signs of addictive behavior re-emerging.

[newgrower]

Swim was addicted to heroin about 12 years ago and he is able to use other substance without problems. Swim did have some clean time before starting using any substances again.

Swim didn't use the normal path of rehab and meetings. His was prison followed by finding a good woman who didn't use and could keep him in line, then grad school on the other side of the US and then kids to take care of.

Swim has been back smoking pot for 10 years, has occasionally played with psychedelics, drinks about one a week and even has enjoyed poppy tea off and on for the last 3 years (this one swim really shouldn't do but hasn't had problems yet). None of this has caused any major problems in his life except for worrying about passing a couple of pre-employment drug tests (swims been lucky so far).

But one thing that swim would never, ever do again is think about touching heroin. Much to big of a chance and much too much to lose and he knows that substance he can not control. Its all about controlling swiys substances and not letting swiys substances control swiy.

Swiy does have to be careful - but one advantage swiy has is that they know what addiction is very well now. If it is a choice for swiy of going back to heroin or getting some kind of other high instead, swim would suggest starting for a long time on some of the 'softer' drugs. Swiy also needs to have the other things that make recovery possible - change of location/environment, support system, reasons that make it worth staying clean, etc.

It may be true for most that they can not go back to using any drugs. Swim never thought of himself of a particularly addictive type so swim hesitates suggesting his path to others but it sounds like swiy wanted some reassurance that swiy could be 'normal' again.

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Thanks for sharing.