Just started work again and having problems with cocaine use!

[life is a mission]

SWIM said to me....

hi anyone who reads this,i need some help and really appreciate any advice you give,i have just gone back to work and im having real probloms staying of the devils dandruff its driving me mad, i have been away from were i worked before for the last year and half as i went really off the rails and lost everything. as im sure some people have done the same i really started to get my life back on track but im now back working in the same town were i lost the plot before and i can see it going the same wayplease help me with any advice on ways i can fight the devil because this job is a really good number and i really want it to work,but the town is full of vultures attacking me from every angle and i want to find some strength to make this work.
thanks in advance

[KomodoMK]

I'll give you some advice:

1) Read the rules you agreed to upon signing up to this forum. (read: self-incrimination)
2) Don't post messages all in bold, it is not etiquette online, no different from posting all in CAPS.
3) If you use the forum search engine you will find a wealth of information on the same subject in a quarter of the time it took you to write that post.

Have fun!

[drug-bot]

proberbly the best thing is to set up a schedule for you to follow daily, when your not working maybe try exercising (which is great for body and mind), o go to some 12 step meetings, take up a healthy hobby, hang out with clean friends, or take a class at a local college.

definetly avoid seeing or hanging out w/ people who are currently using.

[life is a mission]

thanks for advice so far,sorry for breahing every rule, sould always read the packet

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by life is a mission

thanks for advice so far,sorry for breahing every rule, sould always read the packet

It's absolutly No Problem.....Don't consider those other comments as a "Flame" or and "Insult"....Just some friendly advice.....SwiS thinks most of the bee's around here are the same way......

This was exactly swiS's first point, swiY are new, made a small mistake, were informed of it, and now it'll never happen again....May even help some other newbees reading the thread..

Oh well, enough rambling.....Best regards and Good Luck.....S

[Ilsa]

I just wanted to express appreciation for your tactfulness. Gently reminding those of us who are new of rules, etiquette, etc while expressing concern and a welcoming attitude is encouraging. This means a lot, especially to those of us who are tentative about joining in a new group and asking for help. many of us are struggling with similar issues and stand to not only benefit ourselves now with this avenue of support, but also others who will seek out support here in the future.

This is my first post, there is a lot more i want to read before i feel comfortable weighing in on other topics. However, I just wanted to express how important a positive, constructively critical attitude is and say thanks!

[fiveleggedrat]

Make sure to avoid any stimulus that causes one to think of/want to/remember/be near doing cocaine.

If Swim is lactose intolerant, he would avoid milk, no? So, it one has issues with cocaine and self control, avoid being put in situations where cocaine is present, or could be obtained. Avoid doing things that remind Swiy of cocaine.

Drug associations are a bitch, and hard to break. Try to set up a counter association; connect something negative to cocaine. I suggested this for nicotine earlier: Take a rubber band, put in on your wrist. When you think about doing coke, or get worked up about it, pop your wrist; the pain will, hopefully/eventually, create a negative response. Or, just take this principle and apply it to something else. Perhaps reward yourself with a treat like a candy bar when you get tempted to do coke and then resist.

Your brain is hardwired to seek rewards; cocaine becomes interpreted as a reward, so you seek it. Make cocaine not a reward.

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by life is a mission

...... i have been away from were i worked before for the last year and half as i went really off the rails and lost everything............

Where swiY 'Away' by choice or by forced gov't relocation (Busted?). Only asking as swiS wonders why swiY have to return to the 'hot-spot' or bad influence? Understand, this is where the current work is, but is it possible to actually live/play in a more sheltered location (i.e. buffer zone between swiY and the Bad).

Originally Posted by drug-bot

.......the best thing is to set up a schedule for you to follow daily.......definetly avoid seeing or hanging out w/ people who are currently using.

This is Excellent Advice. Guaranteed the best swiYou'll get and the only that will really 'Work'. Gotta keep busy. "Busy" can mean anything that works for swiY.

SwiS knows it's difficult avoid people who were "Friends"..BUT...If they tempt/push swiYou, they are NOT friends. If they really are, politely tell them swiY are keeping clean, swiY don't want to all the loss/pain like before. If they continue, NOT around swiYou. Make sure they know: Don't discuss/talk about it with swiY. No stories like..."swiY missed it dude!! swiWe had sooo much fun, etc." --- SwiY know where it leads.

People swiY thought were 'friends' : Take drugs out of the picture/discussions --- > Are swiY still friends? Or now nothing to talk about??

SwiS has had many, after he said no more 'drug talk' he got a call or two in the first 1-2 weeks, after that, hardly ever hear from them, almost never...

Final Thoughts: SwiDrug-Bot's advice about taking a class is an excellent idea/advice....Think of all the $$$ down the toilet on dope! Take swiYour dope $$ and buy swiYourself something swiYou've always wanted, but couldn't get because swiY blew all the cash on dope!

Best Regards,
S
Seriously, the Search Engine here at D-F works very well (use boolean terms, AND/OR/NOR/etc.). Read, read, read.....swiY will find many others with alot of good advice who have been down that same road.....

Also, just friendly advice, what swiKomodo mentioned is solid advice, all bold/all caps both come off as if swiYou were shouting, and 'self-incrimination' posting is taken very seriously here. Do a search for "The Use of Swim" there are a few very good threads explaining this and the backgroud, as well as a solid explanation of rules and their inforcement......Other than that...WELCOME!!!!

Reputation Comments on this post:

good helpful post

[Ilsa]

swim agrees with fiveleggedrat--the more you negatively condition your responses to the stimulus (ie cocaine), the less strongly you will crave it. swim had a friend who did this by saving (and this is gross but it worked for her) all her bloody tissues in a box. each time she felt like using, she'd open up the box to remind herself why she quit. swim has a similar method for dealing with cravings, and it sounds like one that would work for swilife since swim also quit work altogether for awhile. each time a craving/opportunity/weak moment strikes, swim thinks of exactly what she lost, or more accurately, chose to give up by using and how hard she's worked to get life back in order. not to sound glib or preachy, but every day is a choice; swim spent a lot of days choosing to inject lots of drugs and gave up almost everything in exchange. these days, swim is working towards rebuilding everything she tore down and swilife sounds like their in the same boat and hopefully this provides some help coping. namaste.