Is there ever a chance of being normal

[claire,m]

Swiy has tried many different drugs mostly the illegal variety. Has never had a problem with anything, has had stretches of using lots of different drugs it was mostly mdma/speed and then later on cocaine, always seemed to only have a problem with that one if we had started a session of using it and swiy wouldnt want to stop until there was no more left in the house, but when it had gone that was it, no more thoughts about it, no longing for it, no dreams about it, nothing!! But swiy cant seem to cut opiates out of swiy's life though. Why is that, why do you get addicted to a certain substance? Is there ever a time when after being addicted you can lead a normal life just like everyone else or are you forvever destined to be different??

[I<3Salvia]

Everyone has their poison. For some it's t.v. Others it's food. Some it's coffee. Then there's some where it's coke, meth, opiates, whatever. Swiy may have just found his poison. However because he's easily addicted to it doesn't mean that he has to be a slave to it. There are always options out there for any of us. Some just choose not to take them. For a lot of drug abuser's in swim's humble opinion, the reason why they they never recover from it is because they are more comfortable having an addiction then facing up to their issues both previous and present while at the same time finding a way out and into a healthy way of living. swiy has to want to be clean to be clean, fully and wholely. Not because of what people may think of him, not because people may say it's good for him, but because he wants to be clean for HIM. As far as his concerns for living a normal life, no one lives a "normal" life. Everyone has their own story to live. The worst thing anyone can ever do is hide instead of facing it. Check out ibogaine, it seems to have worked wonders for lots of people in swiys position. However he would suggest for the time being at least to check out N.A. or some other support goup. Swim hopes that swiy finds his peace.

Reputation Comments on this post:

You make some good points about users not facing up to their issues that lead to addiction

[claire,m]

Thanks for the reply, does anyone think that most people who have addictions have had or still have problems in their lives that they would rather forget? swim know swims had troubles both past and present but is not sure if its that whats caused swim to develop an addiction, swim never thought swim has been running away/hiding or anything? But it has become like a crutch now. Ibogaine sounds interesting, swims already working on beating the physical addiction though now, only day 2 though so feeling so bad and knackered. But ibogaine sounds great for cravings, something to look into further

[rokman nash]

Personal problems can certainly be a reason for drug use/abuse. Addiction rears its ugly head from repeated and prolonged use of a physically addictive substance. Though people may turn to drugs because of seemingly insurmountable problems, personally Swim feels that addiction is a separate matter.

Congratulations on 2 days and Swim hopes Swiclaire has many more.

Good Thoughts

[Spucky]

Originally Posted by claire,m

But swiy cant seem to cut opiates out of swiy's life though. Is there ever a time when after being addicted you can lead a normal life just like everyone else or are you forvever destined to be different??

Hmmmm, this is a very strange question
Because what is "Your Normality"?
Life is going on until you Die
and mostly all Users of Opioids stops sometimes their Habit!
The big majority not dies by an OD.
and also they don`t die still addicted!

Try to get older, try to make some Rules with and for your self,
try to follow your social Duties, try to learn and try to be good!
Then you will find "a normality" which is a nice one!

Swim is now a little bit above 40, quit his addiction 6 Years ago and he find "a normality"
and it is far away form the normality in a Society-Definition
but Swim is satisfied with his on-going Way!

Just don`t give up, follow your Dreams and your Ideals
Time will do the rest!

[Dickon]

Claire,

Well done for getting to day 2. It will be a hard slog, as Rok's and my cats know. We've both been through the whole "owning pets with an addiction to opiates" thing. For me it was a little over 7 months ago that my cat quit opiates, which he'd been using for about 20 years, with about 3 1/2 clean years total in that time.

I don't think normality is something I'd aspire to, even if it were achievable. I think one can live without drugs, but perhaps never have a similar mindset to someone who's never gone down that path.

The important thing is that being clean can lead to a really great quality of life, and maybe having an addictive personality can be used to beneficial effects rather than ever fully transmuted into a non-addictive one.

All the best with the journey ahead. We're here to help!

Dickon

[ex-junkie]

opiates tend to get you addicted so much quicker, and for deeper, darker reasons psychologically. with some other drugs, you have to abuse them for much longer to show any sorts of signs of addiction.

from 19-27 swim was one of the most fucked up people on this planet. now at 29, she is one of the most normal people, and youd never know what shed been through unless she told ya.

life has a way of doing the exact flipside when you least expect it, so as long as swiy attempts for something better, there will always be a way out of how life is now. if the timing is right, then the potential is there.

the worst thing one can do is to lose sight of the goal to change, because without it, things will never change.

goodluck!

[mortysmate]

lots of good insight so far..swim addiction based acting out started young after swim had been molested, and took many forms. swim started smoking at 7, drinking at 11 and drugs at 15. swim was an alchoholic and user for decades. swim eventually managed to get sober when swim's son was born, even though his mother took him away. Swims life was going well sober, untill prescribed Vicodin after surgery. There follows eight years of opiate abuse, untill detoxed at Waismann. swim has now two years clean. swim thinks for some life just has different challenges, and whether one believes in early trauma coping, genetics etc some just seem to respond to drugs in a way others do not. As pointed out earlier, what constitutes normalcy is relative, but at the moment swim is happy, trying to be healthy and enjoying life..As Churchill once pointed out, there doesnt seem to be much stock in being a pessimist

[ex-junkie]

^sorry to hear of swiys experiences. unresolved grief and trauma are the worst possible scenarios that anyone encounters in life. especially when youre young. 2 years clean is a great accomplishment, and its awesome to hear swiy is happy and enjoying life. proof again that people can beat the odds, and that all is not lost.