hello all, i have been reading several posts and a few folks have written about serious drug addictions and how they have stopped, however they still drink. in my experience and what i have witnessed drinking while you are abstaining from all drugs that would include alcohol can lead to a relapse of your doc.
"The only way to keep from returning to active addiction is not to take that first drug. If you are like us you know that one is too many and a thousand never enough. We put great emphasis on this, for we know that when we use drugs in any form, or substitute one for another, we release our addiction all over again"
"Thinking of alcohol as different from other drugs has caused a great many addicts to relapse. Before we came in N.A. many of us viewed alcohol separately, but we can not afford to be confused about this. Alcohol is a drug. We are people with the disease of addiction who must abstain from all drugs in order to recover"
Basic Text page 18
carol
alcohol is a very drug, a very powerful drug. the only difference between this drug of alcohol and some others is that it's sale and possession is legal in most jurisdictions. it is also a drug that breaks down inhibitions and is mind altering so that the user does things and makes decisions while under its influence that he or she would not do otherwise. it is "mind altering."
and for many, it is not safe. particularly for those who are allergic to its effects.
You must have read my post. You are right. Alcohol is a drug, but not everyone that had a drug addiction had a problem with alcohol. I can socially drink and not relapse. Not even think about drugs. Just depends how it affects different people.
Hi Carol Bob NY.
This is great little topic and I guess were all going to have different views and opinions on it.
But one fact is that Alcohol is a Sedative Drug. And Alcoholism could be and addiction to that drug. I have found alcoholism to be very cunning, baffling and powerful .
Its a disease that tells you, you dont have it.
And some people do {personally I dont like this term.} swap the witch for the b****. Change from one mood altering drug to the other. And if you are to make the statement I am Clean or Sober you must be free from any Mood Altering Chemical. And I am only talking about alcohol and drugs here. And wether your alcoholic or and addict.
Unless youre under medical supervision like a doctor and youre taking the prescribed dosage of medication you need for your condition whatever that is of cause then you need to take it.
I have never been addicted to pills or pot if I had a primary drug of addiction it would be alcohol. So if I chose now that I am in recovery from alcoholism to go out and have a social bong or joint now and again or just take a couple of sera pax when I need to relax a bit more then that would be o/k. cunning baffling and powerful and this is what the disease wants me to think not only cunning baffling and powerful but also very patient .
I have to say I have second thoughts about posting this because of the differences of opinion and again I have to say this is only my view .And if you believe me to be wrong which I can be. I would like to hear your view.
Youre Wanted, Needed and Loved God Bless.
This is great little topic and I guess were all going to have different views and opinions on it.
But one fact is that Alcohol is a Sedative Drug. And Alcoholism could be and addiction to that drug. I have found alcoholism to be very cunning, baffling and powerful .
Its a disease that tells you, you dont have it.
And some people do {personally I dont like this term.} swap the witch for the b****. Change from one mood altering drug to the other. And if you are to make the statement I am Clean or Sober you must be free from any Mood Altering Chemical. And I am only talking about alcohol and drugs here. And wether your alcoholic or and addict.
Unless youre under medical supervision like a doctor and youre taking the prescribed dosage of medication you need for your condition whatever that is of cause then you need to take it.
I have never been addicted to pills or pot if I had a primary drug of addiction it would be alcohol. So if I chose now that I am in recovery from alcoholism to go out and have a social bong or joint now and again or just take a couple of sera pax when I need to relax a bit more then that would be o/k. cunning baffling and powerful and this is what the disease wants me to think not only cunning baffling and powerful but also very patient .
I have to say I have second thoughts about posting this because of the differences of opinion and again I have to say this is only my view .And if you believe me to be wrong which I can be. I would like to hear your view.
Youre Wanted, Needed and Loved God Bless.
NY -- you might want to add one little word to the fourth and fifth sentences of your post. that word is "yet."
you haven't relapsed to your drug of choice yet because of alcohol. you do not think about drugs yet while using alcohol.
as a matter of fact, many who use alcohol are able to manage their lives, even for extended periods of time. addiction and unmanageablility come later.
russian roulet, my friend. russian roulet.
please don't encourage others to use. this is a recovery board.
hi sober2day. are you in recovery in aa? and if so what does your sponser think about using drugs if you dont have a problem with it. just curious
take care
carol
take care
carol
Hello Carol.
Yes I am a member of AA And through the grace of God and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous I havent needed to take a Drink of alcohol or drug since I was first sent there almost 14 years ago.
Some people in recovery have more than problems with there addiction .Some have grave emotional and mental disorders and need to be treated by doctors or physiatrists in contrast with the recovery program they may be in AA NA GA OA etc. Thankfully I havent needed that YET.
And I wonder why you ask me that question unless its the example I was trying to give to NY with the drinking alcohol when your in a program for addiction.
I think guest gave a better example when he said Yet. Thats what I was trying to say.
God bless.
Yes I am a member of AA And through the grace of God and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous I havent needed to take a Drink of alcohol or drug since I was first sent there almost 14 years ago.
Some people in recovery have more than problems with there addiction .Some have grave emotional and mental disorders and need to be treated by doctors or physiatrists in contrast with the recovery program they may be in AA NA GA OA etc. Thankfully I havent needed that YET.
And I wonder why you ask me that question unless its the example I was trying to give to NY with the drinking alcohol when your in a program for addiction.
I think guest gave a better example when he said Yet. Thats what I was trying to say.
God bless.
no worries sober2day, its great to hear you are in recovery, i may have misunderstood when you said something about going out and smoking bong hits if you felt like it. i misunderstood that you said that is what you do.
sorry if i offended
carol
sorry if i offended
carol
Good Morning All, Good Morning Bob B. and Sober2Day.
Very good topic. As for me, i know i can't do any mind-altering substances... Any drug i put in my system sets my addiction into motion. I have done a lot research on this matter... lol.
I see a counselor on a bi-weekly basis... And... she did mention the option of seeing the psyhiatrist to get some medication to help with my anxiety, lack of impulse control, depression, ect. Imagine that... I have anxiety and depression... lol. Believe me, the thought did cross my mind to just work this avenue... get me some good pills... some happy pills... lol, 'Cause you know... All I ever really wanted was to be happy. I had to be honest with myself... I had to look at my motives...
I know there are those that have mental and emotional disorders that need medication. Whereas i, would be attempting to manipulate the system in order to feed my addiction.
Much Love,
Lox
Very good topic. As for me, i know i can't do any mind-altering substances... Any drug i put in my system sets my addiction into motion. I have done a lot research on this matter... lol.
I see a counselor on a bi-weekly basis... And... she did mention the option of seeing the psyhiatrist to get some medication to help with my anxiety, lack of impulse control, depression, ect. Imagine that... I have anxiety and depression... lol. Believe me, the thought did cross my mind to just work this avenue... get me some good pills... some happy pills... lol, 'Cause you know... All I ever really wanted was to be happy. I had to be honest with myself... I had to look at my motives...
I know there are those that have mental and emotional disorders that need medication. Whereas i, would be attempting to manipulate the system in order to feed my addiction.
Much Love,
Lox
AA and NA agree on this topic for sure. If you are in NA, getting off H, does NOT mean switching to the brandy maintenance program. If you are in AA, getting off brandy does NOT mean switching to the pot maintenance program.
It is interesting to note that someone still needs the need to have some chemical modification, whether or not it leads to addiction.
Also to be noted, I am an (recovering) opiate addict. It is been WELL established that people who are either in active alcohol addiction or are recovering alcoholics have a MUCH higher chance of becoming addicted to opiates. The reverse is also somewhat true. Recovering heroin addicts have been know to switch to abusive drinking especially between H binges.
AA and NA are full of dual addicted persons. Will every recovering H addict who drinks or every recovering alcoholic who uses pain pills become an addict? No. But the chances are MUCH higher than the population average. This has been VERY WELL established.
It is interesting to note that someone still needs the need to have some chemical modification, whether or not it leads to addiction.
Also to be noted, I am an (recovering) opiate addict. It is been WELL established that people who are either in active alcohol addiction or are recovering alcoholics have a MUCH higher chance of becoming addicted to opiates. The reverse is also somewhat true. Recovering heroin addicts have been know to switch to abusive drinking especially between H binges.
AA and NA are full of dual addicted persons. Will every recovering H addict who drinks or every recovering alcoholic who uses pain pills become an addict? No. But the chances are MUCH higher than the population average. This has been VERY WELL established.
Hello to everyone.
Carol, Guest, NY, Lox and ElimGarak I have been away for a week and its good to come back and read these posts.
ElimGarak I read the last section of your post and it reminded me of something I heard awhile back.
How do you tell when a practising alcoholic or addict is lying?
When they open there mouth. LOL
Have a sober 24
Carol, Guest, NY, Lox and ElimGarak I have been away for a week and its good to come back and read these posts.
ElimGarak I read the last section of your post and it reminded me of something I heard awhile back.
How do you tell when a practising alcoholic or addict is lying?
When they open there mouth. LOL
Have a sober 24
carol, YOU ARE VERY RIGHT.I HAVE 2 NEPHEWS SAID THAT ITS NOT ADDICTION. THAT YOU CANT GET HUCK ON IT BUT I DID...
Hi Tropical,
When I came into the AA, first thing I learned from my sponsor and the oldtimers is that a drug is a drug is a drug. I have to abstain from any and all substances. I know there are people in AA that say they can take pills as long as they dont drink..and some in NA say as long as they dont take drugs they can drink alcohol. But that is just wrong. I cant drink, take pills,or any other drug, period.
take care
gina :)
When I came into the AA, first thing I learned from my sponsor and the oldtimers is that a drug is a drug is a drug. I have to abstain from any and all substances. I know there are people in AA that say they can take pills as long as they dont drink..and some in NA say as long as they dont take drugs they can drink alcohol. But that is just wrong. I cant drink, take pills,or any other drug, period.
take care
gina :)
alcohol is a "hard drug", similar to heroin. i used to call it "poor mans heroin". i went thru all the hard core addictions and in the end i just ended up with alcohol cuz it was cheap, available, legal, acceptable, and it did the trick. unfortunately it's a poison to every cell in your body. as hard drugs go, it's one of the worst physically.
i'm sober now. the last drink i had was 6/18/05. treatment worked for me this time.
God bless.
i'm sober now. the last drink i had was 6/18/05. treatment worked for me this time.
God bless.
i personally would hate that someone would consider me a drug addict still because i am bi-polar and have fibromyalgia...i still have to take meds for those diseases...
and my personal thought is that if i do not take meds to keep my bi-polar in check, then i will be right back to the insanity of using...so until the day i die, i WILL medicate this serious mental illness...whether AA/NA approves of it or not
main thing in my mind is that these are programs of complete honesty...i am honest with the people in my group...as a matter of fact I had several people point out that my meds are working and working well, as they can evidence by my actions, but as i have previously stated, i do not mention these meds that i am on, because i know that for some in my group they are a trigger...for me, i sometimes forget to take them.
I pray that no one i know passes judgement on me because i still HAVE to have certain mood altering chemicals to make me a functioning being
I would also hate to think that I would be cut down to only one meeting a week if people condemned me for using some drugs...we have a meeting for Dual Diagnosed Addicts in our town, to which i have never been because it conflicts with an NA meeting that i feel i am more comfortable in
and my personal thought is that if i do not take meds to keep my bi-polar in check, then i will be right back to the insanity of using...so until the day i die, i WILL medicate this serious mental illness...whether AA/NA approves of it or not
main thing in my mind is that these are programs of complete honesty...i am honest with the people in my group...as a matter of fact I had several people point out that my meds are working and working well, as they can evidence by my actions, but as i have previously stated, i do not mention these meds that i am on, because i know that for some in my group they are a trigger...for me, i sometimes forget to take them.
I pray that no one i know passes judgement on me because i still HAVE to have certain mood altering chemicals to make me a functioning being
I would also hate to think that I would be cut down to only one meeting a week if people condemned me for using some drugs...we have a meeting for Dual Diagnosed Addicts in our town, to which i have never been because it conflicts with an NA meeting that i feel i am more comfortable in
Hi Janet,
Not sure if it was something in my post that made you feel like you did. I surely didnt mean about taking needed medications. All that is meant by that is using drugs to get high ....by reading your post I think you may have thought that included all medications...some people take antidepressants..etc....but that is not what is meant....or like meds for bi polar...and by all means not meant for anyone to stop any of those meds....ok I hope this post made sense..lol ...btw you are doing great...I remember when you first came to these boards and boy have you come a long way!! Keep up the great work!!!
take care
gina :)
Not sure if it was something in my post that made you feel like you did. I surely didnt mean about taking needed medications. All that is meant by that is using drugs to get high ....by reading your post I think you may have thought that included all medications...some people take antidepressants..etc....but that is not what is meant....or like meds for bi polar...and by all means not meant for anyone to stop any of those meds....ok I hope this post made sense..lol ...btw you are doing great...I remember when you first came to these boards and boy have you come a long way!! Keep up the great work!!!
take care
gina :)
no sweetie...and after reading my post...well, i am a drug addict...clean through the grace of God...
i just hear the "no drugs" accepted thing so much and know that it is discouraging to others...
i have consistently posted to others that drugs that are required are exempt from the AA/NA saying of No Mood Altering substances...
so many people take that to heart and may be discouraged because of the way it is worded...
the whole concept of NO MOOD ALTERING SUBSTANCES applies to those that are abusing other drugs.
love
janet
oh, and Gina, thanks for the Kudo's, i appreciate that...i know that someday i will print out all the whacko thinking as a "gotta keep clean" diary...now i am going to keep on with the 12th step and carry the message to others...
i just hear the "no drugs" accepted thing so much and know that it is discouraging to others...
i have consistently posted to others that drugs that are required are exempt from the AA/NA saying of No Mood Altering substances...
so many people take that to heart and may be discouraged because of the way it is worded...
the whole concept of NO MOOD ALTERING SUBSTANCES applies to those that are abusing other drugs.
love
janet
oh, and Gina, thanks for the Kudo's, i appreciate that...i know that someday i will print out all the whacko thinking as a "gotta keep clean" diary...now i am going to keep on with the 12th step and carry the message to others...
I read an article a while ago that reported that in autopsies of alcoholics, their brains' structure resembled those of heroine addicts. Apparently over time, the receptors in the brain treat alcohol in the same way heroin is treated and alcoholic brains show similar atrophy.
