Here I am thinking how clean I am, not addicted to anything...then I realized, I'm addicted to sig forum!

I spent 18 years as a mental health volunteer. Does that make me an expert? No. But it has given me some perspective.

One of the things I remember is this scenario:

If you put 100 people in a room and gave them heroin every day for 30 days, you'd have 100 heroin addicts. If you put 100 people in a room and gave them alcohol for 30 days, you'd have approximately 10 alcoholics. But they wouldn't admit to it.

quote:

Originally posted by ukhayes:
Number one drug in America...caffeine. Now who's immune?

Does nothing for me. I tried it when I worked 2nd shift and no effect whatsoever.

I think it has to do more with personality than physical. I am tried stuff and have never needed it. I hate the feeling of morphine.

I stay away from any pain meds or using recreationally because it can lead to getting hooked. I don't think anyone is immune.

Am I immune to drug addiction? I don't know, and don't need to know. Why? Because I don't take them in the first place. You can't get addicted to something you don't expose yourself to.

The only thing that could be considered an addicting drug I've ingested in alcohol. I don't have any problem with that. Once every few weeks I might have a beer. Alcohol is largely a social thing for me, and to be blunt, I'm not that social.

I've never used any recreational narcotics (I include Pot in this.) I've never taken prescription narcotic pail killers. And I think I'd have to be REALLY badly hurting to try the latter. I do have sympathy people who actually need to use those, and get hooked. But when this happens, I really wonder whether the addiction started because they truly needed the pain killers for their designed purpose, or the users like the high, and kept using them for that reason.

Given that people can usually avoid addicting drugs pretty easily, I generally consider addiction a voluntary disease.

Can’t say I’m immune but I’ve never gotten much from the couple times I’ve been prescribed them. Didn’t last very long once when I had an abscess tooth (2 hours relief but couldn’t take another for 4 hours) and once after having a wisdom tooth sawed out of my jaw I took 3 pills of 20 before I threw them away. Hope I never have to find out if I’d get addicted.

Ive only used anything drug or alcohol related for recreation and have never felt an addiction was possible , have never smoked though since even being around it makes me sneeze

Between a couple of cancer related surgeries and two surgeries involving kidney stone removal I have been treated with some pretty powerful pain killers.

For years I could never understand how people became addicted to drugs, particularly pain killers. Then I found myself in the hospital and every few hours I had to have a massive cut in my groin cleaned and repacked. I could not wait for that nurse to get in there and hit my IV with a dose of Dilaudid before they did their thing. It wasn't that I was in so much pain, but the amazing feeling I had the instant it hit my blood stream. It sent a tingle up my spine and left me completely pain free and relaxed....it was wonderful. Then I began to understand.

Thankfully, I never developed a craving or an addiction to it, but it did open my eyes some. After that, ( a few years later) I was prescribed an oral dose of Dilaudid for kidney stones. I am thankful that I can say that I never even used the entire bottle and I didn't even have to fight the urge to keep taking them after the kidney stone was gone.

Now I wish I could stop eating so much sugar. If I'm addicted to anything it is that. I know I would feel better and look a lot better if I could just stop putting sweets in my mouth, and I'm trying, but wow it is hard. I think most all of us have something that we wish we could stop doing but find extremely difficult. Some things are just a lot more destructive than others.

How you view your life also has an impact on drug/alcohol use and addiction.

Are you looking for pain relief,enjoyment, or to escape from a your situation?

There is choice involved the first time a person 'chooses' to use and perhaps many times after that. I can only speak to alcohol but I started drinking at 18 because it seemed like a right of passage (good old 3.2). I wasn't running from anything. My life was great. Probably could have quit anytime I wanted. The problem was, for the next 25 years I didn't 'want' to.

At some point I crossed that proverbial line to alcoholism. I'm not weak minded or not able to control things in my life but at that point it's not a matter of will power. Just try to use will power the next time you have diarrhea.

I sought out help. Tough as I thought I was I couldn't do it by myself. The result is I've been sober for over 29 years.

Sorry to ramble but there is more to addiction then being weak minded. To some people addiction seems out of the question. To others it just happens, sometimes so slowly, as with alcohol, it isn't realized until self awareness doesn't work.

I really enjoy this forum. As you can tell I don't post much because I only like to speak of things I have something to add.

Sorry if I went on too long.

Denny

quote:

Originally posted by Denny220:At some point I crossed that proverbial line to alcoholism. I'm not weak minded or not able to control things in my life but at that point it's not a matter of will power. Just try to use will power the next time you have diarrhea.

We all tend to be too judgmental of others' struggles. What's easy for some is near impossible for many.

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
I spent 18 years as a mental health volunteer. Does that make me an expert? No. But it has given me some perspective.

One of the things I remember is this scenario:

If you put 100 people in a room and gave them heroin every day for 30 days, you'd have 100 heroin addicts. If you put 100 people in a room and gave them alcohol for 30 days, you'd have approximately 10 alcoholics. But they wouldn't admit to it.

It's an interesting scenario that you paint but what's the take-away? That heroin is 100% addictive or alcoholics are in denial? I'm just asking. If it's not either, then please elaborate.

I'm in the camp that everyone can be physically addicted and some people are predisposed to being addicted.

Someone asked how come all the pain-numbering drugs are addictive and think there's some malice involved. It's an interesting point but I just assume that it's a physiological thing that whatever numbs pain for the human body makes the body crave that.

And I second someone's challenge. That if you think you're not addicted to something, stop doing it and see if you don't get withdrawal symptoms.

as many debts. that I have , to my credit I can't get addicted .
I have two bottles of pretty potent pain killers in the cupboard , for kidney a stone emergency.

one is three years old.
no booze, cig,s med's, .not even caffine
ok, pastries ,

and those may very well kill me, just a lot slower and cheaper

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

quote:

I stay away from any pain meds or using recreationally because it can lead to getting hooked. I don't think anyone is immune.

I agree. Saying you are "immune" is a bit like saying the Titanic is unsinkable.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
I spent 18 years as a mental health volunteer. Does that make me an expert? No. But it has given me some perspective.

One of the things I remember is this scenario:

If you put 100 people in a room and gave them heroin every day for 30 days, you'd have 100 heroin addicts. If you put 100 people in a room and gave them alcohol for 30 days, you'd have approximately 10 alcoholics. But they wouldn't admit to it.

It's an interesting scenario that you paint but what's the take-away? That heroin is 100% addictive or alcoholics are in denial? I'm just asking. If it's not either, then please elaborate.

I'm in the camp that everyone can be physically addicted and some people are predisposed to being addicted.

Someone asked how come all the pain-numbering drugs are addictive and think there's some malice involved. It's an interesting point but I just assume that it's a physiological thing that whatever numbs pain for the human body makes the body crave that.

And I second someone's challenge. That if you think you're not addicted to something, stop doing it and see if you don't get withdrawal symptoms.

The take away is that Opiates are very addictive (if not mental, very physically addictive) and that if someone takes opiates long enough they will become addicted. If you take opiates for 30 days straight and stop, most people will have incredible diarrhea and cramps, pains etc. even if they have NO mental addiction to them. Alcohol, most people could drink everyday and only 10% of them will be addicted to it.

It's similar to crack cocaine or meth, both of those......1 in 7 people become addicted to either, after trying it the first time.

Me personally, I'm addicted to cigarettes and diet pepsi. BUT, other than that.....I might drink once a month.......I can count the amount of prescription pain pills I've taken over the years on one hand.....and for some serious stuff (4 wisdom teeth taken out at once, broken bones). I HATE the feeling of them. I don't do any other drugs either........you cannot become addicted to something if you never try it.

quote:

Originally posted by Denny220:

At some point I crossed that proverbial line to alcoholism.

And -it should be pointed out- that line is an invisible one.
Congrats on the 29 years.

If I could afford to be addicted to anything it sure wouldn't be drugs...

Don't smoke,drink,gamble, and rarely use bad language...but if I was to stumble upon some
blonde Lebanese, all bets are off.

quote:

Originally posted by Rinehart:
If I could afford to be addicted to anything it sure wouldn't be drugs...

Doesn't matter if you can afford it. People kill each other daily for it.

I won’t say I’m “immune”, but my personality doesn’t lean that way, apparently. I have had ‘scripts for opioids off & on for several years, kidney stones and such...
Rarely do I finish a bottle of them. I take then when I hurt, and I put them back in the cabinet when I don’t. Same with alcohol....I keep some around, but the same 1/2 gallon of Jack lasted from before the wife left (over 6 years now) until last month. I’ve had beer and wine go bad on me.

Now caffeine? Different story.
Don’t bring up guns or motorcycles......