- Yes
- No
0 voters
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I was raised by children of addicts. They explained to me in no uncertain terms that while other people may be able to handle drinking and drugs, I didn’t have the genetics for it. I believed them 
and luckily I haven’t had addiction issues to deal with on top of everything else.
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I voted “yes”. I have cut way down but I still am addicted to weed. It helps me so I don’t mind. I just don’t buy it anymore. People bring it to me.
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I experimented with drugs and booze during college but thankfully never got addicted.
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Don’t think I was addicted but I was dependent on weed for a decade.
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All I got out of college was a drinking habit and debt
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My defintion of drugs is not your definition, in fact though i am highly addicted yes.
“Drugs” - Large amounts of coffee. Tasty sandwhiches. Music. Philosophy.
But no, never been addicted to substances, don’t mind a good drink here and there though.
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Yes. I’m an alcoholic. 3 years sober.
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Congratulations @everhopeful
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I abused alcohol a lot in my 20s and 30s but I was never addicted.
My wife is an alcoholic.
I don’t drink anymore
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Sometimes there is a fine line between abuse and addiction…
I find myself worrying lately about death so I’m trying to quit my cigarette habit.
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When I mean drugs, I don’t mean nicotine addiction
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I was never addicted to alcohol, but I got close. When I was homeless, I couldnt go a day without getting absolutely hammered. I found that once I got on medication, I didn’t need alcohol anymore.
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I just piddled with them (marijuana and booze). 
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I tried crack when I was 26. I became addicted to it shortly after that. It took me places I did not belong, and it made me hang out with people that I shouldn’t have. It took my SSDI and my paycheck. When I didn’t have a paycheck I sold my TV’s, my stereo, my car stereo, my friends car (without him knowing about it and without his permission). I sold the clothes off my back, my dads tool chest and all his tools in it without his knowledge or permission.
When he caught me he made me buy him a new one but I sold that a week later. My step-mom bought him a new one and I sold that for a few hits of crack. My dad bought a 1970’s Cadillac and put new tires on it for $1600. He let me borrow it one day and I was cruising around with no money hoping I could find someone to give me a free hit of crack. I ran into a guy I knew who was also just cruising around. He asked me if I would trade my tires for his tires for 4 rocks. Drugs make you do stupid things you would not do if you were in you’re right mind. So I agreed.
So we traded and I smoked up the crack in 20 minutes and I went home. I was hoping my dad wouldn’t notice he had different tires AND rims. It illustrates the brilliance of the crack addicts mind. Actually my dad didn’t notice for a week. When he noticed the different tires i thought he would be furious. But he didn’t get mad. He was just very, very, disappointed in me, which was much, much, worse than him getting angry at me.
Anyways, I smoked crack for 4 years but I got clean in 1990 in AA, CA, and NA.
Addiction is not all its cracked up to be folks. Excuse the bad pun. i barely survived. Drugs are especially bad for you if you have schizophrenia. We are more prone to abusing alcohol and drugs than the general population so we have to be more careful.
Drugs and alcohol may start off as fun and you can control it at first, but once you cross that line into addiction or alcoholism the drugs and alcohol will control you AND your life.
Drugs and alcohol are just a band-aid to your problems. You start off by using alcohol and drugs to solve your problems and it may work in the beginning but I gurentee, that very, very soon they will turn on you and become the problem themselves. And you will be stuck with all you’re original problems but you will have a new problem to add to them, it’s called alcoholism or addiction.
I guess the best way to avoid alcoholism and addiction is to not pick up that first drink or that first hit. Its possible. Anyways, this is my take on the matter with help from the thousands of stories from addicts and alcoholics I’ve heard talk over a period of more than 20 years in a thousand meetings.
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Alcohol? Absolutely. Other drugs? Not so much, though I certainly have smoked my share of marijuana.
I’ve been battling alcoholism since my early 20s, when I first got sick, suppose I was self-medicating to an extent, though it certainly did not help me. In five days I will be nine months sober.
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Congratulations on 9 months clean and sober!! Maybe you should celebrate and treat yourself to a pizza or something to reward yourself !
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I had to try drinking as many margaritas as I could as an experiment to see how it would affect me. This was maybe last week. It was just normal consciousness with some wobbliness.
I don’t see what the fuss is about. Engaging the mind in other activities is more rewarding. Especially if you’ve ever experienced the whole world to be “still”. Very brief experience but alcohol just can’t touch an experience like that.
I can understand why people get addicted to substances though. Cruel world and painful life it can be for some. They’re not easy addictions to break either depending on the substance/length of use.
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I have abused alcohol and other drugs but was able to quit without a problem. Still very regretful behavior. My mom was a heroin addict and my dad was an alcoholic. I literally raised myself. Left “home” (lol) at 15. I am super lucky that I am not a substance abuser. I don’t need that on top of my MI.
1 Like