Welcome to our Substance/Alcohol Abuse Support Group

Thanks a million for creating this forum DocJohn . I need a place where I can talk and not be afraid of getting in trouble for how I feel or what I say. When I tell staff how I feel here at this rehab they 'watch' me.

I told them I was feeling angry one day and all of a sudden all the counselors where watching me and making mental notes of everything I said. It was scary and I haven't opened up since.

You may think I'm being paranoid but I'm not. I've been to more than 10 rehabs and I know when staff are watching someone closely.

Hi. I am new. Not sure how this works.

Hi, still a new member, haven't checked back in here for a while... I'm dealing with substance abuse( drug of choice, amphetamines )... to the point that it's become a drug dependence... But most doctors that I have seen always say it's social anxiety, coz I don't like being around people... I'm in Adelaide and I just want to find out who would be the proper person to see....

By the way well done to the people on there sober days.. You show so much strength... Well done

I would like to share my story, I had a part-time job as a bartender fitted in perfectly with my addiction. I always drank enough to black out nearly every time. During this period in my life I had a lot of panic attacks. Then my family took me to an accepted alcohol recovery center. With their help and the solid recovery program made a good change in my life. I am no longer addicted to any habits. Good luck guys.

DocJohn et al: could we please have a sub-forum for partners of the addicted?

I don't want to step out of line and post where those with problems want to feel safe, but on the otherhand I really want to connect with others going through what I am, are perhaps struggling, share stories, and learn coping techniques from.

I've made a few posts in the Relationships Threads but it just seems the wrong place.

its both!@! drugs and mental sounds to me....confront him if u find a bag stick it in his face and ask him what it is. im an addict. it sounds like either meth or cocaine..the fever is from comin off whatever he is on

Also new here. Been clean 16 months and recently started going to meetings. I'm searching for an online sponser bc my area lacks people from NA. Hope this helps me.

Just now taking quitting seriously. I'm addicted to prescription stimulants and am really needing to quit and wanted some support.

Maybe having a conversation with your husband will make you feel better about the situation. He may be able to help you and might not even think of it as you being a "pill head."

Have you tried to mention it to him? Or explain your concern for the things he has been doing and the problems you have seen? It is possible that he knows you you but does not want to be the one to bring up the conversation because he is worried about what you will think.

Sara

I see that you say taking the pills "help you fit in." Does it help you fit in because it relaxes you or are your friends using causing you to feel like you need to use to fit in with them? If it is your friend using, I think it may be a good idea to get new friends who enjoy doing other things. Good Luck!!

Sara

That is so awesome to hear that you have made a positive change!! Did you go through the 12 steps and/or a 1/2 way house after the recovery center? Congratulations on your sobriety !!!

Sara

Congratulations!! Keep up the good work. How did you get sober? Did you do 12 step, a sober home or a recovery facility? Why did you stop going to AA? Happy you found this website to help you!!

Sara

Hey don't do this man , I also had issues when young , I was diagnosed at 6 with ADHD , depression, anxiety, dyslexia, even before my diagnosis I felt different had hard time making friends and keeping them, anyway I did not stay in treatment, so I took things to help fit in self medicated in 20s broken back I was already abusing chemicals but I found my DOC. (Drug of choice) hydrocodone 12 years of hell I overdosed 3-4 times a few trips to jail, rehabs , no friends, lost everything for a stupid addiction, but finally after 12 years I have been clean 7 years now take suboxone for opiate addiction, I am in treatment psychiatrist had me sign contract , which I take medication but cause of addiction he is being cautious anyway I take adderall 20mg three times day ,Zoloft 100 mg, once, klonipin 1mg now just at bedtime I'm coming down off suboxone from 12 mg too 10mg , but I found I was self medicated cause of mental health issues , hydrocodone I thought helped by making me feel better but it actually numbed me out, I'm 40 now and living my life right now getting help I need , doctor and therapy my doctor does drug test and frequently pill counts which I can't blame him , so hang in there man you can succeed

This may be a little unusual story, I picked up a drink, a very light one last night after about 3yrs of sobriety.

It's good to be a narcissistic mentally ill. To be the man that I want to be, I didn't want to keep having around the long-time-sobriety badge, it made me feel hypocritical, now I have full and better understandings of my relationship with alcohol, I just feel better adjusted when I think about the subject of recreational drug use.

I'm addicted to adderall an pain killers an I feel like I'm dying everyone hates me an doesn't like me my babby momma means the world to an out kid is amazing but she doesn't give me any help at all she won't even listen an there's always drama I want to die an I'm sure no one would miss me I've done terrible thing's I've been alone for months I feel as though my life is over I get so deep in depression all I can do is shake an cry I'm so scared all the time I literally have noone at all I'm not getting through this an I'm not sure I'll make it without them I feel like nothing an then I literally get treated like a nothing I'm always thinking of her an wishing she didnt wanna do this to me when I need them most but she always leaves me out an never picks my side over her friends that are never there unless its to dog me an make fun of me tell me to be a man an grow up an let the heartbreache **** go an always controlled in an environment made to **** me over an the loneliness hurts i mean it's killing me an I wanna let it I have no hope I've done this to my self an I just can't live with the shame or the rumors or the harrasment online which no one cares or sees I'm all alone an scared wishing she would save me or at least not make me feel more useless an the gamrs are not gonna stop I Hope I die soon my kid even acts differently now I'm an idiot an your all right I'm a selfish POS an I've got nothing left to fight with goodbye

An yes I know no punctuation yea I'm stupid like I'm not OK but...let me have it I need the motivation to die...come on I need to just go I've been humiliated an I've got noone an noyhing .....who cares .....not me anymore an noone else even considered especially the one I needed to...how scared an alone I've become an how dying is a peaceful thought literally.

Hello All!!! I am a new member to this support group. I have been sober for several years and am working on becoming a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in Texas. Addiction kicked my butt and now that I am getting to the other side I want to be able to give back and help others. Feel free to message me, and let me know if I can be of service.. Many Blessings!!!!

Welcome!

day 24....no nightly binge drinking since....the first three weeks were hard......no withdrawal symptoms for the last few days....seems like things are looking up...

but i know it may come and go possibly in the future or not at all...who knows....

I'm beginning to realise that I may have a problem...

Hello I’m here to listen
I too am going through substance abuse and crippling low levels of what I’m trying to overcome in life
I’m living a un real day to day exeistance lost in everything but looked at from afar to sort my **** out and i put myself out there low I’m winning when I’m so lost inside I run back to my zone in substance abuse and stop pretending for a day or so only thinking about what I’m taking what I’m avoiding doing to be fighting the weakness and I don’t have to deal with the struggles completely on my own anyway

Feel free to share anything

"The Neuroscience of Addiction - with Marc Lewis"

This is a title of a youtube lecture video about non-disease model which explains all of our addiction behaviors, I found it quite useful. I stopped my heavy drinking with the aid of drug similar to the one he mentioned in the video. I'm an Asian, which means my body don't tolerate alcohol well in the first place, and I'm also agnostic. Which will make watching Q&A part interesting, it's on the separate upload.

"Drug doesn't cause an addiction.", I tend to agree, dogmatic empirical science is no science! I need to be more flexible in my thinking, with plurality in mind...

Thank you for opening this section

I'm addicted to coffee! I know this is minor compared to alcohol, drugs, & such, but it's an addiction nonetheless, & it's closely related to my OCD, depression, & boredom...

I don't drink alcohol, because I'm Muslim. I don't even know how it tastes. But for those here who think that it's impossible not to drink alcohol, believe me, it is very possible... there are millions of people around the world who get born & die without tasting alcohol for once in their whole lives!

Perhaps, it would be more helpful if you live among people who don't drink alcohol, & avoid bars & places where alcohol is provided You could even come stay in the Middle East for a while, for vacation... you'll have a hard time finding or buying alcohol here, even if you want to! but coffee though... that's another problem!

My heart goes & beats with all the beautiful people who posted here... if you want to get rid of substance abuse, you also have to grow confidence in yourself, know that you're truly beautiful, & you deserve to enjoy a better life... change the people around you who may be hurting you, change your conditions: your boring job, apply to school, immerse yourself in a new sport or social activity, discover a new hobby, go on vacation or go hiking in beautiful free nature... change your whole life, as substance abuse is a sign of depression & boredom... your mind telling you this is not the life you deserve or want, this is not your happiness

I'm supposed to say this to myself too

Someone needs to know the truth. Anybody at this point.
I am in desperate need of help and guidance. I am struggling with addiction in a major way.
In turn I have not kept track of my bi polar at all and at this point dont even know where I am

at emotionally. Physically I am ill. I have flu. I vomit. I barely eat. I sometimes dont know how I am
surviving.
But I am afraid. I am very afraid. If this goes on it might be too late before I even realize it and I do not want this to happen. I have been using cocaine almost on a daily basis for 2 months. (I relapsed)


I do not speak to my therapist or psychiatrist because all they suggest does not work for me.
My psychiatrist says I am intellectualizing but I dont know how to explain the system of the 12 step
program is not me. It does not work for me. I dont say this out of hate but out of experience.


I am desperate to stay clean but I need to find a way that works for me or I will never stay clean.
with that said right now I just need help.

I dont speak to my therapist or psychiatrist because of trust issues regarding them telling my parents when I am 39 years old. I want to speak to them openly and honestly but would like it to stay in the room and not reported back to my family. But yes I know "honesty"


I am desperate to be honest.

please advise, because I am at a loss and I am tired of this spiral. I am scared I end up dead (be it a heart attack, a stroke or suicide)