ama [AMA] I'm a member of Narcotics Anonymous -- Ask Me Anything

[recoveryrocks]

Not sure how much interest this thread will generate, but I figured I'd at least put it out there :)

I'm a recovering drug addict. I'm a member of Narcotics Anonymous.

Ask me anything!

Note: I do not represent NA in any way.

[Emon]

Are you confusing Neowin with Reddit?

[He's Dead Jim]

Not sure how much interest this thread will generate, but I figured I'd at least put it out there :)

I'm a recovering drug addict. I'm a member of Narcotics Anonymous.

Ask me anything!

Note: I do not represent NA in any way.

which substance(s)?

[recoveryrocks]

Are you confusing Neowin with Reddit?

Not at all. I just figured the people of Neowin might be interested.

which substance(s)?

At one point, my drug of choice was Oxy's. Once OxyNeo came out, I switched to coke

[Growled Member]

Congratulations on your recovery. :)

[Jimmy0]

At the peak of your habit, how much were you using per day?

[recoveryrocks]

At the peak of your habit, how much were you using per day?

About $500

[grayscale]

About $500

Where do you get $500 a day? (no offense, assuming you don't have a job since you're at your peak)

What made you decide to go u-turn?

[recoveryrocks]

Where do you get $500 a day? (no offense, assuming you don't have a job since you're at your peak)

What made you decide to go u-turn?

Anywhere I could :blush: . I won't go into specifics to avoid incriminating myself (just to be 'safe'), but pretty much the only things I refused to do was 1) sell my body and 2) steal from my drug-using friends (if I ripped them off, well... no more drugs, right?)

Edit: btw... I did have a full-time job, even at the peak of my using. So that helped with about, oh, $100 of the habit

[Haggis Veteran]

how long have you been sober?

[RadishTM Veteran]

Not got anything to ask but just wanted to say congrats on recovering (Y)

[recoveryrocks]

My clean date is September 28, 2011. So, just under a year.

Congratulations on your recovery. :)

Not got anything to ask but just wanted to say congrats on recovering (Y)

Thank you :)

[Haggis Veteran]

yep that was my only question to

I will wish you your 1 yr on the 28th :D

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I've got one for you: Why did you quit? Obviously I commend you on doing so, but what made you stop? Did people say something to you? Did they throw you in to rehab? Did you just wake up one day and think, "I want to change who I am"?

I ask partly for myself. I can be a heavy drinker, and then two friends in the past 2 weeks separately suggested that I take a break (note: neither of these two people know one another, so there was no discussion between them). Sure enough, as of Saturday morning I haven't had a drink, and my plan is to not have a drink for a month, so it will come to an end in October. But if I ask, "am I doing this for myself?" the answer is most definitely "no." I'm doing it because two separate people suggested it, and I want to show them that there is no problem.

Another question just came to mind: How was it, quitting at the beginning? I imagine it got easier over time?

For me, the break in my drinking hasn't affected me too much so far. I get annoyed quicker and I feel like snapping over the simplest of things (this is especially true at work). I've also found it harder to engage with my friends sometimes because my brain doesn't shut down, so while they're talking I'm either still thinking about work, or something else that's happening in my life. Yesterday there were a couple of occasions in the pub where someone started speaking, I zoned out with my own thoughts and then came back to the room just in time for my friend to stop speaking and look at me for some sort of answer.

[recoveryrocks]

I've got one for you: Why did you quit? Obviously I commend you on doing so, but what made you stop? Did people say something to you? Did they throw you in to rehab? Did you just wake up one day and think, "I want to change who I am"?

I ask partly for myself. I can be a heavy drinker, and then two friends in the past 2 weeks separately suggested that I take a break (note: neither of these two people know one another, so there was no discussion between them). Sure enough, as of Saturday morning I haven't had a drink, and my plan is to not have a drink for a month, so it will come to an end in October. But if I ask, "am I doing this for myself?" the answer is most definitely "no." I'm doing it because two separate people suggested it, and I want to show them that there is no problem.

Another question just came to mind: How was it, quitting at the beginning? I imagine it got easier over time?

For me, the break in my drinking hasn't affected me too much so far. I get annoyed quicker and I feel like snapping over the simplest of things (this is especially true at work). I've also found it harder to engage with my friends sometimes because my brain doesn't shut down, so while they're talking I'm either still thinking about work, or something else that's happening in my life. Yesterday there were a couple of occasions in the pub where someone started speaking, I zoned out with my own thoughts and then came back to the room just in time for my friend to stop speaking and look at me for some sort of answer.

Good luck with the not-drinking :) It can be very challenging at times.

I stopped because I knew I had a problem. I ended up going to the detox centre where I live for 5 days, and once I had a wee bit of clean time I realized even more how much I hated using -- and, yet, while I was using I couldn't just stop. I went to detox because I figured my parents were going to kick me out once they found out about my using, and I needed a safe place to stay for a couple days while I figured out where I was going to live :-/

[Haggis Veteran]

I was the same in that sense

When i was at college i drank heavily

at the peak time i was drinking 35 pints of beer on a night out and not getting drunk

I stopped drinking for 3 years and now just drink on occasion

I have had 4 beers since 01/01/2012 and dont miss it in the slightest

It was not a problem for me though i did not need to drink it just when i did drink i drunk loads

[mps69]

Well done getting the monkey off your back, I take my hat off to you.

I've never really been addicted to anything, but I've cut my drinking right back. I used drink most nights during the week, and heavily at the weekend. One day I just got fed up feeling like crap every time woke up. Now I just have a couple and stop, and to be honest I enjoy it more now.

I'm curious, how and why did you start?

Also as best you can, can you describe the feeling you got when you using, (sight, sounds smells) and how long it lasted?

[srbeen]

Recovery is a daily thing. It takes immense strength to overcome and a complete life restructuring. It isn't something most can see thru on a long-term without support.

Age/Sex/Loc? (just continent or general area)

Did you ever try other drugs?

Do you consider alcohol a drug/do you use alcohol still?

How long did you use oxy for and what caused you to?

When you say $500 of use per day, how much 'dope' will that get you? like pills or weight

Did you ever get a bad/adulterated batch?

How hard and often did you administer? oral, smoked, insufflated, banged?

Are you scared that someday you will be severely hurt and administered oxycodone/morphine via IV, and it rehatch the addiction?

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Good luck with the not-drinking :) It can be very challenging at times.

Thanks. (Y) I can't see it being too big of an issue, other people will just have to deal with a grumpier, more introvert me for a month. (Y)

I remember dabbling with coke for a while. I was seeing a girl and she was in to it so we would do a couple of lines every so often and party it up. The last time I touched the stuff was last summer at a club with some friends, and I made the instant connection between doing coke and then having a streaming nose for the next week so I made the decision to not try it again. I can't imagine the idea of being addicted to it, though.

[syobon999]

1 - why do you think we care?

2 - why do you hate this forum and want to turn it in reddit?

[scootergirl]

My husband is a recent recovering opiate addict. I just got a prescription for narcotic pain relievers.......do I keep this hidden from him? I hate lying, but I dont want any temptations or relapses.

[Colin McGregor]

My husband is a recent recovering opiate addict. I just got a prescription for narcotic pain relievers.......do I keep this hidden from him? I hate lying, but I dont want any temptations or relapses.

If you think for a second he won't be able to keep himself from taking them as an ex-addict myself I say better safe then sorry and hide them. It's not lying if it will save his life.

[scootergirl]

If you think for a second he won't be able to keep himself from taking them as an ex-addict myself I say better safe then sorry and hide them. It's not lying if it will save his life.

Were you married or with someone when you quit? i'm looking for suggestions....things that were helpful to you, things to avoid....

[+John Teacake MVC]

I actually like this idea for a thread. So why did you start using? Peer Pressure? Coping Mechanism? etc...

[Japlabot]

How do you think that your path would have been different if the illicit drugs you used were legal, making them cheap enough to afford using only your legitimate full time job (without compromising other basic living expenses)?

If you could get cheaper drugs by having to see someone whose job is to try to help you out of using it (i.e. Doctor or other health worker) with no obligation to have to listen to them, would you do it? Do you think that it would have helped get you off sooner if you had someone who could potentially help you every time you bought drugs or got high?

What is your overall stance on legalising all illicit (recreational/addictive) drugs?