The worst addiction?

[footscrazy]

What does everyone think is the worst addiction? Or, what's been the most addictive/hardest to beat, drug habit that you've had?

It seems common even amongst addicts to look down on people with addictions to other drugs, or at least, consider different addictions vastly different in terms of how 'bad' they are, or even their legitimacy. This was apparent in my other thread (on whether opiate addicts consider theirs the 'true' addiction). I guess this thread is a bit similar, but I'm interested in hearing personal experiences others have had with addiction, thoughts on why a particular substance caused the 'worst' addictions for you, and what aspects it was about the addiction that made it so bad.

For me personally, I'm realising that addiction is addiction is addiction, and fundamentally it is a desire for an altered state of mind or relief of negative feelings, rather than a craving for a specific high. I think that's why I've so easily fallen into alcohol/opiate abuse after quitting my ice addiction. However I'd definitely consider my meth problem my 'worst' addiction, just due to the intensity and urgency of the cravings, which were unbearable at times.

I guess if I had to put it in order, I'd put alcohol/benzo addiction at the top, followed by meth, then opiates, for a variety of factors. In truth though, I guess the worst addiction is the one you're facing.

What is everyone else's opinion?

 

[Mr Blonde]

Interesting thread, footsy.

I guess if I had to put it in order, I'd put alcohol/benzo addiction at the top, followed by meth, then opiates, for a variety of factors. In truth though, I guess the worst addiction is the one you're facing.

I'd probably put it in the same order. Benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, and even if you aren't at the depth where you experience seizures and delirium tremens it's still hell. Opioid withdrawal can be nasty too though, but I feel that there are more things you can do yourself to help get through it (e.g. loperamide, maybe a benzodiazepine to relax and sleep, antihistamines). I haven't ever withdrawn from methamphetamine though so I can't comment on what that's like.

 

[Sustanon]

Yeah benzo and alcohol WDs can be very fatal. I personally think out of the X amount of drugs Ive tried I rekon hydromorphone is the evilest out of them all. I have tried basically every opiate but never was abusing it as much as that hydro shit. Glad I am off it now.

 

[drug_FUCKED]

Long term benzo use has worst withdrawals but tobacco is more likely to kill you than herion.

 

[bustabraincell]

For me, tobacco is my worst addiction... but its legal, so no real problems there... I don't need to give up unless i want to (and I do). Meth , well its moreish, but when the supply runs out, its all over, i can walk away from it no worries... however , I can't store it for future use, if i know there is some in my house, I will smoke it till its gone....
Same as juice. I once was forced to give up juice that i had been using constantly for at least six months... I had good supply, and really, if you wake in the morning and feel ordinary, but you know with a couple of mil, you can be the funniest, sharpest, sexiest bloke in town, what are you going to do?
However i thought it was psychological addiction, until my supply was cut off, and then i realised that it was a real physical thing. I couldn't sleep or even sit still for about 3 months. Always on edge and jumpy. So i guess thats my archillies tendon and favorite. But i recognise that, and so when i get into it, I make sure i have an escape route, and sort of set a limit of days, or mils, and when its over, its over.
I dont get into opiates so i can't comment on them, I am sure I have an addictive personality, and well, i dont need to dabble in that.

 

[puckboy]

I agree with you footsy that addiction is addiction and the drug itself or addictive behaviour can be interchanged. The root cause is still there, it's just the manner in which the problem is dealt with that has shifted (eg. meth, booze, opiates, sex etc).

As far as 'what is the worst addiction?' goes, I suppose theres a couple ways of looking at it. Theres the psychological/craving aspect and the physical/withdrawal aspect. Benzo withdrawals are the most horrible thing I've ever been through in my life. It completely fucks with every part of your being and every bodily system it feels like. The mental/physical torture is unbearable and lasts a ridiculously long time. I've been off benzos for a little over 2 and a half months now and the withdrawals are about 80-90% gone, though every so often I'll get a 'flashback' of sorts of the earlier withdrawal. Theres people who end up with PTSD after going through hardcore benzo withdrawals and it wouldn't surprise me if I had a minor case of that. I'm not being a 'wowzer' either, breaking a strong dependance on benzos really is that bad. Some people claim to never recover, some say it takes months, others years.

So if you are talking about that side of addiction I would say benzos are the worst. But psychologically (and this is more about personal preferences) wanting to repeatedly use the drug because you love the way it makes you feel benzos weren't that bad at all for me. Their high is pretty shit compared to others and the only reason my dependance grew that much was because I was prescribed them to be taken daily. Very quickly benzos won't even have effects unless huge, and I mean HUGE doses are taken. It rapidly turns into keeping you out of withdrawal but eventually that fails as you start getting 'breakthrough withdrawal' that occurs even after doses - at this point you're really fucked. Mentally I desired amphetamines, alcohol, opiates and especially weed (yes, weed has been my biggest psychological addiction) much more than benzos. Yet none of those drugs, among others have caused pain anywhere even close to that of what benzos did/have.

I would say benzos are the worst addiction, but only because of their unbelievably powerful physical grip. Theres plenty of stronger mental addictions.

 

[Busty St Clare]

I agree an addiction is an addiction, it affects everyone differently. It really depends on how much it affects your life. Gambling is just as destructive to some families as the physically painful drugs such as meth or heroin. It is all relative, a little like dick sizing. I'm sure meth addiction is squeaky clean compared to the physical damage petrol sniffing or chroming inflicts on it's victims.

Personally I believe any prescription drug addiction is the saddest. Benzo's have their distinct dangers when stopping cold turkey, but building a tolerance to painkillers is just as terrible when the time comes when you need pain relief for a real reason. I personally believe that medicines should not be used recreationally as you run the risk of losing their true usefulness in the future.

 

[opi8]

^ That last sentence makes me think of a conundrum I've faced in certain computer games, withholding unique and/or supremely powerful weapons. There's a page about it called Too Awesome to Use http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TooAwesomeToUse - The analogy being that by saving a medicine for a future use which may never come, robs you of its wonderful healing properties. Then again, I'm in the midst of opiate addiction and my mind has a habit (no pun intended) of trying to validate my cravings and use.

 

[Divine Moments]

The analogy being that by saving a medicine for a future use which may never come, robs you of its wonderful healing properties.

I don't think that's what Busty's saying.. It's not that you shouldn't use pharmaceuticals for their intended purpose in case you need them later, but that you shouldn't abuse them recreationally in case you need them later. I don't think recreational use of benzos/opes can really be called 'wonderful healing'

 

[pinkanga]

Can someone explain what the fuck is so bad about benzo withdrawal that they would put it above opiate withdrawals? I had small benzo 'benders' where I did daily use of xanax/valium for a couple weeks.... but Im guessing thats not long enough to get bad withdrawals huh? I get the whole rebound anxiety thing, plus Ive noticed slightly blurred vision etc.

But whats the main shit with hardcore benzo withdrawal and how long do you generally need to be abusing them for to suffer it? Is it mainly psychological (ie. anxiety related, like severe paranoia/phobic reactions to everything plus negative thought spirals that get out of control?)?

I was a bit worried recently after going through 60 xanax I was given another 60 by a mate, and even though I told myself I wouldnt smash them and that I would use them only recreationally, I basically ended up using them every day. Didnt notice anything too bad as far as withdrawals go though. I did however have some diazepam that I started taking as soon as the the xans were gone, so Im guessing that played a part in easing the transition.

 

[pinkanga]

For me, tobacco is my worst addiction... but its legal, so no real problems there... I don't need to give up unless i want to (and I do). Meth , well its moreish, but when the supply runs out, its all over, i can walk away from it no worries... however , I can't store it for future use, if i know there is some in my house, I will smoke it till its gone....
Same as juice. I once was forced to give up juice that i had been using constantly for at least six months... I had good supply, and really, if you wake in the morning and feel ordinary, but you know with a couple of mil, you can be the funniest, sharpest, sexiest bloke in town, what are you going to do?
However i thought it was psychological addiction, until my supply was cut off, and then i realised that it was a real physical thing. I couldn't sleep or even sit still for about 3 months. Always on edge and jumpy. So i guess thats my archillies tendon and favorite. But i recognise that, and so when i get into it, I make sure i have an escape route, and sort of set a limit of days, or mils, and when its over, its over.
I dont get into opiates so i can't comment on them, I am sure I have an addictive personality, and well, i dont need to dabble in that.

Juice? What am I missing?

 

[8L4YN3]

I think we all know it's impossible and rather pointless to have discussions over what the worst addiction is, it's a debate that just goes in circles and circles.

 

[Daikomyo]

I wouldn't classify it based on the substance but on how much you are affected.

If it's causing your body and mind to waste, in additional to degenerating your relationships (with others and yourself), on top of being relentlessly addictive so that you can't stop, then I would call that the worst kind of addiction.

 

[Christ!]

Any kind of addiction can bring about all sorts of problems. Someone with a heavy pot addiction might find it harder to quit than another person with a benzo one... and it might be more 'damaging'. Sounds crazy but I guess it just comes down to the person.

Overall though I'll agree with benzos and alcohol.

 

[opi8]

I don't think that's what Busty's saying.. It's not that you shouldn't use pharmaceuticals for their intended purpose in case you need them later, but that you shouldn't abuse them recreationally in case you need them later. I don't think recreational use of benzos/opes can really be called 'wonderful healing'

I guess you skipped over my next sentence. Regardless of that, I feel that opiates alone (not considering the benzos I'm prescribed), treat my anxiety issues better than benzos, obviously help with my bulged disc and the constant, although not debilitating pain from lacerating my liver and fracturing my C6 and C7 vertebrae in a car accident. Wonderful healing maybe wasn't the best choice of words to use, but my point still stands, as does "Then again, I'm in the midst of opiate addiction and my mind has a habit (no pun intended) of trying to validate my cravings and use."

 

[pinkanga]

Pretty sure everyone has a mind that validates their vices.

 

[Divine Moments]

I guess you skipped over my next sentence. Regardless of that, I feel that opiates alone (not considering the benzos I'm prescribed), treat my anxiety issues better than benzos, obviously help with my bulged disc and the constant, although not debilitating pain from lacerating my liver and fracturing my C6 and C7 vertebrae in a car accident. Wonderful healing maybe wasn't the best choice of words to use, but my point still stands, as does "Then again, I'm in the midst of opiate addiction and my mind has a habit (no pun intended) of trying to validate my cravings and use."

Cool story, but you didn't say anything about anxiety or chronic pain the first time, just that you were addicted Point still stands that using medications for their medical benefits is not the same as using it recreationally. I didn't say you were doing either

 

[opi8]

More on topic, alcohol was my demon since I was a young teenager and that seemed at the time the worst addiction to me. Then speed became my drug of choice, of course with copius amounts of alcohol on top of it, and I guess that became my "worst addiction" at the time.

Then came opiates, turns out it's not really a great way to get over alcoholism, even though it is so effective. Right now, I'd say opiates have been a much worse addiction than anything else I've experienced. The withdrawals I've been forced through and those I've willingly put myself through in order to try and get clean have been the worst experiences of my life. I still want to use every day, even though I can see it destroying my life. On the other hand, if I had a constant supply of affordable opiates, I'm sure my body and mind would thank me for giving away the alcohol and speed.

Who knows what the future will bring? Maybe my next worst addiction will be LSD, Epsom Salts or Green Tea?

 

[opi8]

Cool story, but you didn't say anything about anxiety or chronic pain the first time, just that you were addicted Point still stands that using medications for their medical benefits is not the same as using it recreationally. I didn't say you were doing either

I don't usually write a pretext of my current life to each post on a forum, but if I get responses that may require a little bit more information, I'll add some extra information in order to help other posters see a different side of a story.

You know, I didn't try to analyze Busty St Clare's entire post, I was just posting (what I thought to be) a humerous thought that came to my feeble mind from the sentence I referenced while browsing a forum while intoxicated on a wee bit of liquor and benzos to help with my current lack of opiates.

My point is still that if you never use pain relief drugs because you may need them in the future, and you never end up needing them, hasn't some waste occurred ( opiate addict talking ).

 

[Halif]

Hello all

I concur with Footscrazy's original sentiment that all addiction is the same - or at least that it comes from the same source of wanting to change mindset. I've had addictions since as long as I can remember, some of them were to substances and some were behavioural. Some of my most compulsive behaviour has occured at times when I was on a strict 'no drugs' regime. For me, being 'clean' means being neurotic, unfortunately. I simply cannot wind down by my own devices. Drugs and alcohol have provided a stress release-valve many times in the past, and I am very grateful for that. The trick (for me) is in the balance of use/non-use.

Being on the straight and narrow just hasn't worked as well for me as occasional use. Even meditation - when I tried to employ it as a means to substance-free relaxation - warped into an obsession where I felt I needed to do it so many times per day, and in such and such a way, and for however-many-minutes etc. Eventually I realised that I was stressing myself out with meditation, because I thought I wasn't doing it right or long enough or something! What a nutcase!

As time goes on I'm getting better at regulating my use, which is why my worst addiction experience was with hydro weed (I was young and used it without any attempt at moderation), and not with my current opiate usage. For me it's been about how I've used substances rather than what I actually used.