Stimulants High Functioning v. Low Functioning Addicts.

[CocaineDreams]

So at first it's just a runny nose/grouchiness/some insomnia. It gets worse and worse each time you face it let me tell ya. Eventually you'll be begging to find some opies to knock it away, and by that time the withdrawal doesn't last a couple days--it's more like a month or two. One time I went cold turkey for as long as possible--I felt awful for 4 months and even then was still recovering. The physical part went away after the first month or so, but then still had trouble sleeping and eating greasy food. I was still noticeably depressed and the cravings were at their max. The only time I've been drinking daily is this time period where I could not for the life of me figure out how to enjoy life without them. The booze helped a bit, but only at night time. It's not ideal to go through every time and most people can't force themselves to do it. Not saying you have to quit, but what's in store long term.

Many people think they can quit at any time and just face the consequences no matter what. You're greeted by a flat and grey world that's difficult to enjoy literally anything. Most people find themselves relapsing or forced onto a recovery program (like suboxone/methadone). Thought I could leave at the end of the year.. it's been almost 4 years now on and off returning. I wouldn't underestimate opiate use. For many it's a life sentence and they don't even realize it until many years later how almost impossible abstinence can be. Relapsing is part of the process to recovery in my opinion, and eventually you relapse less and less and you're in theory out. The problem is that the cravings really never stop and there's no reward for sobriety like there is when that legendary feeling hits you. It can be daunting to adjust to life without opiates. It takes a very loooooong time for the natural endorphins to return especially after prolonged use.

I was totally sober at one point. Couldn't handle for months on end feeling like I was in a colorless life without anything to look forward to. I ended up relapsing and my doses tripled what they used to be. This is not too uncommon. (This is only from oxy by the way, heroin for a lot of people has worse horror stories about oth my parents have been addicted and physically dependent on opioids for around 20 years now (so most my life, I'm 25) and my dad's been sick of needing pills every day of his life, he's been taking methadone he buys from ppl but mostly my mom (they're divorced and my mom used to take over 200mg of methadone a day but lowered her doses by a lot and still takes home what she was on so she has a lil more than a few 40mg wafers for my dad each take home)

So at first it's just a runny nose/grouchiness/some insomnia. It gets worse and worse each time you face it let me tell ya. Eventually you'll be begging to find some opies to knock it away, and by that time the withdrawal doesn't last a couple days--it's more like a month or two. One time I went cold turkey for as long as possible--I felt awful for 4 months and even then was still recovering. The physical part went away after the first month or so, but then still had trouble sleeping and eating greasy food. I was still noticeably depressed and the cravings were at their max. The only time I've been drinking daily is this time period where I could not for the life of me figure out how to enjoy life without them. The booze helped a bit, but only at night time. It's not ideal to go through every time and most people can't force themselves to do it. Not saying you have to quit, but what's in store long term.

Many people think they can quit at any time and just face the consequences no matter what. You're greeted by a flat and grey world that's difficult to enjoy literally anything. Most people find themselves relapsing or forced onto a recovery program (like suboxone/methadone). Thought I could leave at the end of the year.. it's been almost 4 years now on and off returning. I wouldn't underestimate opiate use. For many it's a life sentence and they don't even realize it until many years later how almost impossible abstinence can be. Relapsing is part of the process to recovery in my opinion, and eventually you relapse less and less and you're in theory out. The problem is that the cravings really never stop and there's no reward for sobriety like there is when that legendary feeling hits you. It can be daunting to adjust to life without opiates. It takes a very loooooong time for the natural endorphins to return especially after prolonged use.

I was totally sober at one point. Couldn't handle for months on end feeling like I was in a colorless life without anything to look forward to. I ended up relapsing and my doses tripled what they used to be. This is not too uncommon. (This is only from oxy by the way, heroin for a lot of people has worse horror stories about withdrawing)

It REALLY is a life sentence for some people, both my parents have been addicted to opioids for around 20 years (most my life, I'm 25) starting with some good ol' prescribed narcotics. At one point they were even getting hooked up by an infamous doctor from around here many years ago who served time(I think) and lost his medical license. I've even met a couple other friends with parents who were also getting shit from that doc back then.

My mom has been on methadone for over a decade and my father been on it a long time too (acquires it from my mom by paying for or being given her extra take home wafers cus she cut her dosages back a lot but still takes 100 something mg a day, I came off 25mg a day and I couldn't fucking imagine those doses..) but my dad, who is an amazing person, still pops various painkillers and on and off buying xans for sleep or running out of / running low on methadone

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

It REALLY is a life sentence for some people, both my parents have been addicted to opioids for around 20 years (most my life, I'm 25) starting with some good ol' prescribed narcotics. At one point they were even getting hooked up by an infamous doctor from around here many years ago who served time(I think) and lost his medical license. I've even met a couple other friends with parents who were also getting shit from that doc back then.

My mom has been on methadone for over a decade and my father been on it a long time too (acquires it from my mom by paying for or being given her extra take home wafers cus she cut her dosages back a lot but still takes 100 something mg a day, I came off 25mg a day and I couldn't fucking imagine those doses..) but my dad, who is an amazing person, still pops various painkillers and on and off buying xans for sleep or running out of / running low on methadone

Great point and it just is what it is. Its opiates. We know what they are and what they do and know but how could you know what is coming for you? Sometimes it just happens and its okay to be human and not be capable of controlling something that very few ever can lol.

The life sentence is a bit better than dying at age 20 but some might still disagree who are heavily into heroin addiction for example.

 

[Ketamania]

Just something I wanted to add quickly:

The MAJORITY of drug users are smart. Like IQ point wise or even just with their wits.

I don't mean to call the non-majority stupid either, like every single person I know who uses is incredibly smart in their own ways.

My guess is that a variable in what makes somebody high-functioning vs. low-functioning is a combination of IQ/wits/social class.

Too many people are "too smart for their own good" myself included.

 

[Ketamania]

To further prove my point, a LOT of people in the medical field use drugs, and if you're in the medical field you can (usually) be considered smart .

 

[JTemperance]

It REALLY is a life sentence for some people, both my parents have been addicted to opioids for around 20 years (most my life, I'm 25) starting with some good ol' prescribed narcotics.

Yes, it is...

I'm probably a few years younger than your parents, but I think we're part of the same "generation" in terms of drug use. Most of the fellow opiate addicts that I see on the street appear to have been born in the 1975-1990 cohort, maybe 1972-1992 to go a little wider, but essentially people in their mid-30s to mid-40s now.

Obviously, there are still "old-timers" in their 50s and 60s who are still around, as well as new addicts in their teens. But most of the younger ones seem to use meth to a much greater extent than opiates, even though virtually all West Coast opiate addicts have also started using meth at this point.

By the time they hyped up the "epidemic," the number of new opiate addictions had been declining for a few years, IIRC. Opiate and stimulant usage moves in waves, it always in the US, with 1880s-90s morphine followed by 1900s-10s cocaine followed by 1910s-20s heroin. And 1960s-70s heroin followed by 1980s-90s cocaine followed by 2000s-10s opiates followed by meth again.

Addictions you pick up in your youth tend to stick with you, though... as you rightly point out. If my whole "generation" wasn't being wiped out by ODs, I'd predict a lot of us (maybe a majority) would still using opiates in some form, including methadone/buprenorphine maintenance, well into (relative) old age.

 

[polyboss]

Yes, it is...

I'm probably a few years younger than your parents, but I think we're part of the same "generation" in terms of drug use. Most of the fellow opiate addicts that I see on the street appear to have been born in the 1975-1990 cohort, maybe 1972-1992 to go a little wider, but essentially people in their mid-30s to mid-40s now.

Obviously, there are still "old-timers" in their 50s and 60s who are still around, as well as new addicts in their teens. But most of the younger ones seem to use meth to a much greater extent than opiates, even though virtually all West Coast opiate addicts have also started using meth at this point.

By the time they hyped up the "epidemic," the number of new opiate addictions had been declining for a few years, IIRC. Opiate and stimulant usage moves in waves, it always in the US, with 1880s-90s morphine followed by 1900s-10s cocaine followed by 1910s-20s heroin. And 1960s-70s heroin followed by 1980s-90s cocaine followed by 2000s-10s opiates followed by meth again.

Addictions you pick up in your youth tend to stick with you, though... as you rightly point out. If my whole "generation" wasn't being wiped out by ODs, I'd predict a lot of us (maybe a majority) would still using opiates in some form, including methadone/buprenorphine maintenance, well into (relative) old age.

I have to disagree on a couple things here. My addictions started with opiates, oxy and tramadol till supply demanded i eventually move up to heroin and fentanyl. I never have and never will use meth, even though I have ADHD. I'm only in my early twenties and already on sublocade. I'd like to note I'm on the west coast too.
The drugs mentioned have been prevalent in equal amounts throughout the generations, as far as I've noticed.
I'd like to see the study that says opiate addiction is/was declining.

As for the thread:
It takes initiative to stay functioning. With buprenorphine I have a lot of hope. I hold a good education but I almost threw it away after a couple benzo/opiate sprees (mainly Clonazepam and Fent pills or shebanged heroin). I did lose my shitty job in part (maybe all) because of that. I come from a middle social class, atleast where I'm from. I have plans on getting myself a job in the space industry therefore into a high social class, this is initiative. I consider myself functional depending on my current DOC.
The body load does creep up if you aren't constrained. Like with good ketamine! I can do it twice a week IM and my work is unaffected. It will be the burning piss that draws me back from it.

 

[JTemperance]

I'd like to see the study that says opiate addiction is/was declining.

From a quick search, here's two sources:

+ "August 2019: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). 2018 NSDUH Report Data Findings Report and presentation of data: slides (PDF | PPT). Highlights include:

• Opioid epidemic:
  
  • New users of heroin significantly decreased related to 2016
  • Significant decreases in pain reliever misuse observed for all ages
  • Downward trend in heroin users
  • Estimated 2.1M with opioid use disorder" [Link]

+ "Statistics indicate that while new users may be on the decline, opioid abuse is still a widespread and deadly practice.

• 3.10 million people abused opioids in the past month, an average 103,333 people using per day.
• 10.07 million people aged 12 years and older abused opioids in 2019.
• This is down 1.5% from 2018 when 10.25 million people abused opioids.
• 745,000 people abused heroin last year." [Link]

 

[polyboss]

From a quick search, here's two sources:

+ "August 2019: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). 2018 NSDUH Report Data Findings Report and presentation of data: slides (PDF | PPT). Highlights include:

• Opioid epidemic:
  
  • New users of heroin significantly decreased related to 2016
  • Significant decreases in pain reliever misuse observed for all ages
  • Downward trend in heroin users
  • Estimated 2.1M with opioid use disorder" [Link]

+ "Statistics indicate that while new users may be on the decline, opioid abuse is still a widespread and deadly practice.

• 3.10 million people abused opioids in the past month, an average 103,333 people using per day.
• 10.07 million people aged 12 years and older abused opioids in 2019.
• This is down 1.5% from 2018 when 10.25 million people abused opioids.
• 745,000 people abused heroin last year." [Link]

I guess so then. Depends on how data was taken too. I just know of opioids being much more prevalent than meth still. Atleast in my community