I am a forever Junky...and that suits me just fine

[NicoOregon]

I know, I know, no one believes there are functional addicts out there but I concur. I really love my heroin! I have always been a responsible user and I live by the rule; if you choose to do a specific drug, you better work and have an income to support that habit. I can easily see myself growing old as a junky.

Im curious as to if there are others?

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I know, I know, no one believes there are functional addicts out there but I concur. I really love my heroin! I have always been a responsible user and I live by the rule; if you choose to do a specific drug, you better work and have an income to support that habit. I can easily see myself growing old as a junky.

Im curious as to if there are others?

How long have you been a functional junkie? In my experience, most people fall into the abyss eventually.

 

[Sky God]

I was too until my tolerance and need to get high overpowered everything else in my life. I'm now on methadone with a fent habit because heroin disappeared. My lawyer from years ago had a habit he was in control of and it amazed me. Now he's on methadone with a fent habit and no family wants anything to do with them. Enjoy it while you can i guess, or get out while you still have a life.

 

[NicoOregon]

How long have you been a functional junkie? In my experience, most people fall into the abyss eventually.

10 yrs

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

10 yrs

Yeh, you're not doing bad at all. Are you on methadone for stability? I managed about 10 years before the cracks started to show, but I was also using methadone which kept me going when there were hiccups in the heroin supply. If you have a consistent supply of consistent quality heroin and enough money, then it is possible to remain functional ALMOST indefinitely. But it's a fine line...

 

[NicoOregon]

Yeh, you're not doing bad at all. Are you on methadone for stability? I managed about 10 years before the cracks started to show, but I was also using methadone which kept me going when there were hiccups in the heroin supply. If you have a consistent supply of consistent quality heroin and enough money, then it is possible to remain functional ALMOST indefinitely. But it's a fine line...

Subutex

 

[NicoOregon]

Subutex

And thank you

 

[Sky God]

I got to 8 years before it all came crashing down then i started methadone but i still use

 

[Larimar]

I been on oxy for 6-7 years minus 6 months when pregnant . I use it as a anti depressant . I take 40-60 mg a day so I guess I’m a functional junkie too. I only do as much as I can afford so my tolerance has stayed low for years.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey guys. I'm trying to decide where the appropriate place for this would be. We're not really dealing with Harm Reduction. Do you have a preference OP? We can move it to the recovery forums or we could move it to Drug Culture? I'm not knocking your originality, but this is a pretty common statement. I'm not implying any of this describes you OP, but, what you're describing right now is basically a phase that most people pass through as they progress into addiction. You might remain relatively stable for a long time, possibly forever, but most people don't.

After talking to so many people like me over the years, I would say that the vast majority do not have a realistic comprehension of how their actions are actually impacting their life or their relationships. That's the nature of the problem. I always felt in control no matter how fucked up things were getting as long as I wasn't sick. If I wasn't sick, then the gears were turning and I was obviously doing something right. Not dead, not in prison, one or two acquaintances still talk to me.

I want to stress that being totally deluded is a well-known symptom of addiction. We work hard to preserve that addiction and rationalize the situation. I just think it's better in the end to not view yourself as an exception to the rule. It's possible that you are, but it's not logical to assume that. Let me know where you would like this moved to. Perhaps a blog post?

 

[JessFR]

Hey guys. I'm trying to decide where the appropriate place for this would be. We're not really dealing with Harm Reduction. Do you have a preference OP? We can move it to the recovery forums or we could move it to Drug Culture? I'm not knocking your originality, but this is a pretty common statement. I'm not implying any of this describes you OP, but, what you're describing right now is basically a phase that most people pass through as they progress into addiction. You might remain relatively stable for a long time, possibly forever, but most people don't.

After talking to so many people like me over the years, I would say that the vast majority do not have a realistic comprehension of how their actions are actually impacting their life or their relationships. That's the nature of the problem. I always felt in control no matter how fucked up things were getting as long as I wasn't sick. If I wasn't sick, then the gears were turning and I was obviously doing something right. Not dead, not in prison, one or two acquaintances still talk to me.

I want to stress that being totally deluded is a well-known symptom of addiction. We work hard to preserve that addiction and rationalize the situation. I just think it's better in the end to not view yourself as an exception to the rule. It's possible that you are, but it's not logical to assume that. Let me know where you would like this moved to. Perhaps a blog post?

Very much agree.

As for where to move it, I would suggest against the recovery forums since this doesn't appear to be soliciting responses from a recovery perspective.

I've heard lots of people talk about their functional addiction. I've defended my own addictions making similar arguments. Though I think deep down I never really believed it.

I'm not saying nobody ever maintains a functional habit their entire lives.

But of the countless number of people who've claimed or thought they'd be the exception, the vast majority seem to eventually wind up going downhill fast once life takes a turn for the worst. And it nearly always does sooner it later.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I'm not really sure that it needs to be moved. The concept of 'Harm reduction' is pretty subjective. I think that many new and/or inexperienced members will naturally gravitate to BDD because it's basic, innit? Discussions like this could potentially discourage users from thinking they can remain 'functional addicts' for life. To me, this is the epitome of harm reduction.

 

[negrogesic]

I'm not really sure that it needs to be moved. The concept of 'Harm reduction' is pretty subjective. I think that many new and/or inexperienced members will naturally gravitate to BDD because it's basic, innit? Discussions like this could potentially discourage users from thinking they can remain 'functional addicts' for life. To me, this is the epitome of harm reduction.

Yeah I'm inclined to agree. I think the harm reduction distinction can be a little arbitrary. There are plenty of topics that have a mix of informational drug discussion, drug culture and recovery flavors to them. And of course there are plenty of general to specific pharmacological questions of low to moderate complexity that are probably best suited for OD/BDD (as opposed to ADD -- or NPD these days) and have little to do with harm reduction directly. Of course through it all the overarching theme is harm reduction

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Yeah I'm inclined to agree. I think the harm reduction distinction can be a little arbitrary. There are plenty of topics that have a mix of informational drug discussion, drug culture and recovery flavors to them. And of course there are plenty of general to specific pharmacological questions of low to moderate complexity that are probably best suited for OD/BDD (as opposed to ADD -- or NPD these days) and have little to do with harm reduction directly. Of course through it all the overarching theme is harm reduction

Goddamn you and your eloquence...

You've said it the way I wanted to say it ...

 

[NicoOregon]

I been on oxy for 6-7 years minus 6 months when pregnant . I use it as a anti depressant . I take 40-60 mg a day so I guess I’m a functional junkie too. I only do as much as I can afford so my tolerance has stayed low for years.

Right on!

 

[NicoOregon]

I'm not really sure that it needs to be moved. The concept of 'Harm reduction' is pretty subjective. I think that many new and/or inexperienced members will naturally gravitate to BDD because it's basic, innit? Discussions like this could potentially discourage users from thinking they can remain 'functional addicts' for life. To me, this is the epitome of harm reduction.

Thats what I was thinking when trying to figure out where to post.

 

[NicoOregon]

Hey guys. I'm trying to decide where the appropriate place for this would be. We're not really dealing with Harm Reduction. Do you have a preference OP? We can move it to the recovery forums or we could move it to Drug Culture? I'm not knocking your originality, but this is a pretty common statement. I'm not implying any of this describes you OP, but, what you're describing right now is basically a phase that most people pass through as they progress into addiction. You might remain relatively stable for a long time, possibly forever, but most people don't.

After talking to so many people like me over the years, I would say that the vast majority do not have a realistic comprehension of how their actions are actually impacting their life or their relationships. That's the nature of the problem. I always felt in control no matter how fucked up things were getting as long as I wasn't sick. If I wasn't sick, then the gears were turning and I was obviously doing something right. Not dead, not in prison, one or two acquaintances still talk to me.

I want to stress that being totally deluded is a well-known symptom of addiction. We work hard to preserve that addiction and rationalize the situation. I just think it's better in the end to not view yourself as an exception to the rule. It's possible that you are, but it's not logical to assume that. Let me know where you would like this moved to. Perhaps a blog post?

Oh I completely agree with the out of control/addiction part of it. But the way I look at it, and it may be "making excuses" but I've lived both ways on the straight and narrow and I've lived this way and I dig my out of control yet very well-preserved lifestyle

 

[NicoOregon]

Oh I completely agree with the out of control/addiction part of it. But the way I look at it, and it may be "making excuses" but I've lived both ways on the straight and narrow and I've lived this way and I dig my out of control yet very well-preserved lifestyle

And, I'm 48. So I know shit

 

[ChinaGroove]

I was "funtional" while snirting Roxy 30's. It seemed once I was introduced to Dilaudid via needle, being functional soon became impossible. My tolerance went up, and soon every day became a job. A job to get my fix so I won't be sick. That "job" always came first. My actual job, family, friends, relationships, hobbies. None of it came before my "job".
This has all taken place in the last ten years. For the last four, I've been on Methadone. Other than stacking my take homes, I haven't chased high. I haven't used any "recreational" Opiates and most vital, I haven't shot up.
OP, for you to have been functional for the entirety of your drug use, that is quite impressive. And I really, really, really hope you remain so. I don't wish that abyss on anyone.

 

[NicoOregon]

Hey guys. I'm trying to decide where the appropriate place for this would be. We're not really dealing with Harm Reduction. Do you have a preference OP? We can move it to the recovery forums or we could move it to Drug Culture? I'm not knocking your originality, but this is a pretty common statement. I'm not implying any of this describes you OP, but, what you're describing right now is basically a phase that most people pass through as they progress into addiction. You might remain relatively stable for a long time, possibly forever, but most people don't.

After talking to so many people like me over the years, I would say that the vast majority do not have a realistic comprehension of how their actions are actually impacting their life or their relationships. That's the nature of the problem. I always felt in control no matter how fucked up things were getting as long as I wasn't sick. If I wasn't sick, then the gears were turning and I was obviously doing something right. Not dead, not in prison, one or two acquaintances still talk to me.

I want to stress that being totally deluded is a well-known symptom of addiction. We work hard to preserve that addiction and rationalize the situation. I just think it's better in the end to not view yourself as an exception to the rule. It's possible that you are, but it's not logical to assume that. Let me know where you would like this moved to. Perhaps a blog post?

Drug culture please?