Best way to retain a low drug tolerance?

[drdmike]

Thank you all for your advice.
A couple of days ago, my best friend since the 4th grade committed suicide. He had some mental issues but no one every thought he would kill himself, especially in the manner in which he killed himself. Ever. Anyways, I am going through a lot of pain and depression all the while trying to continue my with my normal life (i.e. work, school, chores). It is very difficult knowing that my best friend is gone. My point is that NOT once have I turned to my 'candy' to cope. I know from experience, at least for me, using 'candy' to cope with emotions does not work. It's just a waste of drugs. If I had a drug problem, I'd be in my closet using right now. But I am not; it's the LAST thing on my mind. Sorry to disappoint some of you guys but you are going to prey on someone weaker with your bullshit.

 

[Tommyboy]

Thank you all for your advice.
A couple of days ago, my best friend since the 4th grade committed suicide. He had some mental issues but no one every thought he would kill himself, especially in the manner in which he killed himself. Ever. Anyways, I am going through a lot of pain and depression all the while trying to continue my with my normal life (i.e. work, school, chores). It is very difficult knowing that my best friend is gone. My point is that NOT once have I turned to my 'candy' to cope. I know from experience, at least for me, using 'candy' to cope with emotions does not work. It's just a waste of drugs. If I had a drug problem, I'd be in my closet using right now. But I am not; it's the LAST thing on my mind. Sorry to disappoint some of you guys but you are going to prey on someone weaker with your bullshit.

I think that you are misconstruing some peoples concern for something else. People just wanted to make sure that you were aware of the addiction potential of these drugs, as the first sign of addiction that most people show is concern for tolerance. People don't just start off as addicts right when they start taking a drug, so I think that a lot of people saw themselves through your posts.

I used opioid pain medications recreationally for 6 years before it became a problem. My tolerance stayed low, I only used on occasion, but then a large amount of money plus very easy access to a seemingly unlimited supply of vicodin is where my problems got worse. I was still able to put the drugs down for a few years while I pursued my college degree, and it wasn't until after I graduated from college that I got back into pain killers and it began effecting my everyday life.

Nobody can predict if someone is going to become addicted to a drug, but it's safe to say that a person is more likely to become addicted to a drug if they plan to continue using it, even when that planned use it within limits.

One last thing. If you feel the need to justify with yourself how you are not an addict, then that's another warning sign that you may be starting to become addicted to the drug. So now you are trying to figure out how often you can use while keeping your tolerance down, as well as feeling the need point out how you didn't use at a vulnerable time, which are both pit stops that I had made on the road to my addiction, so it's only right that I told you so you have an idea of how addiction can strike anyone, anywhere, and it can take years and years to progress.

You shouldn't feel the need to tell us when you didn't cave and use, as that's not something that someone with no problem with a drug would even think to do. A lot of people would also say that that's addiction talking, trying to make you confident that you can fully control your drug use since you were able to keep from using at a very tough time, and then once that confidence it up there you may think you can use a few extra days while still avoiding addiction, then BAM! Just be careful man.

 

[FunkyMonk]

This is one of the worst threads in the history of internet.

 

[norman$]

Hey- I thought the question was pretty clear- how to keep opiate tolerance low. There's the obvious- stay low and infrequent in your dosing.

There's also significant research in this area- go to pubmed and search a bit. When I was using I had the same interest- who really wants to use more and more? Nobody, unless the same and same ain't working.

My recollection is that calcium channel blockers (certain high pressure drugs like amlodipine, nicardipine, and verapamil) effectively inhibited development of tolerance and physical addiction in lab animals, probably rats, by interfering with the signalling pathway that allows for adaptation to, and tolerence to, opiates. Only worked when used at the start of opiate administration- it didn't reduce already existing tolerance or dependence, so my personal interest rapidly waned. Go forth and review the information. It may or may not apply to people; I don't recall if this was ever tried clinically.

Like I said, this has been the exact subject of a _ton_ of research. Imagine you're Pfizer or whoever, and you can say that your drug X you can keep all those back pain patients from becoming junkies!! Even better if you make a combo tablet containing morphine and X and no-one can get addicted to it. Not even naloxone - containing abuse resistant combos can be said to prevent physical dependence.

It is entirely fair for all of us to point out the latent junkiness of the OP, but attacks and such ain't useful. And it's nice to get additional evidence and info out to the masses.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

I think that you are misconstruing some peoples concern for something else. People just wanted to make sure that you were aware of the addiction potential of these drugs, as the first sign of addiction that most people show is concern for tolerance. People don't just start off as addicts right when they start taking a drug, so I think that a lot of people saw themselves through your posts.

I used opioid pain medications recreationally for 6 years before it became a problem. My tolerance stayed low, I only used on occasion, but then a large amount of money plus very easy access to a seemingly unlimited supply of vicodin is where my problems got worse. I was still able to put the drugs down for a few years while I pursued my college degree, and it wasn't until after I graduated from college that I got back into pain killers and it began effecting my everyday life.

Nobody can predict if someone is going to become addicted to a drug, but it's safe to say that a person is more likely to become addicted to a drug if they plan to continue using it, even when that planned use it within limits.

One last thing. If you feel the need to justify with yourself how you are not an addict, then that's another warning sign that you may be starting to become addicted to the drug. So now you are trying to figure out how often you can use while keeping your tolerance down, as well as feeling the need point out how you didn't use at a vulnerable time, which are both pit stops that I had made on the road to my addiction, so it's only right that I told you so you have an idea of how addiction can strike anyone, anywhere, and it can take years and years to progress.

You shouldn't feel the need to tell us when you didn't cave and use, as that's not something that someone with no problem with a drug would even think to do. A lot of people would also say that that's addiction talking, trying to make you confident that you can fully control your drug use since you were able to keep from using at a very tough time, and then once that confidence it up there you may think you can use a few extra days while still avoiding addiction, then BAM! Just be careful man.

Exactly. OP's posts read like a guidebook on the steps to addiction. Ha.

But, good luck to you man. You're going to want to seriously fix your attitude and outlook if you actually want even a semblance of a chance of avoiding ruining your life.

You're already following the exact same path millions of people before you did though.

 

[bennyZA]

If I had a drug problem, I'd be in my closet using right now. But I am not; it's the LAST thing on my mind. Sorry to disappoint some of you guys but you are going to prey on someone weaker with your bullshit.

So why are you on BL? This is not some "let's get high as fucking possible" circle jerk, sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[RTrain]

Thank you all for your advice.
A couple of days ago, my best friend since the 4th grade committed suicide. He had some mental issues but no one every thought he would kill himself, especially in the manner in which he killed himself. Ever. Anyways, I am going through a lot of pain and depression all the while trying to continue my with my normal life (i.e. work, school, chores). It is very difficult knowing that my best friend is gone. My point is that NOT once have I turned to my 'candy' to cope. I know from experience, at least for me, using 'candy' to cope with emotions does not work. It's just a waste of drugs. If I had a drug problem, I'd be in my closet using right now. But I am not; it's the LAST thing on my mind. Sorry to disappoint some of you guys but you are going to prey on someone weaker with your bullshit.

What reason is there to be disappointed? I am almost as confused about that statement as the MDMA one. Last time I checked I don't get high when you get high, so I don't really care if you get high, regardless of the circumstances.

 

[drdmike]

What reason is there to be disappointed? I am almost as confused about that statement as the MDMA one. Last time I checked I don't get high when you get high, so I don't really care if you get high, regardless of the circumstances.

My Molly comment was an example of my being a disciplined and causal drug user. I'm not locked in some closet putting needles in my arm and sucking a meth pipe. Shit, I don't even drink. Rather, my point is that I don't need some junkie lecturing about self-control. I have percocet, vicodin, ambien, muscle relaxers and ultram sitting on my dresser, collecting dust but I will soon take some candy this Friday
I'll see if my tolerance has changed.

 

[sekio]

I'm not locked in some closet putting needles in my arm and sucking a meth pipe. Shit, I don't even drink. Rather, my point is that I don't need some junkie lecturing about self-control.

Famous last words.

Just because you're not homeless, penniless, covered in scabs and sucking dick for meth money, doesn't mean you're not going to get dependent to opioids. (Or certainly using them in a pattern that is very similar to pre-addiction...)

 

[drdmike]

Famous last words.

Just because you're not homeless, penniless, covered in scabs and sucking dick for meth money, doesn't mean you're not going to get dependent to opioids. (Or certainly using them in a pattern that is very similar to pre-addiction...)

I hope that you would agree that after using for ten years and still being relativity functional (ie gainfully employed, no health issues, no money issues, no run-ins with the law, no rehab trips), that drugs do not rule my life unlike some of the junkies who are lecturing me. I have never come close to hitting that rock bottom that I'm being warned about.

 

[Tommyboy]

I hope that you would agree that after using for ten years and still being relativity functional (ie gainfully employed, no health issues, no money issues, no run-ins with the law, no rehab trips), that drugs do not rule my life unlike some of the junkies who are lecturing me. I have never come close to hitting that rock bottom that I'm being warned about.

And I hope that you would agree that if a lot of other people on here had used for over ten years while stiff being functional (good job, completing college, being married or in a relationship in which the partner had no idea about their drug use, etc) before becoming addicted, that it's still possible for you to become addicted. It's the 'I'm not as bad as that guy, I'll never end up like that' attitude that has caused the downfall of many an addict.

Do you think that a person that's been using 3x a month for 10 years and is living a normal successful life thinks that they will become addicted? No, and that's often what causes them to push the envelope after a while, since they have been using for all that time without much of an issue. "I haven't gotten addicted at this rate, so what's the harm in using a few more times a month?" Then maybe they meet a girl that likes pills too, and she likes to have long nights of drug-fueled sex, and so 3x a month becomes 10x a month, and then they realize that they last 20x longer in bed when they do pills, compared to when they don't use pills, so now they are getting high just about every time they have sex. That's all it takes to get addicted after all of that time. It just takes one binge which leaves you in withdrawals once you stop, and you feel so low without the pills that you decide that it's worth it to go from feeling like shit on no pills, to feeling amazing on pills, and that's when things start to go downhill.

There are many successful people (doctors, lawyers, businessman, etc) that were able to hold it together while they gained all these things in life, and then they decided to take a little walk on the wild side and never seemed to return since life felt so much more fulfilling on drugs compared to off drugs.

If you just recognize the fact that you are not immune to addiction, you will be a lot better off in terms of potential for becoming addicted. It's not the people that say 'you know what, I'm one binge away from becoming more addicted to this drug, so I should take it easy and lay off it for a while' that end up with problems with addiction, it's the 'it will never happen to me, I have complete control over this because after all, I didn't go on a binge when X happened so I'm fine' crowd that ends up finding themselves in over their head at some point.

If you are getting so defensive towards people warning you of your potential for drug addiction, then that's a problem IMO. The people that end up avoiding going down the road of addiction are the ones that take a humble approach towards their drug use, so that's why others are suggesting that you do the same.

 

[RTrain]

I used drugs for 10 years in a way I guess you could call responsibly, and then became an addict. Whatever, hindsight is 20-20 and foresight is completely blind.

 

[drdmike]

And I hope that you would agree that if a lot of other people on here had used for over ten years while stiff being functional (good job, completing college, being married or in a relationship in which the partner had no idea about their drug use, etc) before becoming addicted, that it's still possible for you to become addicted. It's the 'I'm not as bad as that guy, I'll never end up like that' attitude that has caused the downfall of many an addict.

Do you think that a person that's been using 3x a month for 10 years and is living a normal successful life thinks that they will become addicted? No, and that's often what causes them to push the envelope after a while, since they have been using for all that time without much of an issue. "I haven't gotten addicted at this rate, so what's the harm in using a few more times a month?" Then maybe they meet a girl that likes pills too, and she likes to have long nights of drug-fueled sex, and so 3x a month becomes 10x a month, and then they realize that they last 20x longer in bed when they do pills, compared to when they don't use pills, so now they are getting high just about every time they have sex. That's all it takes to get addicted after all of that time. It just takes one binge which leaves you in withdrawals once you stop, and you feel so low without the pills that you decide that it's worth it to go from feeling like shit on no pills, to feeling amazing on pills, and that's when things start to go downhill.

There are many successful people (doctors, lawyers, businessman, etc) that were able to hold it together while they gained all these things in life, and then they decided to take a little walk on the wild side and never seemed to return since life felt so much more fulfilling on drugs compared to off drugs.

If you just recognize the fact that you are not immune to addiction, you will be a lot better off in terms of potential for becoming addicted. It's not the people that say 'you know what, I'm one binge away from becoming more addicted to this drug, so I should take it easy and lay off it for a while' that end up with problems with addiction, it's the 'it will never happen to me, I have complete control over this because after all, I didn't go on a binge when X happened so I'm fine' crowd that ends up finding themselves in over their head at some point.

If you are getting so defensive towards people warning you of your potential for drug addiction, then that's a problem IMO. The people that end up avoiding going down the road of addiction are the ones that take a humble approach towards their drug use, so that's why others are suggesting that you do the same.

But you are lecturing as if I am an addict, which I am not. That is the difference between me and others.