Chipping/Binging Heroin Use for Long Time?

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

Has anyone here ever successfully been a chipper with heroin?

A little background - I've been using heroin IV for over 2 years now. I use everyday for a period of 2 weeks to 6 weeks, and then I stop cold turkey with no withdrawal or tolerance issues. I lose all or most craving to use, as I had when I first started my binge, and stay clean for anywhere between 2 weeks to 2 months. I eventually crave it again, and go on another binge.

The binges are usually daily, but sometimes I interrupt that if I have something important to do the next day or an obligation. Basically, I keep it under control.

Someone on this forum recently commented that such usage made me a regular binger, not a chipper.

Anyways, my question is, has anyone else chipped/binged so long like this before? I feel like I have enough heroin usage under my belt to honestly say that I will not get addicted. However, sometimes I feel the pull, and I can sometimes see myself getting addicted if I was really low for a long time or something.

So has anyone else chipped/binged before? How was your way of avoiding addiction? Did it all work in the end? What kept you on this course, away from addiction?

The reason I ask is that I used for 5 weeks daily, quit for a week, and then picked up again recently. Normally I stay clean for at least 4 weeks.

 

[itsjustme]

no withdrawals after 5 weeks really? youre very lucky

 

[pettingzoo]

I thought I could be a chipper but that lasted for about a year then I was off to the races. To think you can use heroin successfully would be to fool yourself.

 

[OverDriven]

I feel like I have enough heroin usage under my belt to honestly say that I will not get addicted. However, sometimes I feel the pull, and I can sometimes see myself getting addicted if I was really low for a long time or something.

So has anyone else chipped/binged before? How was your way of avoiding addiction? Did it all work in the end? What kept you on this course, away from addiction?

You'll understand the insidious nature of heroin when you come to the realization that you are already addicted. Could you stop for life right now? Just because you use off and on doesn't mean you aren't an addict. You said yourself that evenutally the craving creeps up and you do it again every couple weeks/months.

 

[greenadam29]

i cant believe you dont get any withdrawal or at least discomfort after such a long period of use...i wish i could do that!
As overdriven said, you may think your not addicted but infact you have a different long-term sporatic-type addiction...but the fact that you have no physical symptoms may play a role of why you can accomplish this.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

no withdrawals after 5 weeks really? youre very lucky

If anything I feel slightly cold, like some sort of inner cold (which kinda goes away when I blast the heat on max in my car, which feels great sober or not), and sorta restless. However, I live in a cold area and I'm a serious chronic insomniac (due to being restless). So these withdrawal feelings are subtle that they could be placebo. I don't feel especially shitty or anything that I've read or seen or heard about regarding heroin withdrawal. I also lose desire to use so I don't get any psychological withdrawal symptoms.

The fact that I just lose interest in heroin after a month and get bored of it is probably why I have chipped successfully. My question is somewhat in regard to what if I never lost interest, like I have after a month for the last 2 years?

However, I am extremely responsible with my usage (clean rigs, etc.) and in most regards of my life (as much as a user can claim) and I have extremely strong will power, in both usage and other areas of my life. There have been times where I wanted to get high but I had a test the next day, so I stayed sober. I can't recall any instances where I knew I shouldn't get high and did.

But yea. No withdrawal symptoms after 5 weeks. If any, they are so slight I can only notice if I really focus on them.

To think you can use heroin successfully would be to fool yourself.

I would agree, but I have been doing this for 2 years, not 2 months. I think I have enough time under my belt to not be a fool to think this. Then again, this thread is about that aspect of chipping...

You'll understand the insidious nature of heroin when you come to the realization that you are already addicted. Could you stop for life right now? Just because you use off and on doesn't mean you aren't an addict. You said yourself that evenutally the craving creeps up and you do it again every couple weeks/months.

Yes, that is an extremely interesting aspect of my usage and a large part of what I would like this discussion to focus on. Could I quit for life? Perhaps, but a large reason I keep using is "Why should I?" There is nothing in my life that would want me to quit. There has been one time a girlfriend told me to stop, and I stopped for as long as we were together. But at the time being, I have no one telling me to stop.

I suppose the only reason I would quit, and quit for good, is if I had a child or a girlfriend who wanted me to stop.

There have also been times in my life when I had no desire to use, besides from boredom. Where that 1 month mark comes up when my desire usually starts to grow again, and because I have a girlfriend, or a job I'm really hyped about, I don't have that desire. I suppose I use whenever something bothers me, little or big. When my life is peachy with a girlfriend and everything, I tend to stay clean.

Could I stop for life right now? Am I addicted for life? Possibly. You could argue that. But, I know that if I somehow started dating some girl that I eventually would marry and die with, I wouldn't use anymore, assuming the relationship went well. But since that isn't the case now, why stop?

Yes I could possibly stop for life, but why be sober if you don't have to be? I always put obligations of life such as education and family and friends before drugs, and I have never had trouble with such because of my heroin usage.

i cant believe you dont get any withdrawal or at least discomfort after such a long period of use...i wish i could do that!
As overdriven said, you may think your not addicted but infact you have a different long-term sporatic-type addiction...but the fact that you have no physical symptoms may play a role of why you can accomplish this.

When do you guys start to develop symptoms? I do daily chip like I said, but I also have a life. In reality, I usually use maybe 5-6 out of 7 days a week during these binges, and on average they are about 4 weeks long.

I'm also a hardcore insomniac due to being restless, and I live in a cold area. I know that the heroin withdrawal symptoms you'd get after the minimal time to develop a physical addiction are insomnia/restlessness and feeling cold. This isn't right at all, but it isn't TOO big a stretch to say that I kinda feel like heroin withdrawal all the time (I'm sure I'll get flack for that, yes I know it's totally different, but just trying to make a point).

 

[Peanut21]

I envy u.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

Why? Because I don't develop withdrawal symptoms in 2 weeks or that I have self-control? I've always been under the impression this whole time that it took like 3 months of daily usage to gain an addiction. Recently someone posted a thread about coming of 3 weeks and I thought it was a joke, but everyone else was serious.

Am I missing something here?

If I'm not, then it's all about keeping your priorities straight. Some things are just more important than getting high. In a way, doping irresponsibly would be like refusing to eat (for other than intentional spiritual/health reasons).

 

[Niandra LaDes]

yo teddy r! your pattern sounds a lot like mine but since im on the west coast its all tar smoking for me since i dont like the IV high.

dont let people bring you down and tell you youre addicted. you know if you are. sure, a lot of cats are drowning in denial, but some of us are strong enough to not get addicted to heroin, it sucks for the junkies who read this but ill never be addicted to heoin and yes ive been using for over a year, including binges. no WDs. take that. but ill probably be hit by a bus for bein such a prick, right?

 

[OverDriven]

Why? Because I don't develop withdrawal symptoms in 2 weeks or that I have self-control? I've always been under the impression this whole time that it took like 3 months of daily usage to gain an addiction. Recently someone posted a thread about coming of 3 weeks and I thought it was a joke, but everyone else was serious.

Am I missing something here?

If I'm not, then it's all about keeping your priorities straight. Some things are just more important than getting high. In a way, doping irresponsibly would be like refusing to eat (for other than intentional spiritual/health reasons).

Usually you would have at least some slight withdrawls after one week of daily use. After a month, you are in for heavier withdrawls. Three months in, and you're in hardcore WD territory. Three weeks is certainly enough.

 

[edarrin]

Well it sounds to me that you are already psychologically addicted. Just because your 'craving' has been met during your binge and you don't crave right after is good. however, you do say you always crave again after a period of time. Mild but still a way of coping.

I think your ability to go long enough between binges to clear it from your system is probably helping you minimize physical withdrawls.

I chipped/binged 3-4 days/week for a couple or 3 years before I realized I was physically dependant. I wouldn't get any major w/d symptoms either until I discovered that if I tried to go longer between binges I would feel like I was getting a cold or something. I soon discovered my 'cold' disappeared if i took some opioids. That's when i had to face it. I was physically addicted.

I think if you play with them long enough you have an extremely high chance of becoming physically depenant. Sounds like you like to use. A lot of people started like (or similar) to you and end up with habits. It's kind of insidious.

However, I suppose there are some who do not. I used to count myself as one.
Those days are over now.

There are diferent degrees of physical dependancy as well. Depends on stuff like type,dose, frequency of use, legth of use etc.

 

[kisps]

I am having a similar experience as well, I just quit using H 7 days ago, a 1-2g habit a day of tar. The only symptoms I am having are restlessness and a neverending feeling of being cold, no matter how many blankets I pile on top of myself or how hot I turn my heater up to. I mainly smoked it, occasionally did it instranasally. The high from that wasn't great enough for me to keep chasing once I was forced into a drug test by my employer, so I just quit.

 

[sixpartseven]

Why? Because I don't develop withdrawal symptoms in 2 weeks or that I have self-control? I've always been under the impression this whole time that it took like 3 months of daily usage to gain an addiction. Recently someone posted a thread about coming of 3 weeks and I thought it was a joke, but everyone else was serious.

Am I missing something here?

If I'm not, then it's all about keeping your priorities straight. Some things are just more important than getting high. In a way, doping irresponsibly would be like refusing to eat (for other than intentional spiritual/health reasons).

Just because its easy for you doesnt mean it is for everyone else. Personally, I think this thread is a sad attempt to brag and I think you know very well that there is probably very few other people on this board that can do what you do (which you should know if you have read even just a couple threads in OD), if you can even do exactly what you described and its not just you stretching the truth a little bit. But hey, thats just my opinion.

And yes, you are addicted, just not in the typical sense, so quit trying to fool yourself because you will slip up one day, so tread lightly.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

i dont like the IV high.

Niandra LaDes, that is amazing. I can't believe someone likes to smoke heroin over shoot it. But anyways, thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Yes, we non-addicts are out there.

Usually you would have at least some slight withdrawls after one week of daily use. After a month, you are in for heavier withdrawls. Three months in, and you're in hardcore WD territory. Three weeks is certainly enough.

Wow. That's really weird. Maybe I'm just resilient? When I do drugs it usually takes alot for me to get screwed up because just a little buzz I blow off as placebo. What this means, is that even if I may feel a little shitty from withdrawal after 4 weeks, I probably just blow it off and think "I haven't been using long enough for addiction, there's no way I'm feeling like crap because of addiction". Next time I get off a binge, I'll think harder about it.

But even after 6 weeks of daily use I don't recall feeling so shitty I couldn't live a normal day. That's odd. But after a week, withdrawal symptoms can develop? That's ridiculous! I know for sure I don't feel any different after 1 week, not to mention after 6. I think the longest binge I've gone on was maybe 8 weeks, and I don't recall feeling shitty after that.

Well it sounds to me that you are already psychologically addicted. Just because your 'craving' has been met during your binge and you don't crave right after is good. however, you do say you always crave again after a period of time. Mild but still a way of coping.

Absolutely zero craving after a binge. That's kind of how they end in the first place...

Maybe I am psychologically addicted, but my "style" or whatever prevents any serious addiction. I have done alot of drugs, and alot of different drugs, and I've gotten bored of all of them. I get bored of things very easily - TV shows, movies, music, drugs, et cetera (actualyl I dont even watch tv its so boring to me). I have hardcore chronic insomnia due to how restless I am. I walk on average 3 hours every night (after midnight). I bounce my legs or tap my feet if I'm sitting and people say I'm the most restless person they've ever met.

My point is, is that even though heroin is the only drug that I do not hate anymore because it's just so boring and I'm done with it, I still sometimes grow tired of it.

While I may be psychologically addicted, I do know I would quit forever if something in my life that I wanted, wanted that. If I had a girlfriend, say, who I ended up dying with at the end of my life, and she wanted me to quit, I would quit on a dime. If I had a great job that drug tested for heroin every day, I would quit forever. But I don't have those. So why quit?

Heroin is fun for me, and it's therapeutic in tough times. I use for fun, and when things happen to me that bother me, whether it be really fucked up or just slightly annoying, it's so easy for me to just go shoot up. But there are things I would like more than heroin, that being a girlfriend and a good job (or really just a girlfriend, but that's another argument). And if I had to quit for either of those, I would.

I know you may say "oh the hold is much stronger" but I know myself well enough to know I'm not lying to myself. I have quit for periods before over such situations, and the only reason I continue to use were that those situations didn't last.

. Sounds like you like to use. A lot of people started like (or similar) to you and end up with habits. It's kind of insidious.

Yea, but this isn't just a person starting with heroin. I've used IV heroin for over 2 years now. The doses I use currently are the same I used the first time I ever shot heroin. Not too much earlier this year, I went 2 months clean.

There are diferent degrees of physical dependancy as well. Depends on stuff like type,dose, frequency of use, legth of use etc.

Yea, I know that is true. I only use at night, when everyone is gone and when everything I need to do is done. I use a medium dose just to get high, not completely skullfucked.

I'll finish this later.

 

[pkt]

You have to have alot of willpower to avoid getting addicted.

I used to have much higher standards, i used to be against needles.

But just cause i got fucked doesnt mean its going to happen to you right?

not everyone who smokes gets cancer right?

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

ust because its easy for you doesnt mean it is for everyone else. Personally, I think this thread is a sad attempt to brag and I think you know very well that there is probably very few other people on this board that can do what you do (which you should know if you have read even just a couple threads in OD), if you can even do exactly what you described and its not just you stretching the truth a little bit. But hey, thats just my opinion.

This thread is not a personal attempt to brag, nor do I find the topic sad at all (if anything, happy!). In all honesty I seriously thought it took more than 2 months of daily use to develop an addiction. I mean, I don't even start to get a noticeable tolerance built until after 4 weeks of usage, and I've never gone on long enough where I had to actually double my dose, which I assume would occur around week 8. It is quite shocking to me, since I have browsed Other Drugs since the days of PhreeX. I guess with all the talk in OD about heroin addiction, I don't think I can actually ever recall when someone said how long it took for addiction to gain root. I just always assumed more than 2 months, since tolerance doesn't really settle till about then.

I am aware that very few people can do what I do. I know what I do is extremely rare among heroin users. My experiences with all drugs are slightly different in my approach (ie I get bored of them, although pharmacologically I'm pretty much the same in most cases). To make it clear to you again, here is why I started the thread, and why I didn't.

1. To discuss chipping amongst those who have done it before, or are chippers, and if they were always able to keep it control or did it ever get out of control. Alot of people say they did this but eventually it fails - however I've done this for 2 years so I think that's a little more than just "well my time will come". However, it still may.
2. I'd just like someone to hear someone who has chipped so regularly like I have for as long or longer and what they think of my relationship with heroin.
3. To perhaps give insight to those who wish to chip.
4. What other chipping routines are there that people do.
5. What personal factors kept you successful in chipping (school, responsibility, a sense of focus). What factors may have contributed to your chip usage failing?
6. Discuss psychological addiction.

This thread was not created to:

1. Brag. I already know this is rare, but it is not impossible. I know this, maybe you don't believe me, but I can't imagine I'm the only one. As we see, some have already replied saying they are similiar.
2. Get a bunch of people to tell me I'm addicted because I'm a sucker like everyone will be, to heroin. I've done this for 2 years, and I have had extensive IV use with many other drugs before heroin. It's not like I just started and think I can tough it out. Time has shown, that I can. If people tell me I'm addicted, I would like serious, detailed discussion on it. I think those that have chipped as long as I have or knew someone who has, and discusses such topics, may bring info I may be more apt to hear and discuss. Just hearing people saying "Your Addicted" doesn't really tell me much.
3. Stretch the truth. I'm not. Ask any questions if you think I'm full of shit which may help you in understanding what I am doing.

I appreciate the input and I can understand the sentiment though IForgett.

You have to have alot of willpower to avoid getting addicted.

Yes, I do. I have alot of resolve and been in many tough spots in my life which required such resolve and willpower to keep on truckin. I think this may be one, but probably not THE, biggest reason why I avoid addiction.

I used to have much higher standards, i used to be against needles.

Haha, I'm needles or bust. Even before I decided to quit all drugs but heroin.

But just cause i got fucked doesnt mean its going to happen to you right?

I don't know, I hope not. I sometimes can definately see myself giving in to heroin, and just using everyday for extended periods, and ending up hooked and having to go tough withdrawal symptoms.

Anyways, that's quite a shock that I was wrong about how long it takes for withdrawal to kick in. Please, I'd like to hear how long it takes. I know everyone differs, but if you really insist on that then how long it takes for YOU or someone you know. Is it really that rare someone doesn't develop symptoms after 6 weeks of 1-good-dose (not skullfucked multiple doses) daily use? I mean, I get high and all that jazz just like everyone else does...

I will post a little more info about how I am with heroin and why I may be able to chip so well later. There are a few reasons, both physically and mentally, which you guys may find interesting. Anyways, later.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[ktx49]

simple answer:

you have already been a regular user for 2 years.

read that statement again.

u simply avoid WDs which btw, is amazing, cause i get WDs from just a 4-5 day binge; especially when using the fentanyl. that short acting bastard...umm i love it though.

 

[greenadam29]

It is true that everyone gets WD's differently...i have a freind that after we do a two week oxy binge he wont go to school for three or more days and begs for methadone or more oxy...he simply cant handle the craving or the WD's. He also cant handle other things. Ive been doing coke on and off for two years and never have even been the slightest addicted. He on the other hand will keep going becuase he cant handle the cravings. Im just mentally stronger with stimulants than with opiates. But its different with everyone. If you accomplish overpowering the mental craving...its much easier...i think. For you its seems youve accomlished this well.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

If you accomplish overpowering the mental craving...its much easier...i think. For you its seems youve accomlished this well.

Yea, that may why I can do this. I've been told I'm too logical before, which I suppose can attribute to why I can interrupt binges or using if I have some obligations the next day, even if I really want to get high. One reason I don't go to get more after a binge is to prevent addiction, even if it is only for a week.

Anyways, reasons I can chip.

Mentally - Being so logical and being able to objectify my usage to know to at least take a short break so I don't develop an addiction. Even if I wanted to be use everyday and be a junky, it's just too damn expensive to cop a tolerance.

A lot of times I quit because something in my life replaces my desire to use. A girlfriend, for example. Certain things such as a breakup though, can also trigger me to start using real heavy, but as you already know, I have somewhat of a cycle with heroin. I suppose worst case scenario, I may use everyday but I will interrupt the cycles every month with a week break to prevent an addiction. Best case, I may meet the love of my life and the desire will never come back.

Physically - If I use everyday for more than a month, I start to get a strange psychosomatic reaction where I'll puke just from the smell of heroin. I have gone on a 2 month binge once, and at that point, I was puking my guts out just looking at heroin. When I was shooting up, I would puke at least 5 times and dry heave like crazy from the point of thinking of shooting up, to actually doing the act. I don't puke regularly when I use, but I guess since I have puked on heroin before, I think my mind kind of connects the two. It's pretty bad.

I've had it at times where I would puke from seeing brown soup just because I was on such a long binge. I can't really control it, I just puke my guts out. I would even think to myself "okay, it's just heroin, there's nothing to... oh god" and be heaving on the toilet bowl.

While puking or any other logical thing isn't really a reason to stop a user from getting high again, it certainly doesn't help you keep entertaining the addiction.

I suppose the fact it takes over a month for any sort of withdrawal symptoms to develop is another factor. While I think I have the willpower to stop if it only took a week, it sure wouldn't make it easier. It also takes as long for any tolerance to develop as well.

Another reason, which may be both physical and mental, is I don't up my dosage at all. I'm sure after a month long binge I could double my dosage, but I'm usually satisfied at keeping it the same level. There are times I like to totally push the envelope, but not too often.

I only use once a day, at the end of the day. I very rarely redose, and I don't think I've ever shot up three times, or more, in one day. One time I went two weeks shooting up twice a day, and at the end of those two weeks I stopped and 2 days later I had to use the bathroom and felt really shitty. 20 minutes in the bathroom and afterwards I felt fine. I'm not really sure if it was from the dope or because of eating bad food on vacation, but the dope probably didn't help. I've only shot up early once in my life, and that was at a dealer's place and he was taking a shot before we parted ways after breakfast.

I guess my advice to all those who want to chip, is just remember how expensive a tolerance is. Fuck that! And take any opportunity to take a break, be it vacation, a pretty date, a test in the morning, et cetera. No matter how shitty life is going, there are some things that you need to keep a priority on because it will outlast any problems your going through.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

Anyways to those who have chipped, what made you fail? How long did you last?

To those who chip, how do you do it, and for how long?