doing "softer" drugs after getting clean off "harder" drugs

[bennyZA]

To people who've gotten clean after serious, life destroying, addiction: Do you think it is possible to smoke weed, or occasionally use psycedlics, maybe even roll, or in some people's cases drink alcohol, after kicking the addiction to heroin, meth, crack, etc. This question is more targeted to people who were seriously addicted for a long time to a drug that ruined their relationships, their health, etc. I've heard good arguements on both sides of the issue. I know many people in 12 step treatments will say that you must be totally sober and clean from every drug. I've heard people say that weed - which many consider the safest drug - was the first step in their road to addiction. Some people also say that even smoking weed will eventually - and inevitably - cause a relapse when weed doesn't do it for you anymore.

That being said, I've also heard many people say (and this is my experience) that weed helped them get through wd's and satisfies their cravings for their DOC. Personally, I found that when I have a really nasty craving and really want to relapse, that weed calms me down and gets me in that "visionary" state of mind where I can see how fucked up relapsing would be. Recently, when I had the worst craving since my sobriety, I decided to take some LSD to realign my compass if you will. LSD and mescaline have always given me spiritual experiences. The LSD didn't make me want to do more drugs, in fact it reminded me how awesome life is not being addicted to smack and other opiates. Weed especially hits the spot. I know that I can never handle life completely sober, I'll go stir crazy and start drinking again which will inevitably make me lose control and get some smack. Which WILL eventually kill me, I can't control myself when I drink and do opiates. I just hate being sober 24/7/365. I go stir crazy. Sometimes I just need to be high, and it's better I smoke weed than my old DOC. This trip was the first time I did anything "harder" then weed (and LSD when rarely used and with proper set & setting is not dangerous). This trip put things in perspective and helped me understand how precious my life is. It reminded me how awful my life was as an addict, and how much better it is now, even though I still am having trouble with depression. I know a lot of people think LSD has psychiatric uses, and I totally agree with them.

A lot of people completely disagree with me... They think what I'm saying is going to eventually lead to a total relapse. Many think that people who were addicts need to learn how to be sober 24/7/365, and can't use an drug for recreational or self medicating purposes. This mostly comes from 12 steppers. What I usually point is that they drink coffee late into the night, and smoke cigarettes non-stop... to the point that they NEED cigarettes or they get anxious. Nicotine is a drug, and so is caffeine.

I've had this conversation with some people, and it can get heated. What do you guys think. What have been other people's experiences.

 

[PeedOff]

To be honest, If you put in an honest investment into your recovery when you use psychedelics you'll probably feel like shit that you relasped. Depends how long you've been clean for. If you're in the early stages of recovery, you're highly vulnerable to transfer your addiction to something else. You have to ask yourself "is this really making my life better?" I for one, failed at recovery. Back to doing every upper under the sun which started with an energy drink that was drank with the intent to get some sort of energetic caffeinated buzz. So as you can see, little things turn into to big things. If you accept the small things you'll accept the big things.

 

[Renz Envy]

I occasionally will relapse on a almost inescapable speed/ghb binge. (W/o speed- lethargy. w/o GHB- horrific panic attacks.)

If I use Vyvanse and Klonopin I can pop out of the hole without suffering too much. The switch between powerful and softer is still uncomfortable. Better than cold turkey. Often times the drug withdrawals ruin your life more than the drugs themselves. I'm not saying to get hooked on heroin or coke to keep working at a grocery store, but it's better in life to slowly move up and down on what your body needs to adapt to.

I'm currently in the process of tapering off. I feel rather normal, but not "I'm singing in the rain~" awesome. At the same time I've been proactive today. Had I cold turkey-ed it would have been a day spent in bed.

 

[MrKitty2]

^ well put Renz Envy.... I was on hard shit meth/heroin for 10+ years and I quit without treatment and now just dabble with the harder stuff here or there(chipping) i can smoke all the pot i want and drink if i want but i feel alcohol is THE SHITTIEST DRUG (IMO)..... if you can do it more power to you I am not tempted to overuse any drugs anymore, I really did just grow out of overindulging

 

[Serotonin101]

in my experience I could not chip at all. even occasional pot smoking usually lead to something else which lead to something else which lead to heroin. plus for me I have/had a needle fixation. the only way I really desire to get high is IV drug use. "I would like to proceed directly to the intravenous use of hard drugs please".

 

[Pissangel]

Yeah, that just seems awfully counterproductive. And it'd take a ton of self control. I know I could never do that, nor really want to seeing as I don't really enjoy any other drugs except for heroin. So if I were to quit it, nothing would compare. If I was doing drugs I'd want to be doing the drug I enjoy.

 

[helium-4]

I feel it is possible (though not everyone can manage it) for a good portion of people. One thing that is a requirement imo is that your life needs to be in order (and not just for a few weeks or months) before even considering jumping back in with some recreational use of non-physical dependent drugs like marijuana, psychedelics, disociatives, or whatever. You need to have regular health habits, like a comfortable job that doesn't leave you stressed every night, a healthy diet, regular exercise, a positive social life, hobbies you tend too multiple times a week, etc. Regular enough that they are a unconscious part of your life, and have been long enough to know whether they truly are here to stay. Its easy to fall into a psychological dependence to drugs, even marijuana, when your life doesn't possess daily goals, no happiness with out the aid of substances, or basically is just static. Light recreational drug use/responsible drug use should only exist, if you want to maintain healthy habits, when their use isn't to make you feel better or become less bored.

 

[Foreigner]

It depends on why you got addicted in the first place, and whether or not taking ANYTHING will become your gateway back to routine use or harder stuff.

I can't preclude the possibility that a psychedelic like LSD, DMT or mushrooms could be useful for you because they have psychotherapeutic value. You could use certain psychedelics to get to the root of some of your problems. And with something like LSD, you can't just keep going and going. After a single use you need to wait for it to work at all.

If you want to use them therapeutically, your intention must be genuine. Don't tell yourself it's about therapy but really you just want to get fucked up. I find that if you approach those kinds of psychs with a genuine, heart-felt intention they will always reveal truth to you.

 

[Pissangel]

^ That's a really interesting point that I'm sure could be utilized. I'd definitely be interested in doing so. Thanks for that insight.

 

[daytryptr]

If your shits in order, you have dealt with the addiction, and done some serious sober introspection as to why you did what you did, then yes.

If you whack dicipwhen, as the ancient chinese philosopher once said, its a coin toss with the relapse side leaded. Not impossible, but you get lucky if you can w/o relapsing. Got to control them urges/triggers at all costs, if thats not the case, stay away from most/all drugs until you can, if you ever can.