Drug Anticipation and Preferences ?

[Tanner Blaze]

I was looking through my journal the other day and noticed I had some diary entries describing something I called "DA Urges". I never knew how to describe this but when I used cocaine and meth, I wouldn't be able to sleep the night before I was going to score. It was almost as if my brain was salivating on an unconcious level. Anyone here who's used stims probably knows you kind of have to plan your day around your usage because eventually it becomes the priority over anything else you need to get done. I also noticed something I wrote down called "Home Base". This was the term I used for a restaurant across the street from my dealers apartment that I would go to while tweaking. It never made much sense why I would drive 40 min out of my way after work and sit in this parking lot and smoke in my car even after the guy moved away. I remember trying to order my food and eat it as fast as I could before the appetite suppresion kicked in. (I remember one time on Christmas eve ordering a huge amount of food and by the time it came I couldn't even touch it.) I found out later I had developed what is called 'Conditioned Place Preference'. From Wiki:

Humans have also been shown to develop conditioned place preferences; for example, individuals taking therapeutic doses of amphetamine develop a CPP for where they consumed the drug.

When I eventually got clean I remember having certain triggers that seemed to bring about cravings. I didn't understand if this was all in my head or if I was going crazy. For example I always used a different cologne for each day of the week. It turned out that on Mondays (my day off work and almost always the day I used stims), I used Calvin Klein Eternity. One day after getting clean I was having lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and the guy next to me at the bar was wearing this same cologne. I kept thinking how nice it would be to score some stims it was almost like I could taste it but I didn't understand why since I hadn't used in a while. Looking back I think my brain had associated the smell of the cologne to the day of the week I always got high on. Anyone else experienced anticipation, triggers, or CPP?

 

[cj]

Good post. When I was using heroin heavily I would start vomiting from anticipation right before I scored with it continuing until I got the drug in my vein. It was the craziest thing because it even happened when I wasn't dope sick!

These days I get really bad cravings when I drive by the interstate exit I used to score at. I am going to think a little bit more about your post and come back because this is a really interesting topic

 

[Captain.Heroin]

The body begins compensating for tolerance by inducing reverse effects of drugs (increased heart rate, BP, breathing, etc) so you don't die from ever increasing dosages.

This is why tolerant heroin users don't die taking massive amounts.

This is also partially why withdrawal is so bad.

 

[Tinker55]

I think a lot of people experience triggers as a state of mind-ie certain types of stress or situations. I know at least two people who picked and relapsed at the death of family members, but were able to stay clean while losing a job or health issues.

Eta: I hope I'm not trespassing on the Rule about triggering posts?

 

[Burnt Offerings]

There's a bar I used to like to go to on LSD. Just because it was quiet, had some nice colors to look at & I could enjoy a cheap beer.

There's also a diner I've been at while on...well, you name the drug pretty much lol. When I drive past spots I used to score at I'll often think of drugs. I've never really had particular smells trigger anything drug-related...although smells (especially things like perfume) will definitely make me think of certain people or times in my life when I encounter them randomly in day-to-day life. The only smell I associate strongly with drugs is the smell of vinegar

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I think a lot of people experience triggers as a state of mind-ie certain types of stress or situations. I know at least two people who picked and relapsed at the death of family members, but were able to stay clean while losing a job or health issues.

Eta: I hope I'm not trespassing on the Rule about triggering posts?

You're fine.