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  • EADD Moderators: Pissed_and_messed | Shinji Ikari

How do addicts afford their addictions?

spacejunk said:
- Going without things that aren't "essential" - which was sort of a sweetener in the aftermath of recovery: being able to 'treat myself' (or my girl, or a friend) to a nice meal, a gig, new clothes, holiday or whatever.
- As has already been mentioned, using 'cheap' drugs (Australian illicit drugs are all pretty fucking expensive - especially opiates). There are of course ways of maintaining a habit without paying big bucks to do so - no, not fucking dealers - which prevented my habit/tolerance from ever getting too far out of what i could afford.
Fortunately i was always a total failure when it came to dealing, so the poverty aspect had some kind of self-limiting positive aspects to it.
- Shoplifting. I tried to be as discerning about this as possible - tried to be as "ethical" about where i would swipe shit from (major chain stores and corporate supermarkets were 'fair game', but i would never do that shit any more - as i managed to keep this up for years without a criminal record, but feel it was inevitable that i'd have been caught eventually). I was good at it, too good at it.
- Stealing poppy pods. I used to have a mental list of all the gardens i knew that grew poppies, and go raid them year after year. Not proud of trashing some poor old biddie's garden in the dead of night, but i did used to make sure i sowed plenty of seed around for next season :/ I wound up with a lot of pods, which i would dry with a food dehydrator.
I also grew poppies - in my backyard at one place i lived, and numerous "guerrilla gardening" grows. Didnt feel guilty about that, especially when there were poppies growing all over my university campus...

I know my opiate addiction was pretty mild compared to most people who get hooked on smack or prescription opioids, but it still had me pretty firmly in its grip.
The fact that i didnt go into it with a hell of a lot of expendable income (or connections for H) was probably my saving grace in many ways - australian gear is often pretty fucking good, but always very fucking expensive. So i could afford it by primarily using opium pods and seed wash.
Still not worth the cost on my health (having my immune system back in top condition is one of those things you don't necessarily notice until it returns), relationships or the amount of time, effort and stress of staying well.
It's good to have put that part of my life behind me.
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Great sum up!

Addicted fellows who really need their daily fix tend to be quite creative. A couple of times when I was younger I ran out of cash and started to ask a lot of people money to go back home. In 30 minutes I had what I needed.

Later I found out that working was my best option but once I realized how much I was going through to maintain my habits I decided to quit. Did not succeed so easily as I had thought and from there things just got worse.

I suppose parents can always help you, provided they don't know what the money is for obviously. Besides working, selling stuff you don't need will do, and of course selling stuff you really need which always make you regret as you give them away so easily.

If I ever counted how much money I've spent on opiates and other drugs until I quit I could probably have purchased a second home. It's incredible how good we become when we really need to get drugs opposed to when we really need to get a job imo/e.
 
I was a very high functioning alcoholic for a long time. I made very good money working in oil and gas, a career that creates so many of us alcoholics/addicts its insane. Spending $10k on a week long crack binge was easily covered when I could go out the next month and make $15k. This type of behaviour cost me my first marriage and damn near my second as well. About a year ago I was hospitalized after an overdose of alcohol and script pills. When I woke up in hospital, I thought I had been in overnight... Turns out I had a psychotic break, and had been there for 2 weeks.
 
BlindHelperMonkey said:
amazing the number of ethical junkies we got here
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It's very hard to remain ethical when caught in the grip of a serious addiction which can encourage behaviour one normally wouldn't contemplate, but IME, many street level junkies have been brought up to view that behaviour as 'the norm' rather than a last resort. I've known bagheads who didn't need to go out grafting, but did it anyway because that's what junkies do, innit? I even knew some girls that would make 'going grafting' into a fun day out! Then there's the blatant boasting about ripping people off... "I fuckin' had so and so off last night for 6 bags, that'll fuckin teach him, the soft cunt.."

It's all so Shameless....
 
You've never met a proper tweaker then. Meth addicts can be far more insidious.

Like they say, junkies will steal your TV, meth heads will steal your TV, then help you look for it.
 
I've met many a heroin addict play the "I'll help you look for it mate" card too. The drug is irrelevant, it's how deep that person has gotten into it which causes the behaviour, some more extreme than others. Coke, ket, weed, whatever, if they're addicts they will lie and steal to get what they want..

I always found it easier to work. I've stolen cash, and lots of it to feed my habit when I was at my worse which im not proud of but it's way down the list of my regrets.. it doesn't actually make the list. It was a huge multi national company who was scamming their customers, which I clocked and I creamed off of their ill gotten gains.
 
In my early teens I was so addicted to hash I sold all my worldly possessions for smoke my bedroom went from being kitted out with all the latest consoles and gadgets to a black and white portable within a year,Not proud to admit it but I stole for a smoke too.Nearly stole my grandads camcorder but thank fuck my conscience kicked in not so for the shit loads of car stereos I would have away on a weekly basis.
 
ScotchMist said:
I've met many a heroin addict play the "I'll help you look for it mate" card too. The drug is irrelevant, it's how deep that person has gotten into it which causes the behaviour, some more extreme than others. Coke, ket, weed, whatever, if they're addicts they will lie and steal to get what they want..
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Truthquoted. And this is a point well worth emphasising: the individual person - in almost all cases - would not be robbing and/or worse if they weren't already heavily addicted to something or had other major issues going on. The next concern is why that particular individual is addicted to something. There could be any number of reasons for this - note: reasons, never excuses. Uncover what these are and that right there is the real problem. Has fuck all to do with "bad people" and such bullshit. I have no doubt there are instances of people for whom there truly is no obvious cause for their behaviour based upon any circumstantial matters. Such people must surely exist. I double dare any of y'all to find one though.
 
Bob Funkhouse said:
Shambles said:
Truthquoted. And this is a point well worth emphasising: the individual person - in almost all cases - would not be robbing and/or worse if they weren't already heavily addicted to something or had other major issues going on. The next concern is why that particular individual is addicted to something. There could be any number of reasons for this - note: reasons, never excuses. Uncover what these are and that right there is the real problem. Has fuck all to do with "bad people" and such bullshit. I have no doubt there are instances of people for whom there truly is no obvious cause for their behaviour based upon any circumstantial matters. Such people must surely exist. I double dare any of y'all to find one though.
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Truthquoted again. As you say there's always reasons and I imagine the majority never even uncover them themselves.
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Mmm... While what he said may apply to some individuals, i don't think it's fair to say "in almost all cases". Some people are more caring than others; we all know that. Exemplified in life, and on this very board. I think it's fair to assume a more caring person would be less likely to let themselves become involved in a substance that is known for turning someone into a ruthless, careless, senseless, soulless fiend... and a careless person would not be so concerned of the consequences.

It's an interesting topic, would like to hear a few more thoughts...


edit; not saying all drug addicts are bad people! just that the scene does collect some of societies malignant folk
 
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Where would those who struggle with sociopathy be placed in terms of malignancy?
If one is physically unable to experience remorse for their actions then how does one address the negativity of such?
Is it acceptable to punish a 'wrong' action when the offending party simply has no concept of right or wrong in the first place?
 
I would say it is necessary to deal with such people one way or another. If that means secure units then it unfortunately has to be cos that's like any other genetic defect - we have no "cure" for it but it remains a (potentially) horrendous condition which most likely ruins the sufferer's life. And yes, yes that does include those who become bankers and so forth. They won't recognise their life is pitiful almost by definition. We should though and should provide whatever assistance is most appropriate to the given situation. And, sadly, I would have to accept that in some situations that help would be very little indeed and that some of those individuals would have to be removed from society. Or at the very least have their access to society strictly limited and controlled until or unless there is any other option viable available.

More directly relevant to your question, no it is not acceptable to punish in quite the same way as you would somebody who does not have such a condition. The end result may be broadly similar - removal from society - but there is a definite difference between doing terrible things without reason and doing terrible things because you don't understand why they are terrible things in the same way most of us do. Broadly speaking, secure units not prisons imo.
 
Bob Funkhouse said:
Scotch, it doesn't sound like you should regret stealing that money at all, quite the opposite in fact.
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Yeah, like I said, it doesn't register as a regret.

I do have a regret about it actually, the fact that I wasted it all on drugs. Over the two years I was at it with my pittance of a wage and the scam I'd be of been not far off mortgage free at the age of 21 or 22 :\

Ah well...
 
Shambles said:
And how does society form malignancies, Raas? This is the underlying issue. This is the thing that needs to be solved.
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Some people are just cunts, Shambles and drawn to bad things. Hitler and Nazi leaders, Sadam, Ian Brady, Jimmy Saville, Margeret Thatcher, Josef Fritzl, Sammy G, Hulk Hogan etc etc* there's no big underlying issue and if there is, only some people would let it dominate them.

ScotchMist said:
Yeah, like I said, it doesn't register as a regret.

I do have a regret about it actually, the fact that I wasted it all on drugs. Over the two years I was at it with my pittance of a wage and the scam I'd be of been not far off mortgage free at the age of 21 or 22 :\

Ah well...
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fucking hell, i thought scamming a corp by a few quid was excusable, but nearly clearing your mortgage at 21/22?? how many hundreds of thousands did you rob them of?? is this why Tescos have gone into such financial trouble!?!?
 
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ScotchMist said:
Yeah, like I said, it doesn't register as a regret.

I do have a regret about it actually, the fact that I wasted it all on drugs. Over the two years I was at it with my pittance of a wage and the scam I'd be of been not far off mortgage free at the age of 21 or 22 :\

Ah well...
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Stealing is stealing. Low life's typically have no regret because they justify their theft. It shouldn't matter if it's a large company, a wealthy self made man or simply a small business owner who is bit of a prick. And you wonder why junkies get a bad name?
 
I don't wonder why junkies get a bad name actually. Joe public only tend to hear about the scally who stole some old dears purse.

I'm not proud of it, like I said, but I don't regret it. They were stealing from their customers, other large companies, I was creaming off that. I was a kid with an addiction and saw an opportunity, would I do it now, no.

I'm not a low life either.. You should be careful OTW, they crucified the last guy who was perfect. :p

@Raas - It was a fair amount but it wasn't anywhere near that much. I quickly totted a rough amount up in my head which after thinking about it properly wouldn't be right. Be a nice hole in the mortgage though..
 
I personnaly think one of the main reason for addiction is vacuum. Have a filled life and you reduced drastically your chances to become addicted.

edit : Sorry I didn't even properly read the question ^^'
 
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Shambles said:
Truthquoted. And this is a point well worth emphasising: the individual person - in almost all cases - would not be robbing and/or worse if they weren't already heavily addicted to something or had other major issues going on. The next concern is why that particular individual is addicted to something. There could be any number of reasons for this - note: reasons, never excuses. Uncover what these are and that right there is the real problem. Has fuck all to do with "bad people" and such bullshit. I have no doubt there are instances of people for whom there truly is no obvious cause for their behaviour based upon any circumstantial matters. Such people must surely exist. I double dare any of y'all to find one though.
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You hear anecdotal tales of middle class non addicted professionals, and other people who are not desperate for the money, presumably with a shilling or 2 to spare going out shop-lifting for 'the buzz.' Many of us went through this 'phase' at school. Fuck, it was so easy in the small towns i grew up in. Everyone was so trusting, and i betrayed that trust, for no reason, other than the buzz of free aquisition and the inherent risk of getting away with it or getting caught. Many non addict thieves on benefits go out shop lifting to boost the pittance the government gives them to "live" on.

I'm talking about retail establishments here, i never stole from friends or family, the thought never really crossed my mind, apart from on one occasion stealing some loose change from my Dad, and a certain pornographic book that i could not resist. It was ludicrous to steal money from him, he was always more than extremely generous with me, I'm sure he would have freely given me the money if I'd only asked. 8( it was only a couple of quid, but thats not the point. :\
 
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I lied and stole and cheated, always after the next bit of money to make sure I wasn't sick as a dog in the next six hours. It changed my very being in a very dark way, this shady, deceptive, fuck others over frame of mind came over me, and dealt with the consequences as they arrived
 
Acidtek said:
I lied and stole and cheated, always after the next bit of money to make sure I wasn't sick as a dog in the next six hours. It changed my very being in a very dark way, this shady, deceptive, fuck others over frame of mind came over me, and dealt with the consequences as they arrived
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It is, naughty stuff to take, really, isn't it...
 
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