Substituting addictions

[omt]

Anyone have any advice on how to stop swapping one addiction for another?

I was using amphetamines heavily for about a year and was out of work and ended up in debt and hearing voices which prompted me to heavily cut down. I have not taken any amphetamines for about 5 weeks at the moment and although I am planning to take a little at a night out in a few weeks, given that it is probably still theoretically my DOC I feel I am doing well.

However this big problem I I have now is not finding myself in another addiction. I have already been through 1 short addiction cycle with 1,4 B and have found myself drinking more than I used to (and getting messier due to having no stimulant in my system). I have also bought heroin several times (although not for a fortnight) and am doing a codeine CWE 2-3 times a week. I do not have an opiate addiction but feel I need to watch this as I have been addicted to many substances in the past and can not do drugs that work on dopamine very often due to the psychosis issue so have drifted more towards opiates a bit. In addition I love pcp and 3meo-pcp, which are potentially the worst things for my psychosis apart from amphetamines due to them being strong dopamine reuptake inhibitors.

Basically how do you learn to be content doing less drugs/being sober when you love drugs and are used to using some type of drug constantly??? I'm not depressed or have any deep underlying reason for using atm other than I really enjoy it and am used to it and it gives me something to look forward to. But I don't want my life ruined by addiction again...

 

[herbavore]

Basically how do you learn to be content doing less drugs/being sober when you love drugs and are used to using some type of drug constantly??? I'm not depressed or have any deep underlying reason for using atm other than I really enjoy it and am used to it and it gives me something to look forward to. But I don't want my life ruined by addiction again...

First you have the intent, which it seems you do. Then you can begin to try to identify what it is you love and look forward to and try to create similar experiences without using. If you love adrenaline rushes, there are so many things that can give you this. If it is to alleviate boredom, pay attention to your interests and commit to following just one of them in the beginning and then add more. If it is increased energy and motivation, enough can't be said about exercising and diet. The problem is that drugs give you what you are looking for easily whereas non-drug alternatives take a lot of commitment and sometimes hard work. I think the rewards are most apparent a ways down the road when you realize the stress you've given up, the control you feel over your life and your brain has had a chance to heal and regain some balance. In other words, if you expect it to get hard before it gets easier, you will have a better chance of sticking to your intent.I hope you do. It's a good one.

 

[Pagey]

I feel for you - when I finally managed to get off my ridiculously high xanax dosages I just started using oxy a couple months later and ended up addicted to that instead. It's great you realize what's happening because I certainly didn't, and that's really going to help you avoid addiction again. There really isn't much to say apart from just stop taking the codeine...especially since with codeine you have the added danger of going up the opiate ladder which is almost inevitable, sadly.
You may love drugs and it MIGHT be possible for you to return to very limited use one day (MAYBE) but for now you really need to take some time off them and focus on your recovery. You know they're only going to hurt you, just think of that and think of how proud you'll be of yourself if you manage to stay sober!!

 

[RobotRipping]

i rotate between addictions and it's certainly not ideal. The way to stop is to force yourself to do everything sober. Before going into it, realize it will be hard, impossibly hard, and as you go through it remember that it will help you. Drugs are like eating some super sugary candy that gives you energy for 10 minutes as opposed to being sober and doing things, which is like eating an apple, it's longer, less exciting but more wholesome and worthwhile in the end. The feeling of accomplishing a huge goal in your life is a sustainable euphoria, there is no paranoia or edginess to that feeling, it is just great all around. It also lasts longer and improves every aspect of your existence. So the hard work you put in, is worth it in the end.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

^Really well said

 

[DooMMooD]

Perhaps the solution for you is NOT to "stop substituting one addiction with another" but rather subsitute a POSITIVE addiction.

It clearly seems you are unable to function without some sort of "addiction" (or "hobby" some would say). Consider replacing your detrimental addictions with positive ones (ie not substances or gambling). No one ever knocked on someone for being addicted to winning, although sometimes they should (eg someone who wants to win despite the costs). Make your addiction reading, the gym, building birdhouses, anything. Shit make your addiction to video games, at least you wont end up OD'd on a copy of Half-Life 2.

I have become addicted to working out and doing well academically myself, as I am addicted to the discovery of what I would deem "truths".

This took MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TIME! Half a year to a year of my life. You're gonna have to put in the work in order to transition from a negative, detrimental addiction to a positively focused one. It won't be easy, dont get it twisted. It definitely will be worth it in the end though.

Just food for thought.

 

[Sweet P]

Unfortunately a lot of addicts I've known (myself included) always seem to be addicted to something. If we quit one thing, something else takes it's place - whether that be drugs, food, sex, gambling, and so on. I had a severe methamphetamine habit for years, and finally managed to give that up a few months ago. It was partly my decision, and partly I was forced to, as a lot of my suppliers went to prison or simply stopped dealing for whatever reason. Also, the quality of meth in my city seems to be getting worse, and I had such a high tolerance to it that my addiction was becoming unaffordable. Those things made quitting a lot easier. Even though I've now quit meth, I'm not totally clean, as I most days I self medicate with diazepam and pharmaceutical dex-amphetamine tablets. I've also been smoking a lot more cigarettes since I stopped smoking meth, so I guess you could say I have substituted my meth addiction for other things.

 

[ArtVandalay]

Substitute it for something healthy. I traded in addiction for longboarding- actually feel awesome after skating long distance. Endorphins get flowing and it's just fun.

 

[omt]

Thanks for all of your input and advice. I fully agree with DooMMooD about not focusing so much on not doing things as filling my time with positive non-drug activities. This was something that really worked for me during my initial period of not constantly using amphetamines.

 

[chrisalt]

I wish i had some sort of advice for you... ive gone from one to drug to another to all at once since i was 14