Worried about DXM use

[MessyHead]

Recently started taking DXM every few days. I don't take a huge amount, but it definitely affects my behavior. I'm worried that my family will find out somehow, and it'll cause me some serious issues.

I saw a counsellor recently but she said that until I want to stop taking drugs, they can't help me. The truth is, I don't want to stop yet, even though I know it is risking my family life.

I take DXM because it makes me feel good (obviously), but it also helps me to forget about how much I dislike my life. I take an SSRI too for depression.

My question is: how can I stop myself wanting to take drugs, before they cause me really serious issues with my family.

 

[Abject]

DXM and SSRIs mixed can cause serotonin syndrome. Pick one.

 

[Seattle_Stranger]

DXM and SSRIs mixed can cause serotonin syndrome. Pick one.

This. Also, chronic DXM use causes lesions on your brain. https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/dxm/dxm_health1.shtml#I


DXM is just about the worst choice if you're looking to self-medicate. Something is telling me you are young and probably don't have access to anything else. I'm going to give you the most cliche answer, but it is indeed the best one: Stop using drugs and try to improve your life, it's the only way. You already are aware that what you're doing is wrong, so why continue?

If you absolutely must self-medicate, go for something like cannabis, kava, or even kratom. Don't use DXM...

 

[herbavore]

My question is: how can I stop myself wanting to take drugs, before they cause me really serious issues with my family.

I think that you could have shortened that question to this: How can I stop myself wanting to take drugs?

1) Understand why you want them. Boredom? Fear/anxiety? Adventure? Despair? When you can begin to understand your own attraction and motivations you can address them more clearly.

2) Take care of the basics. Research food choices and how they affect your mood, motivation etc. Eat healthy foods, get exercise every single day and get a good night's sleep. Another very important "basic" that often gets overlooked is intimacy. Deepen your friendships by being a good friend yourself. Nurture your relationships.

3) Create new brain pathways and stimulate your brain with new interests and endeavors. Some research has shown that chronic depression is characterized by a lack of new growth in the brain. Creating something--from music to pottery to a complicated meal--creates new pathways in the brain. No drugs needed!

I am not meaning to undervalue your concern for your relationship with your family. I admire you for caring about it and giving it the respect it deserves. I am just concerned that you may be trying to do this for someone else. Recovery is recovering your relationship to yourself, for yourself. Everything else naturally follows.

 

[Jabberwocky]

This. Also, chronic DXM use causes lesions on your brain. https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/dxm/dxm_health1.shtml#I


DXM is just about the worst choice if you're looking to self-medicate. Something is telling me you are young and probably don't have access to anything else. I'm going to give you the most cliche answer, but it is indeed the best one: Stop using drugs and try to improve your life, it's the only way. You already are aware that what you're doing is wrong, so why continue?

If you absolutely must self-medicate, go for something like cannabis, kava, or even kratom. Don't use DXM...

While I'm not suggesting one use any significantly recreational dose of DXM anything more than rarely, the whole brain lesion thing is the last thing the OP has to worry about. So, in other words, while their possibility and DXM's other consequences on one's health (the way it affects one's ability to process analytical information is much more disturbing imho) should serve as a motivating factor to healthier habits, don't let this stuff bother you. Right now you're best off finding ways to remove the DXM use from the equation.

I do agree that you'd better off using a less potentially harmful substitute for DXM, as there is nothing inherently wrong with feeling like your genuine self doesn't want or isn't ready to stop using outright. While there are a lot of other drugs that would be definitely not helpful in terms of any long term use (regular benzo, opioid, alcohol or methamp use for instance), there are still a lot of other drugs that would allow you to get high while minimizing any harm associated with their use (e.g. if you enjoy cannabis try replacing your DXM with that).

And as herbavore said, the better you can understand you current situation with clarity, the better it will get. I imagine, in my experience, especially the case with drugs like DXM that leave a lasting "glow" or effect on my mind, like a difficult in thinking with clarity. Hence the usefulness of getting away from DXM itself before getting into anything to heavy. I am willing to bet that 1-4 weeks without any DXM will help you to think much more clearly, or at least bring the prospect of that.

As an NMDA antagonist, I do love drugs like DXM given their application in medicine (see ketamine and depression or DXM and tolerance). But this is not like how it sound you're using such a drug.

Feel better! Once you find yourself seeing more clearly things will snowball into something good for ya, don't worry