Addiction advice thread

[Sherbang]

Hi, I'm Praeses and I'm addicted to caffeine. It's been two days since my last chocolate/coffee. Just been drinking water and rooibos. It's a rough road, got a headache atm. Damn you, sweet dark yummy liquid!

/me waits for the rest of C-anon to say hi.

I feel comatose...need...coffee...help...me!

Hi!

looks like you're almost through the worst of it. the withdrawel symptoms peak at 48 hours. Asprin or paracetomol should help relieve the headache. ..

Withdrawal symptoms—possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints[34]—may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days, representing the time required for the number of adenosine receptors in the brain to revert to "normal" levels, uninfluenced by caffeine consumption. Analgesics, such as aspirin, may relieve the pain symptoms, as may a small dose of caffeine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Tolerance_and_withdrawal

 

[The Voice]

Yeah, not so sure I'm addicted tbh - I have way too much blood in my caffeine stream for that to happen!

Back on track, though: cigarettes, coffee, Coca-Cola and online gaming are my vices.

 

[Mercury12]

3 Weeks and coke free.

 

[Kornhub]

3 Weeks and coke free.

What about the cheese addiction?

 

[Mercury12]

hmmm I dont get it?

 

[Kornhub]

hmmm I dont get it?

User name ratty

 

[Mercury12]

User name ratty

Lol, more like left overs Ive also been off all sports news for the past week. As lame as it sounds I would be refreshing various sports pages every couple of minutes, lets see how long it lasts.

 

[Kornhub]

Does anyone know of anyone who has tapered themselves off alcohol?

 

[copacetic]

Does anyone know of anyone who has tapered themselves off alcohol?

I stop drinking on an alarmingly regular basis.

It's not the stopping that's hard. It's not starting again that's the problem.

 

[Grimspoon]

Does anyone know of anyone who has tapered themselves off alcohol?

Why on earth would someone want to do such a thing?

 

[Fuma]

I wish I was addicted to water. I can go the whole day without drinking it.

 

[syntax]

Does anyone know of anyone who has tapered themselves off alcohol?

i did it for about a year. It depends why you drink i think, i do it as a social thing. All my friends drink, we go to pubs etc and talk rubbish and drink.
I managed to do it by having one of those friends stop with me, and by substituting booze for sport. Unfortunately, i also had to make sure if I went out in the beginning, i stayed for very short periods and didnt get too into the "mood". It turned me into a bit of a wet, but I know staying longer and getting into the vibe of the evening was a sure way to ruin booze free idea.

I also found that having a sports bag constantly packed helps, everytime i used to get that call to go to the pub, or want to call someone else, I went straight to the gym. After the workout, you are less likely to booze

 

[Sherbang]

Why on earth would someone want to do such a thing?

You mean aside from the serious health complications caused by long term alcohol abuse? How about wanting to avoid damage to your emotional stability, your finances, your career and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships?

 

[syntax]

You mean aside from the serious health complications caused by long term alcohol abuse? How about wanting to avoid damage to your emotional stability, your finances, your career and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships?

I understand the seriousness and all that, but the smiley face at the end meant it was a bit of a joke.

 

[Sherbang]

I understand the seriousness and all that, but the smiley face at the end meant it was a bit of a joke.

Not funny though, more like peer pressure. Someone wants to make a positive change in his life, he needs support for his decision, not jokes. That's why AA/NA are so 'strict' about leaving your social group behind. You say 'I want to stop drinking', they say 'why would you want to do that, ha ha ha, come on, have another beer boet, stop being so serious ha ha ha' and so it goes...

 

[Dolby]

That's why AA/NA are so 'strict' about leaving your social group behind.

Please don't tell me you feel that're a good organisation?

 

[Sherbang]

Please don't tell me you feel that're a good organisation?

Well my point was about peer pressure, not to debate the merits of AA/NA.

It's good for some and not others - I don't think there is a one size fits all solution to addiction but AA/NA definitely works for some people.
(I know this from experience - 2 friends, 1 an ex-heroin addict and 1 an ex-alcoholic, both of whom are clean and sober for many years now after going through the AA/NA program)
I have a problem with some of their teachings and I personally think harm reduction strategies are more effective
than than the 'total abstinence or die' philosophy of AA/NA (which I don't agree with) but I wouldn't label them a bad organization.
I do think it's important to distance yourself from a social circle that encourages use of a substance you are trying to moderate or quit.
That seems pretty obvious to me.

 

[Dolby]

I do think it's important to distance yourself from a social circle that encourages use of a substance you are trying to moderate or quit

Thing with AA/NA is *everyone* (other than themselves) are bad, evil and should be avoided. Siblings, parents, partners etc are all bad people and they're urged to follow the cult or cult leaders themselves. The cult leaders often take advantage of the weaker newcomers and there's 13th stepping involved.

Sadly, it's not even an isolated case ... happens very often and all over the world

 

[Sherbang]

Thing with AA/NA is *everyone* (other than themselves) are bad, evil and should be avoided. Siblings, parents, partners etc are all bad people and they're urged to follow the cult or cult leaders themselves. The cult leaders often take advantage of the weaker newcomers and there's 13th stepping involved.

Sadly, it's not even an isolated case ... happens very often and all over the world

Sorry, but that hasn't been my experience of it at all.
Both of my friends who are involved in AA/NA have active social and family lives. I'm not involved in AA/NA at all and we're still friends.
My friend who was a heroin addict is closer to her mother now than she was before (she is currently living with her mom, previously she was living on the street)
and I've seen no cult like behavior whatsoever.
My other friend, the alcoholic is older but also has a much better relationship with his children than he did before while he was drinking.
Most of his friends are people who have nothing whatsoever to do with AA.
Yes, they both still go to meetings a couple of times a month, both have sponsors and sponsees, but I can't relate at all to what you have described there.

 

[Dolby]

You're more than welcome to read some letters here http://www.orange-papers.org/ ... just scroll to the bottom

I think there's close to 3,000+ there ... they all follow the same theme. Alternativly there is Google - but this is a pointless debate. If it worked for them, great.