The addictions thread

[Genowyn]

Coming up on a year of not smoking next month. Also trying to quit smoking another substance at the moment, though that's not technically considered addictive.

[Chino]

Congrats. The second one is easy. If you were able to avoid real smokes for a year, pot should be a cake walk.

[Genowyn]

I was lucky in that I quit before I ever really became a heavy smoker. At first it was tough being around my friends while they're smoking but I've gotten used to it.

[lonestar]

Nice man, I'm at seven months smoke free today. Was a hell of a lot easier than other substances for sure.

[cramx3]

I wish my brother would quit smoking cigs.  I am not one to get on someones back or try to make them live life the way they don't want to, but since he moved in with me, I see for my own eyes just how much time he spends on the patio smoking cigs.  At the end of the day, you really have to WANT to quit and no one but yourself can make you do that.  I just wished he felt that way.  My younger sister wanted to and quit cold turkey, she said it was actually very easy but she also went to the gym and transformed herself and I am proud of her for that.

[jingle.boy]

Nice man, I'm at seven months smoke free today. Was a hell of a lot easier than other substances for sure.

Gotta get someone to yank that smoke outta your emot's mouth.

[lonestar]

Nice man, I'm at seven months smoke free today. Was a hell of a lot easier than other substances for sure.

Gotta get someone to yank that smoke outta your emot's mouth.

He's vaping....

[Kotowboy]

Where do you all draw the line between :

i . Really enjoying the taste of a drink

ii. Addicted to it ?

I drink a lot of coffee and / or coca cola but If I want to I can go without it for long periods without having any noticeable effects ? But they're by far the drink i enjoy the most.

[Cable]

Where do you all draw the line between :

i . Really enjoying the taste of a drink

ii. Addicted to it ?

I drink a lot of coffee and / or coca cola but If I want to I can go without it for long periods without having any noticeable effects ? But they're by far the drink i enjoy the most.

Several criteria per the book, which are basically two types; abuse and dependency. I think the terms changed, but I'm not professionally using the DSM 5 yet.  Dependency is self explanatory, where abuse is a bit grey. But abuse is beyond experimentation and use if that makes sense. It basically boils down to withdrawal symptoms if any, how it influences your relationships/career another, tolerance another, unsuccessful attempts to cut down usage and so on.

Many other folks here can better sum it up though in more sensible terms!

But the first would be use in moderation, so experimentation or use,  and the second is dependence.

[Sub Luna Vitrea]

(edited because I cannot delete)

[lonestar]

Pulling a necro thread to announce that I have one year without a fucking smoke. Fuck yeah me!!!!

[cramx3]

  congrats, great job! keep it up

[Genowyn]

Congrats man!

I've been about a year and a half without the tobacco and about half a year without the green stuff and don't find myself particularly craving either. I think the pot was easier to kick because by the time I stopped it wasn't really making me feel good anymore, just anxious and depressed. So my most recent memories of it aren't really happy ones.

So if I can just lose weight I'll be down to my body running on caffeine being what's gonna kill me

[Chino]

Nice RJ.

I will give you this answer, cause I'm not done smoking yet.


Kinda sounds like a cop out, but there is a lot of truth to it. When I was drinking, I thought about quitting many times, and tried and failed many times, but when I got out of the hospital over 20 months ago( ), I knew I was done. I didn't know how to live life sober, that's where the programs came in, but I knew I was done. Same thing with smoking, I think about quitting all the time, it's very high on my to do list, but in my heart of hearts, I know I'm not done yet. Make sense?

Good job.

[cramx3]

Congrats man!

I've been about a year and a half without the tobacco and about half a year without the green stuff and don't find myself particularly craving either. I think the pot was easier to kick because by the time I stopped it wasn't really making me feel good anymore, just anxious and depressed. So my most recent memories of it aren't really happy ones.

So if I can just lose weight I'll be down to my body running on caffeine being what's gonna kill me

That's the great thing about marijuana, its not a physical dependency so it's easy to stop if you put your mind to it, maybe a couple restless nights, but your body isn't going to fight you to give it up the way alcohol, caffiene, or heroin do to you.

[Prog Snob]

Pulling a necro thread to announce that I have one year without a fucking smoke. Fuck yeah me!!!!

Good for you, bro.

On a previous topic.... It's strange that the last time I posted here, I mentioned my thoughts about quitting drinking. It's along the same lines of your past problem. There's no control for me to just say, "I can have one or two drinks and then stop." Right around Xmas time, I went through three bottles of whisky and a 3 liter bottle of wine within a couple of weeks. So, that's concerning. I feel like I have so much going on in my life right now that taking on something else challenging would not help. It's a thought process right now.

[Train of Naught]

Pulling a necro thread to announce that I have one year without a fucking smoke. Fuck yeah me!!!!

Congrats , I already have more respect for you than half of my friends, and I don't even know you.

[TioJorge]

Awesome Arj, that's really good to hear. I totally forgot about this thread, I suppose a post is in order since I'm 4 months sober. I picked up smoking cigs the SECOND I knew I was going to have to quit drinking. Luckily I abhor them so I never developed any dependency but I was worried about it. Then I gained about 15 pounds because usually my meals would be a few bottles of wine and for some reason weed never gave me any kind of munchies so I gained a bit of weight but I'd rather get fat and work it off than stumble.

Anyway, stay strong dudes. I can say that I'm still alive because I'm not drinking anymore.

Gotta say, I'd love to be able to toke it up now and again but I know that if I get high enough I'll say "maybe a drink would be fine" and then I'm fucked. Thus, it's the edge of straightness for me! I'd rather be alive.

[lonestar]

Nice RJ.

I will give you this answer, cause I'm not done smoking yet.


Kinda sounds like a cop out, but there is a lot of truth to it. When I was drinking, I thought about quitting many times, and tried and failed many times, but when I got out of the hospital over 20 months ago( ), I knew I was done. I didn't know how to live life sober, that's where the programs came in, but I knew I was done. Same thing with smoking, I think about quitting all the time, it's very high on my to do list, but in my heart of hearts, I know I'm not done yet. Make sense?

Good job.

Funny you bring up that quote. In December, 2013, a good friend of mine who shared many of my habits had a stroke, and ended up paralyzed on the left side of his body. I knew at that moment I was done smoking, and within minutes of getting the call I set my quit date at January 6, 2014. In other words, I was done, and I knew I didn't have another smoke in me.

[gmillerdrake]

I set a 'quit date' as well when I cold turkeyed smokes and chew.....it was August 1st, 2002. At the time it gave me about three months of binge smoking/chewing to get my fill.

[lonestar]

I set a quit time at 9am, and I probably smoked three packs in the previous day.

[Cyclopssss]

Bought an espresso-machine. Pretty addictive! 

[cramx3]

Bought an espresso-machine. Pretty addictive! 

Same with my new keurig I got for Christmas, need caffeine

[King Postwhore]

I set a quit time at 9am, and I probably smoked three packs in the previous day.

My parents smoked 3 and 2 packs a day.  My mom passed away from lung cancer at age 64.  She stopped a little to late in life.

[Prog Snob]

Bought an espresso-machine. Pretty addictive! 

Same with my new keurig I got for Christmas, need caffeine

What do you think of it? I went through a couple of the machines but then lost interest. Personally, I was never overly fond of the taste.

[cramx3]

Bought an espresso-machine. Pretty addictive! 

Same with my new keurig I got for Christmas, need caffeine

What do you think of it? I went through a couple of the machines but then lost interest. Personally, I was never overly fond of the taste.

I don't mind it.  It's not going to be as good as a fresh brew, but it's quick and easy.  I have one in my office at work which is what inspired me to get one for home.  I personally like the Starbucks dark roasts.  I'm also not a coffee enthusiast, just need my caffeine fix and since I gave up soda for the most part, this is how I get it.

[Prog Snob]

Bought an espresso-machine. Pretty addictive! 

Same with my new keurig I got for Christmas, need caffeine

What do you think of it? I went through a couple of the machines but then lost interest. Personally, I was never overly fond of the taste.

I don't mind it.  It's not going to be as good as a fresh brew, but it's quick and easy.  I have one in my office at work which is what inspired me to get one for home.  I personally like the Starbucks dark roasts.  I'm also not a coffee enthusiast, just need my caffeine fix and since I gave up soda for the most part, this is how I get it.

The fix is real! The convenience is what is best about those machines, so they'll be around for a long time. Companies will always be looking for ways to improve them, so that's a benefit. A word of advice, if you're on the Staten Island Ferry, never drink it black. It always tastes burned so add lots of milk and sugar.  I'll pay the extra cents and get it from Starbucks instead.

[Chino]

My biggest problem with my Kuerig is its size. I need a 24oz coffee in the morning. I have to run the machine like four times and it takes forever.

[Prog Snob]

They make the standard ones up to 12oz. The newer ones are even better. You can make a carafe of coffee with one pod. How glorious.

[cramx3]

My biggest problem with my Kuerig is its size. I need a 24oz coffee in the morning. I have to run the machine like four times and it takes forever.

I actually have this problem too.  My Keurig has three size settings, but the largest size doesn't even fill my coffee cup.  I mean, it's enough coffee for me, but I would of thought the largest size would produce a lot more coffee.

[Tick]

I smoked a pack a day for 12 years. I gave it up in 88 so it’s been awhile. It was very hard to quit. I did it cold turkey and after 3 or 4 failed attempts I finally made it stick. My advice is don’t take no for an answer. Endure the pain for a few weeks and eventually you will start feeling free from it. Take each day you go to bed smoke free as a victory and draw from it. Think about the prize…Being smoke free is an amazing feeling and a great accomplishment for you! I truly wish you the best. Please keep going, don’t make the past week one of agony for nothing.

[Sub Luna Vitrea]

I've had some pretty serious problems with drinking and drugs in the past. Funny enough, since April I have had exactly two beers, each on separate nights, maybe in October and November. It never went beyond that, and I felt no need to drink during any holiday gatherings. I didn't drink at New Years, nor did I drink with my brother and sister-in-law last night while I was around them. I could have, but I didn't want to, so I didn't.

This is coming from someone who once didn't think it was possible for her to drink without spiralling out of control. For sure there have been times when this has happened. For example when I was homeless I tried to just drink a beer to ease the pain, and ended up doing hard drugs again by the end of the week. But nowadays there's no reason, and part of me wonders if this is because I've dealt with all the underlying causes, or I've just gotten lucky every time I drank.

I think probably a series of DT songs had once given me the impression I needed the 12 steps. I'm glad they work for Mike Portnoy, but I personally don't like them at all.

[Prog Snob]

I've had some pretty serious problems with drinking and drugs in the past. Funny enough, since April I have had exactly two beers, each on separate nights, maybe in October and November. It never went beyond that, and I felt no need to drink during any holiday gatherings. I didn't drink at New Years, nor did I drink with my brother and sister-in-law last night while I was around them. I could have, but I didn't want to, so I didn't.

This is coming from someone who once didn't think it was possible for her to drink without spiralling out of control. For sure there have been times when this has happened. For example when I was homeless I tried to just drink a beer to ease the pain, and ended up doing hard drugs again by the end of the week. But nowadays there's no reason, and part of me wonders if this is because I've dealt with all the underlying causes, or I've just gotten lucky every time I drank.

I think probably a series of DT songs had once given me the impression I needed the 12 steps. I'm glad they work for Mike Portnoy, but I personally don't like them at all.

Your thought process involving drinking is aligned with mine. I feel like it's completely random for me. A couple of weeks ago I went through three bottles of whisky and a 3 liter bottle of wine. But since then I haven't had anything at all, though I could have. I don't understand what causes the complete dependence one week, and the following week I pass up every chance to have it. When I was living in my car for a few days, I did nothing but drink cheap beer just so I could hope to pass out and sleep through it all.

I think it means we have it under control, but sometimes we just want that numbness. Twelve steps would never work for me either. It's not lack of control. It's more I don't always want to have control. Does that make sense?

[Sub Luna Vitrea]

Yes, it totally makes sense, but I think there is probably a reason why you don't always want control, and dealing with that reason, whatever it is, is probably the easiest way of making sure your life never spins out of control. It might be that whatever issue you are facing is way more manageable than you believe it is. Certainly, drinking is never going to solve what is making you want to lose control. Something else might.

[Prog Snob]

Yes, it totally makes sense, but I think there is probably a reason why you don't always want control, and dealing with that reason, whatever it is, is probably the easiest way of making sure your life never spins out of control. It might be that whatever issue you are facing is way more manageable than you believe it is. Certainly, drinking is never going to solve what is making you want to lose control. Something else might.

Ironically enough drinking is not the solution.

I get what you're saying though, regarding drinking solving any kind of problem. I think that I sometimes want to be depraved and indulge in something that is bad for me just to experience it. There really isn't much I haven't experienced in my life and sometimes there are things I want to do over and over because I like how they make me feel.