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Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

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Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#141

Post by pestaa »

anon_addict wrote: post #140

I was a hardcore IV heroin and cocaine addict for 10 years. Contracted Hep C, did 2 years in jail, and ruined every relationship that I crossed paths with. After dozens of detoxes, jail, prison, several rehabs, and a year of homelessness on the streets of NYC for an entire winter, I had had enough. I moved to Cali and got back to my roots, computers. I picked up HTML / CSS and started learning Javascript. I started d…

Thanks for your story. It must have been tough, rebuilding a whole life. Good luck.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#142

Post by erikb »

People grow out of it? Seriously? I don't like seeing addiction only in the traditional way of hardcore drugs, alcohol, etc. There are loads of addictions that aren't even recognized by doctors as such, but are quite far spread. Most of all cigarettes (I don't know any person who gets treated for cigarette addiction), sugar, gambling, virtual realities like tv shows or digital games. In Germany I feel over 50% of the people around me smoke. In nerd circles around me over 80% of people are addicted to either sugar, caffeine, or gaming. In my family I even have 2.5 cases of serious alcohol addiction that is neither treated nor recognized by the addicted. And I live in a middle class family. In lower class families it might be much worse. Maybe I misunderstand the article, but I think saying that most people grow out of addiction is way off reality. I'd argue most people on this planet are hooked to at least one thing, and nearly nobody drops their addictions.

I personally are certainly addicted to sugar. If I don't get my coloa/chocolate/icecream, I feel tired, hungry, sad, and am sometimes in pain, can't think about something else but sugar, and sometimes even walk long distances in the middle of the night in the worst of weathers to get to a 24 hours shop to buy something, if I don't have something at home. Telling this to doctors just yields them saying I'll get diabetes (or might already have it) if I don't change my behaviour, which is pretty much what I already know. Requesting general addiction treatment or food advisory training is not covered by my health care, they say.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#143

Post by erikb »

BigChiefSmokem wrote: post #64
0x420 wrote: post #43

As someone who struggled with cocaine, heroin and prescription opioid addictions throughout my teenage years, this resonates with me quite a bit, but I'm not sure if I agree with the conclusions the author is drawing. I got clean with no help either - and yet, many years later, I still consider myself "in recovery." I view my recovery as a never-ending process; even though I haven't touched the substances themselves…

You don't have answer this but I have to ask, did you find some other less severe addiction to cope - like marijuana for example? I ask because, well, your username.

You can be addicted to marijuana? It's the first time I read this. Or is it just something I interpret into your comment?

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#144

Post by smcl »

nemo wrote: post #127

Unfortunately 12-step dogma has persuaded a lot of people that addiction is an inescapable fate, an innate disease/magical curse that can only be managed by joining their religious program for life. The worst part of this is that the 12 step myth of powerlessness creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's so colored the popular imagination of what addiction is and how to treat it that when the fact that the majority of…

This exact subject was covered in South Park in the episode "Bloody Mary": http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s09e14-bloody-mary

Often they layer it on pretty thick but South Park can be pretty incisive satire, especially as many quickly dismiss it for crass\childish humour.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#145

Post by CPLX »

matwood wrote: post #82
sterlingross wrote: post #66

From my experience and observations, most people don't grow out of being addicted, they simply shift their focus of addiction. This often goes unnoticed because there are many people who are addicted to things that the majority of society wouldn't consider an addiction. One might give up an "unhealthy" addiction for a socially acceptable one. Or their unhealthy addiction may simply shift, from one substance to anothe…

The coin flip decision making is an interesting and fun experiment. Sometimes when going out with friends we'll leave all decisions for the night up to the coin. It is freeing and irksome when a choice does not go the way you want.

20-sided dice, bro.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#146

Post by adrianhoward »

wozniacki wrote: post #118
verisimilidude wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment resonates with me quite a bit. During my high school years, I suffered a bad accident. My right forearm was pretty much shattered, almost amputated. For about a week after all the surgeries, I was on Vicodin 24/7. Just from that, I was addicted. The withdrawal was miserable, and obviously came at the worst possible time. That one week with Vicodin continues to have profound effects on my life, even now t…

Okay, I have long wanted to know this about alcoholics and alcohol relapse sufferers: Do one-time alcoholics - functional or otherwise - who have sought treatment and then completely quit drinking for a fair number of years, ever manage to go back to moderate & responsible alcohol consumption? or Is it pretty much a life of teetotalism, for them, after that? Do you know of any friends or family who have recovered and…

"Do one-time alcoholics - functional or otherwise - who have sought treatment and then completely quit drinking for a fair number of years, ever manage to go back to moderate & responsible alcohol consumption?"

I did, but I've no idea how common that is. I had a fairly bad drinking problem in my early 20s. Very much the functional alcoholic. Once I kicked that (with a year or so of pretty close to abstinence — through personal choice, no programme) I went back to social drinking fine. Not had a problem since, which is about 20 odd years now.

I have a few rules of thumb (I generally don't have alcohol in the house past a decent bottle of whisky every month or so, and I don't drink alone) but sticking to them has never been hard, and the times I don't stick to 'em haven't cause a relapse and slide into doom.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#147

Post by roel_v »

erikb wrote: post #143
BigChiefSmokem wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have answer this but I have to ask, did you find some other less severe addiction to cope - like marijuana for example? I ask because, well, your username.

You can be addicted to marijuana? It's the first time I read this. Or is it just something I interpret into your comment?

Is this an honest question? I mean, really? I'm as pro-legalization as they come, but it is well documented (and well known) that yes marijuana is addictive. For example, you could start at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_dependence, then http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=marijuana+addictio..., and work your way through 5 decades of research from there.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#148

Post by lolo_ »

Animats wrote: post #58

Except for nicotine. That lasts a lifetime.

Actually nicotine is apparently not the addictive part of smoking, rather other chemicals in tobacco are.

Anecdotally I can confirm I've smoked e-cigarettes quite heavily for a few months then stopped cold turkey and had zero withdrawal or cravings, but I occasionally feel a desire for smoking a cigar quite strongly despite having them at a rate averaging a few a year.

EDIT: Not majorly addictive, rather than not addictive at all.

[ref]:http://www.gwern.net/Nicotine

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#149

Post by ionised »

erikb wrote: post #143
BigChiefSmokem wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have answer this but I have to ask, did you find some other less severe addiction to cope - like marijuana for example? I ask because, well, your username.

You can be addicted to marijuana? It's the first time I read this. Or is it just something I interpret into your comment?

You can become psychologically dependent on it.

I would definitely consider myself being 'addicted' in that sense when I smoked pot.

I didn't get any joy out of recreational activities I was engaging in unless I was high first. I always felt like like the buzz wasn't as good as it could have been if I were high.

A few months after quitting that went away though.

Weed also made me lazy and paranoid after a while, so it was actively damaging to me.

I don't smoke anymore.

Re: Most People with Addiction Simply Grow Out of It

#150

Post by elorant »

wozniacki wrote: post #118
verisimilidude wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment resonates with me quite a bit. During my high school years, I suffered a bad accident. My right forearm was pretty much shattered, almost amputated. For about a week after all the surgeries, I was on Vicodin 24/7. Just from that, I was addicted. The withdrawal was miserable, and obviously came at the worst possible time. That one week with Vicodin continues to have profound effects on my life, even now t…

Okay, I have long wanted to know this about alcoholics and alcohol relapse sufferers: Do one-time alcoholics - functional or otherwise - who have sought treatment and then completely quit drinking for a fair number of years, ever manage to go back to moderate & responsible alcohol consumption? or Is it pretty much a life of teetotalism, for them, after that? Do you know of any friends or family who have recovered and…

From a couple of people I know who used to be alcoholics none of them touches alcohol any more. It’s like they’re afraid that if they drink even a glass of wine they might roll back to old habits.

As a side note, most alcoholics I’ve met advised me never to drink while at home. I never had any problem with drinking in my life, actually I can’t even understand how people get addicted to it in the first place since if I drink a lot I can’t function in a proper way, but I’ve followed that advice like it’s a small pearl of wisdom.

On the other hand, as someone who was addicted to nicotine I totally concur with the article. One morning I decided to quit it cold turkey and aside from the fact that the withdrawal phase was quite severe, I never looked back after it. I’m 8 years now free from cigarettes and I don’t miss them at all.

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