Many of you will decide to experiment, or have already started. Your government may BULLSH!T you; your parents may lecture you, but I'm not going to preach to you, because I expect it would fall on deaf ears. I know that such advice did, with me, when I was younger, and thought I knew everything. Instead, I'll tell you what drugs have cost me: my family, my career, my friends (you eventually find out that you have no real friends, once you get into drugs, only acquaintances, and others trying to use you, to support their own drug habit, or make $). With the money I wasted, I could have bought a new house.
I wrote off 3 new cars, as a result of drugs and alcohol, and have never had a new car that I didn't write off, until now, that I have been drug free for more than 3 years. Neither your "friends", nor often, even their dealers know if those drugs have been adulterated ("cut", but what with?), or not properly synthesized in the first place, and you never know just how your body will react to a drug. The worst ones to get into are: (1.) The opiates, such as heroin (diacetyl morphine), oxycodone, methadone, morphine, and various derivatives, often used as analgesics (painkillers). (2.) The stimulants, such as Methedrine (crystal meth), and related products, like "ice". These are all physically addictive, like "crack" cocaine. Ecstasy and amphetamines are known to suppress serotonin in the brain, sometimes permanently.
You can overheat, cook your brain, and die. After the high, you pay with a low: some people can't handle this, and suicide. Next come other prescription medications and other drugs, many of which are also addictive, or dangerous. Then the psychedelics, such as LSD*, magic (hallucinogenic) mushrooms, containing psilocybin, and peyote, which contains mescaline. Although they are not addictive; the hallucinations, and "flashbacks" can be fatal, not only at the time, but decades later, if driving, working up a ladder, or doing other potentially dangerous things.
Long term use of marijuana changes the pleasure pathways of the brain, so that you can have difficulty experiencing pleasure from other, non drug sources, and this can take a considerable time to recover from, even partially, and it can permanently affect short term memory adversely, and shrink the emotional centres of the brain, affecting the ability to form lasting relationships. It may permanently destroy the ability to perform higher mental functions, such as theoretical physics, or mathematics. The new strains of super potent marijuana are bred to have high TetraHydro Cannabinol, but it is at the expense of the levels of the stabilising cannabidiol, which are reduced accordingly. After quitting, there will be a huge void left by the absence of drugs, and that void will need filling, so have a plan in place for when you get over the physical withdrawal symptoms.
Marijuana Anonymous 1-800-766-6779 View http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secrets-of-Quitting-Marijuana!&id=751159 It's a good idea to avoid your previous associates, and hangouts, at least for a fair while, so you are not unnecessarily exposing yourself to the temptation to backslide, but, if you do, don't just give up! Accept that you are only human, and therefore fallible, but use that failure to re-double your resolve that you won't allow it to happen again. View I used free, online poker, at http://www.partypoker.com/ (DON'T gamble for money: YOU WILL LOSE!!! The house takes a cut, and there are some very good players, some of whom use computer programs, and I suspect the possibility of collusion between certain parties, using second computers and email, or I.M., or phones, and sharing profits).
Phone: (USA) 1-800-729-6686 and (recovery forum) http://stepchat.com/na.htm Contact NARANON (phone book) http://www.na.org/ and go to: http://portaltools.na.org/portaltools/Me... DRUG ABUSE: Center for Substanc e Abuse Treatment National Hotline………….1-800-662-HELP National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information………..1-800-729-6686 TDD……………………………………………………………….............. National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence…………..1-800-622-2255 National Cocaine Hotline…………………………………....................... Workplace Helpline...1-800-843-4971.
SUPPORT GROUP: Marijuana Addiction & Recovery http://dailystrength.org/ Ginseng is recommended for cocaine withdrawal, specifically, and c(h)amomile for drugs, generally. If you are one of the 40% of people who are fairly suggestible, you may wish to consider professional hypnotherapy, or: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/ Perfect Partners: Overcome Heroin Addiction + Cloud Nine & Cannabis Dependence or the FREE addictions download shown below. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Get: "The Gambling Addiction Patient Workbook" - by Robert R Perkinson Try your bookshop, library, or www.amazon.com for this. Seek therapy, such as Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy.
Most people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either seek professional hypnotherapy, or, quicker, cheaper, and more conveniently: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com
A legal, liquid drug. If male, limit yourself to preferably 2, and certainly an absolute maximum of 4 standard drinks, daily. Because females metabolise alcohol differently from males, they should limit themselves to one standard drink, daily, with an absolute maximum of 2. Everyone should have at least one, and preferably more, alcohol free days a week, to let their liver recover. For females who are pregnant, or trying to be: THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL FOR A FOETUS!!! Valium is sometimes given, for relief of the symptoms of extreme alcohol withdrawal problems, but should only be used short term, as it can be habituating, or addictive, and needs to be weaned off, slowly. Check out: http://www.drdrew.com/ and http://www.alcohol-rehabilitation.org/ and http://www.12stepforums.net/alanon.html
CALL: (USA) 1-888-4AL-ANON. (recovery forum) View: http://stepchat.com/na.htm andhttp://www.247helpyourself.com/ and go to: http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/meetings/ View: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/ There will be a huge void left by its absence, and that void will need filling, so have a plan in place for when you get over the physical withdrawal symptoms. It's a good idea to avoid your previous associates, and hangouts, at least for a while, so you are not unnecessarily exposing yourself to the temptation to backslide, but, if you do, don't just give up! Accept that you are only human, and therefore fallible, but use that failure to re-double your resolve that you won't allow it to happen again. I used free, online poker, at http://www.partypoker.com/ (DON'T gamble for money: YOU WILL LOSE!!! The house takes a cut, and there are some very good players, some of whom use computer programs, and I suspect the possibility of collusion between certain parties, using second computers and email, or I.M., or phones, and sharing profits). In terms of drugs/meds, there are only two-1) Antabuse, which really requires significant motivation on the part of the patient and is used infrequently because it tends to be easy to just not take it and 2) Revia (Naltrexone) which decreases the cravings associated with alcohol withdrawal. Naltrexone can be effective, but it doesn't take the place of internal motivation to quit drinking and enables those with motivation to better resist temptation. Here's a link that tells you a bit more about Naltrexone: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/naltre...
Another important factor to aid recovery is the involvement of the man's family in treatment as well. Alcoholism affects the entire family and people develop roles and responses based on coping with the alcoholics behavior. If family aren't assisted in understanding the sweeping changes that sobriety brings and in making their own adjustments, relapse becomes very likely as the old interaction patterns will serve to sabotage recovery, even though unintentional. The first year of sobriety is hardest and it is the time when most marriages fail if the spouse does not get treatment and learn how to begin dealing with co-dependency themselves. This is not a hard and fast truth, but it does pose a substantial risk.
ALCOHOLISM
(ALL USA PHONE NUMBERS) Al-Anon Family Group……1-800-356-9996 American Council on Alcoholism.....1-800-527-5344 Alcohol and Drug Hotline………1-800-821-4357 National Council on Alcoholism…1-800-NCA-CALL. & http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/ Use your phone book, in other countries. Teens with an alcoholic parent: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/
HYPNOTHERAPY: If you are one of the 40% of people who are fairly suggestible, you may wish to consider professional hypnotherapy, or http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com SEARCHBAR: "alcohol" (several).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIVING UP SMOKING:
Google: "GIVING UP SMOKING; (your country, or your country's 2 letter code)" Most people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either seek professional hypnotherapy, or more alternatives along such lines are shown at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/6.html about addictions, where the above came from. Quicker, cheaper, and more conveniently: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com 10 Steps to Become a Non-Smoker Hypnosis Package & Quit Smoking - Stay Stopped, and/or: Quit Smoking Hypnosis FREE: at http://www.freehypnosistreatment.com/hypnosistreatment.html (consider making a modest donation, if helped; they rely on such to keep the free service going).
BOOKS & CD:
Give It Up: Stop Smoking for Life (Paperback & Audio CD set) by Anne Mitchell (Paperback - Jun 2002), and: The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr's Easyway Method - Hardcover (Jan. 2005), by Allen Carr, from your bookstore, or enter "quit smoking" in the searchbar at Amazon.com for more media. http://www.amazon.com/
Google: "nicotine withdrawals; symptoms" and use nicotine patches, slowly reducing in strength, then only using in daytime; then reduce the number of hours worn.
addiction, alcohol ... Heroin, drugs, addiction, alcohol, counselling, methadone, naltrexone, Melbourne, australia, detox. January 28, 2009. bwired. 42 Carlisle Street ... www.firststepprogram.org/index.php - 28k - Cached - Similar pages - Naltrexone for Alcoholism -- http://www.familydoctor.org Naltrexone (brand names: ReVia, Depade) is a medicine that reduces your desire for alcohol after you stop drinking. Naltrexone may help you stay sober for a ... http://www.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/alcohol/130.html - 30k - Cached - Similar pages -First Step Program - Heroin, drugs, Naltrexone - Drug information from Medic8.com Naltrexone implants are made by at least three companies, though none are FDA ... Low dose naltrexone (LDN), where the drug is used in doses approximately one www.medic8.com/medicines/Naltrexone.html - 19k ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BOOKS - ADDICTIONS: Willpower's Not Enough: Recovering from Addictions of Every Kind by Arnold M. Washton, & Addiction: Why Can't They Just Stop? by John Hoffman, Susan Froemke, Sheila Nevins, and Susan Cheever, & The Addictive Personality: Understanding the Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior by Craig Nakken, & 7 Tools to Beat Addiction by Stanton Peele, from your bookstore, or enter "addictions" in the searchbar at www.amazon.com for more media. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's thought from Hazelden is: Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. --Anonymous One of the biggest problems of addiction began with the initial desire to increase and continue to use an addictive substance. All of us who have gotten to the point of overdoing the consumption of a substance were basically, in some manner, filling a need to be what we thought was "normal" like other people. We were convinced we were unworthy, inadequate, afraid, and lonely whenever we compared ourselves to others. We disconnected and isolated ourselves, not only from our peers, but also from our own real selves. We lived in a world of fantasy. Our problem was more than a physical hunger for the things that made us dependent.
It was also not dealing with crazy thinking, self-defeating behavior, and screwed-up emotions. Today, I'll remember addiction is two-fold: one was my substance use and the other was an irrational thinking pattern. He who helps a friend in woe is like a warm coat, when in the snow. --Russian Proverb We came in from a very hard life when we came into recovery, kind of like coming in from a blizzard in Siberia! The old life was dangerous, cold, and lonely, and it forced us to use all our energy just to survive. Sooner or later it would have killed us. We were definitely in woe. Someone - a family member, a friend, a boss, a probation officer - offered us a chance to get sober. That person saved our life, as surely as if he or she walked out into a blizzard and wrapped around us like a warm coat. We accepted the help this time. In the future we will have the chance to help others who are still out there freezing in the blizzard of addiction. We can offer them the kind of help that saved our life. We can't make them accept our help though. We just keep it handy, like a warm coat, in case they reach out to accept it. Is there an alcoholic or an addict in my life I wish I could help? I realize that my example is the best way to show them recovery. (FROM: https://www.counsellingonline.org.au/ ): skip to this pages content | skip to site navigation
Start Counselling CounsellingOnline provides a live, one-to-one counselling service over the internet to anyone with an alcohol or drug concern. You will be able to communicate privately with a professional drug and alcohol counsellor from your keyboard, using text. For new users of this service, there are three simple steps to commence a counselling session.
Step 1: Choose your method of access. Would you like to remain anonymous, or register so next time you visit counsellors can access your information right away?
Step 2: Read and accept the Terms and Conditions. Familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions and confirm your acceptance of them if you would like to continue.
Step 3: Request a counselling session. Complete some or all of the optional questions and request a counselling session. To begin, select one of the three access methods below. There are 3 ways to enter the counselling facility. Each provide the same secure, confidential service. A. Anonymous Counselling. Use the live service without providing your details. Anonymous or B. Register Your Details. Registering allows counsellors to access information from previous sessions and offer continuity in your counselling. Register or C. Login If you have registered before and have a username and password, login so your counsellor will be able to better assist you by reviewing your counselling history.
Login If you experience any technical problems, please refer to the system requirements page. If a counselling session "drops-out" or you experience any other technical difficulty, we encourage you to phone our DirectLine service (AUSTRALIA) 1800 888 236.
CounsellingOnline counsellors are also available to provide immediate telephone support through the 24-hour alcohol and drug service DirectLine on (AUSTRALIA) 1800 888 236. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HEROIN ADDICTION: Many former heroin users say that methadone (synthetic heroin - an opioid) is even more addictive than the natural stuff. Detox and rehab is the best way. Google: "heroin addiction; resources; (your location)" There are medications that may help. View http://www.addiction-treatment-centers.com/addiction-articles/suboxone-vs.-methadone
Try hypnosis, as shown, and join a support group; go there when the urge to abuse it occurs. Read: Beating Heroin, by Neil Beck, from your bookstore, or amazon.com (enter "heroin addiction" in their searchbar) and view http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/6.html about addictions for more resources.
Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind. 85% of people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has: Overcome Heroin Addiction + Cloud Nine.
Expect to feel bad for a few days, to a week. Codeine is derived from the opium poppy, as is heroin, so you could take it for a short while, (see the label) if not using medications. Have things to keep you occupied (if you are capable). Google "support groups; heroin addiction". http://dailystrength may have some, or Myspace, Yahoo, or Google groups.
BOOKS - ADDICTIONS: Willpower's Not Enough: Recovering from Addictions of Every Kind by Arnold M. Washton, & Addiction: Why Can't They Just Stop? by John Hoffman, Susan Froemke, Sheila Nevins, and Susan Cheever, & The Addictive Personality: Understanding the Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior by Craig Nakken, & 7 Tools to Beat Addiction by Stanton Peele, from your bookstore, or enter "addictions" in the searchbar at www.amazon.com for more media.