Any recovering addicts here?

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Losing2Live69
Losing2Live69 Posts: 743 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm just going to put this out there....My name is Angela and I am a recovering addict. I became addicted to pain medication (opiates) and anit-anxiety medication (Valium, Xanax) in 1987. I used for 21 years. In the end, I lost everything...my home, my marriage, my relationship with my kids, my belongings, my dignity, morals and pride. My son drove me to rehab in September of 2007 and I haven't looked back since. I have 3 years clean now! My marriage has been restored as well as my relationship with my children. I also have a place of my own and a my own car now. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in August of last year.

Here is what I want to discuss...I know I was addicted to prescription drugs. Now that I do not use any more I have separated from the drugs 100 percent. There is no safe way to "use just a little bit" or "use the right way". Stopping means stopping. However, with food addiction it is different. I can live without drugs....but I can't live without food. I find it really hard to need the very thing I am addicted to sustain life. Does this make sense? I do pretty good on most days, but I do have cravings and temptations I have to fight off, just like I did when I first got clean off the drugs. Applying some of the same principles to my food addiction (12-step programs) has helped. I truly believe an addiction is an addiction. I just wanted to talk to some people that can relate with where I am in life right now. There is power in numbers.

Thanks in advance,

Angela:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • lovebyrd17
    lovebyrd17 Posts: 11
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    I just want to say Congratulations on getting and staying clean!!!! I am sure with the power and determination it took you to overcome that addiction, you will be able to overcome the food addiction. Like you say, it is sometimes harder with food because you must eat to live. That was the hardest lesson for me to learn - Eat to live rather than living to eat. I had to stop centering all of my celebrations etc around food. Instead of going out to dinner to celebrate an event, I started going to the spa or movies - something non-food oriented. I have heard of people having a lot of success with overeaters Annonomys - which operates much like NA or AA.
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
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    Just sent you a friend request.
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    Congratulations on taking the steps to control these addictions. I do not have any words of wisdom, but I think you came to the right place for some support and encouragement.

    I wish you the best of luck and success on your journey.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    H im Jeanette,I started using meth and other drugs at age 12.I didnt stop untill I was 29 years old.At almost 34 thats half my life.It definatly changed my life and I went through things I probobly wouldnt have gone through if I wasnt high.I blew off school and many things.I still have issues with the way I think,my memory and so much more even years after quiting.I lost all my teeth to meth and got dentures at 23.Despite all the bad alot of really good things came from my drug use like my hubby who was also on drugs when we met.we got clean together.
    All addictions are hard and alot of times if people give up one it transfers to something else.
    good luck to you
  • Meganne1982
    Meganne1982 Posts: 451
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    I totally hear you on how dealing with the addiction of food vs. the addiction of other substances is frustrating. I have an addictive personality- and have abused many substances over the years. All the time I wish I could just "quit food" like I had to "quit drugs". That's why I really believe food addiction is the toughest to break, because you can't quit food. Congrats on getting clean! It's all part of becoming healthy. I know for me, I'm working on the psychological changes to deal with my addictive and compulsive behaviors that sometimes sabotage my health and weight loss :)
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I am. I was a heavy meth user for about 6 years and I've been clean for a little over a year now. True enough that drugs and food are totally different forms of addiction, since one is a necessity of life. But for that same reason of difference, I was never addicted to food. The association between using outside sources to help cope with emotional problems can easily jump from one form to another, whether it be addiction replacement, or lifestyle replacement. Some change their actions instead of tangible concepts, such as alcohol, food, cigarettes, etc.

    Use the tools you gained through rehab and therapy to help factor that into your lifestyle of making an active change with routine, as much as you possibly can, assuming you felt you had a good enough experience to create such tools. I wish you much success. Remember...one day at a time.
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
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    This sounds stupid and you're going to laugh at me, but last year I was physically and psychologically addicted to caffeine. I was drinking between 20 and 30 cups of coffee a day. I've quit quite a few times and I always end up drinking obscene amounts again. It sounds trivial, but it's given me a lot of grief and hospitalisations in the process.

    I take a lot of prescription meds too (valium, risperidone, fluoxetine) and have had to be very careful to avoid addiction to valium. I rarely use it now.
  • alexandradeyl
    alexandradeyl Posts: 67 Member
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    hi angela. my name is alex and im a recovering addict. i have 95 days clean, and i can really relate to what you said. all of it.
  • alexandradeyl
    alexandradeyl Posts: 67 Member
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    congrats on your recovery :) i have 95 days clean

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