Just One Victory - Coping With Substance Abuse Problems

tips on how to cope: dealing with your feelings, dealing with the consequences of self-harm in your life. share your ideas and maybe pick up some new skills, too. you don't have to want to stop to learn something new here.

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Just One Victory - Coping With Substance Abuse Problems

Post by Spidey » Thu May 24, 2007 7:33 pm

There are many forum members who not only struggle with mental illnesses and self-injury, but also with substance abuse problems as well.

This thread is a safe place where all who struggle can come here and get hope, advice and encouragement - and first and foremost - share their victories, whether it be not taking that drink, not using that drug, or taking less than you either would or want to.

I hope that this thread will serve as a place where people can not only help each other but learn from each other as well, and that this thread will prosper.

I do have a few simple requests, though:

- Please remember to spoil if need be.
- Please don't post numbers.
- Many different people take many different paths to recovery. One size does not fit all in recovery, so please recognize that. No one path is "the best" path.
- All people, no matter thier stage of recovery or addiction, are welcome here. The more, the better.
Last edited by Spidey on Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by JohnnyBoy » Wed May 30, 2007 12:47 am

well, I've got through a bottle of vodca, but have maniged to space it so that I'm only tipsy by the end of it.

yay, go me :roll:
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just one victory

Post by 2crazy » Thu May 31, 2007 3:43 am

hey there,

im 47 and seem to have had a problem with drugs and alcohol as far back as i care to remember, when i was 15. in the last 4 years ive really tried to be rid of my problems, but when one goes away for awhile, another one pops up. thats what started me cutting 4 years ago. drugs and alcohol werent a part of my life anymore and i didnt know how to deal with my feelings. gues thats why im here on bus, is to find the coping skills that work for me. thanks for putting this thread up.

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Post by sockr28 » Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:21 am

i think that this is a great idea! thanks Pink Spider!

i struggle with alcohol abuse and occasionally drugs. i have tried some things to help, but nothing seems to be working quite yet. looking forward to learning from others and hoping that someday i will be there too!

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Post by recovering4me » Sun Jun 03, 2007 1:28 am

hi my name is ellen and im an alcoholic and a drug addict

i have been sober for X days.

sorry AA :tongue:
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Post by 2crazy » Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:26 am

hey ellen,

dont be sorry, weve all got to start someplace. remember we only count one day at a time. man 23 months no SI, thats awesome! ive got 6 weeks. hope i can do as well as you someday. ive got 5 months drug and alcohol free. lets keep striving for the best!

good luck,

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Post by Licentia Poetica » Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:54 pm

Is anyone else here kind of an.. "addiction jumper"? I seem to bounce from alcohol to eating disorder to cigarettes to painkillers to other meds to self harm to diet pills to .. the list goes on. Where does it end? What do you do when you can't stand what it feels like to be "you"?
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Post by sockr28 » Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:37 pm

i feel that i sometimes can be an addiction jumper el. although i normally only go between alcohol, si and drugs, it seems that i always have to have one of the three. whenever i work on one, another one gets worse normally. like i always have to have something to hold on to.

i wish that i knew where it ended. i wish that i could help you.
What do you do when you can't stand what it feels like to be "you"?
i think that if i knew the answer to this question, i wouldnt have as many problems with addiction as i do. i think because i do feel this way, that it just continues to feed my addictions because i always have to have something to change the way that i am feeling.



for some reason though, i still have a small amount of hope that i will be able to get through this.


hang in there el!!!

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Post by Licentia Poetica » Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:31 am

Thanks sockr, it's good to know I'm not alone :redstar:
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Post by sockr28 » Wed Jun 06, 2007 5:36 am

so i have a meeting with my substance abuse T tomorrow. this week has been the best since i have been seeing her. i actually only got drunk one night. i think because i havent had anything in the house to drink though. thought many times about going to get more, but didnt. that is a good thing at least. but i am going out tomorrow night, so i am sure that i will go crazy since i have been holding back this week. i just cant seem to let it go.

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Post by sockr28 » Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:21 am

*face plant into the ground*


just cant seem to stay away from it. my substance abuse T didnt show up today and used that as an excuse to get wasted....currently on my way. if i know it is bad, why cant i avoid it?

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Post by Licentia Poetica » Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:47 am

What do you think you will get out of it?
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Post by sockr28 » Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:46 am

not really sure. it gives me a way to remove myself from my life and not worry about wht is going on. i can be a different person when i am using.

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Post by Licentia Poetica » Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:27 am

*nods*

but have you sat long enough lately with the person you are to make sure that isn't someone better?
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Post by 2crazy » Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:32 am

sockr28-

what's your plan on how to stop using? do you see a life without drugs and alcohol 20 years from now?

i ask because im having some of the same problems as you. i cant be me without drinking or using. but then again-what kind of person do i want to be? i just dont want to feel any of those shitty feelings so i cut, or drink, or use. how do we get rid of those crappy thoughts and live a positive lifestyle?
deep dark thoughts make it hard to survive.
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Post by there_is_hope » Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:15 pm

I can relate. I have some problems with alcohol. Somedays all I can think about is drinking. I dont even know if I do have a problem or not. But I do drink alot of the time to escape from my problems and from bad thoughts and stuff. So I really dont know.
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Post by astepawayfromlife » Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:37 am

forget it

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Post by sockr28 » Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:24 pm

but have you sat long enough lately with the person you are to make sure that isn't someone better?
this is a very good point el! thanks. honestly, i dont really know. i think that on the outside, sober sockr might be better, my its the turmoil inside that pushes me to use/drink. it makes me feel so much better. a good point to think on though

what's your plan on how to stop using? do you see a life without drugs and alcohol 20 years from now?

i ask because im having some of the same problems as you. i cant be me without drinking or using. but then again-what kind of person do i want to be? i just dont want to feel any of those shitty feelings so i cut, or drink, or use. how do we get rid of those crappy thoughts and live a positive lifestyle?
kind of along the same lines. likewise, i use alcohol and whatnot to help me feel better. i honestly do not see my life totally sober anytime soon. i am currentl working on just cutting down the amount. it just seems to play such a large role in my life. and i have such a will power that i dont think that i could be around alcohol and whatnot on a regulat basis and stay sober. i know then that i should just stay away from it, but it is just so socially accepted that it would be hard. and i dont want to lose any of my friends.


i guess i am at the point that i know that i should stop/cut back but dont really *want* to. but it is a need! still struggling.

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Post by Not_what » Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:27 pm

im a long way from really realising there is any kind of problem with my drinking etc

i know it's bad.... kinda.... but i just dont want to stop

and i dont know how to make myself want to stop

sockr28.... i know how you feel :roll:
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Post by Licentia Poetica » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:40 pm

How do you know you've got a problem?

Like.. what's bad when it comes to alcohol?

I mean.. lots of people drink. So what makes it "substance abuse"?
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