I enjoy sticking needles in my arms

Originally Posted by LostInMyOwnMind

That's total load of bullcrap, you absolutely do choose to become addicted. No one shoved the shit into your veins or stuck it up your nose. You made a choice; you can also choose to stop.

You chose to take the first drink or drug, but no one chooses to become addicted. Sorry, that's just an ignorant statement. It's also not as simple as being able to choose to stop. Addiction is fucking hell to live with. If people could just stop do you think that would continue to live like they do in many cases? Addiction is a disease and a compulsion. You can just choose to stop being addicted the same way you can't just chose to stop being clinically depressed.

Do some research on the genetics and neuroscience of addiction before you make generalizing statements like that.

I've been there personally so yes I know what I'm talking about. Yes, it's just that simple. To stop you have to make a conscious decision to stop, just as you made a conscious decision to start. I didn't say it's easy, but it is a decision. No one can do it for you and you'll never break the addiction until you make a choice to stop. People say its disease and handle addicts with kid gloves, that's the wrong approach. You only become an enabler and perpetuate the addiction. The only way to stop is to fucking stop, plain and simple, no need to candy coat it.

I've been there to and I'm currently studying to be an addictions counselor.

If it was that easy, than you were a user not an addict. Addiction is a separate monster and you can't will it away. Of course you must make the choice to TRY to stop, but it's not like you can say "I'm going to stop being a heroin addict today" and just like that it's done.

You go through acute physical withdrawals and then post-acute withdrawals both of wish fuck with your mind and make you wonder if you made the wrong decision. For the first four months into my sobriety I was wondering if how I remembered by addiction was accurate--"Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought" I would think. OF COURSE IT WAS THAT BAD, but addiction is a thinking disease.

Yes I agree 100%, it's a wicked monster that tries to trick you at every step. But you'll never defeat the monster until you try. I will reiterate what I said again," it's not easy".

but it's not like you can say "I'm going to stop being a heroin addict today"

Yes you absolutely can say that and you'll never stop until you do.
Instead of feeding an addict full of how hard it's going to be, how bout feeding them full of "you can make a decision today to break your addiction" and you have to make that decision every day, maybe every hour or every minute. The monster doesn't need an assistant; the addict already knows all too well how hard it's going to be.

Originally Posted by LostInMyOwnMind

Yes you absolutely can say that and you'll never stop until you do.
Instead of feeding an addict full of how hard it's going to be, how bout feeding them full of "you can make a decision today to break your addiction" and you have to make that decision every day, maybe every hour or every minute. The monster doesn't need an assistant; the addict already knows all too well how hard it's going to be.

You took my quote out of context. The full quote was "it's not like you can say "I'm going to stop being a heroin addict today" and just like that it's done."

Do you know how many times in three years I woke up or went to bed saying that today or tomorrow is the day I will stop? There's that AA saying that stopping is the easy part, staying stopped is what we must work at.

I agree with most of what you are saying. As a drug counselor, I will be telling my clients that they can get out of addiction and that it is their decision to take recovery into their own hands. But you also have to be realistic and let them know it won't be easy and that some days, if not most days, if not all days, they are probably going to have thoughts of returning to the lifestyle. To be fully capable of fighting addiction, people need to understand what they are up against, no?

Yes, they need to be prepared for the epic battle of their lives. Honestly "some days" in my case was even too broad; I lived minute to minute. There were times it just didn't seem like the means justified the ends. Like "If this is my life what's the point?" My point is, you of all people need to be the ray of hope in their lives. They have enough tragedy and doubt all on their own. Without hope they are lost.

Do I think sticking needles into one's arm is inherently a form of self harm? No. I think however, that when combined with the impoverished and desperate lifestyle of an IV drug addict, it can be very harmful. If one had an infinite supply of opiates and a proper rig, then it would be much less harmful. On par with most prescription drugs. Infinitely better than that scourge to society known as alcohol.

And now, for your needle-fixated enjoyment... HEROIN PANCAKES!

Originally Posted by Black Jesus

In my experience, rectal administration of of codeine is about twice better than oral."

Seconding this. Codeine does not have to be metabolized into morphine for effect.

Originally Posted by WickedQueen

This is just an example:
Just say that you and I were best friend. I try to help you out from your sticking needles habit. One day you were drunk and we had a fight. I go home and my family tells me to not seeing you again. You get more depressed.

And then one day you need my help and you call me, but I was in the bathroom and my dad answer your phone and tells you to stay away from me. You get angry. You went to the bar and get drunk. And then you went to my house to see me. But my brother try to stop you. You get pissed and had a fight with him. My dad try to separate both of you, but you push him aside and he fall to the bench where he used to put his gardening tools. Guess what will happen to him?


That's just an example. Nobody knows what will happen, though. But I won't take any risk like that.

That is one hell of a specific example

Originally Posted by Black Jesus

No one chooses to become addicted to drugs.

While some people are obviously more prone to addiction than others, there is a point before addiction where the black hole is visible yet avoidable, at least in my experience. Most people can have a few beers every once in a while, or snort a line at a party without becoming addicted. If you start going through an 8 ball a night, or drink straight whiskey at 9am, then you're just asking for it. Know when too much is too much.