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5 Years Sober

5 years ago today, I was being admitted to a 6-week inpatient centre for opioid and alcohol detox and rehab. So it’s my 5 years sober check point today.

Prior to this, I was taking enough oxycodone or morphine each day to give 300 patients the higher of the two starting doses. I could down a whole bottle of Oxynorm just to feel normal for an hour or two. Being a doctor makes it too easy to get these drugs, and too easy to hide it. Waking up each day in cold turkey and sneaking the normalising dose I’d hidden was fucking awful.

On the run up to rock bottom, I practiced aiming my Golf GTI I had back then at walls on a local country road at 100mph to work out where I could kill myself and make it look like an accident. This was because my insane addict mind thought my family would cope better with my accidental death, than finding out I was an addict. I didn’t go ahead with it because I couldn’t detox myself long enough to get a clean blood set for the Coroner, and that would prevent my wife getting my life insurance. Addiction has oddly creative insanity.

So I got to the point I told my family as a last resort. Amazingly, they stuck by me and got me help. I was put into rehab by a service that cares for NHS doctors with mental health problems, and also got my later ADHD diagnosis via them too.

I joined GG a couple of month after rehab, and it’s been a big part of my recovery journey. I mean a big part as you guys have truly helped me get to being clean, and the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been. This is a place I can let myself be myself around like minded nutters.

I owe my life to my family, the team at rehab etc, hard work on my part, but also you guys. The gratitude I have for my support network is infinite, even though infinity is a doddle for me to count to.

I wholeheartedly thank every one of you for being part of my recovery journey. I really mean that. You guys are fucking awesome, and I hold a lot of love for you all.

Special thanks for the staff for keeping the site running for us.

Thanks for reading this soppy and serious post. If anyone is struggling with addiction, it is possible to beat even if it’s painfully difficult. Be honest and open up, to yourself first. Don’t be afraid to speak up here. Learn to let love in, and let go of the past.

Again, my sincere thanks to you all.


Here’s the meditation tent at rehab.

View attachment 904522

And a dry sand portrait of my mum’s horse I did in art therapy on the hottest day of the year.

View attachment 904523View attachment 904524
Congratulations keep going!
 
Every morning, we were timetabled to meditate for 30 mins before therapy. Luckily, another GP was there who had already started learning about meditation, spirituality and Buddhism. He explained meditation doctor to doctor and it made sense.

It’s all about focusing your full consciousness on a single point, or nothing if you can manage, for a period of time. I didn’t know I had ADHD back then but for the first 2 weeks was on an Oxazepam detox (20mg 4 times a day at first) which probably helped me to relax 😂.

Guided mediations are excellent to practice and find techniques that work for you. I find body scans or breath focus best.

The first mediation I did was this, it’s really nice and covers several techniques such as body scan/ muscle work, mental visualisation and self compassion.




I also learned about Wim Hof’s breathing technique and find it one of the best ways to boost mood, induce calm and focus. If creates an intense runners high which lasts a long time. It needs to be done lying on your back as the drop in blood carbon dioxide during hyperventilation causes tingling and slight dizziness which is harmless. I once managed a 7.5 minute breath hold after 25 minutes of hyperventilation, my own longer version listening to DnB to time faster breathing.

The beginners guide is great and only takes 10 minutes.


wim hoff is technique is part of my daily ritual, i do it standing / walking mostly lol, interesting as when laid down it hurt my lungs once but i was probably being an ass lol
I don't fw sadhguru i used to heavy he has great advice and might checkout the vid but idk he kinda has cult leader vibes from what i recall lol. But I'm glad it worked for u .
I def should meditate more,it's just hard asf in this realm, esp in the city. I feel wired like i always need to do something in my spare time and have ppl stacked all over me so it's hard to get a minute. I do especially love the visualization meditations, i can really get into those. It's crazy we can just go anywhere in our heads yet choose to go on phones (idk if i sound like a boomer i hate that i do that lol)
 
Congrats, Doc Flatus!! You are a LEGEND!! So are all the folks on here, who fought addiction, My bf and I had our addictions, including H, Fentanyl, and pain pills…he got back on tract with the Methadone treatment, and he’s still in the program to this day, he does like his vapes, though…In Dec 2023, I was so anxious with my Mom in the hospital and bringing my brother down with us, I wanted some H to calm my nerves, this shit had to have Fentanyl because I OD’d in front of my poor bro, that was it, he was already suffering with Mom sick, and being separated from her and his things (We lived nearly three hours from each other), I take my Tylenol w/Codeine script once or twice a day, I take a couple of my Cheech and Chong Space Chews to help me sleep…they really pack a punch because C&C, natch…so I been off the hard shit for well over a year, my bf even longer…major props!! 👏🏻🫶🏻🥇🤩
 
even though it takes a team of people. let it be dr's or family and friends. its the most single individual achievement anyone could make. im talking to all of you loosers addicts out there. im not comparing my story here. but when i was younger i was a coke/crack head. i sobered up because people i knew were dying or getting killed,or jailed over the shit. i said to myself that this wouldnt be my destiny. and stopped cold turkey for a few yrs. then picked coke up again a few yrs later. saw myself heading down the same road i was on. hated myself every time i did the shit too. then woke up one day and said no more. its been over 20 yrs...
 
Congratulations on your sobriety!! What, no cat’s bum with the tail up in art therapy??:) (Wait, now that I think about it, maybe it was your progeny’s drawing of the butt of the cat? )

I thought of you yesterday at 1:00 pm, Canada time: I had a colonoscopy ❤️ There really is a ‘Flatus Tube’🤯😘. I asked, lol.

Memento mori ergo carpe diem.
 
Congratulations on your sobriety!! What, no cat’s bum with the tail up in art therapy??:) (Wait, now that I think about it, maybe it was your progeny’s drawing of the butt of the cat? )

I thought of you yesterday at 1:00 pm, Canada time: I had a colonoscopy ❤️ There really is a ‘Flatus Tube’🤯😘. I asked, lol.

Memento mori ergo carpe diem.

I’m honoured I flashed through your mind as a long tube was invading your bum hole. Epic! 😂


Art therapy was cool. On my second day there, still withdrawing but also doped up on the 20mg Oxazepam 4 times a day for detox, we were given large A1 bits of card and told to chuck shit covered in pain at it.

I did a basic finger self portrait and punched it with paint on my hands, added a dark cloud and piss for tears. We had to wear cheap hazmat suits 😂.

IMG_0900.webp
IMG_0901.webp


A couple of weeks later we had to do a drawing representing how we thought others saw us.

IMG_0902.webp


Then we did zen meditation art. This took me 4 hours over a few sessions. Each area is random patterns to do focused meditation.

IMG_0903.webp



The Cat’s Anus was me just after rehab.

IMG_0904.webp


In the same art session, my daughter who was 6 at the time did me shitting on the floor while turning round and looking retarded (that’s how she described it to me).

IMG_0905.webp



Again…

I am humbled by the response to this thread. It is properly amazing, and shows why I hold respect and love for you all.
 
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Congratulations! I myself have had a hard time with alcohol and opiates. I have been clean for 35 years, this thanks mainly to my wife and mother. Also a lot of prayers and tears and finally the horror of going through withdrawal time and again made me make a promise to stop forever. I know how hard that can be so I'm glad you've made it through the hard part. Keep up the good work.
5 years ago today, I was being admitted to a 6-week inpatient centre for opioid and alcohol detox and rehab. So it’s my 5 years sober check point today.

Prior to this, I was taking enough oxycodone or morphine each day to give 300 patients the higher of the two starting doses. I could down a whole bottle of Oxynorm just to feel normal for an hour or two. Being a doctor makes it too easy to get these drugs, and too easy to hide it. Waking up each day in cold turkey and sneaking the normalising dose I’d hidden was fucking awful.

On the run up to rock bottom, I practiced aiming my Golf GTI I had back then at walls on a local country road at 100mph to work out where I could kill myself and make it look like an accident. This was because my insane addict mind thought my family would cope better with my accidental death, than finding out I was an addict. I didn’t go ahead with it because I couldn’t detox myself long enough to get a clean blood set for the Coroner, and that would prevent my wife getting my life insurance. Addiction has oddly creative insanity.

So I got to the point I told my family as a last resort. Amazingly, they stuck by me and got me help. I was put into rehab by a service that cares for NHS doctors with mental health problems, and also got my later ADHD diagnosis via them too.

I joined GG a couple of month after rehab, and it’s been a big part of my recovery journey. I mean a big part as you guys have truly helped me get to being clean, and the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been. This is a place I can let myself be myself around like minded nutters.

I owe my life to my family, the team at rehab etc, hard work on my part, but also you guys. The gratitude I have for my support network is infinite, even though infinity is a doddle for me to count to.

I wholeheartedly thank every one of you for being part of my recovery journey. I really mean that. You guys are fucking awesome, and I hold a lot of love for you all.

Special thanks for the staff for keeping the site running for us.

Thanks for reading this soppy and serious post. If anyone is struggling with addiction, it is possible to beat even if it’s painfully difficult. Be honest and open up, to yourself first. Don’t be afraid to speak up here. Learn to let love in, and let go of the past.

Again, my sincere thanks to you all.


Here’s the meditation tent at rehab.

View attachment 904522

And a dry sand portrait of my mum’s horse I did in art therapy on the hottest day of the year.

View attachment 904523View attachment 904524
 
5 years ago today, I was being admitted to a 6-week inpatient centre for opioid and alcohol detox and rehab. So it’s my 5 years sober check point today.

Prior to this, I was taking enough oxycodone or morphine each day to give 300 patients the higher of the two starting doses. I could down a whole bottle of Oxynorm just to feel normal for an hour or two. Being a doctor makes it too easy to get these drugs, and too easy to hide it. Waking up each day in cold turkey and sneaking the normalising dose I’d hidden was fucking awful.

On the run up to rock bottom, I practiced aiming my Golf GTI I had back then at walls on a local country road at 100mph to work out where I could kill myself and make it look like an accident. This was because my insane addict mind thought my family would cope better with my accidental death, than finding out I was an addict. I didn’t go ahead with it because I couldn’t detox myself long enough to get a clean blood set for the Coroner, and that would prevent my wife getting my life insurance. Addiction has oddly creative insanity.

So I got to the point I told my family as a last resort. Amazingly, they stuck by me and got me help. I was put into rehab by a service that cares for NHS doctors with mental health problems, and also got my later ADHD diagnosis via them too.

I joined GG a couple of month after rehab, and it’s been a big part of my recovery journey. I mean a big part as you guys have truly helped me get to being clean, and the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been. This is a place I can let myself be myself around like minded nutters.

I owe my life to my family, the team at rehab etc, hard work on my part, but also you guys. The gratitude I have for my support network is infinite, even though infinity is a doddle for me to count to.

I wholeheartedly thank every one of you for being part of my recovery journey. I really mean that. You guys are fucking awesome, and I hold a lot of love for you all.

Special thanks for the staff for keeping the site running for us.

Thanks for reading this soppy and serious post. If anyone is struggling with addiction, it is possible to beat even if it’s painfully difficult. Be honest and open up, to yourself first. Don’t be afraid to speak up here. Learn to let love in, and let go of the past.

Again, my sincere thanks to you all.


Here’s the meditation tent at rehab.

View attachment 904522

And a dry sand portrait of my mum’s horse I did in art therapy on the hottest day of the year.

View attachment 904523View attachment 904524
Congratulations. Never give up and never give in.
 
5 years ago today, I was being admitted to a 6-week inpatient centre for opioid and alcohol detox and rehab. So it’s my 5 years sober check point today.

Prior to this, I was taking enough oxycodone or morphine each day to give 300 patients the higher of the two starting doses. I could down a whole bottle of Oxynorm just to feel normal for an hour or two. Being a doctor makes it too easy to get these drugs, and too easy to hide it. Waking up each day in cold turkey and sneaking the normalising dose I’d hidden was fucking awful.

On the run up to rock bottom, I practiced aiming my Golf GTI I had back then at walls on a local country road at 100mph to work out where I could kill myself and make it look like an accident. This was because my insane addict mind thought my family would cope better with my accidental death, than finding out I was an addict. I didn’t go ahead with it because I couldn’t detox myself long enough to get a clean blood set for the Coroner, and that would prevent my wife getting my life insurance. Addiction has oddly creative insanity.

So I got to the point I told my family as a last resort. Amazingly, they stuck by me and got me help. I was put into rehab by a service that cares for NHS doctors with mental health problems, and also got my later ADHD diagnosis via them too.

I joined GG a couple of month after rehab, and it’s been a big part of my recovery journey. I mean a big part as you guys have truly helped me get to being clean, and the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been. This is a place I can let myself be myself around like minded nutters.

I owe my life to my family, the team at rehab etc, hard work on my part, but also you guys. The gratitude I have for my support network is infinite, even though infinity is a doddle for me to count to.

I wholeheartedly thank every one of you for being part of my recovery journey. I really mean that. You guys are fucking awesome, and I hold a lot of love for you all.

Special thanks for the staff for keeping the site running for us.

Thanks for reading this soppy and serious post. If anyone is struggling with addiction, it is possible to beat even if it’s painfully difficult. Be honest and open up, to yourself first. Don’t be afraid to speak up here. Learn to let love in, and let go of the past.

Again, my sincere thanks to you all.


Here’s the meditation tent at rehab.

View attachment 904522

And a dry sand portrait of my mum’s horse I did in art therapy on the hottest day of the year.

View attachment 904523View attachment 904524
Congratulations. Too many people hurt us already. We don't need to hurt ourselves. So keep on being good to yourself. You deserve it 💪
 
Ive found that alot of people that are now “sober”, are just on some sort of prescription now. An alcoholic now on upers or downers. Something else ive noticed over the years is “perspective”. For example i was talking to friend the other day. We all know he drinks. I asked him how often he drinks. He said he only drinks a couple times a year. Same with a female friend i talked to. She to said only a couple times a year. These people down play their daily drinks as just life and because they are not getting completely fucked out of their minds, it somehow makes it ok. So they can have a few drinks every evening for 363 days of the year but only get stumbling drunk and belligerent 2 nights a year. These same people will down on someone who smokes pot and call the daily pot smokers drug addicts. And so on… im not suggesting that any of the above applies to you(op). Just sharing some thoughts. In high school i started both pot and alcohol. My dad smoked a couple joints a day and would drink beers. He was a closet pot smoker. And my mother even more of a closet smoker and less fequent for both the pot and alcohol. But this something that was normalized for me growing up. My friends parents had liquor cabinets and social events such as weddings, reunions, birthdays, family events all had alcohol available. Heck even funerals afterwards people go out for drinks. Looking back it would of been nice to know that not everyone lived like this. I left highschool and went pipelining. At the end of the day everyone would gather at the nearest towns bar for a hearty meal and a couple drinks. Well its 2am and 20 drinks later. Time for bed. Wake up drunk and go back to work. Sober up by early afternoon and look forward for supper to repeat. Again this was normal and just how life was for everyone right. Speaking for myself i had quite pot by now and really wanted to not be drinking. I quit. Well it was replaced with crack cocaine. This new addiction had me broke by every Wednesday night. But payday was every Thursday. Same ol shit. Get off work. Meet the dealer. Get my 8 ball of rock and vanish till 2 or 3am. Rise and repeat. As a functioning addict who never stole from anyone. Never had to sell anything to support my habit. Never was in hot water due to my addiction i did look down on others who fell on hard times in their addictions. Its crazy now because i do know that people have judged me in my past. And today i wont get a gold medal or a pat on the back. And thats fine. I know those same people who have juged me in the past still drink or partake in some sort of substance abuse. However they are blind because their daily dose is down played in their minds. “Its just recreational”. “Its just enough to take the edge off”. “It doesnt cause problems for me”. Oh the excuses are a lengthy list. Anyways thats just my rant !!! So i really wonder… do 100% sober 365 days a year people really exist ???
Ive been saying ive seen sober now for over 10years of alcohol and have zero urge. And for any sort of drugs 15 years. So here i am calling the kettle black ! Yes ive been on prescribed opiates for years also! Fuck me. The excuses of mine? Well they are the same excuses those other fuck heads used that i mentioned above! Ide love to be completely off but i do experience pain at times due to reconstructive surgery from a work place injury. OP you know how this goes. You get with-drawls if you dont take them. So if ive got a good day with minimal pain, i have to take them
Or i will get sick. Ive tried morphine via my doctor when he was concerned about my daily dose. He thought getting me on morphine for a bit then coming back to oxy at a lower dose would be ideal. However the morphine had no effect on me. One of my daily doses would kill the average person. Ive weened myself down to a modest amount now. I do need for the days i have pain. Ill also say i never took them to get fucked up during the day. Im not staing im better then those who abuse it daily to get high. Im just stating my situation to paint an accurate picture. Heres my concern. At most ive bumped up my dose a bit at night time as a sleep aid. So i frowned upon that. Now i feel better about myself because i have a real sleep aid prescribed. If i get to the point where maybe a miracle happens and all my reconstructive surgery pains go away, if that day comes. Then what? Will i have an urge to drink? Maybe get back on smoking boulders! I know a guy whos wife lets him go on a bender for a few days a year. He goes and gets a hotel room and a couple ounces of crack and when its gone he returns home. Theres nothing to hide from her. She knows all about it. This is his special time that he looks foreward to every year to decompress. Isn't that wild? I guess alot of drugs have been decriminalized in some countries. Here in Canada theres a hemp shop and alcohol store on every corner. You can get mushrooms and mdna delivered to your door. Vancouver you can buy cocaine at the store…. Also “safe injection” sites. The police turn a blind to it in the streets. Crazy times. Oh right then theres all the closet cases who claim to be sober, but they are just addicts via their doctors with a prescription.

I did go through detox 30 day program to get off alcohol and cocaine 15-16yrs ago. I needed that time to cleanse of the substances and cleanse my mind via the daily programing. Ide highly recommend it to anyone.

End of rant
 
Congratulations, fellow Tube! I'm glad when I see others overcome their addictions, like I have. I know from experience what a challenge that success entails. Only one thing in my life ever brought me to the point that I spoke the words " I can't " And I truly almost couldn't put the shit down. It was just something my mind believed that I couldn't live without.
On the bright side. Hitting such a hard deep bottom left no room for doubt that I would ever escape if I chose to pick up again. October 6th 2025 will be 9 rewarding years clean and sober.
None of you would ever believe what an asshole I was when using....... Or perhaps you would believe.
In the words of all dead junkies, 'just one more'. I got dead friends from a 20+ year span. Take inventory, sadly amazing
 
In the words of all dead junkies, 'just one more'. I got dead friends from a 20+ year span. Take inventory, sadly amazing
Great job
Ive found that alot of people that are now “sober”, are just on some sort of prescription now. An alcoholic now on upers or downers. Something else ive noticed over the years is “perspective”. For example i was talking to friend the other day. We all know he drinks. I asked him how often he drinks. He said he only drinks a couple times a year. Same with a female friend i talked to. She to said only a couple times a year. These people down play their daily drinks as just life and because they are not getting completely fucked out of their minds, it somehow makes it ok. So they can have a few drinks every evening for 363 days of the year but only get stumbling drunk and belligerent 2 nights a year. These same people will down on someone who smokes pot and call the daily pot smokers drug addicts. And so on… im not suggesting that any of the above applies to you(op). Just sharing some thoughts. In high school i started both pot and alcohol. My dad smoked a couple joints a day and would drink beers. He was a closet pot smoker. And my mother even more of a closet smoker and less fequent for both the pot and alcohol. But this something that was normalized for me growing up. My friends parents had liquor cabinets and social events such as weddings, reunions, birthdays, family events all had alcohol available. Heck even funerals afterwards people go out for drinks. Looking back it would of been nice to know that not everyone lived like this. I left highschool and went pipelining. At the end of the day everyone would gather at the nearest towns bar for a hearty meal and a couple drinks. Well its 2am and 20 drinks later. Time for bed. Wake up drunk and go back to work. Sober up by early afternoon and look forward for supper to repeat. Again this was normal and just how life was for everyone right. Speaking for myself i had quite pot by now and really wanted to not be drinking. I quit. Well it was replaced with crack cocaine. This new addiction had me broke by every Wednesday night. But payday was every Thursday. Same ol shit. Get off work. Meet the dealer. Get my 8 ball of rock and vanish till 2 or 3am. Rise and repeat. As a functioning addict who never stole from anyone. Never had to sell anything to support my habit. Never was in hot water due to my addiction i did look down on others who fell on hard times in their addictions. Its crazy now because i do know that people have judged me in my past. And today i wont get a gold medal or a pat on the back. And thats fine. I know those same people who have juged me in the past still drink or partake in some sort of substance abuse. However they are blind because their daily dose is down played in their minds. “Its just recreational”. “Its just enough to take the edge off”. “It doesnt cause problems for me”. Oh the excuses are a lengthy list. Anyways thats just my rant !!! So i really wonder… do 100% sober 365 days a year people really exist ???
Ive been saying ive seen sober now for over 10years of alcohol and have zero urge. And for any sort of drugs 15 years. So here i am calling the kettle black ! Yes ive been on prescribed opiates for years also! Fuck me. The excuses of mine? Well they are the same excuses those other fuck heads used that i mentioned above! Ide love to be completely off but i do experience pain at times due to reconstructive surgery from a work place injury. OP you know how this goes. You get with-drawls if you dont take them. So if ive got a good day with minimal pain, i have to take them
Or i will get sick. Ive tried morphine via my doctor when he was concerned about my daily dose. He thought getting me on morphine for a bit then coming back to oxy at a lower dose would be ideal. However the morphine had no effect on me. One of my daily doses would kill the average person. Ive weened myself down to a modest amount now. I do need for the days i have pain. Ill also say i never took them to get fucked up during the day. Im not staing im better then those who abuse it daily to get high. Im just stating my situation to paint an accurate picture. Heres my concern. At most ive bumped up my dose a bit at night time as a sleep aid. So i frowned upon that. Now i feel better about myself because i have a real sleep aid prescribed. If i get to the point where maybe a miracle happens and all my reconstructive surgery pains go away, if that day comes. Then what? Will i have an urge to drink? Maybe get back on smoking boulders! I know a guy whos wife lets him go on a bender for a few days a year. He goes and gets a hotel room and a couple ounces of crack and when its gone he returns home. Theres nothing to hide from her. She knows all about it. This is his special time that he looks foreward to every year to decompress. Isn't that wild? I guess alot of drugs have been decriminalized in some countries. Here in Canada theres a hemp shop and alcohol store on every corner. You can get mushrooms and mdna delivered to your door. Vancouver you can buy cocaine at the store…. Also “safe injection” sites. The police turn a blind to it in the streets. Crazy times. Oh right then theres all the closet cases who claim to be sober, but they are just addicts via their doctors with a prescription.

I did go through detox 30 day program to get off alcohol and cocaine 15-16yrs ago. I needed that time to cleanse of the substances and cleanse my mind via the daily programing. Ide highly recommend it to anyone.

End of rant
KRATOM is an HERB 🌿, not man-made. Very friendly as with weed, but if MAN-MADE is what your after, this probably wont help. Since '08, I get a kilo every month, always works. Withdraws can be discouraging but NOTHING LIKE METHADONES 6 month withdrawal!!! Drs know Perdue opened a plethora of opportunities for themselves. I lived Ft Lauderdale '90's. Saw and shopped every fucking dr, all were cheap to start $80 office visit, but that last visit was a $500+ mark every time. Keep it up bro, theres many cheap options, all herbs, NO MANMADE CRAP🤬
 
Great job

KRATOM is an HERB 🌿, not man-made. Very friendly as with weed, but if MAN-MADE is what your after, this probably wont help. Since '08, I get a kilo every month, always works. Withdraws can be discouraging but NOTHING LIKE METHADONES 6 month withdrawal!!! Drs know Perdue opened a plethora of opportunities for themselves. I lived Ft Lauderdale '90's. Saw and shopped every fucking dr, all were cheap to start $80 office visit, but that last visit was a $500+ mark every time. Keep it up bro, theres many cheap options, all herbs, NO MANMADE CRAP🤬
Opiates are natural atent they? Same with cocaine 🤷🏻‍♂️ many other naturals to add to this list

Just joking here 😅😛😝
 
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