5 Years Sober

[Flatus Tube]

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

I was very much the functional addict that believed I just liked having fun and getting high for most of my life. Once the brain develops the circuits of addiction, they are always there. So cross addiction from one behaviour/ poison to another are common.

For me, after studying the neuroscience and psychology of addiction to help myself, I decided I wanted my brain to be fully clean and natural. So I declined opioid maintenance and accepted feeling shit, tired and slightly depressed for 6 months.

I am completely tee total. I even came off nicotine a couple of years ago, and stopped taking ADHD meds after a couple of months in 2021 after my diagnosis as I didn’t like the idea of being an addict taking speed daily (plus it makes you feel flat and depressed after your brain gets used to it).

Now I have my brain back, it’s lovely having the euphoric rushes of happiness just looking at my kids or wife and waking up positive every day. It is a hard few months getting your brain totally clean, but a worthwhile experience in the long run.

I hope all goes well for you.

 

[tonyninetoes]

I was very much the functional addict that believed I just liked having fun and getting high for most of my life. Once the brain develops the circuits of addiction, they are always there. So cross addiction from one behaviour/ poison to another are common.

For me, after studying the neuroscience and psychology of addiction to help myself, I decided I wanted my brain to be fully clean and natural. So I declined opioid maintenance and accepted feeling shit, tired and slightly depressed for 6 months.

I am completely tee total. I even came off nicotine a couple of years ago, and stopped taking ADHD meds after a couple of months in 2021 after my diagnosis as I didn’t like the idea of being an addict taking speed daily (plus it makes you feel flat and depressed after your brain gets used to it).

Now I have my brain back, it’s lovely having the euphoric rushes of happiness just looking at my kids or wife and waking up positive every day. It is a hard few months getting your brain totally clean, but a worthwhile experience in the long run.

I hope all goes well for you.

Are you suggesting that you are 100% clean, sober, and have zero addictions? There are many forms of it. Coffee, cigarettes, donuts, food, … and dont get me started on other addictions. The addictions that are not administered via nose, mouth, veins. However they do give the same effect as a substance user. Chemical reactions can also be achieved by partaking in other addictions. Gamblers for instance. The highest of the highs and lowest of the lows they say. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Others maybe addicted to race cars, porn, cheating on their spouses, nymphs, licking toes, … the list goes on and on and on. Plenty of “addictions” can be had. I dont think think that our species can survive without an addiction for each and every one of us. I could be wrong here. Im just speculating. Heck even a person that chews their finger nails. Theres a chain of events and chemical reactions happening in the brain.

 

[Teeshine]

Opiates are natural atent they? Same with cocaine 🤷🏻‍♂️ many other naturals to add to this list

Just joking here 😅😛😝

I hear you but your not talking coca plant leaves, which i tried, nothing like coke but lit me up for over an hr. Concentrated, man-made kills. Opium, ive grown several strains in Ga, nothing like youve been led to believe. Herbs, brother, they are here for meds the RIGHT way. I went down that opiate rabbit hole like all the others. Oxy, 'dones, percs, since '79. RJS 714, tell me what this is, win a prize. Only older heads know. I started growing my own weed in '78 but Im from a farming family, my grandparents knew herbs over manmade, BIG DIFFERENCE but if you never have tried discerning the bullshit, YOU'LL NEVER KNOW but we'll be fine in our OWN time, either with or without. Kratom, weed, 10+ hrs every day, supervising dirt construction, work every day. There really is a division between natural plant with ALL its alkaloids, or mans rendition of what meds are with ONE alkaloid.
Im 62 herniated disk c6, c7, Gods healers are helping me every time I need a hand. Concentrate, dabs, are too man-made even. GIVE ME FLOWER. sorry, #tonyninetoes, guess I recollected a little too hard. Always an ear here bro, take life easy

 

[tonyninetoes]

I hear you but your not talking coca plant leaves, which i tried, nothing like coke but lit me up for over an hr. Concentrated, man-made kills. Opium, ive grown several strains in Ga, nothing like youve been led to believe. Herbs, brother, they are here for meds the RIGHT way. I went down that opiate rabbit hole like all the others. Oxy, 'dones, percs, since '79. RJS 714, tell me what this is, win a prize. Only older heads know. I started growing my own weed in '78 but Im from a farming family, my grandparents knew herbs over manmade, BIG DIFFERENCE but if you never have tried discerning the bullshit, YOU'LL NEVER KNOW but we'll be fine in our OWN time, either with or without. Kratom, weed, 10+ hrs every day, supervising dirt construction, work every day. There really is a division between natural plant with ALL its alkaloids, or mans rendition of what meds are with ONE alkaloid.
Im 62 herniated disk c6, c7, Gods healers are helping me every time I need a hand. Concentrate, dabs, are too man-made even. GIVE ME FLOWER. sorry, #tonyninetoes, guess I recollected a little too hard. Always an ear here bro, take life easy

I will research it ! 😛
“KRATOM is an HERB 🌿”
Any others i should look up?

 

[Flatus Tube]

Are you suggesting that you are 100% clean, sober, and have zero addictions? There are many forms of it. Coffee, cigarettes, donuts, food, … and dont get me started on other addictions. The addictions that are not administered via nose, mouth, veins. However they do give the same effect as a substance user. Chemical reactions can also be achieved by partaking in other addictions. Gamblers for instance. The highest of the highs and lowest of the lows they say. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Others maybe addicted to race cars, porn, cheating on their spouses, nymphs, licking toes, … the list goes on and on and on. Plenty of “addictions” can be had. I dont think think that our species can survive without an addiction for each and every one of us. I could be wrong here. Im just speculating. Heck even a person that chews their finger nails. Theres a chain of events and chemical reactions happening in the brain.

I have caffeine as proper coffee and green tea are extremely health promoting with anti ageing and disease reducing polyphenols. But I don’t crave it.

I do daily meditation and self-work on my mind. Like going to the gym it needs constant work to keep the benefits up. My wife has also opted for a totally sober life which has made it easier for me to maintain recovery.

I genuinely don’t crave anything anymore. I exercise regularly via bodybuilding as it boosts my mood and manages my ADHD, my wife and I have a very healthy sex life but neither are addicted to sex or exercise.

I’ve learned to be comfortable in the present moment no matter what it is. I don’t get bored easily these days as quiet times are an opportunity to meditate. I surrender to what happens as I have no control over most of what goes on.

I've completed well over 100 audiobooks over the past few years; and many of them several times. All focused on learning to be happy, healthy and understand my brain (inc ADHD, addiction, trauma, stress) with lots of spiritual work. I find continual learning helps to keep me happy and stress free.

I don’t eat any junk food at all, and mostly eat plants.

So can honestly say, I am truly sober.

 

[tonyninetoes]

I have caffeine as proper coffee and green tea are extremely health promoting with anti ageing and disease reducing polyphenols. But I don’t crave it.

I do daily meditation and self-work on my mind. Like going to the gym it needs constant work to keep the benefits up. My wife has also opted for a totally sober life which has made it easier for me to maintain recovery.

I genuinely don’t crave anything anymore. I exercise regularly via bodybuilding as it boosts my mood and manages my ADHD, my wife and I have a very healthy sex life but neither are addicted to sex or exercise.

I’ve learned to be comfortable in the present moment no matter what it is. I don’t get bored easily these days as quiet times are an opportunity to meditate. I surrender to what happens as I have no control over most of what goes on.

I've completed well over 100 audiobooks over the past few years; and many of them several times. All focused on learning to be happy, healthy and understand my brain (inc ADHD, addiction, trauma, stress) with lots of spiritual work. I find continual learning helps to keep me happy and stress free.

I don’t eat any junk food at all, and mostly eat plants.

So can honestly say, I am truly sober.

Great work you’ve accomplished. Good on you. 👌

 

[Teeshine]

I will research it ! 😛
“KRATOM is an HERB 🌿”
Any others i should look up?

Wow bro, Im working right now, I will DEFINITELY send what I know.

Canna, herb, to start ethnobotanicals.com
Bouncing Bear Botanicals. They may be shut down, not sure. You wait, bro, me and my real friends can help.

I had melanoma cancer cut from my body in '04, didnt take anything but weed, eating, smoking, and drinking cannabis tea. Im 62, still bust much ass. That was 21 years ago. In '08, I found kratom, ordered 2 cuttings, rooted and grew nicely. Kratom and coffee? 1st cousins, believe it brother. Together, oh my. Green Malaysian kratom is my favorite and I just found another vendor even cheaper with great reviews.

Read kratom or cannabis scientific abstracts, that info is more available now. Herbs are made of the same ground we are.
Just weed has almost 580 alkaloids, NO WONDER ITS A CURE- ALL.
Poppies, around 80 alkaloids. I have books also, shows how to make potent meds for yourself. HERB BIBLE by John Lust is 1800's info, but black and white, no color pics BEFORE Hoover fucked herbs up. Worth it to get past the scare tactic shit. Even the colius plants your granny grew, one variety gets you high!


I grow poppies, weed, and other active alkaloid herbs, NOT DRUGS, tthat's synthetic Godplaying is all that is, with ONE ALKALOID, hear me... BUNK BULLSHIT. Thanks for your interest and allowing free text speech without balking on herbs.
After 6 pm ill shoot a few herbs your way. When I figure out how to load and send pics on here I will. Take care, bro

 

[Teeshine]

Wow bro, Im working right now, I will DEFINITELY send what I know.

Canna, herb, to start ethnobotanicals.com
Bouncing Bear Botanicals. They may be shut down, not sure. You wait, bro, me and my real friends can help.

I had melanoma cancer cut from my body in '04, didnt take anything but weed, eating, smoking, and drinking cannabis tea. Im 62, still bust much ass. That was 21 years ago. In '08, I found kratom, ordered 2 cuttings, rooted and grew nicely. Kratom and coffee? 1st cousins, believe it brother. Together, oh my. Green Malaysian kratom is my favorite and I just found another vendor even cheaper with great reviews.

Read kratom or cannabis scientific abstracts, that info is more available now. Herbs are made of the same ground we are.
Just weed has almost 580 alkaloids, NO WONDER ITS A CURE- ALL.
Poppies, around 80 alkaloids. I have books also, shows how to make potent meds for yourself. HERB BIBLE by John Lust is 1800's info, but black and white, no color pics BEFORE Hoover fucked herbs up. Worth it to get past the scare tactic shit. Even the colius plants your granny grew, one variety gets you high!


I grow poppies, weed, and other active alkaloid herbs, NOT DRUGS, tthat's synthetic Godplaying is all that is, with ONE ALKALOID, hear me... BUNK BULLSHIT. Thanks for your interest and allowing free text speech without balking on herbs.
After 6 pm ill shoot a few herbs your way. When I figure out how to load and send pics on here I will. Take care, bro

Hey #tonyninetoes I have a very small book by Adam Gotlieb called Legal Highs that has the colius I mentioned, but also on a weird note, it also contains Adrenachrome, only found in ONE place, humans, children, to be exact! . This was '80's, before Pizzagate, but dude was right. Fear and Loathing made me do a double take on that. THAT SHITS REAL!!!!
I'm digging up the closet, back at cha later, ✌️

 

[Teeshine]

Hey #tonyninetoes I have a very small book by Adam Gotlieb called Legal Highs that has the colius I mentioned, but also on a weird note, it also contains Adrenachrome, only found in ONE place, humans, children, to be exact! . This was '80's, before Pizzagate, but dude was right. Fear and Loathing made me do a double take on that. THAT SHITS REAL!!!!
I'm digging up the closet, back at cha later, ✌️

I just realized, you may not be able to acquire herbs, seeds, or info for that matter, because of your countries legal status. Im in Colorado, VERY SAFE ground. Hope you can help yourselves, you and your girl, laws are fucked with herbs, but the possibilities are there to self help. 🌿✌️

 

[Outbreak92]

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

My Irish friend use to tell me beer is proof God loves us

 

[Curioso5]

Congrats

 

[WhiteHawk]

yummy

 

[TOOSEE]

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

Slam dunked, amazing work,live with passion!! And if you tell anyone I was being nice Ill solve that "how do I die" problem you have.

 

[Guipago]

Excellent work on zapping your demons @Flatus Tube Keep it up & you could get as old as me haha (but why suffer unnecessarily!)

 

[Nekrophile]

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

Massive congrats, friend! Wishing you a better and happier life from here on \m/

 

[Shatterskull]

Sorry I just caught this my friend, Congratulations! 5 years is a huge accomplishment. I too am in recovery and clean and sober and I am so grateful you are kicking ass and staying clean. I will keep you in your prayers and if you ever need to talk to someone else I am here. DM me anytime! So happy for you brother, recovering from your DOCs is a big deal and a lot of work. You should be very proud of yourself and keep going one day at a time! 🙏🏼😀👍🏼

 

[dwdays]

30+ years….. I miss drinking. It’s why I’m always cranky

 

[Jizdrop1]

I am so lucky re addiction. I smash the booze and vape at weekend but don't touch anything during the week and it's not even hard.

 

[mrln]

I love my daily bukkake.

 

[Andy.]

I am so lucky re addiction. I smash the booze and vape at weekend but don't touch anything during the week and it's not even hard.

Well done.
Sometimes though, it happens that those weekend fixes don't seem to last long enough, and you need more medication to scratch the itch.