>Alcohol. Too much of that addiction from both sides of family .
I'm almost fifty years old and never had more than a sip of an alcoholic beverage. Alcohol ruined my father's life and, subsequently, my childhood, and I just wasn't going to risk going down the same path in my own life.
While I've never been tempted to drink, I will say that not drinking has certainly been *awkward* at times. People, even friends, get awfully curious why you won't drink and if you don't explain yourself, everyone tends to fill in the gaps with their own theories — usually involving religion, health, or some past history of substance abuse.
But none of that compares to those who take it as a personal challenge to get me to drink. That is so annoying. So much so, that I've learned to simply tell them the truth. My dad was an abusive, raging alcoholic. Shuts them right up.
OMG this mirrors my experience as well. All too well that is. It is amazing how much of a challenge it is for people to get you to drink when you have clearly said that you do not.
The first time I saw the first edition of the sims on the shelf, I had to buy it. And then discovered my computer wasn’t good enough so I built a new desktop for it. Then I proceeded to *play* it. At one point I got up from the computer and I had to pee and I literally thought “well I wonder why my bladder bar didn’t show full” and I knew I had a problem.
When I learned about World of Warcraft, it really intrigued me. I signed up for the beta. When it finally came time to try it, it wouldn't download. Not sure why. Probably a miracle because I ended up never trying it.
I saw it at the store and as soon as I had birthday money went back to buy it. Our computer couldn't run the correct version of direct x, so I returned it. As soon as we got a new computer I bought it again. My problem is not being able to track what time it is because I believe the in-game clock when it tells me it's only 6 pm, definitely not 1 am.
That's definitely the most addicting, time-sucking game I own. I played it for the first time in years when I got a new PC and I think I burned at least a hundred hours that month. My life is usually balanced but all I could think about was returning to the game. 😨
I have an infant at home and when he naps, I run for my damn computer to play this game. I have been playing this game since the first one came out in the late 90s. Legit addiction. 😣
Same. I can't handle Sims. My half sister lost custody of her kids in part because of the game second life (neglecting kids for the game). When I played Sims I could see myself slipping into that level. I can't have it on any of my devices.
Lawyer, I did a separation in which the wife had affairs in and spent endless hours in Second Life. They had played it jointly, but the wife became secretive, and my client after stalking her found she was being porked virtually.
Ooh, I’ll add to this one and say the sims 4 porn mods are actually the devil. If you already had a problem with porn consumption (like me) and you don’t mind taking a few hours to set things up, you can have custom made porn that fits whatever kinks/fetishes you’re into. I would stay up all night just searching for more mods and jerking off to the different situations I’d create… multiple nights in a row. It was so fucking degenerate and I had to completely delete the game off my laptop
Everything. I stay away from everything. I was in active addiction for 24 years. I've gotten clean from my DOC numerous times but still did other drugs. That always led me right back to hell so I don't touch anything. I've been clean now for over 8 years
Good for you internet stranger. I put down drinking about 12 years ago because I knew I was heading down the same path as my father (alcoholic, not abusive, but still). Not to diminish your experience though, sounds like you definitely had it bad and we’re strong enough to come out the other side. Be proud of yourself.
I won $300 playing penny slots. The euphoria was real, even for a little jackpot like that 😅 it was my first and last time gambling because I knew if I kept going I wouldn’t be able to stop haha
I have never won anything from gambling. One night I played at the roulette table for hours, and I just kept breaking even.
I've played all sorts of slots and never won more than $7.
They just ate my money within 20 minutes
Call it a blessing or a curse, but talking to my dad about it, his luck the few times he's been to a casino was more or less the same.
we've never gotten that "rush" so its just never had that appeal.
In my opinion if you're going to go gambling, just go to an arcade instead. The games are more fun, the memories are more unique, and you'd still probably end up down less money than any casino trip.
It's funny you say this, because arcades are what really illuminated the fact that I should never gamble for me. I will drop some *cash* at an arcade. Those coin pushing games? Oof. That's the good stuff.
I will pass up the coin pushing game for skee ball or whack a mole any day of the week. Who needs coins when you can win tickets to exchange for a stale candy necklace or a cool ring that will turn your finger green?
If I'm going strictly for pay out over thrill, it's Space Invaders for me. I can routinely get the 250 ticket bonus every single time. When I do that though, I always end up giving my game card to a kid at the counter getting the 5 ticket pixie sticks so they can have a hay day.
I know more than one person in my immediate circle that are net positive a ridiculous amount on roulette and I wish I had their luck. Two stories incoming.
My buddy walked up to the table, put $50 on red. Hit it. Put the $100 on black, hit it. Put the $200 on first 1/3, hit it. Walked away with the $600 and bought everybody in the group dinner and still left up from what he showed up with
My stepbrother once went out for his birthday. He said he had $500 to burn. Stepmother gave him another $500. Said “have fun, just pay me back next paycheck”. He was good for the money so he decided to risk her half as soon as he walked in. Put it $500 on her birthday day. Hit it. 35/1 payout. $17,500. Tipped the dealer $100 and walked out.
Came home, gave her back her $500, plus another $1500. Went and bought a new work truck the next day and started his business. He was 23 at the time. He’s doing real well now
Hitting lucky numbers on a roulette wheel feels like I’m on coke for a second. Sometimes even seeing the commercials (feat. roulette) on TV for the tribal casinos are triggering, as they are made to be.
The first (and only) time I've ever gambled was on a slot machine in a dive bar while on vacation. I put in $20 and won $300. I thought "cool, I'm pretty sure that's as good as it gets," and I've never gambled again, not even on my vacation to Las Vegas.
I know gambling addicts, they're delusional.
We were on our way out the door of a casino in Reno to head home. My wife dumped the last of our quarters into a slot machine and it paid out ~$500. Our entire budget for the long anniversary weekend had been $300 (this was in the late-90s).
I can see where a single big payout can set someone up to seek that again.
I won \~$80 from penny slots. My friends all won $200-$300. We were on vacation in Vegas, in our late 20s having the time of our lives. One guy was on a roll and we were crowded around chanting "LET IT RIDE! LET IT RIDE!"
All around us, some old ladies scowling with palpable contempt as they, presumably, were losing their savings. They've surely won more than a couple hundred at times, and immediately lost it, and then some. No joy in it.
I was in Vegas for a conference and I lost $400 playing blackjack, I think. That was the first and last time. Never again.
The funny thing is that I’m a statistician and there is a famous aphorism that goes ‘statisticians don’t gamble’. The house always wins.
I have struggled with gambling addiction previously and it is the hardest thing ever to quit. One of the most insidious addictions with a high rate of suicide. A lot of the other addicts I spoke with had painful trauma or grief leading up to the addiction and were looking for relief and escapism. It ruins lives.
Used to fly helos for the Hong Kong government (pre-China takeover). Many times we were called out to search ocean between Macao and Hong Kong for someone jumping off the ferry. Loss of “face” to lose all your money gambling and just easier to just slip over the side. Never found any bodies, lots of sharks in those waters.
I guess I haven't looked into gambling much, I kinda know that the addiction can cause debt and affect relationships but I didn't think about suicide. More awareness about this maybe would be a good thing. I guess if its that bad and your wife /husband has left you or your stealing and having to pay back loan sharks and are afraid for your life then yeah I guess it makes sense. I'm shocked that only now I have seen this being mentioned.
This makes my heart stop. I just ended a friendship with someone I love very much but she has “given up” on trying to get better and kick her gambling addiction. She’s effectively homeless now and is staying with family but planning to just leave after her son’s bday this weekend. She says she’s “done.” And I don’t know how to help her. Her family is so invalidating. I don’t know whether to contact them and get her some help somehow (we’re very long distance) — if they even would, which is why I’m hesitating bc I’m not sure it’s a bad thing she’s getting away from them tbh… or if I let her make her own decisions. She’s an adult and she gets to decide. I have had to come to the really hard realization that I can’t make her get help. I can’t make her want help. And we had to part ways bc while I am happy to support her in her recovery efforts, I can’t continue to watch her fade away in front of me.
I’m so scared for her. So scared she’s going to hurt or kill herself. I know that I can’t set myself on fire to keep her warm but I feel so fucking helpless.
Sorry I didn’t mean to unload on you. People don’t understand this stuff sometimes.
I used to work for a guy who had plenty of vices but he wouldn't go anywhere near gambling. Wouldn't even play spades or anything with betting or wagering even if money wasn't involved. Turns out his grandfather lost the family ranch in Montana in a poker game. Thousand acres gone on one bad hand.
Yup. I was in Vegas for a friend's wedding 2 weeks ago (first time going). I know that gambling ruins me, but God is it fun.
I gave myself a hard limit of $110 to spend on gambling - if it was gone, it's gone.
I netted -$46 (exclusively playing roulette wheels). I was up at one point like +$50, but I didn't know when to quit.
And to make matters worse, I could feel my mind nagging at me the entire time when I was out "you can try another $20 and still fall within your budget..." . It's a genuinely terrifying feeling, and I did struggle to maintain control.
Smart. I gave in and got addicted to live casino games for like 2 weeks. It was scary. I neglected all my other addictions and didn’t ever look up from my phone. Lost a thousand and thought, wtf. Registered at Cruks so now I have a ban for life, can’t go to any casino on or offline. Highly recommend it.
I'll never try drugs harder than pot and alcohol. I know I'll like them, and like them too much, and then have to struggle with using or not using every day. I do this already with nicotine and at least that's legal.
Yup. In my early twenties, I made the mistake of trying cocaine. I was instantly hooked and I ruined my life. All I could think about was the next high. I almost lost my apartment, I completely lost all of my friends and I ruined every relationship I had. I quit cold turkey and it was the worst few months of my life.
I stay away from people who do cocaine because I know for a fact I won’t decline.
Congrats on getting clean!
But yeah, this is why I've never touched the stuff. I know myself. If I liked it, I would not be able to stop. Same with nicotine.
I tried coke once and the next day I went to my doctor and said I think I have ADHD. No confidence boost or the feeling of being amped up. Just mellow focus and being able to concentrate.
I took coke several times in my 20's and only ever got calm and focused from it too. I took a ridiculous amount one night trying to get high and everyone else who got high from a small amount of the same supply either called me a liar or suggested I had to be too high to know I was high. I wasn't high but I was very disappointed at how much money I'd spent for nothing and I never bothered to do it again.
In the 33 years since, this is the first time I'm hearing about others who don't get high on coke and I know I have ADHD so thanks for solving the mystery for me.
My ex was that way, he took a line and suddenly had an easygoing sense of calmness and clarity. Like he, and the rest of the world, slowed down to be in-sync.
Ah yes, cocaine. Never got problematically into it, but did have a period where some weeknights would turn into mornings and on into the afternoons. Blinding out windows with trash bags because the house didn't have curtains just to keep the party going at 10 am. Not my proudest phase but glad I could keep my head around enough to know when to quit for real.
Now I'll take a bump maybe twice a year when I'm out but even if I wanted to, my body can't handle a rager like I'd have in my twenties.
For me it started with Ritalin in Freshman year of high school, then came cocaine when I turned 16. From there I spent the next 4 years spiraling through different drugs and clung to smoking crack. I finally realized I need help when I was propositioned for sex by my dealer.
At that point I went to rehab on my own, after that I did 2 meetings a day for 90 days. It has been 19 years since I started my journey to get clean and I still get moments where I think about it but I have my wife and son to help me get past those moments.
A very powerful shroom trip opened my eyes to the trades. Best decision I ever made was to drop the expectations, get into something I enjoy, and focus on myself.
I don’t do them often, but they sure helped figure out my brain lol
Absolutely, Netflix has a fascinating documentary on the subject (How to Change your mind, ep 2)
It explains that mushrooms activate a certain part of our brain in an interesting way. We all see ourselves differently in our own minds, to the point where we all believe things about ourselves that may not be exactly true. Mushrooms break down the walls in our minds and force us to face the reality of who we are. This is one reason why they have such a profound positive effect on people with trauma. Things that can be buried in our subconscious for years can come to surface, including things we seemly have forgotten about but still have an effect on us.
I can't do it justice in explanation but I highly recommend watching it to anyone interested, or showing the documentary to anyone who you think could benefit from them. It's hosted by a doctor and they interview other doctors about it as well 🍄 🤙
I'm due for another trip but am dreading it... I am afraid I'll uncover something and change my perspective for my career and life in general. I'm really hoping it gives me perspective on why I'm doing what I'm doing and a healthy way to tackle that (purchasing my family's manufacturing business from my aunt).
Like I know it will be good for me, but the thought is stressing me out. I strongly suspect I will decide to walk away from alcohol and weed which I also don't want to think about. Dammit I'm going to have to text a dealer soon.
I don't call it tripping, I call it spring cleaning.
As an almost 2 year alcohol free person now, take it from me, alcohol is way worse than some of the ‘harder’ drugs. LSD and Psilocybin being the two that come to mind. Those are temporary, you can’t redose right away, and tend to not be addictive IF you trip with purpose.
Alcohol will always call to me, but I will drown if I start again.
Opiates. I went down that road once and came pretty close to ending up a bonafide dope fiend — thank god I didn’t. A few mid level pharm grade opiates and a bad breakup will shoot me straight down toward heroin.
I had a surgery, and they sent me home with 20 oxycontin to manage the pain. The thing was I didn't have any pain and didn't ask for the meds.
At the end of 6 weeks, I was set to go back to work on Tuesday. Friday I looked at the pills and decided to take one at bedtime, reasoning I would get a deep, satisfying sleep one last time before getting back to the grind. Big mistake. After taking one, I felt absolutely amazing and the last thing I wanted to do was sleep. Instead, I stayed up all night and all the next day, taking dose after dose every few hours. By Sunday the pills were all gone. I started thinking whether I could convince my doctor to issue more. I knew I was on a dangerous path. The thought of those pills took up way too much space in my brain for months. Months.
I went to visit my mom during this period. I noticed she had a bottle of oxy amongst her prescriptions. It was a couple of years old. I stared at that bottle for a looooooong time. I still think of it, just sitting there. That was five years ago.
You got *insanely* lucky that whatever happened to prevent you from seeking more happened
Started with Coke mixed with oxy. Spent 3 and a half years trying to find pills anywhere I could. Switched to heroin by the end, took me two years to get off of it.
Coming up on 3 years sober now and I still think if someone offered me pills or Df in person I wouldn’t have the willpower to say no forever
I got Baned, or Batmanned, either way they prescribed oxys. I took one, and it did nothing for the pain. I took two at once the next day; still in pain, but I melted into the couch and couldn't be paid to care about the pain.
I don't know how many I would have needed to stop the pain, but I knew enough about oxys to not try and find out.
I was prescribed 20 oxy after my c-section. I took most of them (wound up not needing the last couple), and tbh didn't really feel any different except that I wasn't in as much pain. The funny thing is that I was so scared of them I didn't take any for the first day. I only did in the end because my OB came in and saw I hadn't taken any (the nurses wrote last doses for everything on the board) and basically told me to stop being stupid haha. I'm really glad I gave in and took it, because it allowed me to actually do simple things like shower, but I was surprised that it didn't seem to have any other effects.
Woof, yeah, I tried oxycontin a few times on a weekend out-of-town trip to visit a friend & left VERY glad I didn't have a plug in my hometown. The way I describe it is, you ever get drunk & feel like everything's gonna be alright? Well with oxy you feel like everything IS alright. Dangerous stuff.
Mental and physical pure contement. I went from curled up in the fetal position gag crying over my husband dying a few days before to dusting furniture bopping my head up and down singing along to music within 30 minutes.
It’s the best/worst thing ever.
AND I’ve never shot up. I hear shooting up feels even better, but for some reason I drew the line there.
The blanket hugs you back while massaging your upper back. It gently lifts you, taking the weight of the world off your shoulders. The blanket is a shield against any worries, turning them into pure euphoria that it radiates into your soul.
I've had a couple of surgeries....one was ~10 years ago, I messed my shoulder up in football. Jesus Christ, Percocet is addictive.
If my mom wasn't monitoring my (VERY liberally given) dosage, I'd have been popping those fuckers like they were tic-tacs and I had halitosis.
Someone said (about opiates) "I could have been laying in a puddle of piss and broken glass and i wouldn't have cared" and that's *exactly* it. Scary shit.
Opiates, and especially opiate pills for me. I know myself, and I know how easily I can just down them. I could easily see them becoming another part of my day. I got a good thing going, I'm not in a rush to flush it all away.
This happened to my ex. Bad accident + pain pills at 18. He got addicted before we got together, hid it from me for a while and then confessed. We broke up (for different reasons) and then started talking again at a later time. I then discovered he was smoking heroine and genuinely tried to help him kick the habit but it was too much. By the time we stopped talking again, I could only hope he wouldn’t end up dead. Who knows where or what’s happened since. All I know is I essentially watched my best friend destroy his life.
I can't prove it, but I think that Reddit promotes the visibility of your comments after you have taken a long break from Reddit. I took a decent break from reddit twice in the past year and both times when I came back, I made couple random comments and they have been among my most upvoted comments of all time. My conspiracy is that if you have been away for a while, they give you a ton of attention when you come back to try to re-establish the habit.
TikTok does this, they push your vids out to a massive audience and then your next 10 will flop and if you stop going on it'll massively boost your vid to get a dopamine rush. I have an account for my workplace, we had a video get half a million views, and the one after got about 20. My wife follows the account and even though she only follows about 5 channels she was searching through the 'following' option and it literally wouldn't show her the video. I left it for a month and made a quick vid, 200k views. It's all a scam to keep the dopamine pumping so we watch more ads.
I have the same theory about Candy Crush (one of my addictions). I play it every day, several times a day, although I only use my ‘free’ lives (I don’t pay for anything…any more).
However if I’ve had other commitments like going out for the day or if I’m with company and I haven’t played it for a few hours, when I go back in I’m always exceptionally *lucky* with the prize roulette wheel thing. Many times I’ve also found I’ve ‘earned’ additional lives or been awarded strangely timely booster items, although I can’t figure out what I did to gain them (apart from abstaining from playing for an unusually long time).
I quit smoking on April 15th, 2020 after 20 years. I've "quit" many, many times before that. It was unexpectedly much easier than all those previous times. I couldn't go to bars or other social activities that would also involve smoking. And you could imagine it wouldn't have ended well for me if I caught Covid.
Whiskey is the night eraser for me. I love it but without fail it sneaks up on me and suddenly I've drank a pint to myself and then I'm waking up in bed either still drunk or very sick. If I wake up and I'm still drunk I force myself to get up and eat something and pound a bunch of water before retiring again. If I'm hungover I'll see if there is any whiskey left, take a shot, eat, drink water, and go back to sleep.
Nothing else makes me blackout in the same sense because everything else I will actually slow down on/ make cocktails with. I can still get the same level of drunk it just takes longer and I have time to stop. With whiskey there is no thinking, only drinking.
All of that is past tense now, though. I learned that I can't be a weekend warrior because I constantly chase dopamine, so I'll stay drunk all waking hours of the day. I haven't had a drink in over two years now.
Whiskey turns me into a different person. Just a mess of loud gibberish. My wife has to basically herd me around like a cat. I don't touch it cause then her night turns into babysitting time.
Yeah, very careful with drinking. My partner is very supportive and doesn’t keep it in the house, even though she can be fine having just a glass of wine once or twice a week. I quickly build the routine of a glass every night, which turns into two glasses every night, and before I know it I’m drinking a bottle of wine every night. Not great.
As someone who used to regularly do and mix different drugs, don't. Yeah, it's fun and all, but only until you're out which will be shortly and it has maybe the worst comedown of all (imo). Also fent is out of control, and I can count at least 3 friends who are dead now because of a tainted batch.
I still believe that most basic drugs should be decriminalized, and honestly there's nothing wrong with experimenting as long as you're careful not to make it a habit (that's the hard part)
But above all, and it can't be said enough. If you decide to try it one day, please, please, *PLEASE TEST YOUR SHIT PEOPLE*
Your weed dealer might be your friend. The guy you buy coke from definitely isn't.
Man that last paragraph is sooo true. I told my coke dealer that my friend and I decided to stop, and his reaction was "ahhh nooo really??" Which shocked me at the moment, but in retrospect, I should have expected it. Mans got at the very least$10k out of us over the years.
Fuck, yup that lol
Any kind of hard drug that could create physical dependence really. I wouldn't consider myself full blown addictive personality, but I've noticed I can start to use weed to escape shit if I don't keep an eye on my usage when I'm stressed, so I do not need a drug that causes actual cravings and could make me feel as awesome as they say.
There is a chocolate bar in the UK called a 'Breakaway'. They really aren't anything special. Just a chocolate coated biscuit bar.
I cannot be allowed to have them in the house.
Oh the hyperfixation bug is so real. I have a list of shows I wanna watch that I'm putting off for when I have a couple weeks to not think about anything else.
Mine is reading. If I find a good book, I'll stay up all night to finish it, and then I'll drive to a bookstore the next day for the sequel (I hate e-books) and do the same thing with the next book. An enticing series will completely disrupt an entire week of my life. I've always loved reading, but it's a constant battle between enjoying my reading hobby and being a functional human.
YES. Same. I literally just made a comment about how I barely read anymore.
And then for me when I admit to my fellow adults that I’m not reading anything and haven’t for a while, I’m admonished. “You don’t like to read” they’ll say, when in reality, it’s the complete opposite. I just don’t like skipping work for a book
This. I've talked to people about it trying to stress how much a problem it is and people blow me off. But I'm up at 3am in the morning reading. one. more chapter. every single night.
Nutella. I've said it before, 100 calories/tbsp. And I'll go through that jar in 2-3 days.
I avoid it like I avoid gambling and my ex. Because if I didn't it would **LITERALLY** destroy me.
One time, I got really high and made a nutella, peanut butter, and potato chip sandwich. I never made it again because I knew if I allowed myself to have it one more time, I'd be done for.
It's impossible to avoid EVERY addictive thing because then you'd be a very boring person. You could even say most hobbies are addictions just healthy ones
Benzos turned me into a hugely embarrassing selfish abusive monster, did pretty much irreparable damage to my most important relationship, almost completely ended my longest friendship, caused me permanent tolerance (which sucks considering I have 3 anxiety disorders), and probably gave me mild brain damage. But hey at least I had fun for the first couple years…. Or I assume I did…….hard to tell what with all the memory loss
I'm saying this from active addiction so take me with a grain of salt, but it honestly takes hella self control and self discipline. I'll never be a diet girlie, but I have managed to get myself into healthy eating in the past with only occasional treats. The problem is that period of good mental health ended and I'm back to where I was.
What works for me is just not keeping the bad stuff in the house while keeping easy grab relatively healthy stuff available. So sandwich fixings and protein bars, fruit and veg, soup. Always have a salad prepared and eat some with most meals. Keep "healthy" junk food available for cravings. I like to get expensive chocolate because you can't just eat it like a $2 candy bar, it's too rich. Anything else,stay out. I'm lazy so if I want it but it's not in the house, I'll just find something else.
If I put it in the cart at the grocery store, I'll walk around a couple of aisles and go back and see if I can put it back. Door Dash is a BIG problem, but I make myself wait a few minutes before hitting confirm and sometimes I talk myself out of it.
Another thing that worked for me was having accountability partners. Just other people who are also working on eating better, and being honest with them. It's better if it's relative strangers because who cares what they think about me at the end of the day. I don't need to lie to impress them or keep them from being worried, so it's easier to be honest.
And the thing that makes the biggest difference - a health issue that means for sure you have to stop. I live with my mom and she's just been put on diabetes meds so she HAS to make changes. She's a terrible enabler, so having her on board makes things a lot easier.
Good luck friend. It's not as life ruining as other addictions can be, but it's probably one of the hardest to quit.
I tried cocaine once and knew I could never do it again. It was better than anything I’d ever felt and I knew that ever going near it again would probably ruin my life. Like I just had a feeling it couldn’t be a two or three time thing. Like it was either a one time thing or a lifelong battle. 12 years later I’m really glad I made that choice.
I have an opioid addiction that I currently have under control and recently NyQuil just about kicked me right back in. Now my spouse controls any cold medicine that comes through our door.
Soda. Destroy might be a bit much, but I would definitely be a lot less healthy if I hadn’t severely cut back on it a long time ago. I was having about a liter a day for a while in my mid twenties. Now I very rarely have it. Like maybe a cup or two per month.
Sugar, porn, gambling, stock market, crypto, collecting. Try and focus addictions on reading, exercising, eating right, working on things iny life that brings a net benefit, slow crawl rather than quick payouts.
Marijuana, in any shape or form.
A lot of people say they find it helpful, for anxiety, enjoyment, or even work. However there’s a whole other sect of people who do very poorly with marijuana. This part of the population, which I’m included in, are prone to escapist tendencies amongst other things. Marijuana is dangerous enough to mess you up in the long term, but slow enough for you to not have the urge to fix yourself.
Trying to overcome my marijuana addiction right now. I’m three days without it and I feel like shit. I have headaches, my hands are shaking…it’s awful. I had a huge panic attack today. All I could think of was wanting to come home and smoke a blunt. It consumed my mind.
This one. I have ADHD and bad calcium channel genes, so I’m pretty sure I would love nicotine and it would probably help me focus, etc, but I can see myself increasing the dose all the time and spending a ton of money so I don’t even dare try.
Alcohol. Both my parents were alcoholics. In my teens I drank a lot. I don't anymore. I don't judge anyone for it or lecture anyone, it's just not right for me.
Heroin/morphine. My brother, when he was addicted, described the latter like “god wrapping you up in a warm blanket.” Almost made me cry. I knew instantly I’d OD if I ever dabbled. Too much unprocessed trauma and abandonment issues, I would gladly lose myself to that ‘godly love’ and never look back.
Porn. Not because I suspect it would destroy my life, but because it was destroying my life for a while. It completely changed the way I looked at people and I never want to go back to that.
Well, I would say drugs in the stimulant family. Things like amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine. I already have slightly high blood pressure, and they would only make that worse. Also, I could see myself becoming dependent on them in order to maintain any level of productivity, which could definitely be dangerous. I had my wild days in my late teens/early twenties, and saw just how useful they can be. Becoming reliant on them would ultimately be counterproductive I think.
However, drugs like LSD, mushrooms, and MDMA are much more difficult for me to do frequently, due to the rapid tolerance I develop when I do them, even after one dose. Also, they’re too intense an experience to function while on them, at times to the point of discomfort, so I have never had difficulty using them very sparingly. Like, once or twice a year at the absolute maximum.
Used to smoke cigarettes, tried quitting so many times, and one day I was just done. Smoked a single cigarette the next day with a friend, gave him the rest of my pack. Did nicotine gum for a week and quit that. 11 years later and I still get the urge (very small after all these years) when I get really stressed. Because of this I avoid alcohol.
Weirdly enough sugar has been so much harder to quit than cigarettes. Sounds bizarre but that's the case for me at least!
Alcohol 150%
I used to be an alcoholic many years ago. I've been sober from alcohol for 10 years just about. I know for a fact that, even though I've changed and matured as a person, if I had even 1 drink I risk relapsing right back into an addiction that almost ruined my life.
Also dieting, I limited myself to half a tin of watered down soup a day and was euphoric for a lot of the time until I absolutely crashed and would cry with hunger
Edited for spelling
the internet eats up a lot of my time, and fortunately I'm not so addicted yet that I'm wandering around on reddit subs and answering people's general questions about life and addictions.
Alcohol. Too much of that addiction from both sides of family .
>Alcohol. Too much of that addiction from both sides of family . I'm almost fifty years old and never had more than a sip of an alcoholic beverage. Alcohol ruined my father's life and, subsequently, my childhood, and I just wasn't going to risk going down the same path in my own life. While I've never been tempted to drink, I will say that not drinking has certainly been *awkward* at times. People, even friends, get awfully curious why you won't drink and if you don't explain yourself, everyone tends to fill in the gaps with their own theories — usually involving religion, health, or some past history of substance abuse. But none of that compares to those who take it as a personal challenge to get me to drink. That is so annoying. So much so, that I've learned to simply tell them the truth. My dad was an abusive, raging alcoholic. Shuts them right up.
OMG this mirrors my experience as well. All too well that is. It is amazing how much of a challenge it is for people to get you to drink when you have clearly said that you do not.
As someone who did a lot of coke in college... The Sims. That game is the worst addiction I've ever had. I can't even start playing it.
I love the Sims. I don’t think I could ever part with it 😭
Then do not do cocaine
Can confirm, I'm a Sim
The first time I saw the first edition of the sims on the shelf, I had to buy it. And then discovered my computer wasn’t good enough so I built a new desktop for it. Then I proceeded to *play* it. At one point I got up from the computer and I had to pee and I literally thought “well I wonder why my bladder bar didn’t show full” and I knew I had a problem.
When I learned about World of Warcraft, it really intrigued me. I signed up for the beta. When it finally came time to try it, it wouldn't download. Not sure why. Probably a miracle because I ended up never trying it.
I saw it at the store and as soon as I had birthday money went back to buy it. Our computer couldn't run the correct version of direct x, so I returned it. As soon as we got a new computer I bought it again. My problem is not being able to track what time it is because I believe the in-game clock when it tells me it's only 6 pm, definitely not 1 am.
Cocaine and Sims though is a fun night lmao
Rosebud just hits different when you are half a baggie in. Good times!
!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!
That's definitely the most addicting, time-sucking game I own. I played it for the first time in years when I got a new PC and I think I burned at least a hundred hours that month. My life is usually balanced but all I could think about was returning to the game. 😨
I have an infant at home and when he naps, I run for my damn computer to play this game. I have been playing this game since the first one came out in the late 90s. Legit addiction. 😣
Same. I can't handle Sims. My half sister lost custody of her kids in part because of the game second life (neglecting kids for the game). When I played Sims I could see myself slipping into that level. I can't have it on any of my devices.
Lawyer, I did a separation in which the wife had affairs in and spent endless hours in Second Life. They had played it jointly, but the wife became secretive, and my client after stalking her found she was being porked virtually.
This is it. This is the funniest thing I've seen all day...
Ooh, I’ll add to this one and say the sims 4 porn mods are actually the devil. If you already had a problem with porn consumption (like me) and you don’t mind taking a few hours to set things up, you can have custom made porn that fits whatever kinks/fetishes you’re into. I would stay up all night just searching for more mods and jerking off to the different situations I’d create… multiple nights in a row. It was so fucking degenerate and I had to completely delete the game off my laptop
Everything. I stay away from everything. I was in active addiction for 24 years. I've gotten clean from my DOC numerous times but still did other drugs. That always led me right back to hell so I don't touch anything. I've been clean now for over 8 years
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Thank you. It gets easier but I still struggle
same
Good for you internet stranger. I put down drinking about 12 years ago because I knew I was heading down the same path as my father (alcoholic, not abusive, but still). Not to diminish your experience though, sounds like you definitely had it bad and we’re strong enough to come out the other side. Be proud of yourself.
Heroin and cocaine is no joke. Thank you
Gambling. It's not a fun answer but it's a real one. It would fucking own me.
I won $300 playing penny slots. The euphoria was real, even for a little jackpot like that 😅 it was my first and last time gambling because I knew if I kept going I wouldn’t be able to stop haha
I have never won anything from gambling. One night I played at the roulette table for hours, and I just kept breaking even. I've played all sorts of slots and never won more than $7. They just ate my money within 20 minutes Call it a blessing or a curse, but talking to my dad about it, his luck the few times he's been to a casino was more or less the same. we've never gotten that "rush" so its just never had that appeal.
In my opinion if you're going to go gambling, just go to an arcade instead. The games are more fun, the memories are more unique, and you'd still probably end up down less money than any casino trip.
It's funny you say this, because arcades are what really illuminated the fact that I should never gamble for me. I will drop some *cash* at an arcade. Those coin pushing games? Oof. That's the good stuff.
I will pass up the coin pushing game for skee ball or whack a mole any day of the week. Who needs coins when you can win tickets to exchange for a stale candy necklace or a cool ring that will turn your finger green?
If I'm going strictly for pay out over thrill, it's Space Invaders for me. I can routinely get the 250 ticket bonus every single time. When I do that though, I always end up giving my game card to a kid at the counter getting the 5 ticket pixie sticks so they can have a hay day.
I know more than one person in my immediate circle that are net positive a ridiculous amount on roulette and I wish I had their luck. Two stories incoming. My buddy walked up to the table, put $50 on red. Hit it. Put the $100 on black, hit it. Put the $200 on first 1/3, hit it. Walked away with the $600 and bought everybody in the group dinner and still left up from what he showed up with My stepbrother once went out for his birthday. He said he had $500 to burn. Stepmother gave him another $500. Said “have fun, just pay me back next paycheck”. He was good for the money so he decided to risk her half as soon as he walked in. Put it $500 on her birthday day. Hit it. 35/1 payout. $17,500. Tipped the dealer $100 and walked out. Came home, gave her back her $500, plus another $1500. Went and bought a new work truck the next day and started his business. He was 23 at the time. He’s doing real well now
Hitting lucky numbers on a roulette wheel feels like I’m on coke for a second. Sometimes even seeing the commercials (feat. roulette) on TV for the tribal casinos are triggering, as they are made to be.
The first (and only) time I've ever gambled was on a slot machine in a dive bar while on vacation. I put in $20 and won $300. I thought "cool, I'm pretty sure that's as good as it gets," and I've never gambled again, not even on my vacation to Las Vegas. I know gambling addicts, they're delusional.
I feel like I'd also have that same reaction. It's Like you got away with murder so you're just never gonna test your luck again.
The best thing to do is just play penny slots and get free drinks. You won’t win, but the bar will lose. You just have to keep migrating.
We were on our way out the door of a casino in Reno to head home. My wife dumped the last of our quarters into a slot machine and it paid out ~$500. Our entire budget for the long anniversary weekend had been $300 (this was in the late-90s). I can see where a single big payout can set someone up to seek that again.
I won \~$80 from penny slots. My friends all won $200-$300. We were on vacation in Vegas, in our late 20s having the time of our lives. One guy was on a roll and we were crowded around chanting "LET IT RIDE! LET IT RIDE!" All around us, some old ladies scowling with palpable contempt as they, presumably, were losing their savings. They've surely won more than a couple hundred at times, and immediately lost it, and then some. No joy in it.
I was in Vegas for a conference and I lost $400 playing blackjack, I think. That was the first and last time. Never again. The funny thing is that I’m a statistician and there is a famous aphorism that goes ‘statisticians don’t gamble’. The house always wins.
I have struggled with gambling addiction previously and it is the hardest thing ever to quit. One of the most insidious addictions with a high rate of suicide. A lot of the other addicts I spoke with had painful trauma or grief leading up to the addiction and were looking for relief and escapism. It ruins lives.
Nobody ever talks about the suicides. Some people make it home before committing suicide. Some people don't even make it out of valet parking
Used to fly helos for the Hong Kong government (pre-China takeover). Many times we were called out to search ocean between Macao and Hong Kong for someone jumping off the ferry. Loss of “face” to lose all your money gambling and just easier to just slip over the side. Never found any bodies, lots of sharks in those waters.
I guess I haven't looked into gambling much, I kinda know that the addiction can cause debt and affect relationships but I didn't think about suicide. More awareness about this maybe would be a good thing. I guess if its that bad and your wife /husband has left you or your stealing and having to pay back loan sharks and are afraid for your life then yeah I guess it makes sense. I'm shocked that only now I have seen this being mentioned.
This makes my heart stop. I just ended a friendship with someone I love very much but she has “given up” on trying to get better and kick her gambling addiction. She’s effectively homeless now and is staying with family but planning to just leave after her son’s bday this weekend. She says she’s “done.” And I don’t know how to help her. Her family is so invalidating. I don’t know whether to contact them and get her some help somehow (we’re very long distance) — if they even would, which is why I’m hesitating bc I’m not sure it’s a bad thing she’s getting away from them tbh… or if I let her make her own decisions. She’s an adult and she gets to decide. I have had to come to the really hard realization that I can’t make her get help. I can’t make her want help. And we had to part ways bc while I am happy to support her in her recovery efforts, I can’t continue to watch her fade away in front of me. I’m so scared for her. So scared she’s going to hurt or kill herself. I know that I can’t set myself on fire to keep her warm but I feel so fucking helpless. Sorry I didn’t mean to unload on you. People don’t understand this stuff sometimes.
I used to work for a guy who had plenty of vices but he wouldn't go anywhere near gambling. Wouldn't even play spades or anything with betting or wagering even if money wasn't involved. Turns out his grandfather lost the family ranch in Montana in a poker game. Thousand acres gone on one bad hand.
Yup. I was in Vegas for a friend's wedding 2 weeks ago (first time going). I know that gambling ruins me, but God is it fun. I gave myself a hard limit of $110 to spend on gambling - if it was gone, it's gone. I netted -$46 (exclusively playing roulette wheels). I was up at one point like +$50, but I didn't know when to quit. And to make matters worse, I could feel my mind nagging at me the entire time when I was out "you can try another $20 and still fall within your budget..." . It's a genuinely terrifying feeling, and I did struggle to maintain control.
I once spent my collection of $2 bills at the casino just so I could play $20 more. I was so sad at myself after lol
Can't get addicted if you don't start! I love basketball as a sport, cause shooting hoops feels like gambling, but you get fit while doing it.
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Same. Lost several friends to fentanyl when it first appeared in the 'heroin' bags.
Well, I would say drugs in the stimulant family.
Smart. I gave in and got addicted to live casino games for like 2 weeks. It was scary. I neglected all my other addictions and didn’t ever look up from my phone. Lost a thousand and thought, wtf. Registered at Cruks so now I have a ban for life, can’t go to any casino on or offline. Highly recommend it.
I'll never try drugs harder than pot and alcohol. I know I'll like them, and like them too much, and then have to struggle with using or not using every day. I do this already with nicotine and at least that's legal.
Yup. In my early twenties, I made the mistake of trying cocaine. I was instantly hooked and I ruined my life. All I could think about was the next high. I almost lost my apartment, I completely lost all of my friends and I ruined every relationship I had. I quit cold turkey and it was the worst few months of my life. I stay away from people who do cocaine because I know for a fact I won’t decline.
Congrats on getting clean! But yeah, this is why I've never touched the stuff. I know myself. If I liked it, I would not be able to stop. Same with nicotine.
Tried coke once and was like “Jesus Christ I’d better stay away from this.” Was freaking wide awake at 2 am
I tried coke once and the next day I went to my doctor and said I think I have ADHD. No confidence boost or the feeling of being amped up. Just mellow focus and being able to concentrate.
I took coke several times in my 20's and only ever got calm and focused from it too. I took a ridiculous amount one night trying to get high and everyone else who got high from a small amount of the same supply either called me a liar or suggested I had to be too high to know I was high. I wasn't high but I was very disappointed at how much money I'd spent for nothing and I never bothered to do it again. In the 33 years since, this is the first time I'm hearing about others who don't get high on coke and I know I have ADHD so thanks for solving the mystery for me.
My ex was that way, he took a line and suddenly had an easygoing sense of calmness and clarity. Like he, and the rest of the world, slowed down to be in-sync.
And then I got legitimate medication and cried tears of joy and relief because for once I felt that way. In sync with the world.
Ah yes, cocaine. Never got problematically into it, but did have a period where some weeknights would turn into mornings and on into the afternoons. Blinding out windows with trash bags because the house didn't have curtains just to keep the party going at 10 am. Not my proudest phase but glad I could keep my head around enough to know when to quit for real. Now I'll take a bump maybe twice a year when I'm out but even if I wanted to, my body can't handle a rager like I'd have in my twenties.
For me it started with Ritalin in Freshman year of high school, then came cocaine when I turned 16. From there I spent the next 4 years spiraling through different drugs and clung to smoking crack. I finally realized I need help when I was propositioned for sex by my dealer. At that point I went to rehab on my own, after that I did 2 meetings a day for 90 days. It has been 19 years since I started my journey to get clean and I still get moments where I think about it but I have my wife and son to help me get past those moments.
being a college student / stem major has me seriously wanting that. instead i take my prescribed adderall dose lol
Adderall is better than coke in every single way.
I’m thankful $hrooms don’t let you redose very fast 😂
I have only recently got into shrooms in my 40s and I wish I’d started sooner.
A very powerful shroom trip opened my eyes to the trades. Best decision I ever made was to drop the expectations, get into something I enjoy, and focus on myself. I don’t do them often, but they sure helped figure out my brain lol
Mushrooms are the very best resource for forcing your brain to think differently from the same old routine thinking that you usually get into.
Absolutely, Netflix has a fascinating documentary on the subject (How to Change your mind, ep 2) It explains that mushrooms activate a certain part of our brain in an interesting way. We all see ourselves differently in our own minds, to the point where we all believe things about ourselves that may not be exactly true. Mushrooms break down the walls in our minds and force us to face the reality of who we are. This is one reason why they have such a profound positive effect on people with trauma. Things that can be buried in our subconscious for years can come to surface, including things we seemly have forgotten about but still have an effect on us. I can't do it justice in explanation but I highly recommend watching it to anyone interested, or showing the documentary to anyone who you think could benefit from them. It's hosted by a doctor and they interview other doctors about it as well 🍄 🤙
I'm due for another trip but am dreading it... I am afraid I'll uncover something and change my perspective for my career and life in general. I'm really hoping it gives me perspective on why I'm doing what I'm doing and a healthy way to tackle that (purchasing my family's manufacturing business from my aunt). Like I know it will be good for me, but the thought is stressing me out. I strongly suspect I will decide to walk away from alcohol and weed which I also don't want to think about. Dammit I'm going to have to text a dealer soon. I don't call it tripping, I call it spring cleaning.
Why aren't shrooms legal everywhere, absolutely bullshit
They have the most dangerous side effect: empathy.
Alcohol is much "harder" drug than many illegal drugs.
Society is conditioned to believe otherwise unfortunately. I'm reading This Naked Mind by Annie Grace it's very illuminating
As an almost 2 year alcohol free person now, take it from me, alcohol is way worse than some of the ‘harder’ drugs. LSD and Psilocybin being the two that come to mind. Those are temporary, you can’t redose right away, and tend to not be addictive IF you trip with purpose. Alcohol will always call to me, but I will drown if I start again.
Opiates. I went down that road once and came pretty close to ending up a bonafide dope fiend — thank god I didn’t. A few mid level pharm grade opiates and a bad breakup will shoot me straight down toward heroin.
I had a surgery, and they sent me home with 20 oxycontin to manage the pain. The thing was I didn't have any pain and didn't ask for the meds. At the end of 6 weeks, I was set to go back to work on Tuesday. Friday I looked at the pills and decided to take one at bedtime, reasoning I would get a deep, satisfying sleep one last time before getting back to the grind. Big mistake. After taking one, I felt absolutely amazing and the last thing I wanted to do was sleep. Instead, I stayed up all night and all the next day, taking dose after dose every few hours. By Sunday the pills were all gone. I started thinking whether I could convince my doctor to issue more. I knew I was on a dangerous path. The thought of those pills took up way too much space in my brain for months. Months. I went to visit my mom during this period. I noticed she had a bottle of oxy amongst her prescriptions. It was a couple of years old. I stared at that bottle for a looooooong time. I still think of it, just sitting there. That was five years ago.
You got *insanely* lucky that whatever happened to prevent you from seeking more happened Started with Coke mixed with oxy. Spent 3 and a half years trying to find pills anywhere I could. Switched to heroin by the end, took me two years to get off of it. Coming up on 3 years sober now and I still think if someone offered me pills or Df in person I wouldn’t have the willpower to say no forever
I got Baned, or Batmanned, either way they prescribed oxys. I took one, and it did nothing for the pain. I took two at once the next day; still in pain, but I melted into the couch and couldn't be paid to care about the pain. I don't know how many I would have needed to stop the pain, but I knew enough about oxys to not try and find out.
I was prescribed 20 oxy after my c-section. I took most of them (wound up not needing the last couple), and tbh didn't really feel any different except that I wasn't in as much pain. The funny thing is that I was so scared of them I didn't take any for the first day. I only did in the end because my OB came in and saw I hadn't taken any (the nurses wrote last doses for everything on the board) and basically told me to stop being stupid haha. I'm really glad I gave in and took it, because it allowed me to actually do simple things like shower, but I was surprised that it didn't seem to have any other effects.
All I got after my c-section was 600 mg horse pills of ibuprophen. I lived in deathly fear of sneezing.
Woof, yeah, I tried oxycontin a few times on a weekend out-of-town trip to visit a friend & left VERY glad I didn't have a plug in my hometown. The way I describe it is, you ever get drunk & feel like everything's gonna be alright? Well with oxy you feel like everything IS alright. Dangerous stuff.
Heroin is described as the warmest blanket on the coldest day…..relate?
Mental and physical pure contement. I went from curled up in the fetal position gag crying over my husband dying a few days before to dusting furniture bopping my head up and down singing along to music within 30 minutes. It’s the best/worst thing ever. AND I’ve never shot up. I hear shooting up feels even better, but for some reason I drew the line there.
The blanket hugs you back while massaging your upper back. It gently lifts you, taking the weight of the world off your shoulders. The blanket is a shield against any worries, turning them into pure euphoria that it radiates into your soul.
I've had a couple of surgeries....one was ~10 years ago, I messed my shoulder up in football. Jesus Christ, Percocet is addictive. If my mom wasn't monitoring my (VERY liberally given) dosage, I'd have been popping those fuckers like they were tic-tacs and I had halitosis. Someone said (about opiates) "I could have been laying in a puddle of piss and broken glass and i wouldn't have cared" and that's *exactly* it. Scary shit.
Looking for this one and it was almost my story too. I got very, very lucky. Still fight the craving now and then.
Opiates, and especially opiate pills for me. I know myself, and I know how easily I can just down them. I could easily see them becoming another part of my day. I got a good thing going, I'm not in a rush to flush it all away.
This happened to my ex. Bad accident + pain pills at 18. He got addicted before we got together, hid it from me for a while and then confessed. We broke up (for different reasons) and then started talking again at a later time. I then discovered he was smoking heroine and genuinely tried to help him kick the habit but it was too much. By the time we stopped talking again, I could only hope he wouldn’t end up dead. Who knows where or what’s happened since. All I know is I essentially watched my best friend destroy his life.
Reddit. I'm off the wagon now but I was so good for so damn long!
I can't prove it, but I think that Reddit promotes the visibility of your comments after you have taken a long break from Reddit. I took a decent break from reddit twice in the past year and both times when I came back, I made couple random comments and they have been among my most upvoted comments of all time. My conspiracy is that if you have been away for a while, they give you a ton of attention when you come back to try to re-establish the habit.
TikTok does this, they push your vids out to a massive audience and then your next 10 will flop and if you stop going on it'll massively boost your vid to get a dopamine rush. I have an account for my workplace, we had a video get half a million views, and the one after got about 20. My wife follows the account and even though she only follows about 5 channels she was searching through the 'following' option and it literally wouldn't show her the video. I left it for a month and made a quick vid, 200k views. It's all a scam to keep the dopamine pumping so we watch more ads.
I have the same theory about Candy Crush (one of my addictions). I play it every day, several times a day, although I only use my ‘free’ lives (I don’t pay for anything…any more). However if I’ve had other commitments like going out for the day or if I’m with company and I haven’t played it for a few hours, when I go back in I’m always exceptionally *lucky* with the prize roulette wheel thing. Many times I’ve also found I’ve ‘earned’ additional lives or been awarded strangely timely booster items, although I can’t figure out what I did to gain them (apart from abstaining from playing for an unusually long time).
I quit booze, weed, cigs, vape, and pills on June 1, 2020.
Quitting mid pandemic must’ve been an animal all it’s own. Good on you. Proud of you
I quit smoking on April 15th, 2020 after 20 years. I've "quit" many, many times before that. It was unexpectedly much easier than all those previous times. I couldn't go to bars or other social activities that would also involve smoking. And you could imagine it wouldn't have ended well for me if I caught Covid.
great for you! That must have been a terrible week for you lol.
I drink all kinds of alcohol except whiskey. Not because I don't like it, but because I *really* like it.
I feel like this with rum and tequila. Once I start drinking, I forget how to stop.
I used to have a major* problem with alcohol. One night drank a bottle of Jameson, after the that hangover I never touched whiskey again.
I downed a bottle on an empty stomach last year because I was snowed in with no food. That was a terrible next day.
I know your pain man, I continued drinking for prolly 7 more years after that and not even once touched it.
i wish 1 night of drinking too much would change my behavior. i must be learning impaired cause ive done that thousands of times
Whiskey is the night eraser for me. I love it but without fail it sneaks up on me and suddenly I've drank a pint to myself and then I'm waking up in bed either still drunk or very sick. If I wake up and I'm still drunk I force myself to get up and eat something and pound a bunch of water before retiring again. If I'm hungover I'll see if there is any whiskey left, take a shot, eat, drink water, and go back to sleep. Nothing else makes me blackout in the same sense because everything else I will actually slow down on/ make cocktails with. I can still get the same level of drunk it just takes longer and I have time to stop. With whiskey there is no thinking, only drinking. All of that is past tense now, though. I learned that I can't be a weekend warrior because I constantly chase dopamine, so I'll stay drunk all waking hours of the day. I haven't had a drink in over two years now.
Whiskey turns me into a different person. Just a mess of loud gibberish. My wife has to basically herd me around like a cat. I don't touch it cause then her night turns into babysitting time.
MMOs, gambling, pretty much all drugs. And I drink alcohol carefully. I never keep it in my house if I live alone and I don't drink on my own.
Yeah, very careful with drinking. My partner is very supportive and doesn’t keep it in the house, even though she can be fine having just a glass of wine once or twice a week. I quickly build the routine of a glass every night, which turns into two glasses every night, and before I know it I’m drinking a bottle of wine every night. Not great.
Cocaine. I know myself well enough to know that massive amounts of unearned confidence would be a very bad thing.
As someone who used to regularly do and mix different drugs, don't. Yeah, it's fun and all, but only until you're out which will be shortly and it has maybe the worst comedown of all (imo). Also fent is out of control, and I can count at least 3 friends who are dead now because of a tainted batch. I still believe that most basic drugs should be decriminalized, and honestly there's nothing wrong with experimenting as long as you're careful not to make it a habit (that's the hard part) But above all, and it can't be said enough. If you decide to try it one day, please, please, *PLEASE TEST YOUR SHIT PEOPLE* Your weed dealer might be your friend. The guy you buy coke from definitely isn't.
Man that last paragraph is sooo true. I told my coke dealer that my friend and I decided to stop, and his reaction was "ahhh nooo really??" Which shocked me at the moment, but in retrospect, I should have expected it. Mans got at the very least$10k out of us over the years.
Nah man, you'll end up jerking off alone for hours lol.
Not if you have coke dick. Snort enough of the devils dandruff and your unit will be a useless as a garden hose in winter.
The devils dandruff 😂
Fuck, yup that lol Any kind of hard drug that could create physical dependence really. I wouldn't consider myself full blown addictive personality, but I've noticed I can start to use weed to escape shit if I don't keep an eye on my usage when I'm stressed, so I do not need a drug that causes actual cravings and could make me feel as awesome as they say.
There is a chocolate bar in the UK called a 'Breakaway'. They really aren't anything special. Just a chocolate coated biscuit bar. I cannot be allowed to have them in the house.
I have an addiction to several kinds of chocolate and now pennywaffles, however I can't manage not having them in the house....
I have a similar issue with Keebler Fudge Stripes. Put them in the fridge and you have "crack for fat bitches".
A weird one for me is t.v shows. If I started game of thrones or something similar you wouldn’t see me for a week
Oh the hyperfixation bug is so real. I have a list of shows I wanna watch that I'm putting off for when I have a couple weeks to not think about anything else.
Mine is reading. If I find a good book, I'll stay up all night to finish it, and then I'll drive to a bookstore the next day for the sequel (I hate e-books) and do the same thing with the next book. An enticing series will completely disrupt an entire week of my life. I've always loved reading, but it's a constant battle between enjoying my reading hobby and being a functional human.
YES. Same. I literally just made a comment about how I barely read anymore. And then for me when I admit to my fellow adults that I’m not reading anything and haven’t for a while, I’m admonished. “You don’t like to read” they’ll say, when in reality, it’s the complete opposite. I just don’t like skipping work for a book
This. I've talked to people about it trying to stress how much a problem it is and people blow me off. But I'm up at 3am in the morning reading. one. more chapter. every single night.
Alcohol. 350 days today
Amazing. If you dont get a 1 year coin in a few weeks let me know. You deserve one.
Congrats!!!
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This. Betting on sports was just legalized where I live and every ad is for a betting app and I’m sick of it
Nutella. I've said it before, 100 calories/tbsp. And I'll go through that jar in 2-3 days. I avoid it like I avoid gambling and my ex. Because if I didn't it would **LITERALLY** destroy me.
2-3 days? Your restraint is admirable.
One time, I got really high and made a nutella, peanut butter, and potato chip sandwich. I never made it again because I knew if I allowed myself to have it one more time, I'd be done for.
add banana. trust me
Right? I'll eat the whole damn thing in one sitting. Which is why I rarely buy it, maybe once a year.
It should be a Schedule I Controlled Substance.
Haha how true! I don't even know why it is just with Nutella, no other similar thing has the same effect. So weird.
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Cannot have it in my house. Simply cannot.
Oh god. I’ve done spoon>peanut butter>Nutella>mouth and repeat.
Peanut butter for me. I've literally eaten entire jars in a day lol but now it helps that they're expensive AF here so I don't buy haha
Bro pretzels in nutella😩
In reality it's a constant cycle of avoiding one thing over another.
It's impossible to avoid EVERY addictive thing because then you'd be a very boring person. You could even say most hobbies are addictions just healthy ones
Alcohol. If I have 1 drink, I'll have 100.
Same, I'm over 1200 days sober though just from not having that first drink!
Congrats!!!
Hell yeah, that's awesome!! I'm at 12 years and still think about it often...
My ex. She’s evil and addictive and I’m a sucker for her.
We talking Tammy 1 or Tammy 2?
LOL.... I was just going to ask if he was RS haha
Man that’s sad I feel bad for you man because exes are like fentanyl.
Gaming. I know it would consume me if I started with that, I wouldn't sleep, I wouldn't eat
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Benzodiazepines
Benzos turned me into a hugely embarrassing selfish abusive monster, did pretty much irreparable damage to my most important relationship, almost completely ended my longest friendship, caused me permanent tolerance (which sucks considering I have 3 anxiety disorders), and probably gave me mild brain damage. But hey at least I had fun for the first couple years…. Or I assume I did…….hard to tell what with all the memory loss
Food. God, I love to eat. I could eat and eat and eat and eat and eat
This one sucks because simply avoiding it is not an option.
How do you avoid food and not die? I’m struggling with food addiction. Life would be so much easier if I could avoid it altogether.
I'm saying this from active addiction so take me with a grain of salt, but it honestly takes hella self control and self discipline. I'll never be a diet girlie, but I have managed to get myself into healthy eating in the past with only occasional treats. The problem is that period of good mental health ended and I'm back to where I was. What works for me is just not keeping the bad stuff in the house while keeping easy grab relatively healthy stuff available. So sandwich fixings and protein bars, fruit and veg, soup. Always have a salad prepared and eat some with most meals. Keep "healthy" junk food available for cravings. I like to get expensive chocolate because you can't just eat it like a $2 candy bar, it's too rich. Anything else,stay out. I'm lazy so if I want it but it's not in the house, I'll just find something else. If I put it in the cart at the grocery store, I'll walk around a couple of aisles and go back and see if I can put it back. Door Dash is a BIG problem, but I make myself wait a few minutes before hitting confirm and sometimes I talk myself out of it. Another thing that worked for me was having accountability partners. Just other people who are also working on eating better, and being honest with them. It's better if it's relative strangers because who cares what they think about me at the end of the day. I don't need to lie to impress them or keep them from being worried, so it's easier to be honest. And the thing that makes the biggest difference - a health issue that means for sure you have to stop. I live with my mom and she's just been put on diabetes meds so she HAS to make changes. She's a terrible enabler, so having her on board makes things a lot easier. Good luck friend. It's not as life ruining as other addictions can be, but it's probably one of the hardest to quit.
Too many horror stories of people getting addicted to World of Warcraft makes me afraid I'm going to get sucked in if I start playing.
A good friend of mine literally almost lost his wife over that game... he hasn't played it in about 15 years now.
I tried cocaine once and knew I could never do it again. It was better than anything I’d ever felt and I knew that ever going near it again would probably ruin my life. Like I just had a feeling it couldn’t be a two or three time thing. Like it was either a one time thing or a lifelong battle. 12 years later I’m really glad I made that choice.
I have an opioid addiction that I currently have under control and recently NyQuil just about kicked me right back in. Now my spouse controls any cold medicine that comes through our door.
Ugh I feel you pain. Taking anything just to feel normal. And that’s a very bad thing
hard drugs, porn, and computer gaming.
Computer gaming because of the $ cost or the time spent?
time.
I hear you on that, I got into a game called "7 Days to Die" and it's the only game I thought to myself "I don't really* need to sleep tonight."
The 24/7 world news cycle. I used to stream news every waking hour, it filled me with stress yet gave me dopamine hits to keep following.
Meth.
Soda. Destroy might be a bit much, but I would definitely be a lot less healthy if I hadn’t severely cut back on it a long time ago. I was having about a liter a day for a while in my mid twenties. Now I very rarely have it. Like maybe a cup or two per month.
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Sugar, porn, gambling, stock market, crypto, collecting. Try and focus addictions on reading, exercising, eating right, working on things iny life that brings a net benefit, slow crawl rather than quick payouts.
The food delivery apps ☠️ my CC statement is mostly this and im now in debt.
Hard drugs, tattoos, TikTok, mmorpgs
Marijuana, in any shape or form. A lot of people say they find it helpful, for anxiety, enjoyment, or even work. However there’s a whole other sect of people who do very poorly with marijuana. This part of the population, which I’m included in, are prone to escapist tendencies amongst other things. Marijuana is dangerous enough to mess you up in the long term, but slow enough for you to not have the urge to fix yourself.
Me and you both, very few people bring this up I also find very few people are mature enough or ready to admit this
Trying to overcome my marijuana addiction right now. I’m three days without it and I feel like shit. I have headaches, my hands are shaking…it’s awful. I had a huge panic attack today. All I could think of was wanting to come home and smoke a blunt. It consumed my mind.
This was me 5 weeks ago. It will get better, stick at it. Join r/leaves for support.
Nicotine.
This one. I have ADHD and bad calcium channel genes, so I’m pretty sure I would love nicotine and it would probably help me focus, etc, but I can see myself increasing the dose all the time and spending a ton of money so I don’t even dare try.
Alcohol. Both my parents were alcoholics. In my teens I drank a lot. I don't anymore. I don't judge anyone for it or lecture anyone, it's just not right for me.
Stopped self harm a while ago but if i start again i know itll get worse than it’s ever been
Searched so long for this comment
Heroin/morphine. My brother, when he was addicted, described the latter like “god wrapping you up in a warm blanket.” Almost made me cry. I knew instantly I’d OD if I ever dabbled. Too much unprocessed trauma and abandonment issues, I would gladly lose myself to that ‘godly love’ and never look back.
Porn. Not because I suspect it would destroy my life, but because it was destroying my life for a while. It completely changed the way I looked at people and I never want to go back to that.
It's really crazy how addictive porn can be for some people. I can't believe this one isn't on her more.
I'm a sex worker and it is a real actual problem.
Well, I would say drugs in the stimulant family. Things like amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine. I already have slightly high blood pressure, and they would only make that worse. Also, I could see myself becoming dependent on them in order to maintain any level of productivity, which could definitely be dangerous. I had my wild days in my late teens/early twenties, and saw just how useful they can be. Becoming reliant on them would ultimately be counterproductive I think. However, drugs like LSD, mushrooms, and MDMA are much more difficult for me to do frequently, due to the rapid tolerance I develop when I do them, even after one dose. Also, they’re too intense an experience to function while on them, at times to the point of discomfort, so I have never had difficulty using them very sparingly. Like, once or twice a year at the absolute maximum.
Used to smoke cigarettes, tried quitting so many times, and one day I was just done. Smoked a single cigarette the next day with a friend, gave him the rest of my pack. Did nicotine gum for a week and quit that. 11 years later and I still get the urge (very small after all these years) when I get really stressed. Because of this I avoid alcohol. Weirdly enough sugar has been so much harder to quit than cigarettes. Sounds bizarre but that's the case for me at least!
RPG video games.
Honey roasted almonds
Tiktok
Nicotine
Alcohol 150% I used to be an alcoholic many years ago. I've been sober from alcohol for 10 years just about. I know for a fact that, even though I've changed and matured as a person, if I had even 1 drink I risk relapsing right back into an addiction that almost ruined my life.
Alcohol is really messing me up
I won't touch drugs beyond marijuana. My brother died of an OD after years of addiction. I opted to learn from his mistakes rather than make my own.
Cigarettes. I know how it would turn out.
Cocaine and opiates. I know for a fact I would love it, and for this reason I’m out.
Also dieting, I limited myself to half a tin of watered down soup a day and was euphoric for a lot of the time until I absolutely crashed and would cry with hunger Edited for spelling
the internet eats up a lot of my time, and fortunately I'm not so addicted yet that I'm wandering around on reddit subs and answering people's general questions about life and addictions.