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I'd bet this is a very small percentage of alcoholics.
if an alcoholic starts drinking again they will get back to where they were before
I have never know a real alcoholic be able to just a have a couple of drinks with out problems
where does this lack of correct information come from??
my question is why would this even be something thought about??
I am a recovering alcoholic for a number of years
I have zero interest in this topic at all and I wonder why anyone who is not an addict them self care at all
to even ask about it?
I have zero interest in this topic at all and I wonder why anyone who is not an addict them self care at all
to even ask about it?
I think it is an interesting question.
Basically can some people regularly (occasionally) use hard drugs (or pain relievers like Vicodin or Oxycontin) without getting addicted to them in the same way some people can drink alcohol without becoming an alcoholic?
Certain people are more prone to addiction than other. Look at their family tree. If there are 3 generations of alcoholic or drug addicts than yes they are more likely to be an addict
I personally find it really interesting.
I think a few factors need to be in place for someone to become addicted, things like access/availability, genetic propensity, psychological factors, frequency of use, social environment, stuff like that.
Absolutely some people can use things occasionally without being addicted but I don't know for how long.
Can someone be addicted to one thing and not another? For example, alcohol but not cigarettes? Or, Alcohol but not cocaine?
Or are you writing that a person either has an addictive personality or he doesn't and if he does, he can be addicted to anything and if he doesn't he wouldn't get addicted to anything?
Addictive personalities are generally people who use the substance to cover mental health issues, think "escape". Unless treated properly, they just change from one addiction to another.
Quote:
Originally Posted by plmokn
I'd bet this is a very small percentage of alcoholics.
Actually it is not a very small percentage. Many of those that "NEED" that drink or two don't realize and others don't realize that they are an alcoholic because they "NEED". Getting drunk doesn't make one an alcholic, the "NEED" does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by plmokn
The dosages are irrelevant. The original post's questions relate finding out if two types of hard drug users exist: those who become addicted and those who don't; analogous to people who drink alcohol, some become addicted (alcoholics) and some do not (a drink or two before and no more desired).
Are there people who don't "got to have" more drugs which are notoriously addictive?
And, while someone brought it up, are there (I think there are) people who can have one or two cigarettes a day and not need a whole pack like an typical smoker needs.
If a person NEEDS 1 or 2 cigarettes a day, the person is addicted to nicotine.
Frankly, with the chance of becoming addicted, exhibiting behavior that one might not be able to control, the fact that the drugs are illegal, what being caught can do to one's future well, you got to wonder if they aren't addicted because of the risks they are willing to take to use the drug despite how they swear they don't need it to "get by", "escape" their reality.
Trying to make an argument on why one should use hard and illegal drugs? Troubling.
The dosages are irrelevant. The original post's questions relate finding out if two types of hard drug users exist: those who become addicted and those who don't; analogous to people who drink alcohol, some become addicted (alcoholics) and some do not (a drink or two before and no more desired).
Are there people who don't "got to have" more drugs which are notoriously addictive?
And, while someone brought it up, are there (I think there are) people who can have one or two cigarettes a day and not need a whole pack like an typical smoker needs.
The dosages are relevant because the context of your questions doesn't make sense.
You are comparing alcoholics to social drinkers who drink on a regular basis. However, then you attempt to compare those 2 types to hard core drug users, but you insuniate, that it's just "1 time". If it's just one time, then it's not the same as a social drinker. Because a social drinker doesn't have just 1 or 2 drinks and then never again as you imply with the drug user, they have 1 or 2 on a given night and then again a few days later. Now if you are saying "can someone use heroin once a week or month?" and walk away, then it would be a correct comparison, make the dosage relevant and thus be a bonafide question. In that scenario, I don't think one can use a highly addictive drug on a regular basis without becoming addictive, at least not on the level a social drinker drinks.
Now if you are saying "can someone use heroin once a week or month?" and walk away, then it would be a correct comparison,
In that scenario, I don't think one can use a highly addictive drug on a regular basis without becoming addictive, at least not on the level a social drinker drinks.
Yes, that is what I am asking....
So hard drugs can't really be used in a harmless social way such as responsible, occasional drinkers use alcohol.
It seems to me that since the whole purpose of hard drugs is that they make you feel incredibly good, you'll continue to want to feel that great high, so eventually, you will use them more and more. And of course after a time, you cross the line from one or twice a month, to as much as as possible. That won't happen instantly most times. Sometimes it can take years. But it will happen the more you decide the high is worth chasing and the more you remember how wonderful the first time using was. And remember, after the line has been crossed, people have to keep using just to feel "normal". There is no more pleasurable high, at least with H, but just the avoidance of withdrawal.
Actually, come to think of it, there are some people who have become addicted after first use -- with crack. The quick addictive nature of the drug has been put forth as one reason for its declining popularity in many places. OVer the past decade you certainly see fewer crackheads around here.
If one hated the feel of H or crack, or whatever -- as some people do-- you don't use it at all, let alone occasionally. But if you do like it, eventually you will be hooked. I'm sure there can be some exceptions, but they are likely very few and far between. You could probably count the number of long-term hard drug survivors in any given block of a city on one hand. And the same goes true for meth addicts in small towns, heroin users in show biz, and pill popers in suburbia.
Actually, you can't lump all drugs together like that. I know of no drugs that create immediate addiction on the first use, first off. Secondly, I know several people who have tried cocaine only once and never used again. Most of them didn't like it. Only one said she liked it but hated the come down and said it wasn't worth it because of the expense and shortness of the high. I know of someone who has tried heroin, didn't like it, doesn't use it. There is a musician, can't remember which one, stated he tried heroin, didn't like it, never understood why so many rockstars used it because he hated it. MDMA, I have used this drug 3 times over the past 5 years. Non-addictive and when used properly, safe and is not damaging to your body like alcohol is. You can't overdose on Marijuana and it's not physically addicting, it too is much safer than alcohol. Mushrooms, Mescaline, Peyote, LSD, not addicting and you won't die from an overdose. So you can't lump all drugs together.
I did not lump all drugs together, I merely stated I had no personal experience so I was not sure how things went and that I had "read" what some experiences others had written about.
When you get to my age you know A LOT of people who have been even very heavy users of hard drugs in the past, and survived to wonder how/why they did it.
Age and maturity has a way of curing you...if you survive long enough that is.
I can't say the same for alcohol which is the nastiest drug of all - it doesn't discriminate. Young and old, rich or poor, are equally affected.
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