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Hi to all. Just got back here. How's everyone?

I've come for a while just to share how I am doing and how I feel right now. I feel free and positive because I'm in a recovery process and it feels amazing that I could live now without any drugs to take (just for your info, I had been addicted to drugs for 4 years and been in a real pain and stressed life). I got my family back and I couldn't ask for more (except for more years of being sober. haha). I thought my life would be ruined by my own mistake and would never come back to a normal and a happy one. I just want to tell everyone who's suffering from addiction that there's always hope to make a better change. I do still continue to search for ways to help me stay sober. Probably there a lot of you out there wondering if rehabs really work. The only advice that I can suggest is to try searching the net. Look at this treatment recovery rehab that I accidentally visited. In the end, we are the one who makes the decision. We just need courage and self-discipline to achieve it. And one more thing, we need a forum like this that supports and helps us cope with our issues and makes us feel less lonely whenever we are feel alone. So have a sober life everyone!

Welcome back, Darryl! I'm so glad you life is going well. One day at a time, my friend.

Welcome back.

Every day Is an achievement of which you should be proud of yourself. Self belief Is the power. Believe In yourself.

Thanks along-for-the-ride.

You're right Oscar. Thanks.

I've heard that the best way to keep sober is to stay clear of anyone who is a substance abuser. Is that really true or just one of those things people like to say?

I was at the home of a friend, many years ago now, when his wife came out of the bedroom with a rubber cord round her arm and asked my friend (her husband) to follow her back into the bedroom to give her a hand. It turned out they were both on heroin. I guess it isn't easy to work the plunger and pull on the cord at the same time, eh? Having absolutely no experience with drugs (other than an occasionally tug on the noble weed) I was shocked. When they finished up I started looking for an excuse to make my exit. I guess they saw the horror in my eyes and tried to convince me that it was cool to shoot H and that they could stop anytime they wanted to - and “like wow, man(!)” I should give it a try too. I cut all contact with them and a few years later I saw (with my own eyes) how well they could "stop anytime they wanted" alright. They ended up zombies and I don't know what happened to their daughter who was playing on the floor the day it all happened. I might be just plain lucky, but I resisted some serious peer-pressure to shoot H, snort cocaine and drop LSD during the water shed period that drugs and long hair were a foregone conclusion. I did have long hair though, right up until John Lennon shaved his head. Golly! I gave the hairdresser a mild heart attack, I did!

High Threshold;1471875 wrote: I've heard that the best way to keep sober is to stay clear of anyone who is a substance abuser. Is that really true or just one of those things people like to say?


It's true enough. Anyone hwo has given up smoknig know how much more difficult it is to deny themselves a cig when everyone around them is puffing away.

I started smoking when I was at college. All my friends there smoked, some like funnels ! I suppose I didn't want to be the odd man out, so that was the start of a beautiful love affair with the dreaded weed (cigarette not 'grass'). This lasted for just about 50 years !!!! During which time I did give up smoking for a couple of years, but found that I was spending a lot more money buying chocolate and sweet things than I ever did buying cigarettes. So I started smoking again - there weren't the health warnings in those days, except that it cut down on energetic pastimes, in that you would get more puffed out running than you used to do ! I enjoyed smoking, and I found it quite sociable over the years. However, I decided to stop, because I was coughing (smoker's cough) every morning when I woke up, and I could feel that I was out of breath a lot more than I ever used to be after going up and down stairs, or walking up hills.

I just decided to pack it in just over 4 years ago. I went 'cold turkey' as I decided that if I wore those horrible patches or chewed that dreadful gum, I would still have to make a huge effort to 'get off' those. They had nicotine in them and that is what actually gets you addicted to cigarettes. I thought it would be an unnecessary waste of money, so as I said, I went cold turkey and just stopped ! However, I did carry some cigarette tobacco, rizla papers and filter tips around with me. My philosophy was that if I had the makings always to hand, then I wouldn't be forever thinking "gawd I have no cigarettes" and feeling a desperate urge to go and buy some, which I knew would happen and would intefere with my resolve to not smoke. I went day to day, then after about a year I felt I could go out without taking my ciggy makings with me. I eventually had to throw away the tobacco because it went too dry ! There wasn't much so I didn't waste very much money ! :wah: I sat down and worked out how much money I had saved that first year, and it was gobsmacking !

After a couple of years I could quite happily mix with people who still smoked without the urge to start smoking again. Actually, if truth be known, I was fairly revolted by the smell of secod-hand smoke and was so glad that I wasn't the one causing such an anti-social atmosphere ! I'm not a 'holier than thou' person and so I don't nag at smokers to give up, although I have noticed that more and more of our associates and friends are, in fact, giving up. Some smoke those new 'e' cigarettes, but I always think that they are possibly a waste of money, but really if that is the way some people can give up smoking then they should be encouraged.

Because of my decades of smoking, I now have C.O.P.D. (Chronic, Obstructive, Pulmonary, Disease ) - it sounds frightful ! Maybe it is ! All I know is that I cannot walk very far, particularly up hills, stairs etc. because I get too out of breath.

How I wish I had resisted the temptation when I was at college, to start smoking ! How I wish that the youngsters of today would realise the awful risks they take by smoking, but as we all know, youngsters even if they do listen, or appear to listen, will still carry on with what they are doing. :-5

Also, when I played in a band, I realised just how easy it would have been to become addicted to alcohol. Fortunately I drove myself to the gigs so I would have to be careful how much alcohol I drank. I'd start off with a port and brandy, to relax my throat, then have half pint shandies for the rest of the evening. It worked very well.

Glad you have been clean for so long.

I had a thing for liquor and speed for a while, but have been sober for 35 years, now. A lot of that credit goes to my wife.

Remember that it is not a destination, but a journey.

G#Gill;1471886 wrote: I started smoking when I was at college ............


Smoking? Oh no, not you! You've shattered that pedestal upon which I imagined you were perched!

Shall I assume mum and dad were smokers?

Sounds right. Place someone on a pedestal & when things don't go according to the fantasy, the person comes crashing down & you kick yourself for what you thought you saw. Another one bites the dust.

High Threshold;1471890 wrote: Smoking? Oh no, not you! You've shattered that pedestal upon which I imagined you were perched!

Shall I assume mum and dad were smokers?


Assumption is the mother of all F*** ups ! :wah: However, the answer to that question is yes both my parents smoked, although Dad gave up smoking when he was in his late 40's. Mum never gave up smoking though, she said she enjoyed it too much !

Just because parents smoke, doesn't necessarily mean that their children will become smokers - both my older brothers did not smoke, but my younger sister smoked (she gave up smoking nearly 2 years ago).

HT why should I shatter that 'pedestal' by mentioning that I smoked ? You should be delighted and impressed that I had the will power and tenacity to give up such an addiction by just stopping over 4 years ago, never to smoke again ! I am truly upset that you are so disappointed in me ! :-1

AnneBoleyn;1471892 wrote: Sounds right. Place someone on a pedestal & when things don't go according to the fantasy, the person comes crashing down & you kick yourself for what you thought you saw. Another one bites the dust.


Thank you, also, Anne, for your support. I wonder how many bad habits you or HT have Ah !!! There's a question innit !

I also wonder if you have had the will power/courage to overcome them and give them up ! Aha you see, most people have just a teeny weeny skeleton in their cupboard, but not everybody has the courage or foolhardiness to admit it ! :sneaky: :yh_rotfl :p

You're a better woman than I am Gunga Gill.

High Threshold;1471875 wrote: I've heard that the best way to keep sober is to stay clear of anyone who is a substance abuser. Is that really true or just one of those things people like to say?


It's quite true. Getting along with the substance abusers could make you one of them. So it's better to not stay with them.

AnneBoleyn;1471921 wrote: You're a better woman than I am Gunga Gill.


And that's a load of rubbish, Anne !!! Pardon me for saying that, and thanks for the compliment. But I bet you have to deal with a lot more than I do, so wind your neck in and I shall expect 100 lines by tomorrow morning at break, to be delivered by your hand personally ! The line x 100 should read :-

Under no circumstances must I try to beat the c**p out of Gill in the arcade .............................

I trust you have got all that Mrs ? Yes, I have noticed ! :wah:



Oh, and by the way ...............

"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,"

Extract from 'IF' by Rudyard Kipling

Apologies to DarrylC1 - I didn't mean to take your thread off topic like that.....................Back to the subject of the thread...........................

G#Gill;1471895 wrote: ....... HT why should I shatter that 'pedestal' by mentioning that I smoked ? You should be delighted and impressed that I had the will power and tenacity to give up such an addiction by just stopping over 4 years ago, never to smoke again ! I am truly upset that you are so disappointed in me ! :-1


Oh, never mind me. It was an ill-attempt at a flirt what back-fired ….. I see now. I am in the process of moving house and my mojo ain't workin' too good with all of the strain. In fact, you would do well to ignore most of what I say in the days to come. I'm likely to say anything at all! :yh_cow

DarrylC1;1471986 wrote: It's quite true. Getting along with the substance abusers could make you one of them. So it's better to not stay with them.


So only the naïve (like me) could believe that it would be the “ex” abuser who'd impress them to quit themselves? A bit of a one-way street ain't it. I wonder why that is? To sort out the dominant socio-behaviour factor … and reverse it. Perhaps the answer to that question is the key to cleaning up the world! :yh_peace

High Threshold;1472062 wrote: So only the naïve (like me) could believe that it would be the “ex” abuser who'd impress them to quit themselves? A bit of a one-way street ain't it. I wonder why that is? To sort out the dominant socio-behaviour factor … and reverse it. Perhaps the answer to that question is the key to cleaning up the world! :yh_peace


It's a noble idea, HT, but the problem is that until you have been quit for a long time, the temptation is very strong, and those old friends who still take the stuff (and here, it matters little to what 'stuff' we are referring) will be uncomfortable with you not indulging, and will try to get you back into the fold.

No, you need to disassociate from all of the users, and hang out with others who either have also quit, or have never indulged.

Once you have become completely clean of the stuff, and are very comfortable with yourself, then you can consider going back to help those who want to quit.

The operative phrase there, of course is, "Want to quit"

G#Gill;1472027 wrote: Oh, and by the way ...............

"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,"

Extract from 'IF' by Rudyard Kipling


"If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you?"

Extract from 'IF' by Barry Manilow.

FourPart;1472127 wrote: "If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you?"

Extract from 'IF' by Barry Manilow.


"Barry Manilow"? My memory might be fading but as I recall it was "Bread". :guitarist

LarsMac;1472107 wrote: ......... to help those who want to quit.

The operative phrase there, of course is, "Want to quit"


Yes, I know that's true. But it still befuddles my blue-eyed vision of humanity why it is that junkies influence ex-junkies to re-offend rather than ex-junkies influencing junkies to quit ............ and why in order to quit you need "TO WANT" to quit but you don't need "to want" to be a junkie in order to become one. It doesn't seem fair. :-1

High Threshold;1472128 wrote: "Barry Manilow"? My memory might be fading but as I recall it was "Bread". :guitarist
True enough (David Gates to be precise), but I always associate it with the Barry Manilow version.

High Threshold;1471875 wrote: I've heard that the best way to keep sober is to stay clear of anyone who is a substance abuser. Is that really true or just one of those things people like to say?

I was at the home of a friend, many years ago now, when his wife came out of the bedroom with a rubber cord round her arm and asked my friend (her husband) to follow her back into the bedroom to give her a hand. It turned out they were both on heroin. I guess it isn't easy to work the plunger and pull on the cord at the same time, eh? Having absolutely no experience with drugs (other than an occasionally tug on the noble weed) I was shocked. When they finished up I started looking for an excuse to make my exit. I guess they saw the horror in my eyes and tried to convince me that it was cool to shoot H and that they could stop anytime they wanted to - and “like wow, man(!)” I should give it a try too. I cut all contact with them and a few years later I saw (with my own eyes) how well they could "stop anytime they wanted" alright. They ended up zombies and I don't know what happened to their daughter who was playing on the floor the day it all happened. I might be just plain lucky, but I resisted some serious peer-pressure to shoot H, snort cocaine and drop LSD during the water shed period that drugs and long hair were a foregone conclusion. I did have long hair though, right up until John Lennon shaved his head. Golly! I gave the hairdresser a mild heart attack, I did!


Hi there High Threshold, you just did the right thing, you should really stay away from people who’s a substance abuser, because they will make a big impact to you. Remember this saying? “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell who you are”? It already explains why we should choose the people whom we want to be with, because one day, we will be like them too. Just like in my experience, I used to live a normal life in high school, but when I reached college and meet this friend of mine who are addicted to drugs, I start living in hell, I live in pain and stressed life. That’s why my parents decided to move in Utah, for me to stay away from my addict friends and find a good Alcohol Addiction Treatment program for my recovery. It is true that environment has a big impact to us, I’m thankful that we already live in a peaceful and friendly people now, it really helps in my recovery. As what I’ve said in my first post I’m living free and positive now, and I know I’m still on the process of recovery, but with the help of our almighty God, I know I will stay clean and sober in my entire life. God bless you all.

Hi DarrylC1 congratulation on your recovery. you are right environment has a big impact to your recovery. if you are going to rehab find the one that have a nice environment, it can help to your recovery because it gives you a peace of mind. just like my friend his family admit him to Better Treatment Addiction Rehab and it has a good environment and nice people. he said that people and environment on that place helped him a lot to be recovered. anyway congrats on your recovery. keep it up and good luck.

Some says that a drug center rehab is a like a prison but I have proven that it's not. They are exactly the people who can understand and help you with what you are going through. I owe a lot from my therapy, the environment I had avoided me to all distractions and temptation. I hope others would let go of their fears and stay committed onto their recovery.

LeeSung;1477702 wrote: Some says that a drug center rehab is a like a prison but I have proven that it's not. They are exactly the people who can understand and help you with what you are going through. I owe a lot from my therapy, the environment I had avoided me to all distractions and temptation. I hope others would let go of their fears and stay committed onto their recovery.


Sorry (not really) to tell you LeSung, but in the UK that link is unavailable/not permitted ! So you are not successful in trying to advertise in the UK !

link removed