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Posts: 4
Joined: January 16, 2012
Posted: January 16, 2012, 7:14 PM
abc I can only believe that your congintive functions have improved since you are waiting to be heard from. I had the same problem but I am a product of long term drug abuse and severe crack cocaine abuse for five years. I don't know the quantity or the frequency of your durg use but I was not as fortunate as you to still have my job. I abused multipe drugs. I was employed by the same corporation for twenty years and lost everything. My advice to you is not to quit your job but to keep pushing forward. Read about how the brain works and you will better understand what you are facing. The nuerons and receptors will start connecting again and I believe eventually the receptors in your brain will click again and bring you back to the quality of life you desire. If you give up like I did it will never happen. I was allowed to leave work for one year and return as if I has never left. I left and was never able to go back becasue the crack abuse got worse. I spent 180 thousand on crack cocaine my entire 401K savings of 20 years on crack. You have to develope the habit of performing again building your brain and not destorying it. You can make it. It may be frustrating, but not impossible, if you quit your job there will be no hope that was the advice given to me and if you have already quit it is not to late to see if you can go back.
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Posts: 7
Joined: February 6, 2012
Posted: February 6, 2012, 7:12 AM
paw post acute withdrawn can last from six months to two years its take time for body to heal but usually it does.
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Posted: March 12, 2012, 9:21 AM
Exercise and a balanced (preferably vegan) diet will significantly improve cognitive function. Oatmeal and blueberries are amazing brain foods.
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Posted: March 23, 2012, 1:18 PM
undefined undefined I WISH I HAD GOOD NEWS FOR YALL BUT I USED CRACK NINE YEARS AGO FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR A YEAR AND A HALF, IM NOT THE SAME. I USED TO B SO SMART BUT NOW IT TAKES A WHILE TO THINK AND I KEEP MAKING STUPID MISTEAKS.. I AM TRYING TO RESEARCH HOW TO GET HELP THROUGH SEMINARS OR ANYTHING..MAYBE ITS JUST ME BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME AND THAT WAS NINE YEARS AGO. I FIND THAT I HAVE TO TAKE MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THINGS, WICH IM STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH.. ANY ONE HAVE ANY ANSWERS PLEASE POST... NICHOLE
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Posts: 433
Joined: December 14, 2009
Posted: March 31, 2012, 8:22 PM
Hmmmmm......
Mindy, Fish is good brain food, and it is very difficult to obtain certain fats, protien and amino-acids on the vegan diet. People just starting to recovery may not the information to wmake a vegan diet work, not to mention the expense. Nichole, I smoked crack for 15 yrs, smoked weed for thirty. began recovery (seriously) nearly two year and now I am doing very well in college now. But as you pionted out, that may just be me, Regards, Larry -------------------- All gods send their drunks to AA My story.. https://www.addictionrecoveryguide.o...ST&f=16&t=63644 
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Posted: April 3, 2012, 12:09 AM
we all suffer from axienty and depresion and what ever but you have to learn to over come it just like you do with your addiction. this is just my thought
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Posted: April 4, 2012, 11:07 AM
I am glad I found this post. I got out of rehab in Dec 2010, had two small relapses (bought and used a little twice, throwing the rest away and confessing immediately to my family and support team) I have been clean for 11 months since my last 'slip'. I have used a myriad of drugs since I was 17 (I'm almost 23). It was my addiction to Cocaine that sent me to the end and to rehab. I had severe and steady anxiety attacks at first - my brain was not functioning properly and my moods were all over the place. I was told this was to be expected. As time went on the number of anxiety attacks seemed to lessen. I thought that they were over. After 6 months free of them - rebuilding my life and doing well at a new job....just over a month ago I had a major attack at work. Couldn't breathe, tight chest, couldn't focus, words didn't come out, sweats, nausea.... I had to leave work early - couldn't even get on the subway to go home. I wasn't stressed about anything at the time - life at home, work etc was all good. I had no clue why I had the attack...if there was something I was worried about or a stressfull situation - I could understand. I had another one just last week. Again I had to leave work - I am starting to worry about having these attacks - I don't want to go to the doctor because I am sure they will prescribe me 'meds'. I feel like I owe it to myself and my family who went through my recovery with me NOT to start taking meds.... I am wondering how long these attacks go on....will they eventually end as my brain and body recover from the damage I caused them, or am I facing a life long condition....
Anyone with longer recovery period shed any light? | ||
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Posted: April 23, 2012, 3:06 AM
Hello all, I have been 3 1/2 years clean from using crack heavily for 2 years, it was horrible and scary when I used, I thought somebody was always plotting against me or wanted to kill me. I had a mental disability before I used, I used with a man who is currently now my husband. I am very young still, I used when I was 18 all the way up to age 20, I am now on my way to being 24. I go to college full time, and I want to become a nurse. My issue is, I am afraid all the time, it is horrible, I am so scared of people, I hate it. I never was this way before, I am afraid of my classmates, and I feel like I can't even recognize my own family. I feel like everyone looks normal and is better than me, I feel like I am ugly and I am not normal. I feel like everyone doesn't want to hear what I have to say. I hate my social life, I don't even know how to have one, I am afraid if I establish a friendship or a relationship with a family memeber that I am going to get hurt by them. Me and my husband have seperated, he has a drinking problem, it is like I have to show him how to do everything. He has a job, but he just isn't right in his head either, we always fight, his family hates me. His mother still uses crack, he has an auntie that introduced us to it and she is supposedly clean now, but has relapsed a few times in the past, she has lupis and congestive heart failure. All of my husbands cousins hate me, because I don't want my husband to drink so much, and I don't want his to smoke weed, they all do this. Me and my husband fight all the time about the drugs, about his family and how hard I work and how much he sits around..so we seperated. I seriously don't know how to function in society, I feel like the world is going to end, I feel like God hates me, it is crazy! All I did was use drugs, I never slept around, the only man I slept with was my husband. I don't know what is wrong with me, I'm in therapy, I take medicine, and the doctors just nod thier heads at what I tell them. I just want to be my care free happy self again, I hate what I've become, even though I am do the best at education than I have ever done in my life. I often feel disconnected from reality, I just feel so left out and looked upon. Help!
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Posts: 4
Joined: April 28, 2012
Posted: April 28, 2012, 11:13 PM
hello i was a crack addict for 20yrs.and yes its hard at first to really get a hold on your brain .but it does get better..just slow down this didnt happen in one day .you cant fix it in oneday..you just need to take it easy..slow down you will be fine..at the end of my using i thought i was really going crazy..but now iam so blesssed god is working in my mind and life..you can do this..try not to get ahead of your self..take baby steps at first..wish you the best
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Posted: May 2, 2012, 10:26 AM
i used cocaine twice, after hearing from my father who is a neuroscientist that one use will cause irreversible cognitive damage. I have also heard from psychiatrists that it can damage pathways, but the brain is resilient and can make new pathways to preform the tasks that were troublesome after the initial damage. exercise vigorously, improve times or struggle to make gains, the more competitive your workouts, the better it is for your brian. it's not worth thinking about what you could have lost. You will probably be able to function at a high level again if you really want to. I hate thinking about what my potential could have been if i did do so many drugs, it's a waste of time and depressing. but yeah, dont do drugs especially not coke, IDIOT
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Posts: 22
Joined: April 30, 2012
Posted: May 3, 2012, 12:21 AM
dont call someone names i mean like you said you did it maybe you where stronger but dont cut someone down grow up...
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Posted: May 5, 2012, 12:24 AM
You see, The whole point of cocaine is it increases neurotransmitters in the brain while you are high. Yes, these neurotransmitters do transmit signals in your brain. Which in turn, Yes, they play a vital role in cognitive function and memory. And Yes, cocaine can cause them never to work as efficient or strong ever again. For some reason people believe you only need one part of your brain for memory - another for social skills. This is not true, your brain is delicate and messing with any of your brains natural chemicals no matter its (relatively) main purpose, will cause you to feel/think different. In this case you messed up transmitters and chemicals to a point you have noticed the difference. Yes you a person, You are basically controlled by natural chemicals. Yes, the only reason you love the beautiful morning view is because the chemicals in your brain spike when you think of it. You love that tasty food because them chemicals in your brain spike. you laugh when some chemicals spike. Cry when others react. The only way you can remember your 10 digit employment ID number, is if your brain can transmit them to a receiver which in turn remembers them (all done by a chemical process)
Yes, you have to pay the price now. which is why many professionals (with exception of tradesmen) do not do drugs. you may look into "smart pills" which your doctor will not recommend. and society as a whole will think "WHAT THE HELL" or you can wait and hope problem fix's its self. It sound like you did a lot? But yeah, Cocaine directly effects parts of the brain which are naturally vital in today's "professional world" as they effect memory and cognitive function. If you look at the information, every part of your brain has its role in memory and cognitive function. Often people just do not realize the effects as they live different lifestyle. Effects are more noticeable when in an intensive university level schooling, such as engineering. Mostly any class relatively tougher than B.COMM . I hate to say it, but I would go see a Neurologist or Psychiatrist before you quit your job depending on how bad it is. There are pills that can help you think, but unless your completely F***** up, You can BELIEVE ME when I say you really should not take anything that pharmaceutical companies claims "restores natural balance of chemicals in the brain" | ||
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Posted: May 12, 2012, 4:36 PM
Im going through the exact same symptoms ive been using since i was 14, shrooms ,xtc ,pot ,dared to try meth , nothing ever affected mee , recently on april 14th i went on a coke and alcohol binge my life will never be the same , i have extreme heart pain , constant dizzy ness restless ness , at night i cnt sleep i feel like im going paralyzed for like 10 secs im not going to ignore this is something serious ive gone to the doctor and they say exactly what you say everything is fine.i turn 23 on april the 14th and its been 1 month with these symptoms it doesnt feel to be getting any better ..:'[ i forver change my life , i was the one with the nice girlfriends and car , have lots of friends now i playd alot of metal so it got mee into drugs now i think i ruined my life for ever , sadly ...
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Posts: 22
Joined: April 30, 2012
Posted: May 14, 2012, 10:05 AM
things will get better just work on you,do the right things god will do the rest.believe me iam recoving after 20yrs..
ill be thinking and praying for you
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Posts: 433
Joined: December 14, 2009
Posted: May 19, 2012, 2:15 PM
That's all well and good, but I say stop sweating it. I mean did we worry about the damage when we were using...no. So what's all the hub bub now. I mean sittin on the pitty pot is of no use in recovery. It is what it is and we are what we are. Use whatever gifts and talents you poccess and make the world around you a better place for everyone involved.
Larry -------------------- All gods send their drunks to AA My story.. https://www.addictionrecoveryguide.o...ST&f=16&t=63644
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Posted: July 2, 2012, 2:57 AM
Hey man, I spent a good amount of my teenage years using copious drugs; The heavier ones include K2, Extacy, LSD, Shrooms, and on a lighter note yet still seemingly harmful, I smoked marijuana daily. My cognition had become extremely impaired and it effected my school work, my attitude, and eventually left me completely friendless. The main issue I was dealing with was an inability to think rationally, coherently and constantly for that matter. Before my drug use, like any person I would think all the time. I was very inquisitive and creative, yet now I have to force myself to think otherwise I don't at all and I slip into this voided emptiness inside my mind. I really wanted to know if you had trouble thinking after your abuse. Because of this, I was unable to communicate well with anyone, and found myself too distracted at hating my self for destroying who I used to be to even listen, concentrate or get involved with anything anymore. I had taken a break one year ago after using for awhile and eventually got back into the swing of things. My brain was working healthily and I attributed that not only to not using again but also the current bliss I was in for being in a happy relationship and falling in love. Then I ended up using again, having been so happy it was hard to decline, and I had to break up the relationship. And for the past year I've been going through the same situation again. I'm now 5 weeks clean and am trying my best to stimulate my mind in order to hasten the process of recovery. I hope all goes well for you, no one understands how tragic your situation is more than someone who is going through a similar scenario. It felt good to finally write about my struggle and I commend you for inspiring me to do so. All the Best, Anon.
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Posted: July 8, 2012, 7:50 PM
I'm going in for a sleep deprived EEG test tomorrow. Found this thread while looking up different types of potential permanent damage.
I took cocaine for 5 years, using up to 3-4g on a daily basis. I overdosed on 3 occasions that I remember, but to be honest by the end I was blacking out so often it could be more. The lowest I ever got to in my life was waking up in a hospital in Portugal 2 years ago from a 3 day session on coke, mdma and mcat without rest to find I had been on life support, and that my friend who had shared in this experience had died. Almost immediately afterwards I started having seizures, several times a day. My mind wouldn't function and everything seemed a complete hazy blur, nothing felt real anymore. I guess depression, anxiety etc played a part, but really I just couldn't function properly anymore. I gave it 6 months of being clean to try recover, and it just wasn't happening, until I finally found a doctor who would listen (the 5th neurologist I had seen by this point), he changed my medication and within another 6 months the seizures had stopped. One year later and I had a job, it's taken a long, long time and a heck of a lot of support from my long suffering girlfriend but very gradually I've started feeling normal again, the best I've felt since I was 18. My advice would be that things can get better, and that if one doctor isn't helping, try another, there are people who will listen, and you can improve. Whether you can get back to being 100% isn't certain. I myself may never, but who's to say it's the drugs, and not getting older and some survivors guilt, worry etc? Got my fingers crossed for everyone recovering on here. It's been a good read. Hopefully a few of you might cross yours for my test being all clear tomorrow. | ||
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Posted: July 18, 2012, 2:30 PM
Hey everyone,
I know that it's been about 7 months since this forum was last written in but came across as very interesting to me and really wanted to post my own experience and ask yall's opinions if I seem to be making this into too big of a deal, or if drugs don't even play a part in this. I'm young, female, haven't used too much but it was enough to get my sent to rehab a few times. I was a big pot smoker (to the point where I basically needed it to function) for about 3 years until I was introduced to cocaine, then crack, heroin, oxys/roxys (other pills ect) and dabbled in all of that for about 2 1/2 years. I have been clean of the hard stuff since Nov 2008, although I still drink on occasion (like a glass of wine with dinner), but it never caused me any problems, and I rarely drank when I used, drugs and alcohol never correlated to me as being the same thing, but that's just me, I know everyone is different. Anyway, before the drugs and all of that I was always a grade A student, without trying very hard I may add, but I also had ADHD my whole life and was on ritalin/focalin ect, as well as depression and was on zoloft among other things. Growing up I always had a difficult time remembering my childhood, but I always felt as though that was a defence mechanism that my brain gave me, as certain events like my parents divorce ect. (won't get into anything) may have made me want to "forget" (if that makes sense.) Anyway, I have always been a little bit on the daft side or ditzy side (dumb blonde as some may call it) but it was never terribly bad growing up. But as I used drugs I basically lost all sense of reality and lived in my own little world, not really caring to remember much. I assumed that once I was "clean" that eventually I would go back to my old self. Obviously I have gotten back to reality, and I am a perfectly normal functioning human in society, (I mean it's been almost 4 years since I've touched drugs), but I always feel like somethings off. I constantly forgot words, or how to say something. I can never remember flashcards to study for tests, or if I do, it's only for a few hours or so, and then I completely forget everything. Events from my childhood slowly seem to be disappearing in my head, and with every year I get older, every year younger I forget. There are times when I even legitimately couldn't tell you what I ate yesterday. Before when I could easily pass a test, I must try 4 or 5 times harder now, effort wise, to try and keep up with the same material. I've tried to go back on medication for depression but it turns me into a zombie. I tried taking ADHD medication again, but it hypes me up too much, I am over focused, and start feeling jittery. On top of which, in general I don't like doctors or medication much. I haven't done any formal ex-rays or anything but recently a bunch of blood tests (for an unrelated issue) which checked all my organ functions and my vitamins and such which are all fine except I am anaemic. But I don't think that has much to do with this, just wanted to add it anyways. But does anyone have any thoughts on whether this could be drug related, or is this just something that maybe was bound to happen anyway, given my background in daftness from an early age. Or maybe the drugs just heightened this? I haven't really been too worried, but from time to time I get anxious and think about my past, and wonder if it really did have any long term effects on my body. It seems in the forum that from other's opinions, cocaine use may have a short term brain damage loss, but not long-term. So I wondered if anyone had any similar experiences to me. Thanks. | ||
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Posted: July 18, 2012, 2:41 PM
PS - Sorry I didn't seem to get the rest of the forum until after I posted my message, so I realise that people are still writing in here, and that some of you actually seem very strongly that cocaine use, even for a short period of time, can definitely cause a lot of damage. It makes sense to me, what one person said (time), that taking cocaine "increases neurotransmitters" so that basically when you stop taking it, you'll never get to that level of high functioning again. Maybe that's what I am experiencing. I don't know...
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Posts: 4
Joined: July 19, 2012
Posted: July 19, 2012, 9:27 PM
I'm trying to understand why people are asking that kind of thing here. The best I can say is how it was for me and my mates, I don't think there are any docs here. So if I say yes I was totaled but now I'm fine or I snorted up for years and never lost a brain cell, what does that mean to anyone else? You ask your doc, you take what you go t and go forward, right? Or am I missing something? Maybe it's just folks want to chat?
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