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Posts: 478
Joined: November 9, 2018
Posted: March 7, 2019, 7:45 AM
I think not only do they get addicted to their drug of choice but they also get addicted to the lifestyle that comes along with it. They can often even have more than 1 addiction. Its complicated.
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Posted: March 7, 2019, 10:15 AM
Addiction is a habit. Habit is a routine. Routine is a way of life or lifestyle
Absolutely they become addicted to lifestyle. It can include their circle of friends, the settings in which they get high.Some alcoholics have favorite bars. Some ignore price tags, only the best for them. It could be the clothes, cars, jewelry etc. The alkie here is addicted to the night life and recreational activity.(They say many alcoholics who are narcissists can't stand to be alone and always must be with someone people) Their daily routine becomes a lifestyle which includes daily drinking and/or drugging. Most people have a routine but it doesn't bankrupt them, trash their health, affect other people or facilitate drug and alcohol abuse. That's the difference between alkies/addicts and the sober. | ||
Posts: 1764
Joined: June 27, 2016
Posted: March 7, 2019, 3:59 PM
the lifestyle: yes. it is one of the things that has added to my resolve to not enable. my son might be too entrenched in the lifestyle and is not ready to give that up. 5-6 years. I can not sit in the trenches any more. I know we have done everything we can think of. it is up to him to do everything HE can think of. sobriety wont happen until he can get honest with himself. The alkie or addiction thinking has to change. The lying and the 'hustel' have to stop.
the 'hustel' is a big part of their day, if not 100% part of their day. when my son was in one of the sober living a few years ago they spoke about this. I have been watching a few videos on youtube, former addicts telling their stories. so far, the successful ones have said they needed to immerse themselves 100% into recovery and do everything they are told to do to be successful. If they do anything less, such as 80%, they have failed. do what they feel like, forget the rest. or feeling better, more confident, like they can handle this.... they fail early on. I think this is where my son is at. still in denial and has not given 100% to recovery in the past. | ||
Posts: 58
Joined: January 9, 2017
Posted: March 12, 2019, 1:57 PM
YES, good points made. I've recently had to inform my daughters boyfriend's parents about their son and my daughters pill addiction. They already knew they had drinking issues. But as I informed them, they started to recognize the changes in their social habits and routines.
It's like us moving to another non-English country and wanting to stick with other Americans in that country. It's familiar and what we know and are comfortable with, The addict must relearn how to be part of our sober world. | ||
Posts: 77
Joined: December 26, 2018
Posted: March 12, 2019, 5:44 PM
JEFFREYRUNNER - interesting analogy about moving to another country and wanting to find others like yourself. I feel like my son has no idea how to be a part of the normal world, which drives his addiction even further. He feels like an outcast, so he hides from the world with others who feel similarly shunned and numb their pain with substances.
I believe in the importance of structure, which is why I think a proper rehab would be so beneficial. I know rehab alone is not the answer - he has to do the work and CONTINUE doing the work for the rest of his life - but I can’t see outpatient helping when he’s still living around drugs and people who use them. He’s grasping onto this idea that he can keep one foot in each world, but I don’t think it’s possible... | ||
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Posts: 58
Joined: January 9, 2017
Posted: March 13, 2019, 10:56 AM
Yellowbirds,
Yes, I agree the addict needs a completely new environment that is structured during the beginning stages of recovery. It's so frustrating... thank you, this message board helps... jeff | ||
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