Expert Level Recovery; Don't Replace One Substance with Another

[tophertime22 14]

As I have documented, I have been a severe stimulant addict for many years, and many recovery attempts. I practically grew up reading posts on this website. Many times when I tried to quit, I would read this sub-forum for new drugs to take. I just wanted more of the same effects. When I ended up relapsing, I continued my "regimen" of various expensive nootropics and supplements. The reality is if you take this route, â€‹you will be unhappy, and you will inevitably fail.

 

You need to change your mindset. As articulated well in an article on this site, Adderall is actually BAD for your focus and ADHD. Not just in addiction, but actually at all. It changes your whole mindset about getting things done. This distortion is exactly what causes the problem. Don't replace one stimulant with another. The so called "flow" is what you do not want at ALL costs. 

 

You can't stop your addict mindset by switching substances, even if one is less harmful than the other. But you can use your addictive tendencies to your advantage. Remember when you were running out of pills and desperately avoided social encounters so you didn't waste your supply?

 

Well you can utilize that same mentality, but with real, good habits, instead of bad ones. Lets say you had a great day; you didn't take adderall, you got up early, you had a great workout...whatever it is. All that is important is that is is in limited supply-you don't do it often. Now take the same mindset you developed with adderall and apply it to this situation. You don't want to waste your good day. So use that as motivation to study, not drink, write a blog post. Whatever it is. Just Do It. And don't waste it.

[LILTEX41 1,373]

Wow, this is a great new perspective!  You absolutely hit the nail on the head.  I worry sometimes when I see people posting about trying all these supplements and such as a means to replace the adderall with possibly something else.  I think what we have to do when getting off of adderall is to completely unlearn the habit of popping a pill and waiting for a result.  Yes, I agree if you try to switch to other supplements or stimulants you will most likely be highly disappointed when it doesn't do for you anything close to adderall.  And what is the point of recovery if you are just trying to transfer your addiction to something else?  

 

I think the key to recovery is to re-adjust to life with healthy coping skills.  Recovery is a total transformation of mind, body, and spirit.  For me, I have found myself feeling the strongest when I can look back at situations where I wanted to drink/use so badly, but then applied the tools I've found from a plethora of other programs and stayed clean.  I found I had many regrets when I look back on my drinking/using days, but I have never regretted my decision to stay clean just like I have never regretted a good workout.  

 

For anyone new out there that is struggling, just try to visualize yourself successful in recovery and HAPPY.  Allow yourself to dream up everything you could possibly want to do with your life now that you are clean.  You truly CAN do anything!!  Once you are FREE from being a slave to a substance, the world is yours for the making.  You no longer are spending all your time planning to get pills, trying to find pills, calling the doctor, waiting for an appointment, getting high on speed, being tranquilized into some crazy 3rd dimension of robotic isolation, withdrawing, sleeping for days, and then craving it all over again and repeating the cycle.  The ability to gain the freedom from all that mess is fantastic!   You can do whatever you want in life and have no cloud of shame/guilt over your head.  Just the sense of feeling good inside knowing you're on the right path.  Maybe you don't know where that path is leading yet, but look at it as part of the fun!!!  The journey is the destination.  Document your progress along the way so you can look back and see all the changes and growth.  And then help others with all that you've learned.  There is no better feeling than this!

 

Thank you Topher for such a great post.    Hope I didn't go off subject too far, but I think this will benefit a lot of people.  I'll have to check out your blog too.  Great to see the site has helped you!!!  

[AlwaysAwesome 777]

Part of the addiction for me was taking a pill every morning.  I tried caffeine pills and herbal supplements, until finally I quit taking them all.  It was like smoking was for me...every part of smoking was addictive.  Getting the pack ready to open, sniffing the new cigarettes, lighting it up, watching the smoke as I blew it out...I had to quit it all.  You all know I quit everything cold turkey, but I continued to try to find a pill to take every morning for several months.  Should have stopped it cold turkey, too...

[quit-once 1,738]

It took me over two years to finally quit taking a pill or other supplement for perceived energy - not like daily, but at certain times.  I had a pill habit.  And anything that was not a stimulant drug was OK.  I gradually reduced my pill popping dependency.  Now it is just a select few nutrition supplements.   But even thinking of all the rituals and quirks and rewards? from smoking gets me too excited, even now.  So I choose not to entertain those thoughts any further tonight,  Changing the channel.....

[Frank B 1,173]

I got to lay off those flinstone vitamins hitting those up pretty hard lately. Found myself chopping one up the other day to snort it dangerous stuff.

[AlwaysAwesome 777]

lol

[MotionRotation 0]

Topher time and Liltex Thank you for that... thats exactly what someone like me needs to hear.

Been trying to quit and relapsing :-/ the only "upside" is i ve weeded myself down to 20 mg a day as opposed to the 60 ...

i agree with you Liltex on just picturing oneself off it .. put all that energy and effort (in my case getting up a tad earlier to pop one, going back to bed and wait for it to kick in) into something like waking up a bit earlier and give excersise a go.

Another thing to for anyone coming off is to just give yrself time.. if you make it to the gym for just 15 minutes thats fine, you ll build up to it.. be good to yrself and every little step you take in running away from the addy.