On the first or second day in the half-way house, I went out with friends to a movie “Get Shorty”. I think it was at the dollar theater at the time, so it was cheap. This was my first venture away from the half-way house since I was admitted to rehab. Somehow the conversation of having just one beer was brought up and the others in the car stated that this was not something that you could do because it was cause you to go back to your drug of choice. Of course, alcohol was the drug of choice for a lot of people there in the first place. I did not fully understand because I really didn’t feel that I had a problem with alcohol. However; I was only kidding myself because I was definitely an alcoholic. The only reason why I switched over to using marijuana years earlier was because the side effects were much less than alcohol. I always drank until I got sick and I did not like getting sick. My high school friends used to make fun of me once they saw that I was drinking my 6th beer. They would say: Here goes Steve again trying to drink that 6th beer and expecting that he will not get sick this time. I could never stop drinking until I was drunk, but it was definitely not my drug of choice, marijuana obviously was it.
During that first week in drug rehab I met some really nice people. One of my favorite individuals was a guy named “Jay”. Jay and I would have a blast at the 8AM and 4PM circle discussions. We joked around like crazy and were truly enjoying ourselves. During the circle meetings I was still stating my first name and indicating that I was a marijuana addict and that was all. At the circle meetings, the lady in charge of the Half-way house would make statements regarding various things to us. There were at least 2 or 3 people that she made comments about how it was there second or third time in rehab. She would say things like: Are you convinced this time that you really are an alcoholic and an addict? Do you think you will be able to stay sober this time when you leave?
During that first week, we immediately were directed by the staff and counselors that we must attend 12 step meetings or we would not be able to stay sober. This was my first real introduction to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). I say real introduction because when I was 19, a girl friend of mine took me to an AA meeting. I was really only there to watch one of her friends pick-up a chip. I remember her even stating that I was an alcoholic just like the people in the meeting. Of course, I did not pay any attention to what she said at that time. So, technically I had been to an alcoholics anonymous meeting before and had never put two and two together about what rehab was going to involve.
When I started attending meetings (this time for real in rehab) I listened and was shocked at some of the things I heard. Some people stated terrible things that had happened to them directly do to the effects of using drugs and alcohol. This was not something that I had in common because my drug of choice was marijuana and it did not cause me to spend all of my money and ruin my life (yet). The other thing that I immediately noticed was a big age difference between me and the other people attending these 12 step meetings. I was only 26 years old which is the only reason why my drug use had not caused me a lot of problems. It only makes sense now that I look back at my age and what I was doing at that time. If I would have used for another 10 years I probably would have found myself in 12 step meetings stating how my life had been ruined.
I should also mention the withdrawal effects that I was experiencing during the first week. Mainly I was just craving my drug of choice (Marijuana) or frankly any drug. The mental obsession and cravings were almost unbearable. My mind was stuck between wanting to stop using drugs and not. At night, I would dream like crazy. So, really the only withdrawal symptoms that I experienced were unusual dreams and that strong craving that makes your toes curl up.
<<-- Go Back or Continue –>>
Jeez, alcohol is a terrible drug.
Marijuana isn’t bad for you. Everyone knows that…there’s a huge difference between a psychological addiction and straight out addiction. you can’t become addicted to marijuana, only psychological dependence b/c some people just can’t deal without it. Plus it doesn’t help when you’re made to go to a drug meeting and them putting things in your head and making you think you’re a bad person when you’re not. They’ll say you’ll ruin your life with marijuana and it’s only a matter of time. That’s the biggest crock of crap…try telling that to Michael Phelps who is a 14 time gold Olympic swimmer, or the thousands of other hard working people who would rather chose cannabis as an alternative to drugs that really mess you up…”alcohol and tabacco”
Yes, Michael Phelps the 14 time gold Olympic swimmer. Humm. Here is a link to a recent interview with him. It seems that he also got a DUI in the past. Sounds like an addiction problem. As you get older the disease progresses.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29683665/
I’ve also been told that he is not winning too many races anymore. I can’t imagine why.
and how many olympic gold medals have you won, admin?
he just set a world record and landed a huge subway ad campaign… sounds to me like hes doing better than you and your piss-poor website are
Michael Phelps got that DUI before he ever won a gold medal. So, 14 Olympic gold medals later, how does that prove your point?
Anyways, Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals last year and broke 7 world records. Sounds like he had broken his progressive disease of addiction. Or maybe he was just drunk/high during every race and won anyway. Either way, it seems like he has his addiction under control (note his 14 OLYMPIC gold medals in the past 5 years).
Thank you Dan.
Is there rehab for a skateboarding addiction? I have been fighting this terrible disease for seven years now. all i think about is skateboarding. all day. all night. i wake up in the middle of the night to feed my craving. It is a serious Physical addiction. some might tell me that its no more addictive than such trivial things as weed or chocolate. but how dare they compare my plight to those who can stop any time they want? after i stopped weed after five years of daily use, my addiction has grown worse. is there anything that the government can do to help me? i feel a worldwide ban on skateboarding may be necessary.
you do realize that, if i had been serious, this would be your fundamental argument, verbatim. Pot (which i consume) has been proven to be no more addictive or habit forming than chocolate (which i consume, probably in similar quantities). You continue to ignore this albeit the many posts which touch on this point.
This website is about a personal vendetta you have against a plant. i question your abilities as a human being to divide the animate from inanimate. i question your constant yammering about the addictive qualities of a simple plant (yes i know tobacco is physically addictive and also a plant). but most of all i question weather people like you should have the right to display falsified, heavily biased information in a public place, where other weak minded people can be influenced by propaganda.
if you do not want to smoke weed, don’t. it really is that simple. a thing that grows out of the earth does not need to be held back from the things which lurk on the earth, by other things which lurk on the earth. ESPECIALLY something as useful as cannabis. the point of this website is to realize and publish your personal experience with pot and make it seem as if everyone is like you, and needs protection from a plant we have coexisted with for ALL TIME. but everyone is not like you. most people can control themselves.
Duck-Billed Platypus.
It lays eggs.
your argument is invalid.
Wow. For a site titled “So No To Pot” there is an excessive amount of alcoholism stories that throw in a mention of pot and claim to be about drug addiction.
I can smell the ********, others can smell the ********… when is it going to stop? This constant spreading of misinformation, fear-mongering, and overuse of stock photography has got to come to an end. If you want to be taken seriously, how about using FACTS and SCIENTIFIC PROOF, not conjecture and vague stories that are all opinion.
Is it 4:20 yet?
yeah, i just wanna point out what u said about you “withdraws”.” these are common in anything you do. For instance, I go on a missions trip to Honduras every year. You see a lot of alcoholics there… side note… Any who, I feel withdraws from my TV, and my drinkable water, and my cars. Now, if I am having the same withdraws as you were from your “drug” addiction, does that me I should attend AA and quit going on my missions trips too? Cuz I will tell you right now I wont, Ill take one for the team and suffer first! Rehab for Ganja… Thats like saying you went to the red-light district to ask for fashion help… Why dont you look around, there are more people out there who need the help you squandered at that rehab center. To tell you the truth, I smoke every day, right before I pray to God so that he can help all the sick and poor families of the world that stupid Jack-***** like you, who are to caught up in screwing yourselves with you own douchey problems! You, my friend, are the reason the worl sucks the fat one!