What is an addiction that you have overcame?

42 comments

  1. How are we defining addiction? Does it have to be a chemical dependency or can it be a destructive habit that was difficult to break?

  2. Cocaine.

    The next question is usually how did you do it?

    Simple. I was in college and ran out of money.

    It was a very scary, depressing time, and I feel sorry for the people who were around me then.

  7. Amphetamines. Got prescribed my last year of university. Started my career and couldn’t get through a day without my prescription, then I was supplementing with speed. Took me 8 years to figure out I just hated what I did, was riddled with anxiety and was malnourished.

    Now 5 years clean!

  11. Nicotine.

    I know it’s not coke or heroin or anything “cool” like that.

    But I did quit a 50-year pack-a-day habit over 3 years ago. Haven’t had a ciggy since.

  12. Gacha games. Think mabinogi, Genshin impact, tower of fantasy. Gambling against a rigged system. Iā€™m sure, throughout all the games, Iā€™ve probably spent enough to full buy out a brand new car.

  13. Most recent, caffeineā€¦ that shit was hard as fuck. Stopping alcohol was fuckin easier lmao alcohol was easy, donā€™t drink alcoholā€¦ caffeine? Nope donā€™t drink that or that or that or that or that or that basically every fuckin fluid Iā€™ve always drank regularly except water lol

  15. Video games.

    Nicotine. First smoking, then vaping.

    Heroin.

    2 of the 3 down. One more to go.

  16. Opiates. Some very dark times in my life but I got it straightened out and Iā€™m doing great now.

  17. Alcohol and all the adjacent good times and horrible life choices.

    Self-referred in the Army’s substance abuse inpatient twice on active duty, and another four 28-day shit shows that my local VA hospital is kind enough to provide and welcome back frequent fliers.

    Was a factor in my 3 divorces. I had no idea how to love or accept myself. Shame, guilt and gloom. Until I met a gal who took me on as a project. She got my drunk ass straightened out.

    Learned how to like myself, took some potent mushrooms with her one fine day by a river.

    I purged so much toxic shit that was living rent free in my head for 3 decades and change. And I stopped pretending to be someone I really wasn’t. Absolutely freeing.

    I still drink,

  18. Candy. I have not had a candy bar or hard candy, M&M etc since 2004. I just felt like I was craving them ALL THE F-ing TIME. So I just stopped, cold turkey no more candy.

    Alcohol. I liked beer, a lot. The good beer, not the cheap coors light crap. I would drink a 6 pack of IPA a night. Come home crack a beer, make dinner and drink a 6 pack while doing it. I felt lousy from it. I realized that a single beer would make me feel like I was hung over, like a big bad hangover. I didn’t need the Alcohol, the calories, the hangover feeling and spending the money. I quit cold turkey, just stopped. It was rough for awhile as it was a habit more than a need. I did find out that if I was craving a beer, I could drink a cola and the craving went away.

    I do still cook with wine (white wine poached fish is so good) and bourbon in the BBQ sauce. But no beer or hard liquor drink for five years now.

  20. Sweets and junk food. I will have the occasional cookie every now and then, but itā€™s a far cry from how I would eat nothing but chips and oreos and drink coffee with an inch and a half of sugar at the bottom.

  21. I was a pack-a-day smoker for 7 years and never thought I’d be able to quit. I haven’t touched a cigarette in 15 years and am quite repulsed by the smell now.

    I also quit drinking a little over 5 months ago, so that’s cool too.

  22. Drinking every day, cut back on junk food, and lost 90 pounds that I ā€œmysteriouslyā€ picked up after returning to civilian life.

  26. A day at a time, I have arrested my use of cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol and a lot of sugar. But addiction is impossible to separate from me and so are other issues. So let’s look at those other things.

    I have discovered my emotions and how reactive and vulnerable I am. I seek support from my wife when I’m anxious and listen to my best friend when I’m angry.

    With the help of professionals and medication my mental health is manageable.

    Some of my personality issues have been largely addressed including a degree of narciccism (they say this is rare) and a tendency to attack as defence.

    I have finally taken a big step in letting go of my sense of grief and responsibility regarding the end of my two significant past relationships. Ruminating on my failure plagued me. The answer I have come to is to own my past but simultaneously acknowledge that my exes played their parts in what happened and they were wrong about me. I have always been a loving person who was accountable and committed. I can move on now with that in my mind.

    I don’t believe my addictions and health problems are cured but are somewhat arrested through things like: a commitment to spiritual principles like honesty, open-mindedness and willingness, not using today, trusting in the advice of my wife, somehow weathering humiliation, self hate and guilt by trusting that I will feel different if I can hang on.

    It works. It worked for me. I am lighter, I do like myself, I know I am kind, I know I’m loved, I know how it works, the world is colourful, I shoulder work, I am helpful, I am there for friends, I’m a passable dad and partner.

    Anyone who is struggling can message me. I can at least listen and encourage you. Or try and be funny.

  27. I’m working on alcohol. Been feeling some of that organ pain in my lower left back and I don’t like it. It’s been about a week and I’m drinking a lot of water and I hate it but weed helps fill the void.

  28. Energy drinks. Itā€™s way cheaper than a bottle of water in UK and much more tasty. I guess, no need explanation why did I quit.
    How did I quit?
    Slowly, from 2 a day to 1 a day. From 5 a week to 2 a week. Now living with low daily coffeine, thankfully for the matcha tea. Feel better but still energized all day

  29. Weed. Regrettably I now smoke cigarettes but Iā€™m far better off this way than with weed. Iā€™m low functioning when high

  38. Im 17 and trying to but haven’t beaten it, but I’m currently trying to stop porn.

  39. Alcohol. Started out when I was 18, sneaking a 6 pack in w some friends and drinking them in a club house watching Adam Sandler movies and then all throughout my earlier 20ā€™s I drank literally everyday. Around 25 I was not working, living with my parents and racked up around 30k in debt from credit cards, loans, money I owed people, etc.. I got so drunk one night that I became paralyzed in a sense and fell to the ground and my entire body was tingling. After that never touched it. Fast forwards to now , 28 years old , working full time in construction on top of having a part time weekend job. No debt whatsoever. About 20k in the bank. I do live in my suv full time when I donā€™t stay at my GFā€™s house. But thatā€™s mainly just to avoid the cost of rent. Iā€™ve been full timing for 3 years now so itā€™s normal to me. ā€œAt first the man takes a drink, but then the drink takes the man.ā€

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