Life really brought me to my lowest point three months ago when I got made redundant from my well paying job of two years, my ex broke up with me, and kicked me out of our house. It meant I had to move away from the city I loved, back in with my parents. I had financially supported my ex through uni and the second she got a job, she got rid of me. A month ago, I was playing hockey and tore my meniscus, which meant I now can't really walk until I get surgery in a couple of months.

Not being able to walk ended up being the best thing that's happened to me though. It feels as if the universe was telling me to slow down. I am now 5 days clean from weed and alcohol, after having issues with both for about 8 years. And I am so so proud that I was able to turn this into a positive experience at probably the lowest point in my life.

I'm only sleeping every other night and can barely manage to eat one meal a day, but I am so determined, so happy, and so proud of myself. It is true that you need to experience the bad to feel the good. And sometimes the best things happen when you are really at your lowest point, diamonds in the rough and all that. You just need to believe in and love yourself, and trust that you have the capacity to do this.

All of this wouldnt have been possible without the help of my mum, who has also been struggling with coke addiction for the past 8 years, but has been in recovery for about 6 months now.

For the first time in 8 years, I really feel like everything is going to be alright. Cravings come and go but I just remember that I've already made my decision, and that is to not continue with my life the way it is.

Life is a lil bitch, but we all got this! Even if you feel like you don't right now, tomorrow is a new day.

All I think about is cocaine, cannabis, and abusing my Ativan prescription. I’m so angry at myself that I can’t get over my ex. I feel so bad for pushing her away whenever I was super depressed. I’ve lost so many friendships over my depression and anger making me isolated from people.

Started working out again so I’m hoping it’ll help with stabilizing my mood.

You can look on my profile posts to see my post about my suspicion with my parents for some context. But I cannot continue to know, it makes me feel like shit and im over it. I keep getting mad at them ad they don’t know, so I just feel bad. It’s almost Christmas so I don’t wanna ruin it but I do need to tell them

What am I meant to say? How am I meant to tell them. I just don’t know and idek how to explain what im feeling and thinking. Please if someone’s been in the same situation, please let me know

I'm curious to why my bf would text me and call me names after he smokes meth? I learned this year he had mental health and I used to think it was the drug but now I'm starting to question his real feelings towards me or his true agenda. Before I knew of his addiction a year ago, he used to do that a lot, just text me and bullying me in the most awful ways and calling me names. It gotten so bad to the point, I had him restrain from contacting me. Then he got sober for 6 months and we started talking again and it's been awhile now and he just started doing it again. He started off calling me a scammer and telling me he don't trust me, that the men he keeps seeing around was someone I knew coming after him and then because he was like this I had to send all his calls straight to voicemail and I get voice clip of him saying "pick up your phone you f'en b. Are you f dumb. Or calling me a stupid b. I just think he hates me somewhere in his mind is why he is like this. But I Finally let him go because I'm not gonna keep dealing with someone like this. I did that for a whole year and it was traumatizing. I still haven't really heal. Drug or not I definitely do not deserve that especially coming from someone who I'm always there for and still there while he's homeless.

I’ve been addicted to smoking cigarettes for about a year now, and recently I have begun abusing prescription amphetamines, I am depressed to the point that I am incapable of doing any work without the drugs, I sit for hours at my desk and play on my phone, and even on them, I lose all motivation to do anything but doomscroll. I’m pretty sure nicotine abuse has made my depression worse. The pills give me an instant break from all my negative thoughts, but they will kill me if I keep going. I’ve been taking them for about 3 weeks now, and I can’t stop. I use about 4 times a week, and I would use a lot more if I could afford it.

I don’t have a lot of money, no health insurance, no support system what should I do?

I live in the US.

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend of two years finally opened up to me about his distancing, at this point isolating behaviour: He has a porn addiction.

I knew he had used porn as an unhealthy coping mechanism in the past, but never ever would I have imagined it being the root of most of the issues in our relationship: Missing emotional + physical intimacy.

In the beginning of our relationship we had the best sex of our lives with each other, fucking at least once a day. I encouraged 100% open communication and showed him there was nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to unusual practices/fantasies/fetishes, if they don't do any serious harm.

Now I question everything. And what's even more concerning: Thinking about it I recognize these patterns in my ex relationship as well. We were crazy about each other in the beginning, then he showed zero sexual interest for YEARS. Even said he felt asexual at some point, but I did see porn on his laptop in the middle of the day once. Didn't think anything of it. Is this addiction really so common or am I jumping to conclusions? Is this a coincidence? Or bad luck?

I'm a confident young woman and know this isn't about me personally. But I still can't shake the feeling there has to be reason it's happening to me twice? I feel so stupid.

If your partner or ex partner had similar issues, I would love to hear how (or if??) you handled this? Or if you have any psychology/research based info that you think could help me understand it more. Studies, good podcasts, articles, anything.

(In my past relationship I ended up cheating which I deeply regret. I will never do that again, if nothing changes I will break up with him. But I really want it to work out! Sex isn't everything after all. He wants to go to group therapy, which seems like a good start)

I was a young kid started working the oilfields at 18 never really touched a drug in my life but at 19 I ended up working with guys who were more than willing to buy me beer at the distributor on are way home from work, just really drank cause here in the oilfield “pipeline” we have a reputation of being drunks and what not and i just wanted to fit in at a early age, fast forward I’m 7 years into the pipeline industry and 2 years ago I met a co-worker who did blow at the bars, I reluctantly did some blah blah and in the two years as a frequent bar patron I would really only do it when it was offered and just always had a rule I could do it if offered but can’t buy it, fast forward to 2024 I am now buying it started off in small amounts in 60 or 100$ intervals on Friday nights, then now to when I’m righting this post I’m now starting to buy it through the week may be just a 60 or 70 then maybe a 8ball every now and then 2 to 3 times a week. Basically what I’m looking for is how did you guys overcome this addiction, I only crave it when I’m drinking sometimes very seldom when I’m sober but when I’m sober I’m strong enough to understand it’s just a want not a need, I guess what most of you are going to say is I need to stop drinking to stop the cocaine but my second question is how do I quit alcohol, I’ve been a above average drinker for the last 4 almost 5 years of my life consuming a minimum of a 12 to 15 pack everyday that has ended in “Y”…..and in this industry called being a “pipeliner it’s even harder to quit with being a alcoholic so normalized out here…

Had a stressful day at work? Let’s go drink

Didn’t get the footage we needed for the day? Let’s all go out and drink

You miss your kids and wife who are a thousand miles away? Let’s go drink

Side note I’ve done the studies as a kid who was diagnosed with adhd early and being on adderall for my entire teenage years, statistically it will be way harder for me to quit drinking and cocaine then it will for someone without adhd

My little sister (who does not live with me) got addicted to her vape before she turned 18(she is now above 18) and she hid it from her father until I had to talk to him about it.

Recently, because she no longer has access to her supplier anymore, she's had to quit cold turkey. I don't have anyone in my life who had a smoking addiction who then later stopped, so I don't know how to help.

Currently her entire life is just laying in bed scrolling tiktok. She doesn't have any friends I know of and doesn't go outside, and before now the only difference was that she was constantly in a state of high. Like to a degree that every time i spoke to her she was high.

What I've tried looking at so far through google hasn't been helpful and just sounds like pretty words but doesn't make it easier. like "think the depression away" type of advice.
She doesn't have the option to wean off instead of going cold turkey (which i know would be better) so I wanted to ask if there were any other ideas. I want to help her so if you have anything you think may I'd appreciate it so much.

Got signed off work for couple months due to having a severe cocaine problem. Went back to work last week. Managed to do 4 weeks without touching the stuff but had 2 beers which triggered wanting to do it again.

I was doing good until then.

I know I’m an addict. My drug of choice is alcohol and benzos. I know I’ll never be able to drink normally and I’ve accepted that. But I still can’t let go of the klonopin. When I drink absolutely nothing good comes from it but when I take klonopin I feel “normal” and can be a responsible adult and live life more. I’ve starting going to na meetings everyday for about a week, reading the aa book, and really do want to change my life and myself for the better. But I keep struggling in my head on if I need to quit the benzos or not. Part of me thinks it’s okay to keep taking them and part of me doesn’t. Idk, I just can’t imagine a life right now where I wasn’t taking klonopin and wasn’t miserable

I’m extremely addicted to my phone. I’m ashamed to say I use 10+hours of screen time. I catch myself choosing my phone over quality time with my kid or being productive with my sales job (marketing). I’ve tried putting limits on my apps but I easily ignore it. I can’t delete my apps because that’s my source of income but I get distracted and I don’t work I’m just scrolling, because of that I have zero sales. I’m in need of serious advice or help. I’m tired of having headaches and I don’t know how I let it get this bad.

Night sweats are the absolute worst. Any advice? Other than changing my shirt twice a night.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Taelon, and I’m a 27-year-old filmmaker based in Los Angeles. I’ve been struggling with ADHD and addiction, and I’ve finally realized that if I want to achieve my goals and dreams, I need to take control of these challenges before they spiral further.

I’m an aspiring video game commercial director—something I’ve been passionate about since I was a kid. I know exactly what I want to do and even how to get there, but my ADHD and addiction keep getting in the way. I often convince myself that substances will help me focus or work better, even though deep down, I know that’s not true.

It’s frustrating because I’ll hyper-focus on things like video games, where I’ll happily spend hours doing repetitive tasks like “killing 10 boars and collecting their tusks.” Yet, when it comes to writing a draft script or working toward my career goals, I struggle to even start. I beat myself up about it, thinking, “If I want this so badly, why can’t I focus on it?”

This leads to a vicious cycle: I’ll push myself to work, get overwhelmed and anxious, and then feel so discouraged that I’ll turn to drinking, vaping, or some other substance as a coping mechanism. Then I decide I’ve had enough, get sober for a while, start making progress, and tell myself, “I’ve got this; one drink won’t hurt.” Before I know it, the cycle repeats.

The thing is, I am proud of the progress I’ve made—I’ve gone weeks and sometimes months sober—but I’m ready to tackle these problems head-on and break the cycle for good.

What I’ve Tried So Far

• Medication and Therapy: I’m on Ritalin (extended release) and Prozac, which have been helpful. I’ve tried nearly every ADHD medication over the years, and this combo works best for me with the least side effects. I also see a therapist and a psychiatrist, but I feel they struggle with ADHD-specific strategies.
• AA and Addiction Recovery Groups: While these programs have helped many people, I’ve had a hard time relating to them. I’m a huge gamer and a gaming nerd, and I’d really love to find a support group or community of other gamers who are dealing with addiction and ADHD. That’s where I feel I’d relate more and be able to open up.

Where I’m Struggling

• ADHD and Addiction Connection: I feel like my ADHD and addiction feed into each other. For example, I started vaping because it helped me focus, but now it’s another habit I can’t quit.
• Boredom Triggers: Sometimes I use substances just because I’m bored, especially with tedious tasks like taxes. I trick myself into thinking, “This will make it better,” but it never does.
• Finding Specialized Help: I want to connect with support groups or programs that focus on both ADHD and addiction, ideally with a community I can relate to.

Ready to Take Control

Something has clicked recently—I’m done feeling like a victim. I want to take control of my life, and I’m ready to put in the work. I just need guidance on the best path forward.

To those of you who’ve dealt with ADHD and addiction, what’s helped you? Are there resources, therapists, or programs you’d recommend? I’m open to anything—paid programs, specialized therapy, or even unconventional solutions—as long as it works.

Thank you so much for reading and for any advice you can share.

I understand the mechanisms of physical addiction. With drugs like Meth and Heroin your body "adjusts" to the unnatural influx of neurochemicals in your system. Making it so your dependant on these drugs to feel normal. Not being on drugs causes withdrawal.

But why is it so hard for drug users to "wane off", why can't they just do lesser and lesser of the drug? Keep doing the drug to make your withdrawals hurt less, but do less of them? Eventually you will do 0 of the drug!

A few days ago I remembered I have adhd meds I never take, I realized I can use those for focus high when I don’t have blow, I’m on the lowest dose so I decided to see how it would be snorting a few crushed up, but they were so hard to crush and didn’t not feel the same like blow, so I snorted a few and took like 10 18mg concerta pills and it made me ultra focused. I read the daily limit is 72mg but I definitely took well over that and I didn’t sleep for two days. The next time I took some I had over 200mg of it and was reading abt overdose, but nothing happened and I didn’t feel focus like the first night. I was like okay back to blow. Anyways the point is I had a huge fight w my bf, I was doing blow all night from 5pm-7am, by the morning I was messed and we fought so badly, I kicked him out and started spiraling and wanted to die so I did my last line and took over 200mg concerts with alcohol, waiting to die from overdose 9am-2pm, nothing happened, took more, here I am writing this wondering if I’m overdose proof or it hasn’t hit yet lol… feeling very normal now it’s 630pm and I finally ate food after two days, and ready to get high again but have nothing but concerta now, I think I’m ammune to it and it’s just gonna make go into psychosis instead of focus mode.. thinking a lot rn, wondering if I’ll ever be a normal 22years old girl again.. and me and my bf are broken up now but I feel fine idk. #fuckdrugenablers, my mom is ruining my life. Ok vent over bye

guys sorry for the long vent. im putting this out there, maybe someone can help me and give me advice.

When i pan out i realize im going down a very dark road.

im 21 years old.

i used to be fun, kind, creative, tidy and eating well. i used to workout. i used to ride my bicycle. i used to have many friends. i used to journal and read books!

something violent happened in my life and i got traumatized.

now im on my own, drinking beers every night and smoking. i walk around town past midnight, im getting so out of touch with reality.

i only get around to doing the bare minimum tasks.

ive lost a LOT of money in alcohol, nicotine and food addiction.

and i have scabies.

there's no one here to help me, and i don't know how to help myself. i can't believe i went from being my parents' little boy to this...

I’ve just started tapering, but I’m struggling with the idea of going back to normal life. Everything feels softer, more gentle and just more interesting and enjoyable on codeine. How do I cope with life feeling harsher and not having something to look forwards to every few hours. Also I have ADHD (unmedicated), and I’m thinking perhaps that’s playing a part in all this? Thanks :)

This is so hard to quit. I really think I have to go the Suboxone route.. l've tried tapering, I just don't have the self control to do so. I'm really falling apart, mentally and financially. I get paid either tonight or tmr, whenever the deposit hits. But I don't have health insurance, I plan on paying for subs out of pocket on quickMD, I live with my family and they have no idea I'm addicted to something again. Don't have the vacation time at work to take time off, I really need help with the quick MD process and going through this process as discreet as possible. Nobody in my life knows l've been using 7oh, l'm at on average 300mg a day, please leave the harsh comments to yourself, ik I fucked up, I know this is way more than the normal person, I'm just an addict at heart and this stuff is controlling me more than any other substance has, I'm so scared of wd, l've always had issues when I get normally sick to where it just fucks me up so bad, I think I'm just sensitive and weak minded. I'm constantly thinking about how many tabs I have and doing math so I can avoid wd and catch a good buzz, that's literally all I think about, I just feel so alone and lost and I don't know what to do, ugh just typing this is making me choke up. This is really bothering me, please keep the rude comments to yourself, and if you can offer any advice or help, please reach out cus I really need the help Sh. Add a comment

I'm just happy there bonding with people but the alcohol has such a grip, when I'm not there this is what I do. I have to stay in the house because when I go out I attract danger, constantly kidnapped robbed and assaulted. I'm thinking of going back seeing my favorite counselors until I can see the light.

What are some good tips on how to quit using speed, i do have a problem, im not a daily user but sometimes i do relapse to the point that i do continue using it for longer periods like the last one 6 weeks ago where i have been using it almost daily.

Any tips on how to break all of that?

There’s a lot of detail to my situation, but I don’t want to ramble, so I’ll try to find the balance.

I’ve had the problem on and off for about six years. My normal pattern is that I say each day will be the last day, give up, and then repeat the pattern. I’ve gotten myself in such a deep psychological trap with it. I realized that I sort of have a bit of a subconscious thought that tells me I have to give up, so I do. Like it’s the natural thing my brain is telling me to do.

I absolutely blow through money in an embarrassing way. I’ve asked my parents for God knows how much, not telling them what it’s for. It’ll take the most random, easy thought to get me to relapse. I’m way behind on rent and facing eviction. There’s a chance I could fight it and yet I still can’t pull myself away from it. I’m still spending my money on this.

Here’s another aspect. I know I need to quit the alcohol, that decision in itself is easy, even though the execution is difficult. I’m still not sure if I can handle the weed or not. I know if I do, I’d have to keep it under a certain potency (because the highly concentrated stuff has put me through the same addiction cycle alone, even in times I wasn’t drinking), and do it in moderation. It helps me relax and be creative, and it’s a hard thing to let go of. But I believe even just having lower levels of weed in my apartment, I won’t be able to stop thinking about it and wanting to smoke it all day. Still, I’m afraid to give it up without at least trying that possibility. But also, I don’t want it to start the cycle up again, and I kind of just want it to be over.

Any thoughts?

I started using oxy since I was 12 I got it from my friend that had it prescribed I used them not a lot but like once a week for a long time than I started to take them everyday I tried other opiates too like tramadol or brown heroine, same friend parents started dealing drugs but they were dealing stimulants and I got even more addicted because of ADHD I was mainly addicted to 4mmc I was taking it everyday for a year i mixed it with other substances like oxy, I tried everything they would have cocaine mdma weed amp Xanax and I also found klonazepam that I loved and started to use it a lot too i would skip school run away from home friends started to move away from me so I got addicted even more, I was arrested by police because I ran away from home for 3 days i said about bad situation at home that had place but it wasn’t point of my running away it were drugs because my parents found out that I use them too much they noticed that money from their purses is missing that im selling my things away and that I weighted 39kg for 173cm they noticed my hands that were cut and had signs of using syringes they noticed my nose bleedings and that I haven’t slept for like a week, while hanging out with those dealers I met worst people on the earth gang members etc. but with them I felt loved I mean with that friend parents and with her it was first time when I felt loved by anyone but now I know it was by substances, police sent me to prison for teenagers and also did with my friend and her step-dad, me and her were in one teenage prison so we would use even there I had lots of problems there because my sexual orientation and because I was weak, I started to have huge heart problems and with breathing but I was still using when police arrested me before they made a drug test for 12 different drugs all were positive, my parents were worried family was also everyone were but I didn’t care I just wanted to use, that dealers were telling me all the time that I use too much and it will end badly I didn’t care really. On New Year’s Eve I was on pass from that teenage prison and I went for a party with that friend parents I took 15g of 4mmc and I overdosed, since that im sober I see huge difference i still have health problems, but I am at least happy when I was using I couldn’t feel it I was sad all the time soon it will be year sober and really guys dont do it, I have lots of friends that use it to this days and can control it they do it once a month and even they are saying that they have to use it on parties because without them it’s not funny, I hope my story will show you that sober life is good life

addicted to benzos. scared to date because i dont want them to find out. i dont wanna go to jail. Has me depressed.

After a conversation the other day, someone very close to me has brought up addiction in regards to my substance use. But the thing is I never really considered the idea of addiction before because I suppose I had the idea that addiction was like a near daily/daily use of specific substances kinda thing.

I don't use every day. In fact I can go days or weeks sometimes without using substances. And I don't really stick to just one thing. But I do use substances to cope. Like the main times I'll be using stuff is when I'm in a bad mental place. I have a few different mental illnesses and I'm neurodivergent (ADHD and autism) so daily life is shit. I am aware of my addiction to self harm though not a substance. When I'm struggling mentally, I seek an escape. Any escape. And they're not healthy escapes. Whether I cut myself or starve myself (I have anorexia) or go to drugs. I use whatever I can get my hands on. Weed, DXM, prescription meds (I've used my diazepam before when I had a prescription for that, nowdays I'll abuse my Ambien), benzos off the internet, codeine, literally anything. If I have access to any drug when I'm in a bad headspace, I'll take it.

So it's not like it's every day or every weekend. It's just when I'm not well mentally. I feel like I don't have the ability to not do it when I'm set on it too. Like the other day, I was in a really bad mental space and I knew I shouldn't get high on ambien because I was at a friend's house and it would be a bad idea or whatever but I couldn't stop myself and did it anyway and made myself really sick. Or last week, things were really bad in my house and I was struggling mentally so I took a bunch of DXM. I'm using dodgy weight loss pills of the internet that work as stimulants and I'll take extra of those sometimes to not only suppress my appetite but help me feel something. I've ordered diazepam and Xanax off the internet and I've just got a delivery today of 100 DXM pills that I'll probably end up taking a big dose of within the next few days because of the headspace I'm in.

I don't think I'm a drug addict so to speak, I didn't even think I was in addiction of any kind to be honest but I also know what I do isn't exactly a healthy relationship with substances. So am I actually struggling with addiction, enough to acknowledge a problem and seek professional help, or am I just at risk of falling into it? Either way I know I need help for my mental health as a whole and I'm in the process of finding a therapist. But I don't know. I don't feel like I'm bad enough to actually be addicted so it shocked me when my friend told me I was in addiction.

Day 2 Had a candy bar and a sandwich instead of my usual vices.

What happens when you finally come down off of that long high and realize what you have done to yourself and to your life. How you have affected the people closest to you, especially the ones you are suppose to take care of. I guess you take the weight of it and you don't try to escape from it anymore. There is no escape. Life is hard. It has always been hard. And will continue to have hard moments. But take pause in all the chaos around you and watch that sunrise. It's time to get back up and dust yourself off. It's time to realize that there will be tomorrow and it will be better. It might be hard to get out of certain things, but with an actual plan you can do it. Just don't go back down all those rabbit holes. Be accountable for actions or lack of action and try harder. Wake up and get your shit together. Feel that frustration. Feel it burn down to your core and use it fuel yourself and do something about it. Promise yourself that you will wake up tomorrow and that everyday you wake up, life will get a little better. It's time.

God I can't take it anymore, I feel like I wasted a whole year because of my reliance on my phone, and my ADHD doesn't make it any better too. It feels so sickening just using it but I can't stop, what can I do? Or what has helped you in the long run? I want to smash my phone into tiny bits sometimes, but I still need to use it for contacting my friends, partner, family, job and etc. I even downloaded apps that stops me from using other apps but I always find myself turning it off anyways just so I can use them. I'm just so sick and disappointed with myself and I honestly feel like a crazed addict who needs their fill of dopamine everytime I use my phone.