Just What The Doctor Ordered

“Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol, morphine or idealism.” ― Carl Jung

“This is reprogramming, or retraining of the mind. Think of you brain as having an operating system such as Windows or Mac iOS. Sometimes these systems become infected or corrupt and a new Install is required.
This is exactly what happens to the addicts mind. The reasons for this having happened are irrelevant at first, the glaring fact is this, the problem has to be rectified before any lasting progress can be attained.
If your laptops hard drive becomes corrupted, it will function irrationally, with unpredictable results. Can not the same be said for the unpredictable behaviour of the addict?”
Except from Chapter five – Relapse: The Ever Present Danger.- Joe Bloggs
My childhood was a happy one, my early life was good. It was only when I discovered alcohol as a teenage boy that I began to realise that I was not as normal as I had first thought.
Over the following three decades, I gradually evolved into a full blown alcoholic and prescription medicine abuser. Once I took the first drink, or the first pill, I simply could not stop, no matter what the consequences might be. Although I had the willpower to keep myself physically fit and run several miles a day in all weathers, when it came to the booze, I was totally powerless.
This insane and baffling addiction, subsequently drove me to near death, and the gates of insanity. Then one day, enough was enough, I became sick of being sick. I was finished, I had hit rock bottom; The only way was up.
It was only then, having been given the gift of desperation, I had no other option but to seek out a solution to this frightful addiction. Those events happened the best part of twenty years ago, I have not found it necessary to take a drink since. A happy ending? That was just the beginning.
Several years ago, having been free of alcohol and sober for quite a few years, I inadvertently started using some old codeine pills to treat an ear-ache which had been troubling me. I had been prescribed these opiate pills by my doctor for a back injury a few years prior to this. If I were to be totally honest about it, a couple of aspirin or paracetamol would have probably eased the pain of the affected ear.
Long after the ear pain had subsided I found myself carrying a strip of codeine pills in my pocket, ”just in case” In case of what? I am still not sure of to this very day.
The one thing I am sure of, looking back now, I see I had become addicted to the tiny pills and had become willing to go to any lengths to obtain more when I needed them. I shall attempt to share my story of what happened, and the hell I went through. I shall also try to pass on my own personal experience in the hope that you do not have to continue a day longer suffering this perplexing problem that may be ruling and ruining your life.
Please remember, as with any other addiction. You don't have to go to the end of the line. You can get off at any stop you like. Provided you have the right information, and are ruthlessly willing to do anything it takes.
Anybody can stop, but staying stopped is this problem...IF I CAN DO IT, ANYBODY CAN DO IT !