Any recovering addicts here?

Opiates (r’s) was my drug of choice for about 7 years. Amazing, really, when I look back on it now - how quickly it completely destroyed my life. THANKFULLY I have a very loving and supportive wife and family...otherwise, I probably wouldnt be here today. Almost lost everything that matters....I did lose everything that doesn’t.

I got clean 4 years ago, then found God 3 years ago and finally felt peace, happiness, and for the first time in a long time - hope. He saved my life, saved my marriage, saved my family, and set me on a path to find my passion (this business).

I feel for anyone struggling with addiction. I can honestly so that I am infinitely happier now, sober, than I was during any of the times using. That shit steals your soul and everything you’ve ever cared about.


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Grateful to be free of the doom and dread just before a bender and waking up after - with 100x more doom and dread. From my experience, anti-depresents only work if there aren't other chemicals interfering. In fact, any other toxicants (drugs and alcohol) with antidepressants made the scenario much, much worse. After about a year sober and learning how to live with the monkeys in my head and get along in a healthy way (they live in my head not on my back), I found I didn't need the antidepressants anymore.
 
Staying busy and doing acts of kindness has always helped me keep my sanity. This can be a slow time of year for some of us and weekends alone can be dangerous. Do something nice with zero need for something in return. Try this:

1. Bring that aging customer of yours some wood or chop and stack it for them.
2. Clear some walkways or driveways of snow.
3. Clean out a family member's garage.
4. Call up another tree guy who doesn't partake and clean and sharpen saws, try out some rope access techniques, play chess or back gammon.
5. Go birding with a friend.
6 Wrench on a piece of equipment
7 clean the oven for your wife (that's what I did).
8 prune your neighbors fruit trees (I did this as well)
9. make your family a weird recipe or favorite for dinner - stew is pretty cheap and easy.
10. If you are mad at someone, do something kind for them. Bring them a coffee, take out their trash cans, drop of a box of donuts.
 
The other day, we played regular Boggle using Skype to broadcast the letters/ game "board" to a remote house, and Zoom to see each other.
Easy enough with a phone and a tablet.
An easy way to connect with another person and be occupied.
Many games regular games can be played this way. Certainly there are online games, that can have a second screen video call to stay connected, giving something fun to do, with or without discussion about cravings/ thoughts/ etc.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Today’s tough guy’s :(. Shit has happened. Not sure what I’m gonna do going forward.
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climbingmonkey24 said:
Today’s tough guy’s :(. Shit has happened. Not sure what I’m gonna do going forward.
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The BEST and ONLY thing you can do (if dying or prison aren't acceptable ends) is to get someone else to take over for you right now. Obviously, I have no idea of your circumstances or anything about you, but I do know what addiction does, what's likely to happen and how you can stop the slide right now! Been there; done that and now I see it get better in many others who take that fateful first step stopping the madness.
Go get someone who knows how to be responsible and is willing to call ALL of the shots in your life's daily routine right now. ACCOUNTABILITY on their part and OBEDIENCE on yours! That established right away, you can then reasonably seek the next step. It aint easy and it sucks, I do know! but its not too tough. Seek help Mr. Monkey! God bless you brother.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Who am I supposed to call? I have nobody bro.

I will be alright in the end, How are you all doing? I'm concerned about your guys's wellbeing then my own, that's what's important

I could care less about myself
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A fellow Masshole myself, when the bottom fell out on me, I found a great program in Connecticut to go to. Out of familiar, tempting territory, I got my feet back underneath me again. Man! is that better than the stress I know you're under! This program was the best thing I've ever done! I still laugh at my prideful self saying such a thing, but it's the truth. do the right thing. Make a call and then a commitment. Program down here is open; inexpensive; incredibly positive; and connected with tree/landscape projects with recovery.
If it sounds right, i'll text you all you need to know. Watch out...the line you don't want to cross is closer than you think!
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
I don’t wanna make you bros you nervous, but sometime I wonder whether life is worth living. Why should I go on another year? I have the opportunity to end it right now
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Life at its worst is better than death at its best! Freedom from that shit is better than anyone can adequately describe! If you think ending it all is a possibility within your strength, then you've got all the "guts" it'll take to pull the trigger on getting the help needed for a great life again! It is SO worth it!
 
SeanRuel said:
Maybe consider your phrasing when writing to someone in a bad place. Gun metaphor likely not a
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Desperate and extreme suggestions on his part call for equally forceful responses! In such a tenuous, volatile state, mincing words won’t provide the “break-through” that’s needed.
Kind, measured words against the chaos of addiction often times results in further feelings of being misunderstood. Tree guys, as I’m sure you know, are a rare, tough breed. Tough talk is what finally got through to me and made me think
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
So I feel like I need to explain and clarify about yesterday. I feel embarrassed I wrote some of these posts.

I’ve been actually doing real well lately, feeling a lot better mentally, getting more work done, etc. and yesterday was just a slip.

For some reason I just started ranting and talking about stuff, so maybe I was a little dramatic yesterday. I’m not sure why I said some of the stuff I did, sorry about that.

I am not the type of person to try and get attention or make it all about me. I guess it was just an off day.

This is a great community with a lot of good people.
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Nothing to apologize for

For me venting always helps (just me)

We all have our bad days

rule of life for me
always expect the worst and 99.8% percent of the time the worst almost never happenes

keeps a smile on my face
 
SeanRuel said:
You have my phone number, anytime dude.
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YES!!! Do call him! And just (if not more) Follow your friends direction! Listen to those who want you around and we’ll!
climbingmonkey24 said:
So I feel like I need to explain and clarify about yesterday. I feel embarrassed I wrote some of these posts.

I’ve been actually doing real well lately, feeling a lot better mentally, getting more work done, etc. and yesterday was just a slip.

For some reason I just started ranting and talking about stuff, so maybe I was a little dramatic yesterday. I’m not sure why I said some of the stuff I did, sorry about that.

I am not the type of person to try and get attention or make it all about me. I guess it was just an off day.

This is a great community with a lot of good people.
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your honesty and self-awareness are the things of being on the right track! KEEEEEP goin'!!
 
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