addiction

[Monica S 1]

Besides food, is anyone out there addicted to anything else? Or have you ever been addicted to anything else? I used to use drugs, and I also used to smoke cigarettes but have quit both. (although I recently had a relapse and am struggling to deal with it). I wish there was a forum like this one for people to support each other staying off drugs. Anyone know of anything like this? Google searches only yield sites that don't have much traffic.

If you are banded, how has that affected your other addictions?

[Mvpo8961 1]

Monica I smoked for 20 years and went cold turkey 2 1/2 years ago. I tease my husband when we drive down the road and see someone smoking in their car. I tell him to get close to them and I'll snatch that cig right out their hand.

But in reality I have no intentions of going back to the smelly, unhealthy, expensive habit.

Good luck on pulling out of your relapse.

Myra

[cmr 0]

I had to quit drinking when I got the band. I just couldn't loose the weight with all the empty calories. It was hard....still is. I have an addictive personality. I used to smoke 3 packs a day.....quit after being hypmotized (sp?)

cindy

[sbmorgaine 0]

I smoked for a long time. I started when I was 12 (to be cool ya know) and I did meth for a while, but quit that when I realized that it was stupid to think my cat was bugged by the FBI. Luckily, I stopped after 6 months, and now I realize how big of a bullet dodged.

I think I am addicted to food, and am going to OA so that I can get control of my food addictions.

[Monica S 1]

Has anyone gone to OA or other 12-step programs? I feel like AA and NA are good, but I can't seem to get into the program around my eating. I don't know why. Maybe it's too personal, too complicated, or maybe I'm just not ready to give up an emotional attachment to food.< /p>

[amillerjones 0]

I used to smoke marijuanna and drink then I got married and had children and eating became my thing to do. Now that I am banded, lost seventy pounds and can't eat I have to be careful not to go to those other addictions. I definitely drink more now and am trying to slow that down

[Daisalana 33]

I have an addictive personality as well.

I know if I had access to pain meds, I would use them everyday (lortabs, hydrocodine, etc.). Kind of like the bad tempting foods, my solution is to not have them where I can get them. I could get pain meds for my back, but I know what I'd do with them.

I never was a fan of alcohol fortunately, even though alcoholism is rampant in both sides of my family.

I do smoke though, almost 2 packs a day now since banding (1 pack a day before). I am going to try Chantix soon. It's too expensive to be a smoker and since you can't smoke in public anymore, it's no fun.

[juliegeraci 7]

I drink on a pretty much regular basis. I try and only drink 2 drinks at a time. I use to drink a lot more.

[010308 0]

Here's a thought.... why don't we start our own support group for addiction. Addiction is addiction, whether it's to food, drugs, working, shopping, watching TV, exercise (and yes this is the one I'm hoping to go to).... anything that a person does in excess to avoid feeling their emotions. My pastor does a support group for dealing with co-dependency and addictions. He says the average addict has 6-7 addictions that they can alternate between. He also says that most often when people decide to quit their addiction of choice without dealing with the issues related to their addiction that they will normally just "replace it with one that peeves people off less."

Addiction is insanity. How many times I have thought to myself, "I can't believe I'm killing myself with food." Yet I can't seem to stop myself. food is my addiction of choice, and I have had enough counseling to know the chances I will addiction jump are pretty good... that is why I have informed my former counselor that I may be needing some therapy over the course of the next few months. I plan to be very aware of what I'm doing, and I'm hoping for the best.

So I ask you, have you acknowledged that there are issues related to your family of origin (aka... your childhood), that are causing you to avoid feeling? You're trying to fill yourself from the outside in, instead of the inside out.

Have you ever noticed how many food addicts have relationships with drug addicts and alcoholics? Addicts attract each other.... How many of your closest friends came from dysfunctional families?

I am not saying this to blame my actions on my parents because I believe that as an adult it is now my choice to improve my life and not pass on the mistakes of my parents to my own child.

Sooo.... how does LBA sound (LabBand Anonymous)?

[Kristin1031 0]

I wuite smoking 8 years ago cold turkey I do not miss it even for one second. I hate that nasty habit I truly do. I can't believe I smelled like that for one.....and not to mention the breathing problems that it causes. I used to be plagued with colds and bronchitis in the winter, spring, even summer and fall....I was always sick with a cold or some sort of URI.

I am glad I was able to kick that nasty addiction......now if I can only be that successful with FOOD.....LOL

Good luck on your relapse......perhaps a good support group might help.

[sfeiner 2]

I smoked like a chimney for years and the 5th time I quit it took. Of course I'm addicted to food or maybe just to carbs. And I think I'm addicted to this site. If I spent as much time exercising as I do here I would be fit as a fiddle.

[munchkin392 1]

Here's a thought.... why don't we start our own support group for addiction. Addiction is addiction, whether it's to food, drugs, working, shopping, watching TV, exercise (and yes this is the one I'm hoping to go to).... anything that a person does in excess to avoid feeling their emotions. My pastor does a support group for dealing with co-dependency and addictions. He says the average addict has 6-7 addictions that they can alternate between. He also says that most often when people decide to quit their addiction of choice without dealing with the issues related to their addiction that they will normally just "replace it with one that peeves people off less."

Addiction is insanity. How many times I have thought to myself, "I can't believe I'm killing myself with food." Yet I can't seem to stop myself. food is my addiction of choice, and I have had enough counseling to know the chances I will addiction jump are pretty good... that is why I have informed my former counselor that I may be needing some therapy over the course of the next few months. I plan to be very aware of what I'm doing, and I'm hoping for the best.

So I ask you, have you acknowledged that there are issues related to your family of origin (aka... your childhood), that are causing you to avoid feeling? You're trying to fill yourself from the outside in, instead of the inside out.

Have you ever noticed how many food addicts have relationships with drug addicts and alcoholics? Addicts attract each other.... How many of your closest friends came from dysfunctional families?

I am not saying this to blame my actions on my parents because I believe that as an adult it is now my choice to improve my life and not pass on the mistakes of my parents to my own child.

Sooo.... how does LBA sound (LabBand Anonymous)?

I soooo 100% agree with what you said about families and addicts being attracted to each other. My addictions: food and shopping. My stepfather was a raging alcoholic while I was growing up. My husband is a (now sober) alcoholic. I never thought I would ever date someone with a substance abuse problem after what I went through growing up...but here I am. I also never thought I would have an addiction...yet here I am. And so it goes on.

[010308 0]

Munchkin392:

Your Avatar gives the impression that you are a nurse.

Did you know that statistics show that nearly everybody that is a nurse has at least one parent who is an alcoholic?

[pashmina 0]

In the band support groups I go to, they talk a lot about "replacement" addictions; things that will replace our compulsion to stuff our faces because we can't or aren't compelled to anymore.

I luckily don't have the smoking/drinking/drugg issue, but I have a real shopping addiction. Things I buy on impulse that sit in my closet with the tags on collecting dust...shoes I've forgotten I own because I have over 150 pairs, that kind of thing. All things to fill the empty hole that sits somewhere deep in there.

I'm considering going back to therapy to try and replace the shopping addiction with something more healthy. I wish you all luck in combating your addictions!

[nicnaknut 0]

This is a great thread.... I quit smoking a little over two years ago after smoking for 45 years... It was the best thing I did for my health, but I started eating much, much more and ended up putting on 40-50 pounds in a year so now I've got the band to help me lose the weight.... Hopefully I don't find another addiction and I totally agree with the dysfunctional family and alcoholic parent, I had both....