Do you have a drug problem?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:07 pm

hi everyone, duke here and i just wanted to share some of my story with you all.
im 22 years old, and a recovering drug addict. when i was nine i started smoking pot and its been down hill since then, sure it was fun for a while in the beginning i never believed what everyone told me about it being a 'gateway drug' but it sure as hell was...ive probably used every drug known to man, and used it in excess. ill skip through all the details and get to the point...about three years ago i started injecting heroin, and i havent enjoyed it for about two years and ten months. ive been completely consumed by it, and as i figure it id probably be a millionaire by now if i didnt use...however four months ago my life changed...as soon as i set foot on the playa i decided i wanted to live to see burningman 05, i didnt want to risk overdosing and dying...which has happened to about 20 kids from my highschool in the last 2 years...so i kicked the habit, it wasnt easy, and i dont think ill ever be free and clear...its the hardest thing ive ever done, but ive been successful so far...and i think one of the biggest reasons ive been successful is that i have had someone to talk to and confide in...not a doctor or a therapist...just a friend of mine...
so i ask this of all you out there in the eplaya...do you have a drug problem? are you an addict? do you feel compelled to harm yourself with chemicals? do you need someone to talk to? im not a drug consouler, i have no medical training. but, i have been there, i can sympathize... im a good listener and sometimes thats all you need. so i ask again...do you have a drug problem? if you do im here for you...please feel free to email me- [email protected] or send me a PM on eplaya...if you need to hear a human voice, ill call...or you can call me...or if you want a pen pal, ill give you my mailing address. i want to help and i can give you my solomn word that i will never tell another living soul that you contacted me...i may not be a doctor but i can promise you a doctor/patient style confidentiality...ill take it to the grave with me i swear on the man...so please...if you need someone to talk to...im here for you

sincerely,
-Duke

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:31 pm

*slapping Duke on the wrist*

Bad!

Shame on you!

Crossposting... Bad!

*points to corner*

go have a time out.

(i realize that you're trying to help, but crossposting is a no-no)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:51 pm

my bad
*puts the pointy cap on and sits in the corner*
i just wanted as many people to see it as possible

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:53 pm

I know... like I said, I know you weren't being malicious about it...

III · Post by **III** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:05 pm

the thing is, it's not like one group of people reads one category, but not any of the others, and another group only reads a different category, but not the first one.

i think that concept was explained in the user guidelines, though it's been a while since they got drawn up, and i can't remember if it's something i thought of, actually wrote, or just read when someone else wrote it.

it's a nice idea, though. you may want to pick which area you think is most appropriate, and go ask in the tech support section to have that one saved when the others get deleted...

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:07 pm

that's a perfect idea, trey... that gets my vote.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:18 pm

run that by me again? do you mean get it saved when all the posts get deleted in the new year...or should i have one saved and have TS delete the other? which section do you think i should keep it in?

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:20 pm

have one saved and have TS delete the other

I'd say keep the one here... as it is a general discussion topic, really...

my $.02

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:10 am

gee, my only "problem" has been acquisition of said "drugs" in a timely and fortunate manner.

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 6:10 am

I am an addict-type. Addicted to caffeine, sex, emotionally unavailable men, sugar..... Not like back in the days, though. I have reached a level of addiction I am comfortable and capable of living with, at least for the time being.

Reaching out to someone is the hardest thing to do when you are down in it! And the only way to get out of it, I've found. Brightest blessings, Lamplighter Duke, and all else who struggle with these things.

III · Post by **III** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 9:20 am

>run that by me again?

sure. (btw, i don't think posts get deleted at the end of the year anymore, at least that was the point behind having both annual and persistent sections of the e-playa.)

t.s. will delete all but one of the duplicate threads, and if you have a preference you can let em know, rather than having them make that decision for you.

Mister Jellyfish Mister · Post by **Mister Jellyfish Mister** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:01 pm

Good for you, Duke. Does this mean you are now drug-free? Tough question: Is focusing on another's problems a convenient diversion from your own? Sophie's rescue in The Razor's Edge by Sommerset Maum comes to mind.

With love,

-Jellyfish

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:40 pm

gigglesnort wrote: I have reached a level of addiction I am comfortable and capable of living with, at least for the time being.

I would say I am in a space close to that too. There are some things I enjoy but I no longer allow them to rule me like I might have earlier in life. I mean that in a "responsible recreation" kind of way. I think having kids made a big change with me. I can't just decide to get blotto because there's nothing better to do like when I was a kid. Same with sex, it's still great fun and everyone enjoys (and deserves) a little strange from time to time (in my personal opinion) but I am more mindful of safety and health concerns now that I have small kids that will need to be taken care of for several years.

You can't get totally baked when you never know if you might have to take a kid to the doctor on a moment's notice. It has done wonders to moderate my behavior. And even though I can go out on the playa and loosen up some, I still can't bring myself to do anything completely stupid that could be obviously life or health threatening because their little faces are still there in my mind.

So let's make love in dirt ... but I will have condoms in pockets of several different articles of clothing (learned that one the sad way. Dont put them in your shirt pocket and then decide to ditch your shirt!). Let's share a little intoxicants but we will look after each other, and nothing that could kill us immediately upon ingestion, please.

Hey, Duke, do you have a pet or animal that relies on you 100% for survival? Might be good therepy.

aforceforgood · Post by **aforceforgood** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:30 pm

I beg to differ with the crossposting complaint, I haven't ventured outside of the general discussion area for a couple of years since I haven't been able to afford to go to BM for the last couple of years.

This is a serious enough topic that I for one would excuse the crosspost.

Have you figured out why you sought to alter yourself with drugs Duke?

People with Attention Deficit Disorder for instance often get into various stimulants which make their brains operate better.

In your case there may be some psychological root that once uncovered can be treated or at least understood, lessening the chances of a relapse.

I wish you all the best. Take it one step at a time.

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:35 pm

aforceforgood wrote:I beg to differ with the crossposting complaint, I haven't ventured outside of the general discussion area for a couple of years since I haven't been able to afford to go to BM for the last couple of years. .

so, because you couldnt' go, you lost all interest in seeing what others were taking, using, gleaning, asking, telling, learning, growing, finding, loving, hating, creating.....???

a real community member, I see...

tonytohono · Post by **tonytohono** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 7:14 pm

Now Guini...

I know people who have trouble figuring out how to turn on a computer let alone navigate a web site. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

Hey Force, what are ya, a turkey? There is all kinds of good stuff on here. Get of the Prozac and have a looksie around.

tonytohono · Post by **tonytohono** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 7:17 pm

Make that aforceforgood, not be confused with Force.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 5:38 pm

hey yall...the powers that be think that my attempt to help people is a danger to the well-being of the forum administrators...so this thread is gonna be deleted...i guess it just doesnt pay to care....

aforceforgood · Post by **aforceforgood** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:28 pm

So the forum administrators are now responsible for what people stick in their noiseholes?

Yeesh.

The people on this planet are so stupid and illogical sometimes...

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:33 pm

no, see, the problem is you started the same thread in two places which is against the rules, so they locked one of them.

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 1:00 am

could we stay on topic, please...??? sheesh...

ummmm....

no.

no, i don't.

thanks for asking!

i appreciate yer wanting to help, lampy... glad to hear yer feeling more in control of your choices...

aforceforgood · Post by **aforceforgood** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 3:01 am

GuinivereElise wrote:
aforceforgood wrote:I beg to differ with the crossposting complaint, I haven't ventured outside of the general discussion area for a couple of years since I haven't been able to afford to go to BM for the last couple of years. .
so, because you couldnt' go, you lost all interest in seeing what others were taking, using, gleaning, asking, telling, learning, growing, finding, loving, hating, creating.....???

a real community member, I see...

Hey, what with my internet addiction in general and eplaya addiction in specific, I'm quite happy to be able to keep my surfing to a minimum...

My beautiful wife is happier that way too, cuz it means those minutes are spent with her instead of looking at someone's automatic watermelon seed spitting art car.

There are an infinite number of cool things on the internet to check out, but I gotta draw the line somewhere.

III · Post by **III** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 7:52 am

>the powers that be think that my attempt to help people is a danger to the well-being of the forum administrators...

not sure, but there are two possible problems with what you did.

one was obviously the cross posting (which had been explained, and possible solutions provided, and shouldn't really be a surprise to you. given the fact that this thread is still going while the other one is frozen hints that this is the problem). getting whiney about that is, well, getting whiney, and missing the point of what you did.

the other possible problem is that is that (i'm not sure how) the thread is seen as supporting illegal activity at burning man. if this is the case, it's clearly a good topic for the case studies thread, and i'd hope that the administrators throw it there if they plan to do anything about it.

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 8:42 am

aforceforgood wrote:
GuinivereElise wrote:
aforceforgood wrote:I beg to differ with the crossposting complaint, I haven't ventured outside of the general discussion area for a couple of years since I haven't been able to afford to go to BM for the last couple of years. .
so, because you couldnt' go, you lost all interest in seeing what others were taking, using, gleaning, asking, telling, learning, growing, finding, loving, hating, creating.....???

a real community member, I see...
Hey, what with my internet addiction in general and eplaya addiction in specific, I'm quite happy to be able to keep my surfing to a minimum...

My beautiful wife is happier that way too, cuz it means those minutes are spent with her instead of looking at someone's automatic watermelon seed spitting art car.

There are an infinite number of cool things on the internet to check out, but I gotta draw the line somewhere.

drawing the line is all well and good, affg, but the original justification for why you do it and these new justifications certainly differ. And, while you've made us more sympathetic to your 'plight' of internet and eplaya addiction, you haven't really addressed that first issue. So I still, as respectfully as possible, think that you're kind of full of perverbial shit.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 9:56 am

im aware of the cross posting problem and i contacted an administrator to delete the duplicate...it was after i pointed that out that i was told it was a dangerous thread and will be deleted...
and as far as doing illeagle things at burningman i never once implied that i was referring to things going on on the playa...i meant in general...the stuff that goes on the other 51 weeks of the year

III · Post by **III** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 10:47 am

>as far as doing illeagle things at burningman i never once implied that i was referring to things going on on the playa...i meant in general

exactly. i think it's arguable that this thread not only doesn't imply that, but is designed to help those who have problems engaging in illegal behavior overcome those problems. if anything, i'd see it as a positive effort. that's why i suggested that the administrators may want to take it to the case studies thread, which is a place where decisions like this are explained and discussed with the community, in order to have more consistent and reasonable actions in the future.

i think you're doing a good thing, i'd be interested in why someone might think it would be a problem. (damn lawyers...)

aforceforgood · Post by **aforceforgood** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:39 pm

GuinivereElise wrote:
aforceforgood wrote:
GuinivereElise wrote: so, because you couldnt' go, you lost all interest in seeing what others were taking, using, gleaning, asking, telling, learning, growing, finding, loving, hating, creating.....???

a real community member, I see...
Hey, what with my internet addiction in general and eplaya addiction in specific, I'm quite happy to be able to keep my surfing to a minimum...

My beautiful wife is happier that way too, cuz it means those minutes are spent with her instead of looking at someone's automatic watermelon seed spitting art car.

There are an infinite number of cool things on the internet to check out, but I gotta draw the line somewhere.

drawing the line is all well and good, affg, but the original justification for why you do it and these new justifications certainly differ. And, while you've made us more sympathetic to your 'plight' of internet and eplaya addiction, you haven't really addressed that first issue. So I still, as respectfully as possible, think that you're kind of full of perverbial shit.

Actually, they may seem like different areas, but to me they're very related. If I were to so much as look at the area where people are posting questions, asking for help, ideas to solve mechanical problems, raise funds, do thisthatortheotherthing, etc, my helpful nature would (not might, would) take over, and I'd be spending a lot of time and mental energy on something that would only detract from using that time and/or mental energy on my own life.

So like an alcoholic that doesn't go into bars because they're a place of temptation for them, neither do I venture outside of general discussion as a general rule.

Steven bradford · Post by **Steven bradford** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:10 pm

My problem is I'm looking for a drug that will knock me out for the weekend. Alcohol is too shortlived, and doesn't really knock one out.

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:14 pm

Steven bradford wrote:My problem is I'm looking for a drug that will knock me out for the weekend. Alcohol is too shortlived, and doesn't really knock one out.

......there are alternatives. Try chamomile! Or St. John's Wort really gives me a tingle or three. Of course, if red wine doesnt get ya......

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:43 pm

Or the ever-popular Blunt Head Trauma.