A question for ex-addicts and/or addicts only

I don't want you to follow me, I just wanted to deliver intellectually
honest, non-preachy answers, which is what I thought you asked for.
You can control your mind if you determine to.
If you've ever tried to quit smoking, which most smokers have, you may
have noticed that after about a week it's not about the nicotine anymore.
At that point everything reminds you of how much you want to smoke.
In order to finally kill this demon, you have got to force your
mind to other places every time it enters, which will be frequently.
This take months, however it gets easier as your mind strengthens and your body heals.
It's not just smoking, it takes strength of mind to overcome any addiction.
This is not a personal jab, it's just a fact:
If you are unable to overcome an addiction,
it is because you are weak-minded.

Self control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit; first born sons (natural leader personalities) have a similarity of this strength but lacking compassion: despising the prodigal son and not willing to join the party. The prodigal son was given the best robe as soon as he came home, the Father knew he would be able to be moved by compassion for the less fortunate. There is more to this learning to Love that sets us free: mentioned already, "God chose weak and despised things to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. Paul was left wanting a deliverance that He had to receive as God's influence made perfect in weakness, so that He would not think more highly of Himself than He should. In the place we have attained to we stand there with God, thankful we are with Him and not abandoned.

God is faithful always

This is what I asked for:
This is immediately what you wouldn't hear, and did anyway:
One of the things we used to say in drug rehab, (I went through it, and then became a counselor, so I know a bit more than you think), was "Ask for what you want, and want what you asked for." I was specific in what I wanted to avoid your world-based pop-psychology bolstered by world-based pseudo-science.

This is not a "fix 'em" post. It is a reality check, because
A. God is in control. God is sovereign. God works all things out for our good and HIS glory. God picks the least, because the world bases everything on proving themselves better than God, so he comes for the sick, the least, the ineffective to prove it really is him working all things out, not us.

B. He does that fixing over the long haul. It was, at the very least, 17 years between the time God told Abrahm he would have a son who would become a nation until the time Abraham had that son. It was 39 years from the time God freed the Israelites until they went into the Promised Land, and, at least 430 since he promised Abraham that land. It was a whole week of horn blowing while marching around a city, before God crumbled the walls to Jericho. And yet, God never tarried. He does "fix 'em" far better than the world can over do.

So, really. If your desire was to "deliver intellectually honest, non-preachy answers," you failed on all counts. The delivery failed, the intellectual failed, the honest failed, the non-preachy failed, and the answer didn't answer.

This isn't even about the addict, and yet you think you have the answers for addicts. You don't, and missed the point entirely. Feel free to start your own fix-em post.

I lived with an addict my whole life and didn't even know it...

My mom was addicted to pain pills/ anxiety pills/ cigarettes/ and sleep aids.

off and on my whole (30 years) of life.

has she over come it?
no.
has she gone to seek help?
yes.
is she a better person now after seeking help?
it depends on the situation.

but she was always about selfishness, Always wanted things her way cause she was an addict.

I'm not one... and I know you specifically asked for addicts, but I just wanted to share this and let you know, even being the daughter of an addicted. I still love my mom, I'm still here for her, I still want her to seek help.

And It's also the death of HER older brother from being a drug addict that's helped her "stop" taking so many pills.

Don't want to upset you, but I wanted to let you know the love of a child who care so much about their parent... can actually stop the "I have to have this" feeling more than stopping cold turkey.

Hello, I believe there are some strong willed individuals who can overcome addictions by simply determining in their minds that whatever addiction they are bound to is over. I do. However, for me, GOD is not only about delivering someone from addictions but he specializes in the mind. It comes down to whatever you fill your mind with will guide how you live you life. If I say and fill my mind with what he says the by product is peace, joy, success, good health. However, if I fill my mind with anger, hatred, unforgiveness, etc, the by product depression, and a life filled with negative instead of positive. I may not need GOD to deliver me from addiction, anymore, but I need him to help me think about what i'm thinking about.

Honestly,

Drugs : 8 years - Quit

Cigarettes : 9 years - Quit


Cigarettes were a hard one to kick because I smoked like a sailor and even swore like one. But I thank God for His grace, that when I finally couldn't take the conviction in my heart that smoking wasn't in anyway good, I decided to just quit, cold turkey (I won't lie, I did have a few after that) and by Gods grace was freed from the cravings and the power it had over me.

This is what helped me quit:
- Prayer
- Reading other peoples testimonies
- The conviction inside of me
- Family/friends support
- But above all, God!

If you want to quit, then pray for it. If God can release me who had little to no self-control with many things, then I can guarantee you He can do the same for you. Just do it. Quit today and dont buy another packet.

I will pray for you. God bless you!

i do understand what you're saying to a point. I don't want to screw up Lynn's thread. The physical craving for any addiction is difficult, alcohol, nicotine, sugar, etc. I have never been an alcoholic or drug addict , my vice at one time was food. I can finally say after 2 years that I no longer suppress my stress or emotions with food.

Anyhow I wouldn't call an addict weak minded. I know what you mean about the mental challenge but I believe the mental and the physical work together.

That's asking for people to put aside their egos, and you know how unlikely that is. Any time a topic dealing with habits or addictions is brought up, you'll inevitably gather unto you people who like to sit back and say "aww, it's so easy" while being passive aggressive and making digs that anyone who can't "just do it" is weak. Then you'll also gather unto you people who want to take up the digital pulpit and play Little Johnny Preacher.

Rarely, you'll find someone who's brave enough to say "addictions are a constant pain in the patoot to deal with and are very difficult to overcome". It's rare, because those people also don't want to hear the BS from the other two types that frequent threads like this.

Obviously referencing me.
Never said it was easy, I said that it gets easier
as your mind strengthens and your body heals.
Anybody can do it, it's a matter of will they.
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Deliverance is strange and I must admit I do not understand why G-d has truly delivered me from something’s and not others.

I have smoked since I was 13 years old I am now 46. When I was 18 was delivered form dope (heroin) never have craved since. I have fought alcohol a lot of my adult life. had 14 years sober, now 6 years sober. Sex 6 years.
Dope, men, G-d has simple come down and recued me. Alcohol and cigarettes are an all different ball game. I prayed every day for the first 3 or so years for G-d to take my desire for sex away, but if I shall get married again He will return it. G-d answered that.
I fight the drink. I know if I take the drink the drink will take me. Smoking I am the queen of quitting…. Staying stopped keeps getting me.

I do not know why my Lord would just free me from dope and allow me to struggle with the others. I pray for mercy daily. It is what it is.

I will give money to the drug addict on the street begging once because I remember what it is like to geek, and tell them where they can get clean if they really want to. In fact, I have taken them to treatment. But if I see them on the street aging I will not help. Beyond that I show them no mercy. I think us active addicts do nothing but steal, kill and destroy. I was worthless garbage as an active addict and fell pity for all those that loved me or for some reason took a liking to me.

Some people I know go to AA and they are the better. I do not go. but I am in my Bible daily and have a very, very close relationship with my Messiah. I use the fellowship of my brothers and sisters in Messiah like one uses the fellowship of AA. So as the AA saying goes, to they own self be true.

I'm feeling generous so I'll give you a free piece of advice. If I have something to say to YOU, then I will address it to YOU. I have no need to be passive aggressive, and anything I say here, I'd say right to a man's face close enough I could smell his butt-breath. Seeing as how you thought I was talking about you, that says to me you think everything is about you, and you feel convicted about your commentary earlier in this thread. Thank you for displaying your personality. Noted.