Cocaine Addiction

[Tornado]

Im posting this for a very good mate of mine, who is at the end of his rope when it comes to beating cocaine addiction.

I have know him as long as I have been in Phuket and I have seen him spend 300k (Baht) per month quite regulary over 8ish years. It isnt that he does it everyday, rather he goes for 3 days straight every week, and the other 4 are rest periods.

He is at the stage where he wants to give up, and is looking for help to do so.

He has tried on one occasion and lasted for 1 week, but???? very hard to be around.

If anyone has a contact for a clinic? treatment centre? outreach etc etc in Phuket, please Pm me with the details.

I realise he will have do do it alone, but ex addicts or "carers" will definately be able to help with support.

thanks in advance.

edit - I noticed the google adds.

Edited November 10, 2005 by Tornado

[britmaveric]

Cold turkey from what I read - will be rough I'm quite positive.

[ThaiPauly]

Difficult subject Torny.

I don't think many people will post in fear of retribution.

I think that the AA programme may help him. If he starts with AA it could lead him to N.A (Nacrcotics Annyomous) I have never seen a number for this in Thailand! Although in the UK they post their numbers. maybee something to do with the harsh penalies here.

AA would be a good start. their number is in the BK Post classified section every day

[britmaveric]

Like any addiction - lad has to realize he has a problem and has reached rock bottom.

[redrus]

Difficult one that fella and, sorry don't know of any clinics over there.

The only thing that used to keep me going back to Charles a few years ago was booze, ( does your friend drink?) if I stayed away from booze I generally had no need for it. I think he needs to escape from his normal surroundings and remember that things still look good without it. When I was using that would mean coming to somewhere like Thailand, I'd be buzzing that much about being there I had no thoughts of it. Once again, unless I was really pissed but then fear always kept me away from it there. Now I've spent that much time doing other things to occupy my mind I realise the superficiality of it. Having said that and, read through what I've typed, I make sound a lot easier than it is but, thats cos you feel so much better on this side.

Good luck and kind regards fella's.

Edited November 10, 2005 by redrus

[kat]

Like any addiction - lad has to realize he has a problem and has reached rock bottom.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to attend AA and Al-anon meetings several years ago (I was the child of alcoholics - codependency it's called), and I met quite a few recovering addicts and alcoholics.

All of them had a tramautic event or difficult emotional time that caused them to hit "rock bottom". It's where you simply cannot physically or emotionally go on in the same way anymore without dying, losing your mind, and everything else.

I would strongly recommend Narcortics Anonymous. It seems kind of hokey at first, but that's just the initial resistance. It's the place where addicts share their recovery struggles and support each other every day. I know of no other way.

[chownah]

The good thing about cocaine addiction is that if you stop taking the cocaine it goes away. Be sure your friend never forgets this...when you are traveling through a world of shit it is easy to forget this....

[britmaveric]

Needs to cut off all contact w/his fellow coke mates as well. Surround yourself in a dodgey environment will cause lapses.

[Patsycat]

I was told that it takes 18 months to get it out of your system. I have also had a problem with it and agree that changing your lifestyle and keeping away from so called "mates" has helped. I haven't touched the stuff for over 6 months now - even though i was tempted many times. Why? Because I fell in love with an ex addict and he told me in very harsh words that he would have nothing to do with me if i kept taking it!! Its working for me and to be quite honest i feel good, even though my alcohol consumption has gone up a tad... Also very expensive habit to have.

[chonabot]

I'm not ashamed to admit I had a massive problem with Chang a few years ago.

I was honest about it with my wife eventually and she helped me.

You have to remove yourself from the environments that remind you of when you took it. Stay away from the people that took it with you , stop getting absolutely pissed on days off , try new or old pastimes and hobbies.

Having a family that loves you is the best way , realise that all the money you stuck up your nose could have been spent on them instead.

There is quite a lot of help onine , only people that have been through it can give advice IMO.

[britmaveric]

Torny - perhaps you could turn the lad into a gym rat? Swap excercise addiction for the blow.

[Boon Mee]

Needs to cut off all contact w/his fellow coke mates as well. Surround yourself in a dodgey environment will cause lapses.

Second that, brit.

Don't hang with the same crowd - enablers one and all.

And definitely don't move to S. America! It's like 10 USD a gram down there!

[redrus]

Needs to cut off all contact w/his fellow coke mates as well. Surround yourself in a dodgey environment will cause lapses.

Second that, brit.

Don't hang with the same crowd - enablers one and all.

And definitely don't move to S. America! It's like 10 USD a gram down there!

An English friend that lives in Germany went down South America 2 years ago, he claimed it was approx £12.50 to £15 an ounce.

redrus

[aughie]

Some good advice thus far. I guess I'm echoing it.

Break up the old habits which make him think about the drug. Form new habits. Going to the gym is a good idea. It stimulates a different sort of good feeling. The problem is when a drug addict feels good he wants to feel even "better", he wants even more of that "good" feeling, so watch out. Eventually he won't associate feeling good with the drug, other things will take on the role.

He's been getting high for so long being straight is like stepping into the unknown and that's scary. Has he got a good gf or wife who can be the familar steady rock in his life while he makes the transition?

[kayo]

Cold turkey from what I read - will be rough I'm quite positive.

Although many other posts are perfectly viable, this is the manner that functions best. In a buddhist country more than anywhere. It´s the hardest thing in the world to stop the craving when you wake up in the morning, especially after a night out on the dandruff.

Its a hel_l of a lot easier (EVerthing relative, of course) to prevent the craving... Think of the buddhist snowball effect theory. A snowball can be stopped from rolling down a slope of powder snow....Once it turns into an avalanche, well.... Chok Dii I say. Catch the snowball. Every morning. Evry thought. Never lose faith if you can´t catch it... Try again next time.

Needs to cut off all contact w/his fellow coke mates as well. Surround yourself in a dodgey environment will cause lapses.

Second that, brit.

Don't hang with the same crowd - enablers one and all.

And definitely don't move to S. America!  It's like 10 USD a gram down there!

I wouldn´t know .. Nah, seriously Torn, being a bartender in the country that is the first stop for about 40 % of all columbian exports, it´s never far from me, and I´d be lying if I said I never use. That is why I come on this thread.

It´s gone up to $12 here. $15 for tourists.

An English friend that lives in Germany went down South America 2 years ago, he claimed it was approx £12.50 to £15 an ounce.

redrus

He got ripped.

Edited November 10, 2005 by kayo

[Sheryl]

Im posting this for a very good mate of mine, who is at the end of his rope when it comes to beating cocaine addiction.

I have know him as long as I have been in Phuket and I have seen him spend 300k (Baht) per month quite regulary over 8ish years. It isnt that he does it everyday, rather he goes for 3 days straight every week, and the other 4 are rest periods.

He is at the stage where he wants to give up, and is looking for help to do so.

He has tried on one occasion and lasted for 1 week, but???? very hard to be around.

If anyone has a contact for a clinic? treatment centre? outreach etc etc in Phuket, please Pm me with the details.

I realise he will have do do it alone, but ex addicts or "carers" will definately be able to help with support.

thanks in advance.

edit - I noticed the google adds.

Went through this with my nephew. In Thailand there is only AA and maybe (not sure on this) NA.

For residential center type treatment, www.therecoveryhouse.com is excellent and very reasonably priced, about US $400/month including room, board, medical care, counseling etc. Its in the Cebu (Philippines). There is also a place in Manila called New Beginnings but a lot more expensive.

As far as I know -- and I researched it pretty extensively -- these are the only such programs in SE Asia.

Of course, the addict has to be willing to sign himself in. The quality of the program I can vouch for, really helped my nephew..not only with his addiction but with his whole life.

[Tornado]

I really appreciate the responses on here. I have made him aware of this thread and I know he has read all reply's. I will let you know how he gets on and where he goes to clean up.

As a few posters put it, he will have to keep away from the people/places/comfort zones if he wants to change. He is lucky that he has a great wife who has seen all of the crap and has still stood by him. So I suspect she will be there through the "clean up" as well.

Ill update when I know the plans..

[Neeranam]

I strongly suggest that he speak to others who have managed to give it up.

http://aathailand.org/schedphukgrp.html

Althought this is the AA Phuket web page, I have friends down there that have had and given up a cocaine habit.

Give them a call and ask if they can help, I'm SURE they can.

When I drank, I was at risk. I had to give up the booze as well to have any long term clean time.

If I can do it man, you can. I needed a support group.

[Tolley]

The good news is that if the coke he has has been using is reasonably pure the damage may not be so bad as it would be if he had been a heavy drinker or an heroin user.

Was the guy an injecter, a free baser or just a snorter?

If he was a snorter it should be easier to give up.

Most people have to reach some sort of crisis before they will give up or try to give up......

[Neeranam]

Very true - with coke addicts I know, they had to lose ALL their possessions, material and not.

[Tyree D.]

just tell him that he is paying too much money and he is actually taking meth. the drugs here are bait and switch. and why do drugs in LOS when you can have all the (you know).

[Tolley]

I very much doubt that good quality coke is readily available in LOS.

He is more than likely taking some amphetamine concoction which of course means that it will be much harder to give up and the damage to the body will be much greater...

[tripperj]

Like any addiction - lad has to realize he has a problem and has reached rock bottom.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to attend AA and Al-anon meetings several years ago (I was the child of alcoholics - codependency it's called), and I met quite a few recovering addicts and alcoholics.

All of them had a tramautic event or difficult emotional time that caused them to hit "rock bottom". It's where you simply cannot physically or emotionally go on in the same way anymore without dying, losing your mind, and everything else.

I would strongly recommend Narcortics Anonymous. It seems kind of hokey at first, but that's just the initial resistance. It's the place where addicts share their recovery struggles and support each other every day. I know of no other way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If ypu do a search i posted a request for NA meeting list for LOS and some one posted one.. If you can't find it try a google search. There was a meeting in phucket, if i remember correctly. There are a lot of good people out there wjo've been through the same and will be more than will to lend support and share the experance if your friend is willing be be open minded and give it a go.

TJ

[tripperj]

NA Thailand[quote=tripperj,2005-11-13

Heres a link to NA's web site in LOS. Hope it helps,

Theres a meeting in Patong Hospital at 19:00 on a thursday.

Good luck and God bless to ur mate

Edited November 13, 2005 by tripperj

[khall64au]

I very much doubt that good quality coke is readily available in LOS.

He is more than likely taking some amphetamine concoction which of course means that it will be much harder to give up and the damage to the body will be much greater...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is all the more reason to get off the "coke". The quality of cocaine in LOS is so dubious as to be ridiculous in comparison to the amount of hard earned cash - but more importantly, quality of life -going to hel_l in order to feed the consuming addiction of whatever he is taking in the disguise of his "pyschological" habit.

From my research, cocaine is pyschologically addictive not physical. It's got to be a lot easier than giving up cigarettes, for instance. It's the chemical additives/ substitution here that causes the addictive pain. What is he really consuming? That is the Question! And there lies the Answer!!

[kayo]

Agreed with Khall... Now, Good quality Coke is available in almost every country in the world, but as far away from the source as LOS is, it is undoubtebly of the highest cost to the consumer too..

Street coke is cheaper, (i´m gueesing Torn´s friend is on this) but so laced with crap, and maybe not even 20 or 30 % of it is the aactual coke, most of it other products. So yes, Therein lies the question, and the answer.

[Jai Dee]

Torny,

Get your friend over to the Patong Hospital on Thursday night for the NA meeting.

Location: Patong Hospital 57 Sai Nam Yen Road

Patong, Phuket, 83000

Day/Time: Thursday 19:00

Meeting Format: Just For Today Study, Discussion/Participation, English

Or, if he prefers total anonymity:

24 Hour Thailand Narcotics Anonymous Help line

02-231-8080

[Tornado]

He is going home for rest next week, so I think that is a positive move by him as he had never had coke back in his own country before - so there will not be as much temptation as there is here.

He is 5 days clean now, so he tells me. He hasnt been out of the house.

[bkkmadness]

Torny - perhaps you could turn the lad into a gym rat? Swap excercise addiction for the blow.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When he does get back then I agree with Brit, get him down the gym, it certainly helps keep me off the booze and it does give you a natural high that you find you don't want to destroy too much with drink or drugs after. A bit of pride in your body as well at the very least.

You're a gym rat yourself Torny, seems like a natural place to take him with both physchological and physical benefits, both equally important when your kicking a drug.

[zzap]

I also recommend to attend NA meetings. I may seem corny and offputting to some, specially if they aren't yet ready to stop, but it will get him in touch with addicts who have been clean for years, and the thing is a successful non-profit organisation.

And no, meetings are not under police surveillance- they know what it is about and approve of it.