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Original poster

Recovered alcoholic and heroin addict. Any question?

124 replies

Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 20:50

As title says. I have recovered from 20 year history of chaotic drug and alcohol misuse. I have now been sober and clean for 12 years. Anything anyone would like to ask?

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x2boys · 27/06/2018 21:12

addictions *

bibblebobblebubble · 27/06/2018 21:14

What do you think the best way is to stop kids trying drugs? Is there anything that would have stopped you?

Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:15

Jackie - I had years of shoplifting to feed my habit, methadone px, using to feed my habit. Kids on child protection plan. On benefits. Prostitution, on one occasion I was battered so badly by my partner I ended up in hospital. I decided to press charges for the first time. Partner went to prison. DV worker was amazing, she was a recovering addict and really impacted me, it was just the right time “like a perfect storm. She just got me at the right time when I had had enough. Other times hadn’t wanted to stop but this time I had had enough. She got me to see a worker at local drug and alcohol service Nd worker there who was also a recovering addict made me see how crazy my life had been and I had the chance to change it. Just perfect time really.

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MrsTommyBanks · 27/06/2018 21:17

Mrs floss. Thank you so very much for posting this. I'm a recovery worker and one of my clients died yesterday.
You have given me back the reason to know I'm doing the right thing.
Thank you from my heart.
And a massive well done. You rock Flowers

Zofanjo · 27/06/2018 21:18

Bloody brilliant, well done you.

Do you consider yourself to be ‘safe’ now from relapse? Can you remember the point in the last 12 years when you stopped craving the heroin?

fourpawswhite · 27/06/2018 21:18

That's awful OP. Thank you for sharing that. I do more family law now but used to do a lot of criminal work. Many of the addicts had been forced or tricked into addiction. Very sad.

Well done,

AndInOtherNews · 27/06/2018 21:20

I don't have a question but wanted to say well done to you, in a previous job I supported families in which substance misuse was an issue so I've seen how hard it is to do what you have done/ continue to do. All the best to you.

zenasfuck · 27/06/2018 21:20

My best friend died a few weeks ago after ODing on Heroin. He was trying so so hard to get clean
I am utterly heartbroken yet reading this has given me some faith back, it is possible to do, others will get through their addictions

Well done op - those words seems so insignificant but I know what you have done is huge and it takes someone really special to do it

GreenBudgie · 27/06/2018 21:21

I am so heartened to hear that there was someone to support you when you were ready from change after all you suffered.

x2boys · 27/06/2018 21:21

i imagine and i may well be wrong that recovering from heroin addiction is easier than alcoholism,the reasons i beleive this is there is still a huge stigma around heroin addiction ,but alcohol is so accessible and accepted and so many people drink it "socially"?

HulaMelody · 27/06/2018 21:22

Thank you for sharing your experiences - and your huge achievement of beating addiction.
How is your relationship with your children now?

peony2325 · 27/06/2018 21:35

It must have taken an incredible amount of strength to stop using both heroin and alcohol.

Was there anything your friends / family could have done or said to get you into rehab earlier? Trying to get a family member to go but they seem to be in complete denial.

SandunesAndRainclouds · 27/06/2018 21:38

Thank you for answering my question and well done! I’m amazed by your strength, determination and bravery... long may it continue Flowers

Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:40

Flamingo - I wasn’t escaping anything. Very middle class wealthy upbringing. Didn’t want for a thing. Brought up in affluent area. Private school. Meant a guy through friends at 19 and bam. Addiction took over.

Initially family enabled me, gave me money. Put me up when I had nowhere to go. I caused my parents and siblings so much pain. They were very ill with it, thinking they were going to get a knock on the door and I was going to die. They both went to Familys anonymous and alanon and got so much support. They were told they couldn’t enable me any more that they had to let me hit rock bottom. That they had to have boundaries with me and they did and I eventually hit rock bottom on my own. Thank the lord,

We now have a very healthy relationship they are absolutely over the moon that I am clean and sober. They sleep at night, at peace that I am
Ok.

OP posts:
LaMainDeFatima · 27/06/2018 21:42

Well done!
Do you have a stable life, job, family etc now ?

MelanieSmooter · 27/06/2018 21:44

I don’t have any questions, OP, but massive congratulations to you. You should be very proud of your achievements!

donutsdearest · 27/06/2018 21:47

Amazing achievement. Is your relationship with kids ok now?

happysnappysandwich · 27/06/2018 21:47

Well done Floss.

Did you manage to get your children back? I used to work on a neonatal ward. Made my heart ache to watch those children violently shake and cry after being born addicted.

Truth be told it used to make me really bloody angry. Until I had a heart to heart with one of the young mums desperate to keep her baby. Her own mother had given her her first heroin smoke. Was a bit of a wake up call for me hearing about her tragic life. Still makes me angry, but more out of frustration. She couldn't quit, and lost her baby. As did most of them tbh. So bloody sad.

DaisyDreaming · 27/06/2018 21:47

People say addicts are extremely selfish when in their addiction (which is understandable). Do you find you relate to people differently now you’re sober?

Do you ever see yourself possibly relapsing or does it feel very much in the past?

Thanks for doing this post, and congratulations on 12 years sober, I can’t even begin to imagine the battles over come to be so and have great admiration

Icklepickle101 · 27/06/2018 21:47

Massive well done to you, I can’t imagine the strength it took to turn your life around.

I’ve always wondered how people got in to heroin, I never realised just one time of smoking it could have such an impact.

Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:48

Bobble - I don’t think there is any way that stop them, you can educate them. Not everyone that uses drugs are an addict. I was all over the place from first use of cannabis. Chasing next use. Alot of my friends used cannabis and alcohol socially for a few years when young. Still went to uni, got jobs. They were not addicts underneath like I was

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Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:51

Mrs tommyFlowers

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Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:54

Zofanjo - safe as long as I keep doing 12 steps, go to meetings and stay connected with other recovering addicts. I can not afford to relapse. I know I would go straight back to that hell.

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Chosenone · 27/06/2018 21:54

Huge well done. Amazing story. My DB has been addicted to amphetamine and then heroin on and off for years. It's been awful and I have to keep him at arms length for my own sanity.
Seriously . Amazing effort.

Original poster
Mrsfloss · 27/06/2018 21:57

Over the years by parents paid for me to go to lots of fancy rehabs And spent thousands of pounds. I took the mickey as I wasn’t ready to stop. Rehab in Thailand. Swimming in the sea, doing yoga on the beach. I just nipped our and scored. I had to hit rock bottom on my own and when I was ready I had to wait ages to get funding and everything in place. But I was so ready. I would have jumped through any hoop and done anything to get clean.

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