how would you sucsessfully break an addiction

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it could be anything really and are most aspies just bad at breaking addictions

hi richardbenson!

breaking addictions is difficult for anyone, but we Aspies can get so anal about it. The biggest problem with breaking them is tending to feel DEPRIVED if we can't get our addiction of choice gratified. I have found to have something ELSE figured out and in place before I go depriving myself of what it is I am addicted to. Try to make it something that will be benign if you get addicted to IT instead ( like chewing gum for smoking, or drinking vitamin water for booze, or eating carrot sticks instead of biting your fingernails.)

that last part, biting my fingernails? I didn't break myself of that habit, until I was in my thirties and my teeth just didn't bite them like I liked to feel them bit, so I lost the habit.
Oh! and that reminds me, figure out WHY you like what ever it is you like, and see what you can do to modify THAT, really helps.

Merle

Cold turkey is the only way... real problem is realising you have a problem.

well, Anders, that is good advice. However, when one is addicted to food, it becomes a problem to go 'cold turkey'. But your suggestion is the best. Just stop.

When I looked at that cigarette and realized if I never picked up another one again, I would never smoke again. That showed me that the choice was mine, that I was not in bondage to the substance.

Merle

Last edited by sinsboldly on 10 Feb 2008, 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Nah, not really. I know I am addicted to the internet, and to a lesser extent caffiene, but I am unable or unwilling to do anything about it, I feel really bad if I do not have soda, strong tea or something similar fairly often. I also get really grouchy if I cannot hang out on the internet daily.

I have the same soda problem, and even get headaches if I go for more than one day without it. I don't know to what extent this 'symptom' is imagined, but it's definitely there!

As for internet addiction, without a shred of doubt.

I think cold turkey is the best way, but I lack the courage .

tobacco. i know its stupid, i know im basicly just smoking it because im addicted to poison, i know my life would be better with out it.. but i cant quit!

tried patches, gum, herbal ciggerates (they make me feel ill) and "going cold turkey" (dosent that phrase only apply to herorin?)
)

I think I could easily break an addiction IF I could decide that it was actually bad.

eg;

I use the internet a lot - it's part of my job anyway - is that bad?

I bite my nails - do I need them? No... - are there things that it's advantageous for? Yes.

Hence, there's no reason to stop.


If I got told that I had to stop something or I'd die, I'd go cold turkey.

eg: Once I had to stop ALL sugar for 3 months to cure a candida issue. I did so (and lost 24kg in the process).

If I remember correct (and I usually do) Cold turkey was first used for alcohol, because people from Turkey can't drink alcohol or some such reason.

Delay
Distract
Decastrophosize (sp?)

well, that phrase applies to anyone stressing (jonesing) to their addiction. The tabacco addict is just as affected by their withdrawal as a heroine addict, if not to the degree.


Merle

just curious, how did 'cold turkey' not work? It is stopping with out restarting. if you restarted then you didn't go 'cold turkey'.

o really? ive been to turkey and they have some pretty strong drinks over there, stronger than what you can get in the uk.

I tried to quit smoking dozens of times. However, never once was it because I wanted to, not really. There were lots of good reasons to. I mean, it's obviously bad for your health, not to mention, expensive. Nothing ever worked, and I'm talking years of trying, from the age of 16 or so to 27.

Then, in the fall of '91, my workplace went non-smoking. I had to go outside and stand in the cold if I wanted to puff. At this point a factor was added that made it so that I wanted to quit. Of course, living in the northern part of lower peninsula Michigan means that for 8 months of the year it's freaking COLD outside. Once there was something that made it so that I truly did not want to smoke anymore, I quit. No patch. No gum. No anything. The key for me was it was what I wanted.

Frankly, I think that's they key for anyone, but especially for an aspie. Has there ever been anything you really wanted that you didn't bend every skill you had at obtaining? There hasn't been for me. That ability to focus and obsess on something can be really handy for the task of giving up an addiction, but you've got to want it wholeheartedly.

Find a better addiction...along the lines of what Merle said.

I don't think I really "broke" any addictions...I just sort of gradually replaced them with other things.

Not true. Turkey is one of the few Islamic countries where they sell and produce alcohol. They even eat shellfish which many would consider Haraam (forbidden)

some others have said it but you have to really admit to yourself you have a problem.

this is fundametally different to understanding that you do or rationally analyzing your behavior and calculating that equals a problem.

maybe it takes going to a group or saying it out loud.

I knew I had numerous addictions and wasn't really in denial about it. When asked I said I was addicted and meant it. It was a logical fact.

Unfortunately I didn't do anything about it and really admit it was a problem until I hit rock bottom and came close to losing important people.

Going to a group meeting did it for me but seeing a counselor one on one didn't.
I only needed to go the once though and that was me formally admitting to it. Kind of like waving the white flag in front of others.

I guess this is more applicable to drugs/alcohol than fingernail biting.