Hello,I’m new to this.
Not really sure how it all works, hopefully someone can help me.
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If you’re trying to recover from an addiction, whether it is chemical or behavioral, then you are in the right place and you are welcome here. Folks here have gotten sober in all manner of ways, we know there is not a single path of recovery.
Here’s a nice thread full of ideas for recovery that might help you all the right questions.
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Thanks…it will probably take me a while to figure out how it all works.
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Welcome!! Read around and get a feel for the forum. It can take a little time to figure out for sure. We all just kind of hang out, share, support and help eachother out when we can. 
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Lots of good support for you to help you with any addictions you may have that you wish to stop.
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Thanks for the responses.
I’m currently hooked on painkillers,have been for a few years now.
I’ve tried tapering off,cold turkey etc…but obviously to no avail.
It’s pretty much at the point where it’s taken over my daily life, feels like I’m in deep.
Any advice, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Welcome to the forum @Jo.Giorgi
Have you sought professional advice, tapering off is probably safest slowly over time but obviously Im not a Dr so 
You arent alone here, we’re all addicted to one thing or another, so different experiences, but here to support one another so don’t be afraid to get involved 
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Thanks for the reply.
Yes tapering is the way to go,I did visit a local drugs help scheme. However,I don’t seem to be very good at it due to a don’t give a f…k mentality,plus depression,and also my wife is recovering from breast cancer.
I try to keep up with my gym and artwork,but even that is suffering,it can be hard to keep busy!!!
You definitely have a lot happening!!
Its easy to feel overwhelmed when there are several stressful things all happening at once, can you try and make small steps to deal with each thing?
Maybe make a list of what you want to tackle and how it can be achieved?
For the depression for example, making an appt to seek some medical advice, you may need to talk to someone-counsellor etc-who is neutral about everything thats happening, maybe even medication to help balance things out so you can have a clearer view of things.
What Ive learned in my addiction is my use of alcohol was to escape the situation i was in, once I realised that it helped me get to grips with what needed to change.
The pain meds are the crutch you’re using to deal with something…
Hope your wife is recovering well
Sorry for waffling 
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I’ve been on medication for depression and anxiety for years now,and they seem to work most of the time.
Yes,it’s definitely my crutch, I just seem to have quite an addictive personality. My days are generally based around when am I gonna have a dose etc. I know this is a bad situation to be in,but life’s current circumstances (no money,no car etc) seem to keep me there.
It’s nice just to reach out to a fellow soul that can relate.
Wife is cancer free,but all her operations to reconstruct her breast have failed up to this point… third time lucky we hope.
I hope so for her it must have been a terrible time for you all, so glad shes cancer free now, its now the afternath it leaves in its wake to deal with.
I found my antidepressants and anxiety meds worked so much better when I got control of my addiction… it was touch and go for a while though.
Keep talking to us, it does help.
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Is there a particular technique or tool that you use to help you say no to your vices?
For me the main reason I drank and abused my meds was because I was in an abusive, controlling marriage, I would drink and pop pills to have the feeling of ‘freedom’ I couldn’t even imagine ever would become a reality.
When the marriage finally ended after 25 years I took an overdose, I survived and realised this had to stop -I had to be the sole person for my children and I just had to be sober, something clicked.
I went to my Dr and told her everything, so had her support, I was honest to my children (teens and adults) so I had accountability I had a mental health nurse who came to see me twice a week, in the beginning she took every single tablet in the house away, she arranged for my meds to only be given to me once a week to prevent stashing them.
I had to be proactive, dispose of anything and everything that put me in harms way, and be honest with people so I actually heal.
Sorry for the long answer but theres no quick fix it takes commitment and determination and also a good support network…
I think I have a long, hard road ahead of me!!!