This might seem weird but I have to ask… when I was, fighting other addictions besides just alcohol, whenever a temptation would come on I’d wear a rubber band on my wrist and I’d snap myself repeatedly until the cravings stopped. My thought was if I was causing pain my brain would focus on that more than wanting a drink and it worked okay. Stopped me sometimes. Has anyone else done anything like this?
I’ve heard of it. Do whatever works for you.
Hey Eric_Anthony_Spicka, I’m Chris from Wesley Chapel, Florida, U.S.A… My addiction is directly related to damage to my brain from a craniotomy I had to remove a brain tumor in '07. One of the major diagnoses was cluster attacks/migraines. They’re also known on the medical community as “suicide migraines” because people are actually known to commit suicide because there’s no real medication that can overcome the pain. I’ve been prescribed nearly every opioid known to man from Vicodin to fentynal patches. While I can’t say I’ve used pain to take my mind off of my addiction I have used pain to actually try to be able to feel a new, different and less intense pain by literally banging my head against a stud in my wall to hitting myself in the head with a small metal rod. I can’t imagine that the pain that would bring one to cause themselves pain could be very different. I’m currently prescribed seriously heavy-duty oncological pain meds, but it takes nearly an overdose amount just to relieve the pain and after about a decade of taking such heavy medication it’s easy to see how one could easily become addicted. So to answer your question no, it’s not weird at all and I would even go as far as to say that it’s not even uncommon. Occasionally I’ll take too much medication and come up a couple of days short, and after being off my feed for about four hours withdrawal symptoms begin and only get worse until I’m able to get another prescription from my oncologist. During these times I’ll actually fill my garden tub with scalding hot water and just sorta jump in, knowing that the burning sensation will overtake the flu like symptoms that come with opiate withdrawal. In that instance I think my behavior is closer to what you’ve described, but with Florida being the epicenter of the latest pill epidemic I can’t go to the store and get more oxymorphone, so I’m really just doing it to take my mind off the appropriately nicknamed “super-flu” symptoms knowing that I can’t do anything about the pain and misery until I’m able to fill my next month’s Rx. So no, my friend. You’re not alone and so long as the pain you’re causing yourself doesn’t cause more damage than the substance you’re trying to avoid and is actually successful in keeping you away from it I say that you might want to stick with it. Everyone knows that everybody has their own way of dealing with stressful situations and this seems like your coping mechanism. I wish you the best in the future and all the luck in the world. We addicts have to help one another to beat our addictions if we’re going to win and if this gives you an edge over your addiction more power to you. Much love, Chris Scott.
This theory is actually what made me start cutting. It seemed like the only release to the panicky attacks and extreme anxiety.
As long as you don’t go further than a rubber band on the wrist then I’d say go for it.
Just be aware of yourself.
Much luck!