Morphine: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

[Humanicide]

Oxycodone is especially addictive, and there is word in the medical profession that it should be banned. At least in the United States. In the nhs it is used, but not regularly. I have prescribed it maybe four times in two years. Two of them for patients who had a below knee amputation of the leg.

I've known people who stole thousands of dollars from other people (including family members) just to get their Oxys. I don't associate with those pricks any longer. I'd argue it's worse than heroin since it's relatively easier to come by.

There's a big Oxy problem down in Florida, which is where a lot of Oxy and other similar drugs are either produced or trafficked in. A friend of mine who lives there has recurring back problems (compressed spinal discs). He requested a stronger painkiller due to his current prescription not being strong enough; the first thing they asked is if he was addicted to anything! The drug problem also leads to a lot of associated crime problems. Recently, the pills have been modified so one can no longer cut them up into a powder; they instead become a sort of sticky gel when broken. It hasn't stopped people from freebasing or injecting it though.

Moral of the story: synthetic opiates are bad news if you can't control yourself. Known a few people who cut their lives short while doing it.

[crow]

Interesting tale.  I've only taken three of these beasts, and am currently dealing with what can only be withdrawal. Crazy-making! It is a wonder to be so sensitive, but very inconvenient, too.

[trystero]

Moral of the story: synthetic opiates are bad news if you can't control yourself. Known a few people who cut their lives short while doing it.

About the bolded: Almost everyone thinks they will be able to control it, but being addicted to these drugs touches a very non-rational part of you. It becomes a need, like food or water, and people tend to start rationalizing their addiction. I will stop tomorrow, I will cut down from this point on etc. There is no such thing as responsible use with opioids. People who seem like they are using them responsibly have just not descended far down enough.

Interesting tale.  I've only taken three of these beasts, and am currently dealing with what can only be withdrawal. Crazy-making! It is a wonder to be so sensitive, but very inconvenient, too.

If you have been addicted to opioids before then you will be sensitive to them for life. Withdrawal happens even with minimal dosage due to this sensitization. It does reverse to some extent, and some people who have had only minor habits (generally people who have become addicted to low levels of prescription medication) do not experience this. An opioid naive person would probably feel okay even after two straight weeks of oxycodone use.

[crow]

I've never suffered from such an addiction, but I am certainly prone to such a state, mainly manifested in an extreme awareness of the process in action.
For example, I only tried cocaine once: I smoked it. Dat was waaaaay too good!
I knew, immediately, that I could never do it again, for fear of becoming completely lost.
Was I instantly addicted? Or was I aware that I would be?

[aquarius]

Physiological and psychological dependence are two different beasts, though they often overlap.

[Dinaric Leather]

Interesting tale.  I've only taken three of these beasts, and am currently dealing with what can only be withdrawal. Crazy-making! It is a wonder to be so sensitive, but very inconvenient, too.

I'm an ex-opiate addict, unless you've been taking it daily for a week or two at least you probably aren't physically addicted. Although body chemistries do vary. It took me a year of going on week or two long binges then stopping then starting again before I eventually took it (hydromorphone and morphine in my case) for a month straight and had my first withdrawal symptoms. The first things you'll notice are sneezing, diarrhea, yawning and goosebumps.

Moral of the story: synthetic opiates are bad news if you can't control yourself. Known a few people who cut their lives short while doing it.

About the bolded: Almost everyone thinks they will be able to control it, but being addicted to these drugs touches a very non-rational part of you. It becomes a need, like food or water, and people tend to start rationalizing their addiction. I will stop tomorrow, I will cut down from this point on etc. There is no such thing as responsible use with opioids. People who seem like they are using them responsibly have just not descended far down enough.

Thats not true at all, while I wouldn't reccomend recreational opiates to anyone, I know twice as many people who use opiates recreationally than I know people who are addicted. The reason you don't notice the non-addicted users is because they don't need to tell people about their usage as opposed to addicts, who will generally bring it up to people they meet sooner or later in hopes of finding a new connect.

I know I'm sounding pro-opiate here, I'm not. In fact I'm quite anti recreational opiate use but the fact of the matter is that it's not the elixir of pain and torment people make it out to be.

[trystero]

I was one of those people you mention. No one knew about my habit and no one could tell. It was still progressively destroying me. You can be stable on a certain dose for months and months, but eventually tolerance happens. Eventually rationalization happens. There are no real exceptions. These people you know, how long have they been using for?

Edit: By the way your own experience is sort of the template for the `reasonable` opioid user, which is people who use opioids and dont have other issues. Can you imagine what kind of a subsconscious incentive is created when appropriating the substance gives you intense pleasure and lack of it gives you intense discomfort? Silly question, of course you can. Let this pattern continue and you will break any animal, man or otherwise.

[dead last]

if I had read trystero's words 3 years ago, I would just say he was being a wuss because a manly will allows you to experiment with any substance and be just fine. That was the way of thinking that got me started smoking cigarettes and and taking opioids (for a legitimate injury). It took me much too long to realize that I was the least qualified judge of my own willpower. Such a concept as willpower is practically useless at that point because it so easily deviated by chemical intake.

Fortunately for me, that little act of my life turned out to be comedic, but I have a friend who was not so lucky for one reason or another. I will tell you the main difference between myself and my friend; I am willing to suffer, but he is not.

[Humanicide]

Moral of the story: synthetic opiates are bad news if you can't control yourself. Known a few people who cut their lives short while doing it.

About the bolded: Almost everyone thinks they will be able to control it, but being addicted to these drugs touches a very non-rational part of you. It becomes a need, like food or water, and people tend to start rationalizing their addiction. I will stop tomorrow, I will cut down from this point on etc. There is no such thing as responsible use with opioids. People who seem like they are using them responsibly have just not descended far down enough.

I actually wasn't trying to imply that there is safe usage of recreational opiates. Dinaric's posts hold some truth, but more often than not in my experience people become addicted. I had actually meant the medicine can become addictive, so people vie for a heavier dose or more frequent prescriptions to get their fix.

I have actually smoked opium (black tar) - and it fucking ruled. I only did it twice, about 2 years ago, but I definitely wouldn't mind doing it again in the near future. That being said, I probably wouldn't do it frequently....it was a bit TOO good. No sense in wasting all of my dopamine.

[crow]

Ha, that's funny!
I only smoked opium once, a lifetime ago, and all it gave me was a huge, throbbing headache.
Of course, you never really knew, or know, what you're getting, when you get it from anyone else.

[trystero]

Black tar is heroin afaik, not opium. Never encountered it, never been in a place where it is made.

[Humanicide]

Black tar is heroin afaik, not opium. Never encountered it, never been in a place where it is made.

I think I may have been mistaken. It did look like tar though; perhaps it wasn't black tar. Still Wikipedo has this:


Regardless, I haven't even tried to find it since. My guess is that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

[crow]

Is that the recommended dose?

[Phoenix]

I tried strong opiates and while I'm happy to have had the experience to see what it's about, I agree that I don't find any good reason to keep doing it over a prolonged period.

CNS depressants are the ultimate escapism in drug form. Dissociatives are probably the better option for mindsphere exploration type experience, though most want something to avoid that.

Well there was almost certainly the dissociative DXM in Crow's cough medication, so that could explain why his experience wasn't duplicated.

It is odd that heroin should be accessible illegally in say, the US, by anyone who wishes to procure it; except the people who actually need it. Those who are suffering with preventable extreme pain are denied.

The funny thing is poppy seeds are available for gardening all over the place and you can just make your own opium tea with them.