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Originally Posted by Moira
In general, I'd concede that what you say is pretty accurate. Benzos are rated as highly addictive, however it is a personal thing and I find it not too difficult at all to come off them when I have taken them for a while, ie I get a couple of sleepless nights and that's more or less it. There again, I never had a problem stopping smoking, yet some people really struggle.
I smoke and I coldn't stop cold Turkey... Well I could but I'd be in jail for multiple violent crimes heh.
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While codeine withdrawal isn't as bad as heroin or morphine or methadone, it is not pleasant, and it isn't true to say you can easily get more. If that's the kind of codeine you're taking then I suppose addiction/withdrawal isn't a huge issue. I'm talking about the hydrocodone type drugs, which are just codeine, but tweaked in a way to make them much more potent, and potentially much more addictive.
Codeine is easy to get for me because of how close I am to Canada, and even the Customs guys aren't all strict on bringing a little back as long as it's within reason. I usually grab a bottle or 2 while I'm there and the tabs are only 8 MGs which is what I meant on it being hard to get hooked on.
8 MGs just is NOT a lot of it. However, extraction is easy, to make it strong enough for a mild to moderate head ache, a small tooth ache, or restroom problems.
Codeine works well for a couple of different things because 10% of it is turned into Morphine when it's processed in your body. I'm probably going to spell this wrong but Codeine turns into Morphine the same way Heroin does, methylization.
Codeine today on the market is no longer taken right from the Opium, but a reverse process of what I stated above where it turns into Morphine, except, as pointed out, reversed, to turn Morphine into Codeine.
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Methadone/heroin/morphine etc are usually controlled when taken regularly. Either they have to be bought on the black market or they're prescribed in a very controlled way.
VERY hard to get legally. I've heard of elderly people with Cancer suffering to hell because their Dr wouldn't give them anything stronger than Percocet.... Which, for someone like me, would barely knock out a head ache.
When I was a younger child, nothing worked on me. My Mom wasn't a drug user, and still, when I was born, I seemed to have some natural tolerance to meds. I can drive on Dilauded (Hydromorphone Chloride, slightly more potent than Morphine) and when I was 5 or so years old two extra strength Tylenol wouldn't even take away a head ache for me.
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Yes, dhc is sometimes used as a replacement for morphine etc to wean people off because it is a short acting drug and the withdrawal symptoms do generally clear up after about 5 days. However heroin, methadone and morphine are roughly as long lasting, but within a fortnight you'd be over the main symptoms.
The main ones the first two nights are like a small taste of hell. Believe me.
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Withdrawal happens because opiates suppress production of noradrenaline, so the body goes into overdrive producing it when you take the drug. Then when you stop suddenly, it has to compensate and this takes a few days. That's the unpleasant (but not dangerous) "cold turkey".
It's your bodies natural reaction to an Opiate basically. It's not the same as addiction to booze, which a lot of people seem to underestimate. People will drink a lot yet don't realise alcohol is no less addictive than an Opiate.
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There's a secondary withdrawal which happens because opiates are a much more efficient producer of endorphins than the body's natural mechanism, so the body's production of this is reduced drastically when taking the drug. Endorphin is what makes us feel pleasure out of things in life, and when this is not being produced in sufficient quantities, it's as if the body's "pleasure thermostat" has been turned down and the result is depression and the inability to find pleasure in the normal everyday events in life.
Your body does adjust, but particularly after long term opiate use, this can take months and anti depressants are often used as a short term aid.
I'm basically against any anti-depressent other than Opiates. I feel them to be more dangerous than any perscription pain killer.
I believe that you pointed out that you enjoyed the feeling of them, which means you and I both understand the statement "Hydrocodone is a valid anti-depressent".
Actually all Opiates are. Before Opiates were used for pain, they were actually used for diarhea. Also they were put in wine at funerals to take the grief away as Opiates aree the only substance on the planet that actually kill both physical and emotional pain.
It's sort of sad how people only allow them to be used for one of those.
Heh, want a real good chuckle? When my Grandma died, my aunt was given Valium from the Dr who prescribed my Grandma Vioxx, which gave Her Heart Attacks and killed Her.
Valium can cause depression itself and suicidal thoughts. Now why would someone get it for depression? Heh, that should give you a good laugh.
I Honestly don't understand how any person on the planet can have a problem with an Opiate. They take care of Pain, Depression, restroom problems, they make you feel happy, and they are a good cough supressent.
Also Opium itself can be rubbed on skin to heal rashes... All these medical uses yet it's harder to get than a winning lotto ticket.
The only down side to Opiates is addiction which I don't believe to be a valid reason for their Nazi like controlled state. Nicotine is far more addictive than Heroin, and Caffeine is about as addictive as Codeine, and like I said about Alcohol... All those are perfectly legal though.... So obviously addiction can't be the only reason. Maybe people really don't want anyone to feel good.