Hi CHEALSEY, It is good to see you here too. Find an NA meeting to attend and believe in yourself, it will work out if you are willing to do your part. Read some of the other posts, self-medication with prescription drugs has been posted several times in the last few weeks. As they will tell you at a face2face meeting, "Keep coming back!"
Lon
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Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.----Alice Mackenzie Swaim
CHEALSEY, In a word, yes! You are a member when you say you are. Our traditions clearly state that "The only requirement for membership is a DESIRE to stop using." As far as being clean while taking medication under the direction of a physician,as directed by the physician , I would say yes also. Look on Narcotics Anonymous' website na.org at http://www.na.org/pdf/litfiles/us_english/Booklet/In%20Times%20of%20Illness.pdf this is a booklet entitled "In Times of Illness" which gives us guidance concerning prescribed medication. tMY opinion, and my OPINION only; trying to medicate ourselves, with who knows what, for diagnosed or self-diagnosed illnesses is a recipe for disaster. Many of us get into trouble this way.Physicians spend many years in school, and in supervised practice, to learn take care of our health issues. I always thought that I had chronic depression, and self- medicated for it as a way to get by, until I started to understand a little about myself through working the steps with a sponsor. Trust your Doctor, and remember that you are welcome in NA, even if there are some narrow-minded people that have a problem accepting prescribed medication.
Lon
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Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.----Alice Mackenzie Swaim
HI!! My husband and I are both in recovery. He has a psychiatric illness and sees a psychiatrist on a regular basis. He also takes his medication as prescribed and is HONEST with his doctor about the fact that he is in recovery and how he feels. Is he clean?? Yes he is!! For him, his meds are a part of his program...without them, he would not be able to recover...he just wouldnt have the mental capacity. I persoanlly am against the "NA purist" idea that people who take meds are not clean. Yes they are mind and mood altering substances...Do they make him high? NO. Honestly ,his mind and mood even without drugs needs the altering :)
Keep Coming and never let anyone drive you out of the rooms!! The 3rd tradition also takes aways the right of any person to judge another persons desire to stop using.
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Danielle 10-14-04
"Lost dreams awaken and new possibilities arise"
DANYEL (?) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING ME BACK. I HAVE HAD ADHD SINCE I WAS A CHILD, BUT MY TEACHERS DIDN'T CATCH IT. I WAS GOOD AT FAKING IT. I HAVE BEEN ON MEDICATION BEFORE AND DID GOOD WITH STAYING CLEAN. EVERYTIME I AM OFF THE MEDICATION, I SEEM TO END UP DOING STREET DRUGS WHICH MAKE EVERYTHNG WORSE. I HAD ALMOST 3 YEARS CLEAN AT ONE TIME. HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE DANYEL. GOD BLESS YOU
I have 15 months clean!! My husband has almost 13 months! Being clean isn't easy but it sure is easier than using. Keep taking the meds as prescribed and don't use NO MATTER WHAT!! Then you have a chance.
Just remember that no matter what happened in a day, if you did not use the day was successful ( from step 1)!!!
Danielle
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Danielle 10-14-04
"Lost dreams awaken and new possibilities arise"
