Welcome to MIP!! I am an addict named Mike

1st STEP,, WE admitted we were powerless over our addiction ,our lives had become unmanageable.    We put down the substance and the healing begins...You can GOOGLE www.na.org to read about OUR program and also find a meeting near you(West Virginia) We always suggest making a meeting, listening to learn and doing whatever it takes to remain free, a day at a time from active drug addiction. When we realize the Pain is outweighing any pleasure WE take the STEPS necessary...There are no Big I's or little U's here and WE share our Experience ,Strength and HOPE with each other in a loving and caring manner...Glad you found us. .Hope  to hear more...Be blessed and work toward the Solution...

So glad that you found your way here. Admitting that "We don't Know" is a good place to start and reaching out for help is the first step towards freedom. It tells us in the NA book that when WE become beaten, WE become willing and when WE become willing........WE begin to change.  For the most part, most of us who have been fortunate to find these rooms did not come into the rooms because WE were so happy and having so much fun in active addiction. We all came into these rooms because addiction and it's consequence had beaten us down to the point of desperation where WE slowly became willing to look at trying something different. As far as you being "Strong Enough to give it all up".....you are not. If We could do this by sheer will power alone and being "Strong Enough" WE wouldn't need a program such as NA or AA but the fact that WE in and of ourselves could not stop by sheer willpower alone...We all came to the point (provided we didn't die first) where WE became sick and tired of being sick and tired and living the life that we were living. I know it is scary, real scary when you first come into the rooms thinking about not ever using drugs or other some kind of mind altering mood changing substance ever again.  We were trapped in the cycle where WE were using against our will and We could not live with or without the use of drugs.   This is a fear for many of us but WE have to learn to keep it in the moment and try not to look down road, over the hill and thru the vally and live in the "What if's". We only have today, this moment in time and that is all that WE have. As good ole Dr. Phil says, "We cannot change what we do not acknowledge" and that is so true. Once we are able to admit that WE have a problem....HELP IS POSSIBLE!    When you look at your life, your relationships with friends, family, partners, loved ones as well as the things that we did in active addiction while using or finding way's a means to get more....it becomes rather easy to see how drugs have controlled our lives. The fact that you realize that you are on the verge of losing everything if you don't do something different is a good indicator that you most likely have a problem that you are NOT in controll of. There is nothing shameful about being an addict. The shame come's in knowing that you are an addict and not doing anything about it to help yourself.
I STRONGLY suggest that you hook up with an NA/AA meeting, try to go to a meeting everyday to help build a solid foundation of recovery, get yourself a Sponsor who will guide your thru the steps, get involved in service such as helping to clean up or set up the chairs and coffee and all. This sounds wierd but WE are self-centered people and getting involved in some kind of service.....helps us to take the focus off of ourselves. This disease only gets worse and if you do continue to go on using....YOU will go to Prison, You will go to institutions and you will die. It is what it is!   But the good news is... there is help. This program promises a daily reprieve from active addiction provided you work the program, learn how to apply the program in all of your affairs and learn how to live the program. It will most likely be the hardest thing that you have ever had to do in your life and for yourself,  but I promise you that it will be the most rewarding thing you have ever done in your life. I know, I know ....as I NEVER thought that I would EVER be able to get clean and that was 13yr. ago and I have been clean ever since - but I had to go to Prison five times, be instutionalized more times than I can coun't.  I went from Paramedic to Prostitute and living on the streets for 18yrs. If this Program can work for ME.......it can, and WILL work for you. Welcome and am so glad that you are here! Keep coming back.  WE NEED YOU! ! ! !