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My dad is an alcoholic... he's tried this rehab thing somewhere abroad but he drank yesterday randomly.. he is still calm and "addiction-free" but I was wondering... is it possible? .. could the green leaf save him? Does anybody know anything about using weed to fight alcohol addiction... Its more the fact that he gets depressed easily and drinks for reasons which he "doesnt want to share" ..
Thanks
The only way weed can stop an alcohol addiction is simply by smoking too much and not having the effort to get up and buy liquor.
I don't think that's necessarily true, Boiler. I've actually heard of a good many cases of people who've successfully used cannabis to fight alcohol addiction. In fact, I have a longtime friend who's done that.
In theory, I'm sure the hard-core AA and rehab types don't approve of such an approach. But if people have come off alcohol successfully or are in the process of it, I can see how cannabis could help take the edge off that process and satisfy the need to have a buzz of some kind. Since it's not physically addictive, that's an advantage.
Don't get me wrong. There are still people who have such strongly addictive personalities that they literally can't safely use any substance simply because, even if it's physically non-addictive, they're destined to take it too far and over do. They're out there. But there are also lots of other people who do get some benefit from cannabis after giving up alcohol, and I know that can work because, again, I've seen it myself.
As an alcoholic with 20+ years of sobriety, let me say that the key to overcoming alcoholism is getting it straight in your mind that you NEVER drink alcohol again in your life
Somehow or another I managed to post the above segment of this post before I was done writing. Sorry about the duplicate posts.
As an alcoholic with 20+ years of sobriety, let me say that the key to overcoming alcoholism is getting it straight in your mind that you NEVER drink alcohol again in your life. NEVER - EVER!!!!!
Once you get that thought thoroughly established in your mind, the rest is a piece of cake.
Several times in my drinking career, I quit dinking for five year each time. Each time, after five years I figured I was cured and could drink like a "normal person". Therein lies the problem for many recovering alcoholics - thinking they are "cured" and can drink again. The sad fact is there is no cure - only complete abstinence.
Alcoholism is an insidious disease. If I were to take a drink right now, I would be having Vodka for breakfast, just as if I never stopped drinking. I know this from experience.
Maybe pot can help your dad. For the most part, stoners are much better people to be around than drunks. But he needs to help himself, too. If he doesn't have the will power to quit drinking, have him get some antabuse.
You might encourage your dad to go to AA. That's where I got sober. But the trick to having a positive experience with AA is to go to a bunch of different meetings (different AA groups) until you find one that you fit in with. I was fortunate enough to be living near Seattle when I did my AA thing. Seattle has some of the greatest groups and the greatest people - people who really care and really want to not only help you stop drinking but also help you learn to enjoy life after you stop. Here in California, I've yet to find a group I like, so I don't go to meetings anymore. If I were back in Seattle I'd start going to meetings again, not because I fell I need help, but because I like the people and because I could help others.
Good luck - you deserve a sober dad!
my father just went through this rehab for his drug addiction, the un unmentionables.. and he has every chip you can get besides the 20year+ chips. Hes been clean now for almost two years and so has his new wife. had 3 children and is working strong and hard, everyone else in our family does it and he still manages to stay away from it. I think its like he says you just need to tell yourself never again over and over. He destroyed our relationship over it, and it is slowly coming around, i still cant look at him though without questioning.. but im waiting for the day when i can look at him and know hes not out...good luck, but just remember if it dose not work its not your fault because in the end its their decision just have positive thoughts and know youv done your part..and for the mary jane, that could help if he wants its to..
NO. Marijuana WILL NOT CURE ALCOHOLISM, in fact it increases the chances of relapse tenfold. yes marijuana will keep your dad from drinkin alcohol, but switching from one crutch to another doesnt do anyone any good and i'll tell you why-- everyone whos ever smoked weed daily knows theres a time when you can't get the weed. thats the time when that alcoholism that you really didnt get rid of you just substituted something else for it, will come back at you!!!
its not that weed is inherently a crutch, but an alchoholic gets something completely different from alcohol than a social drinker does. this goes the same for any drug, and when the mindset of an alcoholic turns to marijuana to try to ween himself off of alcohol, all he's really doing is feeding the monkey a different food.
what it REALLY comes down to is your old man's perspective on fucking himself up physically and mentally. that needs to change before u try introducing weed into his life, because weed won't do any good at all in this situation.
thanks a lot guys... i'll see if things get worse..
Cannabis can be used for good in many ways, if you got the right mind set... I think it can help you solve a lot of problems, but as PharmaCan an others said: your dad NEEDS a strong will to overcome those problems.
I personally have never been an alcohol addict, but I must say that when I started smoking, I suddenly started thinking in alcohol like an absurd thing to do, I did started to drink a lot less, because for me, alcohol was now kinda pointless.