Meth, Drugs & Pool

Bigtruck

Bigtruck

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We all know someone that was bouncing off the walls and shooting lights out, bags under their eyes, twitching etc.....

It's so sad to see people that we associate with get mixed up in illegal drugs to "play better". I know it happens more in young people, but I have known older folks as well that couldn't function unless they were high as a kite.

I think it's important for people around them to call them out on it. Intervene if you will, but how do you do it?

Most people just blow them off or dis-associate.Turn their back on them. I don't have the answer.......I was hoping someone has had success getting a friend straight and back on track.

Is it even possible to quit drugs and still play pool??? It seems like the associations that are available in many pool halls might be too much to bear.

Ray
 
Bigtruck said:
We all know someone that was bouncing off the walls and shooting lights out, bags under their eyes, twitching etc.....

It's so sad to see people that we associate with get mixed up in illegal drugs to "play better". I know it happens more in young people, but I have known older folks as well that couldn't function unless they were high as a kite.

I think it's important for people around them to call them out on it. Intervene if you will, but how do you do it?

Most people just blow them off or dis-associate.Turn their back on them. I don't have the answer.......I was hoping someone has had success getting a friend straight and back on track.

Is it even possible to quit drugs and still play pool??? It seems like the associations that are available in many pool halls might be too much to bear.

Ray
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I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Drugs wreck your friends and your friendships in the process. It's tough.

You need to contact your local Al-Anon group. It is the family/friend end of AA and NA. If anyone has answers, they do.
 
I've never done drugs :rolleyes:, but if you were to approach someone who did do drugs that wasn't near a family member in terms of friendship, your cause will be lost and worthless.

Drug use or and especially drug addiction is a very personal decision and lifestyle. If you aren't extremely close to this person your efforts will be in vain and will ruin your relationship with that person. If you don't mind losing that relationship then it may be worth it to let that person know that you are concerned about it and you choose to seperate yourself because you want nothing to do with it. If you can tolerate it and hope for something better for your friend then I suggest you offer support and ways out of his/her life.

If a player is playing professionally and taking focus enhancing drugs that others may not be taking... that is illegal and should not be tolerated. Most chemicals I ingest seems to hurt my focus, so most people love it! And that's mostly alcohol... make NO MISTAKE... ALCOHOL IS A SERIOUS DRUG.
 
I think I'm one of the many that tried a lot of things but never had a true addiction, I guess it depends on how deep you fall into it that changes your priorities in life. But it's obvious when you see someone in the clutches of addiction but if the person is strong enough and has enough support they can break their habit.

A pool halll is a hard place to get clean though that's for damn sure whether it's smoking, drinking or any other vice.
 
Bigtruck said:
I think it's important for people around them to call them out on it. Intervene if you will, but how do you do it?

Most people just blow them off or dis-associate.Turn their back on them. I don't have the answer.......I was hoping someone has had success getting a friend straight and back on track.
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One or two friends voicing their displeasure and concern will not matter. People lose custody of their children due to drugs and more times than not, they continue using instead of cleaning themselves up.

A person has to hit "rock bottom" and everyone's rock bottom is different. Adolescents can be forced into treatment by their parents. The only way I know of to get through to an adult is by intervention with a group of friends and family that the addict cares about. If it's close friends and family, they can make the addict feel guilty for all that their addiction has put them through. Outside of that, I think anyone would be hard pressed to get through to a friend on their own, esp if it's more of an acquaintance than a close friend. Drugs are stronger than any acquaintance relationship to an addict.
 
The unfortunate fact of the matter...

is that addicts only have one friend and believe me, it is not you! As UrackmIcrackm just stated, rock bottom is the place they need to get to before any recovery can start. Unfortunately, some just go splat when they hit rock bottom, there is no bounce back.
I will not let someone I suspect of having an addiction issue know where I live, what possessions I have, even my phone number. Lying, cheating and stealing means nothing to this person. I wish this wisdom was not born of experience but it is.
I damn sure would not turn my back on any of my cues when I am around them.
They are out of my life now but I am wiser albeit sadder for the experiences.
You want a classic example of "no good deed going unpunished"...just unnecessarily involve yourself with an addict.:(
 
that's the same thing as an obese person hanging out at an all you can eat restaurant.... not exactly a conducive environment to bring about change in an individual who has problems.
 
i myself was once an addict but i have now turned my life around. im going on 6 years of being clean. it took a good friend of mine (someone who i respected) to give me the wake up call. he told me and i quote, " do that $hit again and i will break your kneecaps." well needless to say im quite fond of walking and decided that he was right. he had gone through it himself and knew what i was going through. if it weren't for him then i dont know where i would be. i was lucky enough to have him and my present day girlfriend to help me clean up.
 
lefty84 said:
i myself was once an addict but i have now turned my life around. im going on 6 years of being clean. it took a good friend of mine (someone who i respected) to give me the wake up call. he told me and i quote, " do that $hit again and i will break your kneecaps." well needless to say im quite fond of walking and decided that he was right. he had gone through it himself and knew what i was going through. if it weren't for him then i dont know where i would be. i was lucky enough to have him and my present day girlfriend to help me clean up.
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Kudos to you for turning your life around and staying the course.

Outside of respected friends and family members, the next best thing is having a recovering addict on your side. There's a reason treatment centers are staffed by recovering addicts. Only another addict can appreciate the high and truly understand the fear, trials, tribulations, and ultimate freedom of getting sober.
 
friend...

matta said:
I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Drugs wreck your friends and your friendships in the process. It's tough.

You need to contact your local Al-Anon group. It is the family/friend end of AA and NA. If anyone has answers, they do.
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Not a friend that I was thinking of, but some young people that I have known. One in particular is a natural talent, had a great wife... and an awesome baby........ and just couldn't get it together. Lost it all. Claims to have it licked, but I think it's just a pitch. Hope I'm wrong.

I guess time will tell. It's just so sad to see someone wasting their life. There are many that would give anything to have this person's talent.

Ray
 
I fall into the group of people that smoked a lot of pot in high school and college, took speed every once in a while, and drank like a fish.....but I grew out of it. I haven't smoked weed for more than 20 years I would guess, stopped drinking 10 years ago. I used to get high just about every day but I was never addicted, I just liked being high. When I decided to stop smoking weed I just stopped and I can honestly say that I've never even once thought that I'd like to get high. Been there done that. Unfortunately my best friend all through school was found dead in his apartment at the age of 30 from a heroin overdose. I knew that he loved getting high and played around with a lot of drugs but I had no idea he was that deep into it. Of course I was over here already and wouldn't have been able to do anything about it anyway. It really sucks though. He was like a brother to me. We were so close that when his family got the call from the police they called me here in Japan within 10 minutes.

I don't think there really is anything you can do to stop someone from doing what they do. It has to be a decision they make on their own. Only thing you can do is hope they don't kill themselves before they get their shit together.
MULLY
 
hi big...

Bigtruck said:
We all know someone that was bouncing off the walls and shooting lights out, bags under their eyes, twitching etc.....

It's so sad to see people that we associate with get mixed up in illegal drugs to "play better". I know it happens more in young people, but I have known older folks as well that couldn't function unless they were high as a kite.

I think it's important for people around them to call them out on it. Intervene if you will, but how do you do it?

Most people just blow them off or dis-associate.Turn their back on them. I don't have the answer.......I was hoping someone has had success getting a friend straight and back on track.

Is it even possible to quit drugs and still play pool??? It seems like the associations that are available in many pool halls might be too much to bear.

Ray
Click to expand...

i don't have THE answer, but i have my own thoughts - it is short and simplistic [somewhat like me], but to me it is [the missing element]...

...love them...

fill them with it; the most precious thing in life imho.

and that's coming from an abuser in days long ago.

just my opinion,
smokey
 
Bigtruck said:
We all know someone that was bouncing off the walls and shooting lights out, bags under their eyes, twitching etc.....

It's so sad to see people that we associate with get mixed up in illegal drugs to "play better". I know it happens more in young people, but I have known older folks as well that couldn't function unless they were high as a kite.

I think it's important for people around them to call them out on it. Intervene if you will, but how do you do it?

Most people just blow them off or dis-associate.Turn their back on them. I don't have the answer.......I was hoping someone has had success getting a friend straight and back on track.

Is it even possible to quit drugs and still play pool??? It seems like the associations that are available in many pool halls might be too much to bear.

Ray
Click to expand...
Yes it is impossible to steer the older ones straight.
I have watched many a person in the pool hall have to "spice up" especially when involved in the long money matches.

It's a gamble thing personally, gambling the game, the drugs, and your life.
 
smokey said:
i don't have THE answer, but i have my own thoughts - it is short and simplistic [somewhat like me], but to me it is [the missing element]...

...love them...

fill them with it; the most precious thing in life imho.

and that's coming from an abuser in days long ago.

just my opinion,
smokey
Click to expand...
I agree. Great post. This is a subject that will hit almost all pool players.
 
The answer is straight forward.

People solve problems when they have problems to solve.

If you love them enough then make sure their addiction is a problem for them.
 
don't put it off. get involved if you need to!

two days ago(saturday) a friend of my son's managed to get some zanex(sp?) then that night managed to get some methadone. yesterday morning my son called crying. his friend is dead.
 
woodyosborne said:
two days ago(saturday) a friend of my son's managed to get some zanex(sp?) then that night managed to get some methadone. yesterday morning my son called crying. his friend is dead.
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My gosh... that is sad stuff. I have no words!
 
NO ONE can convince are drug/alcohol abuser to get help until they realize and accept the fact that they need help! They HAVE to get to that point before they can be helped.... My best friend died from sticking the needle in his arm even after his older brother died from the same. I begged him, saved him (many times), and told him that it would kill him and it did. He drowned on his own vomit after passing out on his back... The reason you are now seeing some many methadone related deaths is because it is being prescribed commonly for depression as well as pain management, and it thus becomes avaliable to people for recreational use.
GET HELP IF U EVEN THINK U NEED IT!!!!
Dan
 
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