Recovering heroin/opiate addict (5 yrs. clean). I think if anything, you can never think you are safe from your addiction, I have seen so many people get clean for a period of time, think they had conquered it, only to end up right back where they were (most times, even lower). I think about my addiction everyday, I remember how horrible my life was, how much time I wasted just looking for drugs or money to buy drugs, what I did to my body, reminding myself exactly WHY I chose to get clean. This helps me stay inline.

sure I stayed drunk for 6yrs. I don't mean drank I mean didn't draw a sober breath. I almost died. I've been sober for almost 4 yrs and the thng that keeps me from drinking again is knowing one drink and I'm off to the races again and I don't think I'll be able to stop again.

I used for almost 10 years and been clean for 4 or 5 years. what people need to know is that it is a struggle for me every day. Some people think once you are clean, that's it.. it's not.. it's an everyday battle. It's an every second battle for me. I didn't get addicted overnight and I didn't get clean overnight. I went thru 4 rehabs and used as soon as I walked out the door.finally got clean on my own but I am now suffering severe health effects from it.. that won't change. I used to sit in rehab and hear people talk about being clean for 10 years or even 3 years and laugh and say "but you don't know my life or what I have been thru". Now I look back and say "I can't believe it" I am those people but it was tough. The drug I was on.. I detoxed for 6 months on and off. I thought I was going to die. I wanted to die many times. On days that I have bad days, if someone gave me drugs I would almost be tempted to take them and I still CRAVE to get high.. People say you won't crave after you are clean. That's bull. I crave EVERY DAY but I also know the crap I went thru to get clean. You are always "recovering".. you are never recovered.. just take things 1 second at a time and remember "using just this 1 time or drinking just this 1 little drink" will hurt you.