Has anyone actually successfully maintained a casual habit after getting clean?

Rux, To preface, you are starting a topic that is very sensitive.  Everyone has an opinion.  You are obviously referring to bad habits, and if you mean opiates then "HELL NO!"  Information will set you free Rux.  Just enlighten yourself to all of the functions of the natural opiate system.  It is a reward center that I would never ever want to mess with again now understanding all of the functions (i.e. pain relief during exercise, developing relationships, etc.)  When you are sober, go for some exercise.  If you had any morsel of pain before exercising, check yourself on the way to and while exercising.  The pain may be reduced or gone completely because your wonderfully natural opiate system is kicking in telling you that exercising is good and needed!  For me, it's refreshing being able to understand these things.  It only reinforces the divine perfection.  By the way, I was not at all spiritual (likely did not believe in G-d) before my 4th flood.  That was last Christmas.  Since then, I am happier then I have ever been!  And I still have problems in life.....go figure.  But when you understand that it all starts with a thought, and you start training yourself to think in a certain way, you will be able to tune into that addict brain taking control of your thoughts, like a demon!  This becomes very useful in our recovery/rebirth because you will start blazing your trail once you have your priorities straight!  I think I have addict circuitry, let's say I know, so I do not surround myself if anyone who is using.  I avoid parties with "strangers" for the time being, and only celebrate with my close family and friends.  That just makes no sense to me, exposing yourself to these situations when you are in recovery.  I heard once that it will take 3 years to fully recover from substance abuse.  How about the first year, or first 6 months at least, take some Rux time.  This is your chance, grab it by the horns!  You and I both have made the same mistake twice in thinking we are in control when we weren't.  Learning the hard way was the previous model for me.  "It's one thing to make the same mistake twice, and another to make it all of your life."  You know deep down what you need to do.  Everyone is different.  Everything starts with a thought (i.e. "I can use on the weekends and not fully relapse").  This type of thinking is the real "issue."  After a year of hardcore work with Iboga, and all of the integration into this new evolved me, I cannot imagine bearing the cognitive dissonance of taking opiates, or smoking cigs.  I have developed addictions to almost anything that I deem worthy in my life.  Opiates are/were the worst....they were the only drug that I knew I had no ability to stop.  I was powerless.  Iboga saved my life as it has many others!    After 4 floods in a year span, I do still feel the addict circuitry.  For example, I smoke ganja daily and would like to cut that in half.  Guess what?!?  In due time.  Whatever I am doing is right for me, I am getting positive affirmations all the time.  The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, and understanding the seven levels of consciousness proposed by spiral dynamics allows me to care less about material items, and on behavior only!  I am so glad, because behavior is ALL that matters!  The Noopept has really helped in this transformation, allows me to focus better, learn faster, reduces fear somehow, and  gives me the self confidence of a humble seeker of truth.  When you are that organized upstairs, and you are manifesting with your mind, and you trust your internal radar, the confidence you have can be through the roof!  Once you have healed yourself Rux, you will be living what I am speaking about now.  I am living breathing beautiful proof!  In fact, this is such a powerful transformation for me that I have completely re-evaluated my approach towards life.  One of these changes is the concept of paying it forward.  If I can teach you how to gain inner peace, and you teach someone else, than we are really starting to live in the eyes of love. I'll be here for ya Rux.  If you want to keep ascending, the sky is the limit.  Blue

I found this: [The original novel nootropic and neuroprotective agent noopept]. [Article in Russian] Ostrovskaia RU, Gudasheva TA, Voronina TA, Seredenin SB. SourceLaboratory of Psychopharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Baltiiskaya ul. 8, Moscow, 125315 Russia. Abstract The paper describes pharmacological properties of the new nootropic drug noopept created using an original approach based on the imitation of a nonpeptide nootrope structure by means of the short-peptide design. In particular, the structure of pyracetam was designed using dipeptide nootropes. Experimental investigations of noopept (N-phenylacetyl-L-polyglycine ethyl ester) showed that the new drug exceeds pyracetam both with respect to the effective dose level (1000 times lower for noopept than for pyracetam) and in the spectrum of mnemotropic activity. In contrast to pyracetam facilitating only the early stages of the memory process, noopept positively influences the memory consolidation and retrieval steps as well. The new drug produces an additional selective anxiolytic action. The pronounced neuroprotective effect of noopept was demonstrated both in vivo (in cases of various forms of brain ischemia) and in vitro (on various neuronal models). The drug action is based on the antioxidant effect, the antiinflammatory action, and the ability to inhibit the neurotoxicity of excess calcium and glutamate, and to improve the blood rheology. It was established for the first time that the activity of noopept is retained both upon parenteral introduction and upon peroral administration, which is a principal advantage of this proline-containing dipeptide over other, more complex peptides. This property provided a basis for the development of a medicinal form of noopept for peroral usage. At present, noopept tablets (noopept 5 and 10 mg) are under clinical assessment as a means of treating cognitive deficiency of cerebrovascular and post-traumatic origin. PMID: 12596521 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] I took 5-10mg.noopept today (1st day)and indeed it has a subtle effect.I underlined what you Blue tiger may find interesting. Things are moving forward in regard to nootropics and sunifiram, coluracetam,phenylpiracetam and unifiram have or soon will hit the market.

Hi nadiya44, It is a very slippery slope... I know there may be some people that can go back to use for recreation, but not many and if you have only had five weeks clean, I wouldn't do it... you could eat some root and maybe take some of those cravings away if you are getting them. good luck friend, roxine

I want to say that the short answer is NO. I was an alcoholic from the time I was a teenager until my mid-thirties. I was the dangerous kind, I could drink everyone under the table without showing it, when I was 17 I was driving after consuming 10 mixed drinks within a two hour period and got a traffic ticket for running a stop sign. The officer did not realize I was intoxicated.  I took my last alcoholic drink on Nov 4th. 1993 .........and that record is still standing. And I was good for so many years even though I was chipping with opiates the whole time. TY 3's mostly, I'd take one or two in social situations when everyone else was drinking. I kept this up for 15 freaking years before I ran into a problem, but I did eventually move to poppy tea and I became addicted. The temptation to jump around on those slippery rocks is insidious. Some of us may be more sure-footed than others and get away with it for longer, but once you fall you fall just as hard as someone that's less steady on their feet. Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

BIG NO for me too. you may get away with it for awhile...but. eventually it starts the wheels in motion again . it's like it triggers the addictive mind into action again. I've done it with cigarettes  thinking I could just have a few. within 6months.. bingo back at it. for me it's not worth fighting urges. If you don't start your free !

How can you even think of using again? What the hell is the matter with you? Didn't you learn your lesson the first time? Iboga gave me a miracle, I couldn't even consider using again. In my opinion, anyone that uses again doesn't deserve the second chance that Iboga gives. You should be ashamed of yourself for even considering it.

Sorry Rux , you can do it only for the first month , from personal experience, after the first month , the habits goes to everyday use,it is basic math. This stop and go like the song, or you are a masochist in order to get by. my 2c softsparrow

After one is addicted to opiates I'm pretty sure the casual habit thing goes out the window....for good.  One exception might be being stranded on a deserted island where you receive airdropped provisions once a week that include a fix.  I would only use once a week, but would no doubt spend at least 6-1/2 days thinking about nothing but my next fix and possibly a way off of the island, although that would be secondary. I've known a lot addicts, some are clean today and some are still using, but I can't think of a one who is maintaining a casual habit after once being addicted.

Don't kid yourself. No you can't do that once you area addict. I have known a bunch of addicts and none of them ever went on to be a "casual" user once addicted, even after iboga.

Everyone wishes this was the case at one time or another, but it is just impossible. Anyone who was seriously addicted for any length of time - and we all understand this ilk, I am part of it - cannot ever get away with playing around casual use of their DOC. Lots of poor souls have ended up quite dead trying to prove this theory. Let us learn by such examples and honor them by not making the same moves. If I could shoot up you know just like, after dinner or Saturdays or something...HAHA! There's no way, like lights said, he'd be thinking about it the other 6.5 days of the week - and so would any of us! Call this MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - get the idea gone, if you are going to use, then you are using and thats that. Fine, I won't judge, who the hell am I - nobody can know until they walk in another's shoes what their mind and life is like... Speaking of JUDGEMENTS:  "Ashamed of yourself", really??  So, you are one of those, eh?  How does it feel to be judged by another fallible human being? "Doesn't deserve the second chance"...whew.  New guy, you are rubbing me way wrong - take heed if you care to be involved here.

I am glad you said something Cal because I felt the same way when I saw this post from Mark I, but had no idea how to appropriately respond.  Mark I, you didn't even introduce yourself on your first post... Feel free to say what you want here.....just know that this is a family of people in a sense who have supported each other in transforming their lives in ways we never thought possible.  The harsh, judgmental, and cruel tone you have exhibited could bode disaster for any relationship building here at Iboga.  Rux, hoping you are doing well, and that you got what you needed from this thread.

No such thing as a casual heroin habit LOL It always starts as once a week, then weekends, then every other day, then daily, then twice a day, etc, etc, etc, etc, Casual habit...  Your clean or your not.   Nothing in between.