McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Addictions - your experiences?
BobForPresident:
I'm writing a character who struggles with addiction. There's enough material out there to know what it LOOKS like to be an addict, and what one DOES when one is an addict, but not a lot on what it actually FEELS like.
So my question is - what is the FEELING of the actual, physical addiction? There's a lot associated with it: depression, anger, complancency, and it varies from person to person. But is there another need (the need for food or affection, etc) that the actual desire to indulge one's addiction is comparable to?
My request: if any of you who have been addicted to anything (drugs, alcohol, sex, food, cleanliness, etc) would feel comfortable sharing what the actual feeling of needing that vice feels like TO YOU, I'd be grateful.
Example: My father experiences severe headaches and nausea (flu-like) when he doesn't get his tobacco fix. His body makes him sick in order to encourage him to smoke.
Again, I know it's different for everybody. I want to know how it was (or, godforbid, is) for you.
OpticChaos:
What kind of addiction does your character have? Only want to know so I can see if my story is relevant before I share it.
BobForPresident:
--- Quote from: OpticChaos on June 06, 2011, 12:45:08 AM ---What kind of addiction does your character have? Only want to know so I can see if my story is relevant before I share it.
--- End quote ---
Uhm, would you mind sharing before I tell you? I don't want to bias you.
OpticChaos:
Well, ok then.
I'm a recovering alcoholic, I'm 21. I'm a genius, as in I have an IQ of one, and found school way too easy. I was bored and some part of me decided that to deal with that, I would cut classes and go get drunk in the park with some of my friends. This led to me failing exams and not getting into college. Which in turn led to me being unemployed and bored, so again I turned to alcohol to combat the boredness. I stopped even looking for jobs and just drank alot. A year ago, I ended up in hospital after passing out in the street, breaking my arm in the process some how, and a good samaritan being concerned for me. This isn't what stopped me drinking though. What stopped me was that, whilst in hospital, I couldn't get any alcohol and the effects it had on me made me realise I needed help. I started feeling sick, and irritable, it started out as me just snapping at the nurses and doctor, and my friends who came to see me. Eventually I got to the point that I was in withdrawal so bad that I tried to physically attack my sister because she brought me the wrong magazine. Seeing her face when I lashed out stopped me from hurting her, and made me want help. The doctor realised that I was an addict and gave me the information of a rehab near me and the staff psychologist talked to me in the hospital. (Been sober for a year now)
Any other information you might need just ask, but thats my story. *Shrug*
BobForPresident:
--- Quote from: OpticChaos on June 06, 2011, 01:48:42 AM ---
Any other information you might need just ask, but thats my story. *Shrug*
--- End quote ---
First of all...wow. Thank you so much for sharing. That can't have been easy.
When you felt the need to drink, right before you drank, what was it like? Did you feel like you were really sad? Or even really thirsty? In other words, what emotions and feelings were you feeling, in the moment, right before you reached for a bottle?
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