Taken from a tweet re amy winehouse

Sunnyisland

Taken from a tweet
Source: Getty images

“I told you I was trouble,” Amy Winehouse sang, “You know that I’m no good.”

For me, that’s the most poignant lyric she ever wrote. It sums up the mind of an addict. You see, it wasn’t a brag; it was a mixture of ‘keep away’ and ‘help me’.

How do I know? Because not so long ago, I was Amy Winehouse.

For most addicts, there’s a constant presence on your shoulder telling you you’re not good enough, that somehow, you’re ‘less’ than everyone out there. Your thoughts go round like a washing machine on high-speed. The noise in your head is constant, loud and harsh. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rich and famous popstar, or Mary Taylor in Islington, homeless and sleeping rough in a shop doorway; it’s that same mindset. Alcohol and drugs are merely the medication.

Addiction isn’t fun. Addiction isn’t “Let’s go to the pub and get pissed and have a right laugh” or “Let’s get ****ed on drugs and get up to mischief”. Addiction is lonely, terrifying and insidious. Oh, sure, you start out like everyone else, a few drinks here and there, a dabble or two in something a little harder. You don’t realise when it stops being fun, but it does. Suddenly you find yourself alone in a room, afraid to go out, because ‘outside’ is too damn scary.

So you take that hit, and for a short while, the noise stops. Peace through oblivion. Then you come around and the noise starts again, louder this time, and coupled with the anxiety, fear and terror that come with withdrawal. So you take another hit. Sweet, blessed relief. And somewhere in the back of your mind you hope you don’t wake up from this one. You’re nothing but trouble, you see. All you cause is pain and worry.

I read a fantastic blog by Russell Brand today, in which he said:

“When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction, you await the phonecall. There will be a phonecall. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they’ve had enough, that they’re ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it’s too late, she’s gone. Frustratingly it’s not a call you can ever make — it must be received.”

The problem is, addiction is the only disease in existence that tells you that you haven’t got it. Lock an addict away and they’ll be looking for an escape, or biding their time and playing the ‘yes, I’m fine now’ role until they’re alone again. I’ve had people in the kitchen pouring drink away while I’ve been climbing out of the bedroom window on my way to buy more.

I’ve been a day out of hospital after being found in my flat, hours away from death, and already I’m figuring out where I can get hold of some gear. I believed the booze and drugs were giving me something. In fact, it was the opposite. They were hollowing me out, alienating my friends and family and slowly stripping me of all that was real and good.

Sadly, all the love and support in the world wasn’t going to help Amy get better. She was trotted out on stage at every opportunity to make money for her record company. She didn’t have the luxury of being left alone so she could*get better. Contracts had been signed and albums were due. Her star had to keep shining, and all the while the press were snapping at her heels, waiting for her to fall again.

I can’t imagine anything more frightening than the whole world waiting with bated breath for me to **** up.

Yesterday evening, people shut down Facebook and Twitter, still in shock and disbelief at this tragedy, before heading off down to the pubs and clubs for a well-deserved blowout.

Mary in Islington sits down in her shop doorway, begging for a few coins to get a can of beer. Just a little something to help take the edge off. You might have seen her last night, she may have come up to ask you for some change, desperate and devoid of pride, but like a lot of people, you probably looked away, annoyed and uncomfortable.

Sunday morning rolls around, and half of London wakes up with a hangover. Some might even still be going. iTunes seizes the opportunity to promote Amy’s albums on its homepage to make some cash, and somewhere in Islington, an ambulance arrives to take away the body of a homeless woman found dead in a shop doorway.

And all over the world, recovering addicts wake up and pray to a God they’re not even sure exists for the strength to stay clean one more day.

The world carries on. Then somewhere, a phone rings.

Kylo Ren

One of the best boards post I've seen in a while.

goingpostal

The false idea that addiction is a disease like cancer or diabetes, is an article of faith of the 12-step recovery cults, not an empirical fact. Try getting a doctor who deals with real diseases like cancer or AIDS every day to call addiction a disease. Addiction or alcoholism can be self-diagnosed, or if you are accused of being an addict by some twelve-step fanatic masquerading as a "counsellor" in a so-called treatment centre, try convincing them that you aren't an alcoholic. Denial is a symptom of your disease, don't you know? You are an alcoholic with a "spiritual disease", whether you agree or not. What a crock. Try self-diagnosing diabetes or cancer. Go to your doctor and tell him you have diabetes, and unless he is criminally negligent or incompetent, he will send you packing pretty lively. Recovery-cult true-believers hijacking Amy Winehouse's death as an opportunity to proselytise for their favourite 12-step cults is sickening to behold.

Sunnyisland

Where does it say or mention AA or 12 steps or any other group,it was a tweet and a very moving and true one for many people every day.

charlemont

Very good post, I had problems myself several years ago, The addictions and trouble can cease but the memories stay and sometimes they can drive you mad.

Tarquin1970

I thought tweets were only 140 characters! What part of the post is the tweet?

goingpostal

realies wrote: »

Where does it say or mention AA or 12 steps or any other group,it was a tweet and a very moving and true one for many people every day.

Either something is true or it isn't. How can something be true "for many people" but not others? The idea that the earth revolves around the sun has been true, always, regardless of whether the Geocentric model was true for most people every day, for thousands of years. "Addiction as a disease" (or depression as a brain disease, for that matter) is the geocentric model of our age.

Sunnyisland

Whats the big point point your trying to prove here ?

Chris Hansen

realies wrote: »

Taken from a tweet
Source: Getty images

“I told you I was trouble,” Amy Winehouse sang, “You know that I’m no good.”

For me, that’s the most poignant lyric she ever wrote. It sums up the mind of an addict. You see, it wasn’t a brag; it was a mixture of ‘keep away’ and ‘help me’.

How do I know? Because not so long ago, I was Amy Winehouse.

For most addicts, there’s a constant presence on your shoulder telling you you’re not good enough, that somehow, you’re ‘less’ than everyone out there. Your thoughts go round like a washing machine on high-speed. The noise in your head is constant, loud and harsh. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rich and famous popstar, or Mary Taylor in Islington, homeless and sleeping rough in a shop doorway; it’s that same mindset. Alcohol and drugs are merely the medication.

Addiction isn’t fun. Addiction isn’t “Let’s go to the pub and get pissed and have a right laugh” or “Let’s get ****ed on drugs and get up to mischief”. Addiction is lonely, terrifying and insidious. Oh, sure, you start out like everyone else, a few drinks here and there, a dabble or two in something a little harder. You don’t realise when it stops being fun, but it does. Suddenly you find yourself alone in a room, afraid to go out, because ‘outside’ is too damn scary.

So you take that hit, and for a short while, the noise stops. Peace through oblivion. Then you come around and the noise starts again, louder this time, and coupled with the anxiety, fear and terror that come with withdrawal. So you take another hit. Sweet, blessed relief. And somewhere in the back of your mind you hope you don’t wake up from this one. You’re nothing but trouble, you see. All you cause is pain and worry.

I read a fantastic blog by Russell Brand today, in which he said:

“When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction, you await the phonecall. There will be a phonecall. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they’ve had enough, that they’re ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it’s too late, she’s gone. Frustratingly it’s not a call you can ever make — it must be received.”

The problem is, addiction is the only disease in existence that tells you that you haven’t got it. Lock an addict away and they’ll be looking for an escape, or biding their time and playing the ‘yes, I’m fine now’ role until they’re alone again. I’ve had people in the kitchen pouring drink away while I’ve been climbing out of the bedroom window on my way to buy more.

I’ve been a day out of hospital after being found in my flat, hours away from death, and already I’m figuring out where I can get hold of some gear. I believed the booze and drugs were giving me something. In fact, it was the opposite. They were hollowing me out, alienating my friends and family and slowly stripping me of all that was real and good.

Sadly, all the love and support in the world wasn’t going to help Amy get better. She was trotted out on stage at every opportunity to make money for her record company. She didn’t have the luxury of being left alone so she could*get better. Contracts had been signed and albums were due. Her star had to keep shining, and all the while the press were snapping at her heels, waiting for her to fall again.

I can’t imagine anything more frightening than the whole world waiting with bated breath for me to **** up.

Yesterday evening, people shut down Facebook and Twitter, still in shock and disbelief at this tragedy, before heading off down to the pubs and clubs for a well-deserved blowout.

Mary in Islington sits down in her shop doorway, begging for a few coins to get a can of beer. Just a little something to help take the edge off. You might have seen her last night, she may have come up to ask you for some change, desperate and devoid of pride, but like a lot of people, you probably looked away, annoyed and uncomfortable.

Sunday morning rolls around, and half of London wakes up with a hangover. Some might even still be going. iTunes seizes the opportunity to promote Amy’s albums on its homepage to make some cash, and somewhere in Islington, an ambulance arrives to take away the body of a homeless woman found dead in a shop doorway.

And all over the world, recovering addicts wake up and pray to a God they’re not even sure exists for the strength to stay clean one more day.

The world carries on. Then somewhere, a phone rings.

NO NO NO!

Tarquin1970

realies wrote: »

Whats the big point point your trying to prove here ?

The least you could do is give credit to the blog that you ripped this verbatim from, what's your point?

Sunnyisland

This is the non drinkers forum Why bother coming to this forum if that's all you're going to post? Pointless. There are better forums to troll if you're that way inclined. see ya.

Tarquin1970

Anyone can copy and paste and offer no opinion. What's your angle on the piece? What did you get from it?

JJJJNR

http://sexdrugssausagerolls.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/yes-i%E2%80%99m-an-addict-too-the-post-i-thought-id-never-publish-amy-winehouse-ad/

Sunnyisland

If you are really interested in alcoholism you can read my many posts already here and then you will see my opinions.

Sunnyisland

JJJJNR wrote: »

http://sexdrugssausagerolls.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/yes-i%E2%80%99m-an-addict-too-the-post-i-thought-id-never-publish-amy-winehouse-ad/

Actually I got it from a friend in manchester and she said it was from a tweet,Who cares really,As for people who suffer from alcohol abuse every reminder no matter where it comes from is welcome.And imo this is a very good one.

CMpunked

Powerful. Many thanks for sharing.

Peanut

goingpostal wrote: »

Either something is true or it isn't. How can something be true "for many people" but not others?

Easily.

Saying "something is true or it isn't" is all very well and good, but tends to mask subtleties in the detail of very generalised statements.

Something can be both true and not true depending on the context.

In the case of alcoholism, the word "susceptiblity" springs to mind.
E.g. - Study Reports Genetic Susceptibility To Alcoholism In NMDA Receptor

Since the term disease is quite general, and is often used for inherited conditions, arguing over the semantics of whether or not to use the term is missing the bigger picture of what is more than likely a combination of both biological and environmental causes.

Johnny Favourite

goingpostal wrote: »

The false idea that addiction is a disease like cancer or diabetes, is an article of faith of the 12-step recovery cults, not an empirical fact. Try getting a doctor who deals with real diseases like cancer or AIDS every day to call addiction a disease. Addiction or alcoholism can be self-diagnosed, or if you are accused of being an addict by some twelve-step fanatic masquerading as a "counsellor" in a so-called treatment centre, try convincing them that you aren't an alcoholic. Denial is a symptom of your disease, don't you know? You are an alcoholic with a "spiritual disease", whether you agree or not. What a crock. Try self-diagnosing diabetes or cancer. Go to your doctor and tell him you have diabetes, and unless he is criminally negligent or incompetent, he will send you packing pretty lively. Recovery-cult true-believers hijacking Amy Winehouse's death as an opportunity to proselytise for their favourite 12-step cults is sickening to behold.

Your right, absolutely right. I had addiction issues and the 12 step scene nearly pushed me over the edge. Fcuking freaks..

Sunnyisland

Johnny Favourite wrote: »

Your right, absolutely right. I had addiction issues and the 12 step scene nearly pushed me over the edge. Fcuking freaks..

I had /have addiction issues and among other self help groups the 12 steps was one of the tools i used, It definitely helped saved my life, Didn't see any fcuking freaks there ?,
I am over 2 & half years alcohol free now, how are you doing ?

Sunnyisland

I dont criticize anyone in how they went about in beating this addiction ever, I am sure there are well founded criticism about AA like there are about every other way, But I dont see the point of this posts like above as we are not in a Football championship to see who has the most points, If AA works for some people to me that's great absolutely brilliant and if some other way works for somebody that is equally absolutely great & brilliant.At the end of the day every year thosands of people die in Ireland re alcoholism and if AA or any other way out helps even some of them I am all for them.


PS I never did AA I just used there steps,took what i wanted & left the rest,