On the off-chance someone will know:

[trace_of_scarlet]

I was wondering: someone is a recovering painkiller addict. They've been clean for a while and they go to Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Would they also tend to stay away from other addictive substances, even those that they've never had a problem with? Specifically, would they not have an alcoholic drink in a pub with friends?

Comments

[wanttobeatree.livejournal.com]

I'd say likely not. Addictive personalities and all that. But then again, I have no experience with addicts of any kind, so I could be wrong!

(And when I say likely not, I mean likely they wouldn't have a drink in a pub etc., not they likely wouldn't stay away from other addictive substances.)

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

*nodnods* Makes sense.

In canon, it's implied that it's more that he became addicted because he was forcibly injected several times with highly-addictive painkillers (he was kidnapped), rather than because he has a particularly addictive personality.

SO BASICALLY I DUNNO. *throws up hands*

[wanttobeatree.livejournal.com]

HMMM. That's a tricky one. I think I have read/heard somewhere that once you experience one addiction, it can be easier to develop another? BUT I MIGHT BE MAKING THAT UP.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Hmm. That sounds plausible, at least.

OH CRIMINAL MINDS, WHY YOU SO FUCKED UP.

[culf.livejournal.com]

I see someone stole the plot of a Starsky and Hutch episode. Except Hutch was injected with heroin, not painkillers.

In Starsky and Hutch, Hutch would still have drinks later on, but they didn't really have story arches back then. They did reference his experience in a later episode, though, which is very rare for them to do, so they did remember it, and still let him drink.
I don't really know how it works in real life, however.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Awwwww, adorable slashy icon!

...I'm sorry, you were saying words? ;)

[culf.livejournal.com]

I will always maintain that nothing is as gay as Starsky and Hutch, not even John Barrowman. The episode where Hutch gets addicted to heroin in particular. Starsky is with him when he's detoxing, holding him close, stroking his face while Hutch tries to get even closer than is possible. On top of a double bed.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwww.

[dawning-star.livejournal.com]

Ideally, he/she wouldn't drink. A drug is a drug is a drug, no matter the form it comes in, and NA includes in their meeting readings a little blurb that says "Alcohol is a drug - period."

Some still look on alcohol as being separate or different which would easily lead to a relapse. Conversely, some alcoholics won't look on, say, taking painkillers as an addiction because their problems are just with alcohol. The disease is a tricky thing.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

*nods* Thanks.

In the canon, he becomes addicted by having the painkillers forcibly injected several times by the person holding him hostage - rather than, say, because he has an addictive-type personality. Would this affect things, do you think?

[dawning-star.livejournal.com]

I'd say that once the threshold has been crossed into addiction, whether or not the personality is present is moot. At bare minimum it'd be like having a choice between swallowing cyanide or playing Russian Roulette. Either way, the odds are stacked against you.

Best way I ever heard it described was by an old-timer at an AA meeting: "If you take a cucumber, put it in vinegar, and leave it there long enough, it becomes a pickle. That pickle will never be a cucumber again."

Hope that helps. :)

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

It really does, so thanks a lot. <3

It's a character I'm planning to put into mixed_muses tonight, so knowing whether or not he'd have a drink was important. Ta!

[tablesaw]

On the other hand, that character (who is pretty easy to guess now) never really seemed like a person to attracted to alcohol, and is probably more likely to avoid it to avoid any possible risk of relapse.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mostly just didn't bother to name names because a sizeable percentage of my flist hasn't seen Criminal Minds, so it seemed pointless. Poor Reid. ._.

And yeeeah. I just know sod-all about addictions more serious than smoking, so I didn't know if drinking booze could relate to having a relapse if the original addiction wasn't booze. Before all that, though, I could see him maybe having one drink to be sociable (and probably getting ID'd multiple times, because he really does look about fourteen).

(Also, drunk!Reid - in the right company - would be funny. But anyway.)!

[remindmeofthe.livejournal.com]

Unrelatedly, there is a thing (http://isaysimplewords.livejournal.com/8471.html) that may be relevant to your interests, currently filtered to Sam's journal.

(I took the liberty of writing some stuff for Sam in the body of the post, but obviously you get final say on that.)

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

:D!

*pets Cal* All looks fine to me!

[remindmeofthe.livejournal.com]

:D Excellent.

[bigfluffball.livejournal.com]

We had a lecture from NA once - pretty sure it coincides with what Ali said - if they were sticking to NA they'd stay clear of them all.

However, I think if someone is addicted to one thing they are more likely to be attracted to other addictive substances, so if you wanted to use a character that way you could probably justify relapse.

You could always have them have soft drinks?

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, soft drinks would be the alternative. It's for a character I'm putting into Mixed Muses - and am also plotting fic for - so I wanted to know if alcoholic drinks were an option for him, that's all.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

But yeah, no relapsing. He angsts more than enough without that, and I prefer my characters relatively angst-free.

[ashen_key]

Speaking as someone who DOES have an addictive personality...that personality is a large reason why I don't drink. So, I'd find it reasonable that Reid - no matter WHY he was addicited - to avoid things that are addictive.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

*nodnod*

And the more I think about it, the more I suspect Reid didn't drink, or at least didn't drink often, even before the kidnapping. I mean look at him - he must have the alcohol tolerance of a kitten!

...No, no, no, I am not allowed to have Reid somehow turned into a kitten. However cute it would be. BAD plotbunny.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

(Also: psst, you owe me comment. ^_~)

[ashen_key]

(I KNOW :P Geeeetting there!

'Sides, I think you owe me Sam!comment, too)

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

:P

[ashen_key]

(*eyes MM* wait, where do I owe you a comment?)

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

(Criminal Minds minific in this journal. <3)

[ashen_key]

OH. GOTCHA.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

*blows kiss*

Also, I need to talk to you before tagging Sam/Meda. I'll log onto AIM in a couple of minutes, just need to finish some stuff off first.

[ashen_key]

I'm off to work in a couple mins! sadly.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

D:

Will you be around tomorrow night?

[ashen_key]

Aim to be!

*pause*

Uh, as my social anxiety is kicking my arse lately, nothing bad?

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Naaaah, nothing bad. I just want to check some things before my next tag, that's all.

*cwtches*

[ashen_key]

Oh, good *embarrassed* I haaaaate anxiety.

*snugs*

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

It's cool! <333

PS - Icon love.

[ashen_key]

I forget where I found them, but there is a whole bunch. They are brilliant.

[plum177.livejournal.com]

Since we're talking about Reid, although I don't think it's stated in canon, I'm not sure he would drink again in the aftermath of the dilaudid addiction.

He's smart, he knows all the statistics and he'd be sensible enough and probably scared enough by the prospect not to take the risk of developing another addiction by degrees. Also I think Penny would get all of this and help him along. If ever there was anyone who could have masses of fun without the aid of any alcohol whatsoever, it's Penelope Garcia. :D

Of course I have nothing practical to back any of this up, but it makes sense in my head. Hope it helps. :) I might try and keep an eye out for dear Spencer, I haven't done any RPing in ages. I miss it.

[bethan-b-bad.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the more I think about it, I can't see Reid drinking very much even before the addiction.

You should come back! I am in crackchat at this very moment.

And speaking of Reid, did you see my WAAAAUGH MUST FIX IT!tinyReid ficlet from a post or two ago?