Ok, so I've been going thru an opiod addiction for 3 yrs I've been clean for about 6mo tks to suboxone, but do to insurance prob. I've been taken off my prescription. I've smoked off and on my whole life and it seems to be helping, but medical marijuana hasn't been approved in my state....So my question is, is their something else I can use that will be as helpful to me that is legal or am I gonna live out the rest of my days being paranoid??

I have dealt with all kinds of addiction thus far, and I have found that to overcome them, first they must be replaced with some other obsession. If you think of addiction as a hole that you have to keep filling, then when you try and overcome the addiction you are still left with this gaping wound. That wound needs to be filled with something that can heal it. Cannabis is great medicine, but I have found that it doesn't heal addiction holes, it just acts as a temporary relief.

What helped me start healing my addictions was this:

Every time I felt the urge for my addictions I did a set of kettlebell swings, drank a glass of water and had a piece of fruit. This method worked for me, perhaps it can assist you as well.

Maybe being sober is a choice and stop suckling on the governments' pity teet.

Hah yeah, fuck being sober. Addicts keep my bills paid and pockets never empty.

Now there's a nice humanistic perspective....

__________________
Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish

Nutrient Deficiencies

We have millions of years of evolution behind us, I think we are capable enough by now to helping ourselves... Atleast after a couple years. If you can't then well, you shouldn't survive. Thats how the rest of the world works.

Obviously this guy has an addictive personality, nothing wrong with that, we all have those traits but replacing 1 addiction with another isn't going to solve shit. A complete lifestyle change is needed if you ever want to see a real positive direction in life.

lol I hate that feeling...

I disagree partly. I agree that another "addiction" is not necessary but there is a fine line between an addiction and a habit. This could be anything from exercise, to walks in nature, to playing video games, so long as it is not harmful to the OP.

My advice to the OP would be to look back to what you used to do before opiates came into your life. Do not look at your addiction as a mistake that you have to avoid making again, but rather a lesson that you have learnt about life. Think about the positives you may have gained from opiates, and think about how your new mindset can help you in the future. Prior to your opiate use I would assume you never thought you would have to fight addiction, and so I feel you have took on a challenge and emerged triumphant, congratulations. The best way to look at your situation is that you have already learnt everything opiates could teach you, and so you have no need for them any more, now you must seek new things to learn from. Maybe you should pursue an interest in spirituality? Or learn about a subject that has always interested you?

Find something that you have always been meaning to do but have constantly put off, and I'm sure it'll be very rewarding. Even if it is just playing through a series of games, or writing a short book that no-one will ever read, whatever it is will be meaningful to you and will help move you forward to a bright future.

Cannabis can help you but I feel you should not rely too much on it. It should be used as a medicine and not a replacement for opiates. Find as many distractions and hobbies as you can to fill your day, and the key is to realise that relapses happen because people feel they "haven't finished" with opiates or whatever their substance of choice was - but it is my opinion that the biggest lesson that opiates teach us is just how strong we can be, and you have already learnt that. Just spend time enjoying life and you'll soon look back on the past as just another experience that helped shape who you are today

Peace.