Reta and my sobriety?!

Funky-King

Well-known member
Alright y'all, buckle up. This is gonna get personal, but hopefully it'll help someone else out there. I've been clean and sober for a solid decade, since January 2016. I'm at a point where I don't even think about drinking or using anymore. Like many of you, I got interested in Retatrutide as a way to get even healthier. I spent most of my sobriety carrying extra weight. I lost some back in 2020 doing calorie counting, but gained it all back when I stopped. Last year, I started counting calories again with a large daily deficit. I'm also at the gym like 5 times a week. It's been a routine and I'm in the best shape of my life. Recovery has helped me in so many ways, but there's one thing it hasn't touched.

I call it 'The Gremlin.' Don't ask me why, but nothing I have done has helped with it. I go to meetings, eat right, lift weights, help others, get my sleep, therapy every week, stay close to my family, and on and on. This Gremlin hangs around and it's brought me close to ending things more than once. It doesn't disrupt my life, but it's always there lurking.

I heard about Retatrutide on social media and got curious. I wanted to lose a bit more weight. I went from like 225 to 190, but I was hoping to go further. Back in my using days, I was all over the dark web and research chemicals, so this wasn't new to me. I started on Reddit, but they've cracked down on sourcing. So I found this forum and connected with some vendors. I made my first order. After figuring out how to inject it properly, I was off to the races.

I wanted to slim down even more. I had NO clue about how Retatrutide can affect the dopamine reward system and potentially help folks with addiction. I took my first dose a week and a half ago, and like many, my food thoughts vanished on just 1mg. It was shocking. But even better, The Gremlin finally shut up. For the first time in forever, this issue I've been dealing with that has led to suicidal thoughts was quiet. I was floored. It did come back, but its control over me is lessened. This has given me space to work through things in therapy and my support group. I have no clue why this peptide has had such a profound effect, but it did.

I'm sharing this in case it can shed light on addiction or GLP-1s. I'll keep up my healthy routine with or without Retatrutide, but this stuff has had a positive impact in more ways than one. I'm still early in this journey, so I'll update as things change.
 
I come from a long line of addicts. Luckily, I knew about it early and was raised knowing I was one, so I knew when something was riskier for me than others. I didn't get out completely unscathed, but I knew to avoid hard drugs, gambling, and watch my alcohol use. I hoard things, smoke, drink too much caffeine, and am mostly recovered from codependency. Everything else is good to go.

Tirz wiped out MOST of my compulsions. I still smoke but can see quitting, I only have one beer max, and my eating is no longer compulsive.

For the first six months on Tirzepatide, I struggled to motivate myself, because all I've ever done is act on compulsions. Without those, it took a while to do things I *wanted* to do instead of things I *needed* to do.
 
Just adding information into a small data pool, ya know? I thought this combo of Reta and alcoholism would be interesting.
 
Congrats! I'm hitting 11 years this month. This anti-addiction thing is real. I've seen stories from heroin and gambling addicts saying GLP-1's helped them break free.
 
It's awesome to see, friend. Many of us have been through the wringer and sought "weight loss solutions" hoping to solve lifelong systemic issues...

Here's the deal: HEALTH IS WEALTH. When we make big changes to improve our appearance, it comes from deep within. A choice not to give up. Not to quit. To keep going even when it feels impossible.

Your "Gremlin," might be indifference, doubt, or apathy. You were "doing the things," but wondered where fulfillment existed, and maybe realized it wasn't just "in the rooms," but didn't know where else to look...

YES, GLP-meds have helped me with substance use. I rarely want to drink, indulge, or be as excessive as I used to be. The mental shift is more powerful than any physical feeling. The best part is being able to focus and improve yourself without life's ups and downs.

Instead of having a hard day and wanting a drink, the thought rarely crosses my mind, because I don't see alcohol, sweets, or excess as solutions. I reflect more. I focus on my goals. I'm more at peace with myself.

While I wouldn't try to get rid of your Gremlin, I think he was always there pushing you to look deeper, especially before you were ready to make changes.
 
Funky-King said:
Yeah, I figured this out after starting Reta. I find it interesting and wanna hear more stories from others in recovery who are using Reta.

I agree. I've also heard stories of Ozempic helping with alcohol use. It helped me quit drinking when my husband got sober. It might change addiction treatment.
 
Some addiction psychiatrists are running studies on how these meds can treat chemical addictions in the brain. This might be one of the best pharmacological treatments ever! Praise the pharmaceutical industry!
 
I've quit smoking on this. I'm down 150lbs too. Ozempic changed my life. I was clean for 3 years before Ozempic. Congrats to everyone!
 
Burn_Happy said:
One year on sema and a personal trainer. I'm feeling great and barely drink now! Thanks for posting to the community!

That's amazing! What an accomplishment. It's incredible to see people recover. Thanks for sharing.
 
The 'it's at home so I drink it even when planning not to' pattern is the environmental trigger that's harder to manage than social pressure - presence of the stimulus at home defeats intentions reliably. The GLP-1 reward circuit quieting helps with the compulsive pull, but the environmental setup is a separate lever worth adjusting.
 
the edibles-versus-other-form thing is a real pharmacological difference - the liver conversion extends the duration and the intensity in a way that's genuinely unpredictable, which is a rough combination when managing sobriety and trying to stay level. the decision to step back from it while navigating recovery is sound
 
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