19 Days- NO PILLS!! Tips For Quitting..

[LookingUp1980]

So I posted couple of days ago, "17 days no pills".  It was between days 15 and 17 where I saw a huge break through.  Anyway, it's the morning of my day 19.  I have been going to bed early and getting up early, like a normal person!  I am getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night, thank GOD.  The best part is that I have not had that habitual thought to take a pill, at certain times throughout the day, in about 6 days now.   It's so nice to be able to do things like, exercise, work or run errands, basically anything without automatically thinking I need to take a pill first.  Being able to go about my day without the thought of Vicodins or Tramadols has been THE BEST part of it all.  Anyway, yes it was not fun a first but all it takes is a decision in your mind and planning to be able to do this.

Here are my tips for people trying to quit.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!

1) absolutely wean down slowly.
2) take time off work ( 1 week)
3) get 3 Episodic TV shows to binge watch during this week (like Madmen, House of Cards...whatever you like)
4) don't freak out if you don't sleep well for a week...except it.
5) buy some sort of treat for yourself like ice cream or chocolate.  This helps when you are bouncing off the walls because your body just sort of doesn't know how to feel for about a week.  This is a good time to have a little treat.  don't worry it's only a week.
6) FORCE yourself to get out of the house and walk for at least 30 minutes a day.  Just go slow.  Listen to a podcast.  You have to do this.  30 minutes is just a sliver of time that is going to pass anyway.
7) week 2, FORCE yourself to walk for 60 minutes a day.
8) do pushups!  this gives some place for the nervous energy to go and also gives you something to do and see progress at.
9) Take super hot showers or baths, 3 times a day or at ANY time you are just kind of feeling like you don't know what to do.  Who doesn't love a hot shower??
10) Don't go on Facebook or any other social media time suck websites when you can't sleep.  Feed your brain, your heart and soul.
11) Just except that you have to go through this and do it.  It's all about mind set and attitude.

Good luck!!

[LookingUp1980]

Thanks, guys!  I will be checking back in in a couple of days.

[jifmoc]

I agree w/ Dominosarah's comment 1000% percent.

[CRSeaside]

Good going. They say after doing something for 21 days in a row it becomes habit.

[dominosarah]

Congrats on 19 days clean!!!  You are doing really well.  The one thing i didnt see listed was aftercare.  That plays a vital role in our recovery.  Using is just a symptom of this addiction.  Most of us ride that "pink cloud" for a bit and then reality hits.  You have such a good positive attitude so i hope you will think about this.

[refills]

Hey man that's great. Great list too. What I like most about it is that, simply it's a plan. You've given yourself a chance and that's all we really want. Is there any after care lined up? When all the initial excitement of new found sobriety begins to fade and the everyday ho-hum begins it gets tough without a plan to help carry us through. You have a positive attitude moving forward which is great. Keep up the great work. Congrats on day 19.

[ready4btr]

Congrats to you!!  I absolutely agree with the tips as I'm on day 12 myself (well if I'm being honest, I did do a couple vics but percs were my thing so the vicoden only took the edge off after 4 days of feeling like hell physically).  I'm SLOWLY getting stronger and feeling like I can actually do this.  I did many of the things you listed and you are right...it's very weird to have your body not feel well and there isn't much you can do about it. We WILL all get there if we choose :)  Keep posting.  I look forward to success stories as it keeps me going as well.  Take care xo

[Frogger76]

Congrats on day 19!! I was amazed at how much I could get accomplished in one day when I wasn't scrambling around trying to round up more trams or constantly counting the ones I did have, worrying to death if I was gonna run out, that's just no way to live!! Keep up the good work, bring on day 20!!!  ~Sherry