Cravings

[MMMAL]

I am recovering from percocet abuse/dependence/addiction; I was taking heavy doses for 5 years with the last year being the worst! I am now 2 weeks clean and I am starting to  feel human...PRAISE GOD....so now that the physical effects have pretty much subsided, I am wondering when the mental effects will go away or will they ever? Am I always going to have to fight the urge to take another pill? God has healed me so much these past couple of months preparing me to beat this addiction and I have faith and hope in HIM to see me through. I am in awe of how far God has brought me in just 2 weeks, and I have to say that the first week and a half were so brutal that without Him I most certainly would have failed. I have family members that take percocet as a maintenance drug for pain and I did not think i would ever be able to be around them again without wanting to attack them for a pill...right now today I know God has given me the strength to be around them and not want to use, I guess i'm just scared about the future.

[CATUF]

i was told: "if you want to recover, then don't use or drink today, no matter what.  go to a meeting and stay away from all people, places and things associated with your active addiction.  don't worry about will might happen tomorrow, keep your focus completely on today . . . do what you're supposed to do TODAY, and for TODAY refrain from doing the things you're not supposed to do.  if you do that, you're doing everything that recovery demands of you."

this last time, i did that.  i didn't drink or use, one day at a time, and day by day it got better.  day by day i got better.  

i used to count the minutes of freedom from cravings on just my fingers.  it didn't seem possible that i'd ever be free or normal, let alone happy, again. but i did what i was told (only because i had tried everything else and it didn't work) and i got better . . . one day at a time i got better.

these days i can't remember the last time i had a bona fide craving.  there is life after active addiction.  in fact, my life in recovery is not just as-good as before the addiction, it's better than anything i had, or even thought as possibe, before.

pull up NA's Basic Text and read the first four chapters.  that will be a good start.

CATUF
2,790

[Bkitty]

No. The mental aspect of this disease never goes away. There are however, different levels. At least for me there is. Looking back the first 6 months they cravings were "stronger"? Now I still have them but I am able to redirect myself and they pass much faster. So now that you are thru the physical withdrawal H e l l . You definitely need to have a plan in place for the mental. Have you looked into any kind of aftercare. I think the hardest thing for me to accept was that this is a life long every day battle. Its not going away but I can manage it. Now is the time to develop healthy coping mechanisms and new habits. It feels weird at first but as time passes these things become the new "normal". As far as having family members that take your drug of choice. Have you been honest with them about your addiction? I know you cant just cut family members out of your life but you need to set boundraies with them~healthy ones. You and your sobriety is the only thing that matters now. Normally I tell other members to "burn the supply" bridge. I know for me,,If I had access to them. Id take them. That's just me and my personality. And its funny because I am a hospice nurse so I come into contact with these medications freq but I have devised a plan where I take care of certain patients so I am not able to get my hands on these pills. I had to make these changes to ensure that I remain sober. The minute, the day, the second, the hour  that this changes. I will have to quit my job immed and go into a different specialty. So its all about the decisions that we make daily that ensures that we remain sober. I wish you all the best!! You are doing great! ((hugs))

[YesLife4Me]

Wanted to congratulate you on your clean time and recovery too.   Sadly, the cravings don't ever completely go away, but they do lessen in intensity and frequency.   Being around any potential source is scary because we think we don't want them and are so sure of it, but our tricky addict minds convince us that just one wont hurt....and we know where that goes.   Make sure you have a plan for when those cravings hit...and they come out of nowhere and catch us off guard.   I can't tell you how many times I said I would never touch a pill again and then an opportunity presented itself and I didn't use my resources of thinking it through, calling someone, etc.   You are doing this....keep it up!

[dominosarah]

Always ALWAYS keep your Guard Up.  This addiction is sly cunning and baffling.  You may not want those pills today but at some point your brain will play some big time games with you.  Have you thought about aftercare?  That is very important as using is just a symptom of what is really going on.  We bury alot of demons along the way and need to face them.

[abritt121222]

And with the family members taking drugs PLEASE tell the, to not just put them away LOCK THEM UP because U might not want to admit it not but having drugs around at your point of recovery is bad because at that stage we are absolutely POWERLESS to our addiction

[abritt121222]

The mental part will almost never go away this is where aftercare is a MUST. As addicts once we get clean we have to really relearn how to live sober because we always hid behind problems with the drug. I would suggest some kind of councilong or something because learning how to cope with things without drugs is huge. The cravings however over time will subside but every once in a while will pop up and I'm sorry cause I know u don't wanna hear this but being only two weeks in and right past physical withdrawal the mental aspect of recovery will be at its worst. Hang in the you can do it and look into some aftercare N.A. Anything like that and also when u feel like u are having a break down or panic attack post or even feel free to send me a private message and I will be more than glad to try and help you through this any way I can

Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt

[BarbRTR]

Good morning!
I'm only on day 25, so not qualified to answer really. But have been here long enough to read others who have been clean a long time and say yes it gets better.

It's kinda slow on the weekends, but someone with experience will be along shortly.

Congrats on 2 weeks!