Need mental tips to get off Percocet

[OliviaS2012]

I have had a problem with pain pills for years.  Recently i was diagnosed with having degenerative disc disease and prescribed a lot of Percocet.  Being used to gobbling them like candy and subsequently having a high tolerance for the stuff, i went through all of them in a short time.  I want to get off of them for good and deal with my pain in other ways ( TENS unit, Physical therapy, exercise, etc) but need mental ways to tell myself that the pills were no good.  They had a psychological grip on me that I find harder than the physical grip.  Any suggestions?  The pills have only contributed to bad things.  I'm so tired of them and taking them.  I feel enslaved and want to get out of their grip.  Suggestions are welcome please.

[ThePhoenix75]

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...I have rheumatoid arthritis and have had to find another way to deal with the legitimate pain.  About a month ago I got a TENS unit and it has made a huge difference.  I highly recommend them.  When we aren't dependent on pain meds, we have to get creative for pain management.  Next I am going to try biofeedback.

Good luck!
Phoenix

[weaver71]

Practical today tools? Try to keep your expectations in check. Make sure you take inventory and re evaluate what you expect of yourself,' how you will feel when. Just take it one day at a time. Remember that getting off drugs is the single most important thing you are doing today, your life depends on it. Keep moving your body, exercise stimulates the natural brain chemistry. Focus on being good rather than feeling good. Keep telling yourself thAt there is no problem so big that drugs can't make it worse. Do what you are doing, learn all about addiction and recovery ideas. Those things helped me anyway. I also started a library of recovery books and if I felt bad, I grabbed a book and learned one thing about addiction and meditated on it. I'd grab a random book a lot of times. Hope something in this helps.

[OxyTired]

I have a lot of back problems and have been able to stay away from oxycodone for more than six months now. I was rxd it and also an abuser.
Suggestions for the mental part: Not taking my rambling mind seriously. Get involved in simple activities. Read a book. Go to the library. Have lunch with a friend.
I personally think too much preoccupation with brain transmitter theories and self psychoanalysis is not good for me. I am very analytical by profession and my addict side will try to twist the logic in its favor. I only mean to say what works for me, but many days now I dont think about my big "battle." Now there are normal problems to deal with.
So I keep looking forward, but clearly realize my clean time continuing is contingent on my guard always being up, since I am never completely out of the demon's reach. I try to spend a little time each day reflecting on how painful a process detoxing can be and marvel I made it this far.
You are right on target about setting absolutes: no pills in the house and trying everything possible to get back on track. Great attitude!

[OliviaS2012]

Thanks Kyle.  I talked to my husband this morning and said under no circumstances are we to allow alcohol in the house, no more pills, etc.  I'm determined to get clean and stay clean.  Like you said, i plan on learning more about brain control - in particular neuroplasticity and our ability to change our brain pathways.  Exercise, meditation/prayer, AA/NA meetings....that will do it after time.  Thank you for your comments.

[OliviaS2012]

thank you Wholly moly for your comment.  That is a TERRIFIC idea to tell my dr. to not prescribe me anymore. I honestly didn't even think of that.  Once i do that, i am in no danger of getting anymore!  thank you!!

[OliviaS2012]

Thank you very much.  I plan on getting involved with either NA or AA - probably AA.  I have a 20 month old daughter which prevents me from being as active as I want to be.  I can go to AA at night once my husband comes home.
I appreciate the scientific aspect of it.  I was have a masters in psychology so understanding the power of neuroplasticity in the brain:  i need to change mine so i don't go thru that craving of pills.  But until that happens, i need practical ways to get thru the first 90 days which i understand to be the hardest.  However, I know that each day gets easier.  Thanks for your comments.

[weaver71]

Don't know if your a science buff, but here goes. The old part of the brain, fight or flight, the cerebral cortex shuts down other parts of the body in a crisis, like a burn victim. Body parts stop getting energy to preserve the rest of you, the heart and brain being most protected. The new brain, which is thinking about the future, decision making, and consequences is not necessary in a crisis. A speeding car is coming at you, you don't make decisions about which college to go to at that time. Drug detox puts you in crisis mode, the old brain blocks out everything accept what it needs to survive. It is convinced that you need drugs to survive. I knew it is only my mind, there is no real danger, then I could think about my original reasons to quit. I found that if I focused on how I felt and tried to figure out why, it made it worse. I just had to say, "It is only my brain."

CBT counseling helps me a lot to focus my attention on constructive activities and thoughts. I have learned to identify disqualifying thoughts and replace them with appreciation. David D. Burns wrote a book, "Feeling Good," that has a lot of good tools to direct your mind to a constructive pattern and monitor depression and what thoughts lead to it. What thoughts could have avoided it, etc... ?

Reading the Big Book of AA is good a place to get perspective too. The 12 steps are one step, quitting drugs, the rest is about beating the mental, spiritual, and emotional things that ail us all, especially the ones that ailed us before we got addicted, for me anyway.

Terrance Gorski, CENAPS model of relapse prevention is also a good tool to identify triggers and understand the addict mind. I found some of the exercises really helpful and it opened my eyes to how a relapse happens long before a drug is taken. It's about patterns of thinking and habits that we don't even notice unless we're looking closely.

I think what helped me most at first, was that I DID tons of things around recovery for a long time. I don't do them all now, but they sure helped me through it all. I went to AA, counseling, group meetings, took classes about addiction, got phone numbers and emails, volunteered at sober functions, anything I could. I had to replace the energy I spent thinking about drugs and think about something else, anything else. Just keep trying different things and you'll be free for sure. And definitely take care of the preexisting physical issues asap.

[kyle505]

You've hit the nail on the head...The mental part of detox is much, much harder than the physical, a fact know to addicts. As far as helping you get over the mental struggle, you are really the only one who can do that, BUT, it sounds like you've pretty much listed out why you need to stop. You've put the reasons in writing, so to speak, and have shared with others. Bottom line, the meds will control you mentally; your head doesn't want you to stop, and it will whisper to you. Understand that and move on. It isn't easy, and that's why so many relapse. But understanding how your head works is a big step.
Keep posting. We're here to help.
K

[Whollymolythathurt]

Hi Olivia & welcome to the forum.   You will find some great info, support & people on this forum.  Many have much more experience & information than I & will be along shortly.

It sounds like your sick of the pill train and your right, the mental aspects of withdrawal are tougher than the physical.  Those first few days of detox are not fun so prepare yourself for that.  Take a look at the bottom of the page for the "Thomas Recipe"...it helps considerably during wd. (If CT)

First & foremost discuss with your doctor about getting off them.  For me it was simply seeing my doc & saying no more pills.  You can taper or go CT (as i did).  Most folks on here go CT because with any pills in the house the discipline is simply not there unless you have a spouse or friend you can absolutely trust to doll them out.  If you Doc is not the only source you'll need to cut the other sources also.

I'm day 15 & physically fine but admit the mental aspects are still present...they come in waves.  Its weird...

Again you'll find some great people on this site that seriously care about your well being & to getting clean.