What recovery care do you get ?

I think it's very important that we really impress the need for recovery care .Whether it be aa/na a different meeting or an addiction therapist a Church pastor .We all need recovery care.Plz share your recovery care ..The forum is great but it is not recovery care .Without care most members will relapse so plz take this seriously.

[GA Guy]

Thinking aftercare isn't necessary isn't some unique problem to just people in the beginnings of recovery. My answers to your posts weren't directly aimed at you per se. They were directed at all addicts reading them. They were also wrote by me and for MY benefit. I'm not a unique addict. I'm an every day garden variety dope fiend, and my disease will talk me into believing aftercare isn't needed anymore if I let it. I'm a selfish SOB. I guard my clean time with my life. I have sponsees, and I do service work. Helping them remain clean is a great motivator..but honestly, I do it to keep myself clean. I know you weren't minimizing aftercare. I am just taking the chance to talk to that little addict in all of us, and remind him of how important this really is. If I lend my disease even an ounce of a voice, he WILL talk me into using again. Aftercare keeps those voices down to a low whisper, and that's the best I can hope for. Someone once told me that aftercare to an addict not ready to quit was like stepping into hell, but when you've reached bottom...it's a step up.

[Beccabeccalynn]

I go to at least three AA or NA mettings a week I am also in the last phase of an intensive out-patient treatment. I read a daily reflection on line as well as this on line forum. I have learned thru all of these things how to recognize my addict thinking and behaviors and how to flip that thinking around into recovery thinking.  Basically I ask myself what do I need to do to get my head on the pillow tonight sober ? Then that is what I do. Great question! Becca  

[witsend0603]

I first came here but decided that wasn't enough... meetings aren't for me so I went to a very trusted person... my pastor.. confessed to him about what I had done and was given great great advice from him on what I should be doing to overcome... he is always there for me and takes my calls or will meet with me anytime at all... this was the right choice for me...

[avisg]

Its not enough its a great add to a recovery care it just not enough to be all you get. I see an addiction therapist .I have some other friends that are recovering that I talk to when I I need as well as being here .

[pepper1107]

I have a couple of questions?  I have seen on many posts that aftercare is a must.  This may seem like an obvious thing, But aftercare is a must for what?  Here is why I ask .  I think the more reinforcements the better and will begin aftercare on Friday, BUT it seems that many people do not want to do this and I think the embarasment is one thing and the other is that most think they can do without it.  But I am assuming that some of the people who have relapsed have done aftercare at some point,.  followed the rule of getting help and still relapsed.  This is very probably another BIG reason people do not do it since hey if I will relapse anyway, why go that route?  So if someone can chime in and speak to the benefits of aftercare and not necesarily to prevent relapse in all cases.  Some people say they have gone 7 years and then relapsed.  Did they go 7 yrs and no aftercare or did they have aftercare, stop and relapse?  I think the reality of it will help us all and not think that it is a 100% sure proof to freedom AND possibly understand what we might expect.
Thank you!

[GA Guy]

Here's a good reason...every single person on here with a year or more of clean time has an aftercare program. The law of averages should tell you that it's important. I will tell you the reality of things.....you WILL continue to relapse until you get aftercare. If any of us could do this alone there wouldn't be a forum like this. We'd all be cured.

[gnarly_1]

HI im a big believer in preventative medicine ..an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure..for me recovery care comes in many forms..for 1 I see an substance abuse conslor
weekly I have been for over 2yrs he was instrumental enough to Challenge me to try and get off the methadone in the first place now we focus on staying clean and what it takes to do that...he has been more then helpful...2 I attend a grace filled church thats not judgmental we have a small home group that I have shared my life and struggles with addiction with..they have been both supportive and prayed for me when I couldn't find it in myself to do so ...I also attend a all mens bible study its a small group and 3 of the members are addicts...again I share my life and struggles with them as we bring the word of God to life...I also attend N/A meeting if I start to crave... I make it a point to just drop in a couple of times a month ether way sometimes more then others we have a really cool N/A meeting here in phx at north mountain its outdoors with a fire pit its really cozy to go to...and of coarse theirs the forum...I read the posts daily and try to post from time to time but I find reading very therapeutic it helps me when im not involved with church activities my conslor or an n/a meeting...its just one more tool in recovery...the main thing is I have" go to people" my conslor makes himself available 24/7 by phone ...if I cant reach him I have brothers in my church several who are addicts so there is always someone to talk to when things start to get out of hand I think it is important we all have a list of people we can trust and go to to help get thew the ruff spots as well as just share our lives with these things make up my recovery....your friend and fellow addict Gnarly            

[pepper1107]

I am sorry you seem agitated by my question.  I do not know about the law of averages in regards to aftercare, especially when I see people who go  after relapse too.   I can speak from personal experience since I watched my Dad die at 10 years old after even attending AA meetings with him for years(At at Veterans location they had a kids room).  If you had a chance to read my post then you would see that I said I AM going to aftercare.  It saddens me that when a challenging question on something that is said to be a given is taken so adversely.  Whether you are a regular on here or only a few days clean like me I thought there would be support not negativity.  You may be a #1 poster on here and Thank God for all of the people you have helped .  But I am a survivor who knows that aftercare does not solve the issue.  I have a dead Daddy to prove it.  I do not need a law of averages..  You just motivated me by your certainty that I will relapse .

[avisg]

Very true GA GUY . I made it 6 months W/O recovery care. With it I am now close to 1000 days. It sure helped me. If I had not I would have continued to relapse .Can people go 7 years and then relapse sure it can happen but the chances are far less if they are in a recovery care program . Alot of times when you here of relapses like that they were getting recovery care and then with time stopped going as much or at all together and relapsed .I am sure if you look really hard you can find someone that was in recovery care that relapsed .
All I know  is what recovery care has done for myself and many of our members. I support it and think it  is needed 100 % of the time.

[pepper1107]

Thank you for the insight.  I truly asked because I realize I am a child of an addict and for years my brother and I did not drink or smoke.  I was shocked when he and I met up and he smokes and then I took a hard look at the pill intake and realize I had a problem.  I have a 6 year old daughter and I do not want for her what I had to endure without my Dad for 32 years.  I know that getting a few days clean is just the tip of the iceberg because beneath the original reason for the pills there is a reason that I continued to take them even when I was not in pain and I know it was not just the fear of wd's.  So watching my Dad and not really understanding it all, I just want to win this fight for me, my daughter and my Dad if that makes any sense.  I want to be able to get the most out of aftercare and not go in thinking that just because I attend I will beat this.  I get what you are saying that the support is important and to talk and continue to know why you want to stay clean even when those triggers where it began show up.
Thank you, for being supportive.

[GA Guy]

My answer did have agitation in it. It's because this is a life or death situation. I'd have the same agitation in my voice if you had said you were diabetic and wondered if insulin was absolutely necessary. You're also confusing "aftercare" with the process. Anyone can go to an AA or NA meeting..it's the process that keeps us sober. We're addicts in the grips of a disease. AA or NA isn't the "medicine" we take. It's the Hospital. The medicine is the program and the steps. Plenty of people go to AA and NA meetings and never work the program. The steps are simple, the work isn't. That's why relapse happens even in NA and AA. I lost a dear friend a couple of weeks ago who went to NA meetings for years. However, he never truly worked the first step. This is a life or death situation, and I'll do anything to not be that statistic of the ones that lost this battle. I'd rather be known in my community as the guy who is a recovering addict than the guy who died from an overdose.

[pepper1107]

I am not confusing anything.  It has been life or death in my life already.  No confusion there believe me.  I think you are not reading what I wrote you are reacting because you feel strongly about aftercare and that is wonderful.  I did not say it was not neccesary.  PLEASE READ.  What I meant was as we struggle with what ifs on some days it must be something that forces people not to go or to quit and think they can handle it.  I do not want to do that.  I just wanted to get some understanding from someone who struggled with it,maybe not you as you sound really sure of where you are and I hope one day to get there I really do.  I understood this time when you wrote that it is a process and basically I need to go through it but most importantly be a participant in my own recovery through that process not just sit there and wait for some magic to make all things better.  I am really sorry about the loss of your dear friend.  And I am sorry if my inquiry made you feel that I was minimizing the affect of aftercare.  I truly am trying to feel my way through this and wanted some insight.

[avisg]

I think you will find all of us have struggled with recovery care at some point .We all have tried to go it alone .That is why we are so serious about it .We have been down that road and we don't want other if possible to travel down it .Now with some they have to learn for themselves I know I was one of them ...

[GA Guy]

Thinking aftercare isn't necessary isn't some unique problem to just people in the beginnings of recovery. My answers to your posts weren't directly aimed at you per se. They were directed at all addicts reading them. They were also wrote by me and for MY benefit. I'm not a unique addict. I'm an every day garden variety dope fiend, and my disease will talk me into believing aftercare isn't needed anymore if I let it. I'm a selfish SOB. I guard my clean time with my life. I have sponsees, and I do service work. Helping them remain clean is a great motivator..but honestly, I do it to keep myself clean. I know you weren't minimizing aftercare. I am just taking the chance to talk to that little addict in all of us, and remind him of how important this really is. If I lend my disease even an ounce of a voice, he WILL talk me into using again. Aftercare keeps those voices down to a low whisper, and that's the best I can hope for. Someone once told me that aftercare to an addict not ready to quit was like stepping into hell, but when you've reached bottom...it's a step up.

[pepper1107]

Thank you,  I think I got it.  It's like when people won't wear a seat belt while driving and I usually think what are you nuts, if you are in an accident it could save your life.  It's like saying someone may be shooting at you today and you opt out of a armoured vest.  It is not a sure thing but your chances are close to 100% better with the protection. With being an addict we already know something will be coming at us every day.

[pepper1107]

You are not selfish as you would not be trying to help us, even if it helps you.  It scares me that at some point my Dad fell back in, even with his children at stake.  It scares me because for years I thought that what happened with him would keep me from ever being addicted to anything.  I think, rather I know all of these years I thought you can control addiction and that he just gave up.  Now I know that people like you and others on the Board fight every day and the drug is constantly trying to pull you back in. I thought all these years I had it figured out.  Thank you again.

[stilltrying1965]

I go to see my councilor once a week. Iv also tried aa na meetings that were not for me. My doctor has just started the tuesday clinic. Wich is basicaly for all addicts that are prescribed ther drugs there its the same as an aa or na meeting, we have to go to the tuesday clinic. But i dont like it much as after the meeting there are old friends i know who still offer drugs. Some have said to me that they only attend so the doctor does not stop there prescriptions.But one good thing is i have to stay very strong to abstain from buying anything thats on offer as i said i have to go so i can keep getting my diazipan. It would probibly be a great meeting but for the A ss holes who use it as a selling place all the addicts in the same place at the same time Some ppl trying to stay clean dont stand a chance.Works for some ppl i suppose though,,,,,,,,,,,,,,James  GREAT POST Avis

[worried878]

Aftercare seems like a must for most..for long term recovery...getting clean is the easy part for most of us who have managed to get some clean time behind us..the week/less or more for some depending on DOC, time of use, and daily dose/ of physical wd is so short in comparison to a lifetime of staying clean.  
Once an addict..guess we r always an addict..speaking of mentally addicted folks....if u think it is behind u..then just wait til ur life goes to poo poo or major losses stressors occur..that addict inside will wake up again and tell u to escape into ur old DOC again...like u used to do...but we know it never worked...but still the chances of listening to the addict in us when u feel the need for ur old unhealthy coping mechanism/escape/..vs using the new healthty ones,,can happen in a heartbeat if u r not doing the work u need to do on urself
I went to NA for a few months..swapped around..not alot of hcoices in NA here...AA is everywhere and felt at home there...many are cross addicted....I go at least twice a week now..but i times of weakness u may see me there everynight..I get my strength for it..and I do not feel so alone  (:

[krissy30]

I think the bottom line is this:  you will not quit until you want to.  I personally do not want the life I lived while on drugs.. And I was rock bottom.....I was pretty much homeless and pretty much had a life not an existence.  I do not want that life anymore, but I do not want a life w/o opiates.  I've heard people say there is no such thing as "can't".  But, i will tell you this....I am not on Heroin anymore....I moved out of the state....But, I cannot function w/o opiates....Since I do not want that Heroin existence (b/c it's really not a life) anymore, I don't even want to know where to get it....But, since I'd rather die than live w/o opiates...I do take oxy about 40 -50 mgs/day.....It's not nearly as much compared to the $200 or more Heroin habit I had...It's enough so that I do not feel like killing myself....Some of us have gone way beyond addict or even junkie....Even when I have been w/o opiates for 6 months or more it's like my brain doesn't function properly and after awhile I get so tired of wanting to go to sleep and not wake up....Please don't get me wrong I do not wish to kill my self...But, I do ask God why he keeps me alive....I am not an asset to society and I cannot even enjoy food, my cat, TV anything unless I have my opiates...I am totally broken....But, since I was an addict for so long just as many others...I am left with nothing....no job, no money...nothing to call my own...No driver's license....bills coming out of my ears...not to mention fines and warrants of arrest.....I guess I digress, my point is that an addict cannot be forced to get clean, it's something they have to want, really want!  They can't do it for mom or dad or daughter or son has to be them....I would love to get aftercare...personally I think I should really be on suboxone, but since these doctors take advantage of addicts and charge and arm and a leg I am unable to do that....

I am sorry, I don't mean to be a bummer, but I am really frustrated.  All I know is that my brain and body don't function properly any longer and since I lost everything I have (more than once) I have nothing left to give so these doctors will not help me.

[avisg]

Krissy you are not a bummer And I hear how much you are suffering suboxone does have a program that for some they will pay for your meds if you qualify If you want any info on it let me know I will find it .Have you tried any na or aa meetings?It would give you others in your area that can relate to what you are going threw .you have come along way ..You should be proud of yourself there is a reason you  are here and it might just be to help others that have been where you are ...let me know if you want that info

[GA Guy]

Suboxone therapy has become more and more affordable since a generic drug has been released. You may want to try and find a competent Sub doctor and check prices again.

[krissy30]

I tried about 2 weeks ago...it was outrageous...First let me start...I have no insurance or job right now I live in SC and it is not very easy to get help from the state w/o having children...which thank God I was smart enough not to have....(I can barely take care of myself)  I called a couple sub docs and they wanted to do physicals and tests before they would even prescribe subs...Which is crazy!!!  I was healthy enuff to do heroin for 12 or so years w/o ever over dosing, but I have to be healthy to get clean (take sub)..
Anyway, it added up to about $600 for the doctor alone not to mention the price of even a generic at a pharmacy....But avis said she was going to try to find some info for me, so hopefully that will be very helpful....It's just rediculous that these docs take an oath to help people than try to get over on addicts who have lost everything and only have their life left and they don't want to save lives unless they get a butt load of money for....Sorry life has left me very cynical  LOL

FYI  This is interesting...A few months ago I had a tooth that was infected and decaying out of my mouth...it was pretty bad!!!  I went to the ER (no ins. no money) and spent 2 1/2 hours waiting, finally a doc came in looked at it, wrote script for antibiotics and a script for vicodin (which I don't even feel) and gave me a perc while I was there....I was with him for not even 5 mins...I got the bill.....$1120....For nothing just a script for medicine....They don't pull teeth in the ER....Luckily I found a pretty cheap clinic, but now I have a collection agency on me for the hospital bill....Well, they can get in line with the rest!  LOL  My point is that doctors take advantage of our situations...it's not right and almost impossible to get any real help w/o money.

[avisg]

I will see what I can find BTW i live in sc as well.I think it would really help you

[avisg]

krissy ok go to this link and put suboxone in it will give you are the info .ok
http://www.rxassist.org/patients/default.cfm

[krissy30]

Thank you sooo much...I will definitely check it out.  I really need something!  My brain chemistry is just all screwy now!  I really did a number on myself.  Every time I hear of a younger person getting involved in these drugs...it breaks my heart b/c they will most def ruin any chances of a healthy happy life....

[krissy30]

I looked it up and got a number.  I will call tomorrow and let you know what they pay for.  Thanks again so much for caring so much!  Crystal

[avisg]

good yes let me know what they say that way we can let other know about it as well .I hope it will work for u if I can help out any other way let me now ..

[gizzy32]

Going back to N/A now and if that don't work, than I will find something else. Anything to stay clean. Ya know what? Aftercare does not ensure that we will stay clean 100%,  but it gives us such a better chance, a lot better chance. All I used to do was relapse, it became normal to me and I used to be so proud of myself in the past when i made it a few days clean, lol. If you want sobriety bad enough, THERE ARE NO EXCUSES. I had them all, but I woke up. Fight for what you believe in and believe in yourself first and foremost. I can't do this alone.

[dominosarah]

Live one day at a time as we dont know what tomorrow will bring........sara

[tomskat]

Hear hear Gizzy!You alwyas knpow what's on my mind,lol!!Exactly-if you want it bad enough you will fight and nevber let your guard down.Aftercare for me started with this site to help get me clean,made it 333 days then relapsed.Within that time I was doing NA.Back clean again and "lurkng" on here,responding to others .That seems to help me stay clean-not wanting to w/d again for the 100th time though either,lol.Seriously,I think aftercare is a must,as Worried stated and as Gizzy said it still doesn't ensure absolute sobriety.So,NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!!!!....Anne

[vicki595]

Well...what I've been doing hasn't been enough. I relapsed this past weekend,feel horrible,and have an appt. with my doctor on thursday. I will change my tracker. I am 3 days clean...again.
Vicki

[dominosarah]

What are you going to do differently this time?  You cant do this alone......sara

[vicki595]

Sara~  Everything will be different because everyone knows...I told everyone and I'll be going to an out patient facility everyday. Like a job. Because it is...
V.

[pharma9]

You are super brave to come back and admit to a defeat.
You are even more brave to start again and not be defeated by your addiction.
My thoughts and prayers go out to you in your battle.

[dominosarah]

V.......the truth will set you free.........sara

[vicki595]

That's right...my husband knew but no one else.  He's a doctor. He believed we could handle this together and we did and I did.  The problem,and this is important,is that I stopped going to meetings. It became difficult there where the meetings were held. There were folks hanging around outside trying to "sell things".I stopped feeling safe so I stopped going. I thought I was okay and I truly wasn't.  So...lesson learned.This was not a major slip but a slip none the less. I could even ignore it and forgive myself but I have to be honest here. It's important to me,personally.   I'm pretty disgusted right now but I'm working on the fix immediately.   I appreciate your support and kind words immensely.
Thanks~V.

[stilltrying1965]

Vicki plz dont beat yourself up coz you relapsed. We have all done it, but you came back addmited you relapsed that was like Pharma said very brave of you. Vicki you also give great advise on this forum, What im trying to say is this forum needs ya. So 3 days is great just keep working it do what you think is right for you. I also no what you mean by going to meetings and the scum of this earth are there praying on the ppl who are just starting there recovery. I think most places were ppl are trying to quit drugs is a breeding ground for dealers. I said it in my post to this question. So Vicki you do whats right for Vicki and im sure everything will be fine 3 days is an awesome start Vicki. Good luck my friend ,,,,,,James  

[vicki595]

Thanks James ~Sara and Pharma~ xo

[avisg]

vicki I thought you had told your neurologist about this in the beginning ,most important thing is everybody that needs to now knows. what is this outpatient program like .I have never heard about a daily thing .I would love to know maybe its something more people could become involved with plz share

[vicki595]

Avis~I did tell my neurologist in November. It was actually pretty comical. I said I took all these pills and felt like this blah blah and  he said"it's not possible" "Your lab work is perfect,CT scan normal".  I said I knew I took them and that was the cause of my feeling so terrible and wanted help and we sort of argued about it. So I gave up and let him think what he wanted. I did not ask for a prescription either. I was there for help.
So,I stopped(tapered)on my own,at home. I have not spoken to my medical doctor since November,until yesterday when I called her.
I don't know very much about the daily thing either.We'll speak about it tomorrow but  it's through the hospital.    And yes,it's most important to tell all concerned but I didn't tell everyone.Now the world knows and I'm ready to see my picture on CNN...
Vicki