When does the depression end?

[willyd340]

I have asked many times before but people dont seem to have this withdrawal problem. I can deal with the brutal first 4 days of withdrawal. I find that easy. Whats hard is the depression that takes over after. I am on day 9 ct from about 240 mgs of Oxy daily. I am currently not working, dont sleep all night and feel depressed most of the day. Please dont tell me to go for a walk because that bores me. I NEED to know if this depression is normal and will cease at some point. I dont believe I was ever depressed before I started the pills. Thank you

[worried878]

u asked not to tell u to take a walk..so i will not
i do knw endorphins r released with exercise///but to stay home and do nuttin as u r//i would be deopresed as well..dont mean to be negative..but staying busy helps me tons...have u even tried to get busy?  perhaps not do the horrendous walking stuff///but just stay busy during the day?
u know peeps not in wds get depressed not working and sitting home...u do not want to exercise obviously..but is there any activityu do feel like doing?  sometimes it is best to do it anyway//the endorphins can help heal...so sorry it bores u tho...gotta be a bumber///i also had no insomnia//slept 16 hrs a day on weekends..unlike u i had to work 5 days a week/which probably made it easier even tho it didnt seem so at the time...i was on the verge of relapse when i found help//working out and the aa protcol/thomas recipe//pumpoing up my meetings too...i was so low tho//melting into the couch///that nothing anyone suggested woulda bored me///i wanted to get better so bad i woulda tried anything..so i did...and i made it thru the continuous sleeping...did i feel like it?? NO...did I do it???YES///i wanted it so bad i was willing to try it
what r u doing now to help combat this?

[Tamethepain]

Dude!
When I first got sober 20 years ago I didn't understand why I was so sad & depressed all the time. Part of my problem was undiagnosed anxiety & depression. Prozac helped for a while but I have been on Zoloft now for years. I relapsed 5 years ago due to a hip replacement & continued to self medicate with Norco until 25 days ago. You may be suffering a real illness which may need to be treated much the same as if you have a cold that becomes pneumonia. See your MD. I know antidepressants aren't the answer but when we come down it can be a desolate, lonely & frighteneing place. Try some counseling or an NA meeting & don't be afraid to ask for help.

[Trying_hard19]

While using I was on a very low dose of Effexor.. (37.5mg a day)

Since Detoxing, I have jumped that dose to 150mg.. ( doctor is aware )

My doctor told me to stay on that dose for at least the next 6 months and warned about depression. I think if Depression is a major problem, seek medical help ..

[justme555]

Music has helped me a lot too,  especially wiht energy, motivation, and lifting my mood. Once I started withdrawal I started listening to music more than I have in many, many years. For me walks and fresh air help too, but like you said whatever helps us individually is good to do.

Also, I too thought when I got off pills the effects, like brain fog, would go away. I was shocked to find out my brain feels much the same as before so far (but more alert in a lot of ways too). My doctors never told me about the effects of longterm opiate use so I had no idea about any of this till I started to go through it.

[justme555]

I have the same thing with memories flooding back. It's a lot to take in all at once, memories and emotions that have been supressed for years. For me it helps to keep it in perspective and remember these are all normal parts of withdrawal and will ease up and are our brains and bodies come back to life and becoming more alert and not numb. Some good advice I got was to try to just focus on the present and the positive things (like the fact that you're off pills).

By the way, I took pills for pain and didn't develop an addiction but still am experiencing all the same symptoms and impatience and anxiety as everyone else. So you should know it's not necessarily an addiction issue but just the way opiates and opiate withdrawal affects the brain.

Wishing everyone peace and strength...

[dominosarah]

One of the biggest misconceptions is that once we stop taking pills it all goes away.  I for one thought that.  We have tortured ourselves with the pills and it just takes time.  I know it suks bad but it is all part of this.  I listen to music constantly and it really lifts me up.....NO you cant do that....Using is not an option here, staying in your recovery is!!   sara

[TroubledDude]

I know that feeling totally. To be honest, my fear of quitting does not lie in the physical part of it at all, it's the mental anguish. I get bombarded with memories from twenty years ago and get very emotional about everything. I end up feeling very alone and overwhelmed in the process too. My quit date is fast approaching and the depression and anxiety is what I fear the most

TD

[willyd340]

I think youre right Sara. I think I am very impatient. Especially when the thought pops into your head to just go buy one 80 mg oxy and take a little bite and BOOM you,re on top of the world. I CANNOT DO THAT

[witsend0603]

Yeah ,,, I don't have the dry mouth thing so much but I don't sleep well at all ... part of the journey though.. I know it will return someday.. just waiting for it to happen.. my husband doesn't have that problem he can sleep for several hours and never move... wish I had THAT problem

[dominosarah]

Depression is very common with this addiction.  We as addicts become very impatient after we stop using and expect to feel better right away.  It is a time thing and it will go away but you have to do something to help speed it up.  Find something that you like to do.  I wont tell you to take a walk but fresh air is good for you.  The more you get up and move around the better you will feel.........sara

[willyd340]

I am drinking TONS of water, but heres one more thing I dont know if others have this. All night long while trying to sleep, my mouth is dry as shoe leather. I have to rise up and take a drink of water every 10 minutes it seems like. Anyhow, as long as I can pretty well rely on the fact that I should be lifting from depression within a month, I think I can handle this

[witsend0603]

I have the depression .. alot of other people do too.. I am taking alot of vitamins and drinking water..  helps a little.. but I can tell you this addiction thing is just as much emotional as it is physical and I think others here would agree with me... I have done this once before so I KNOW it does get better.. and yes the depression is normal and I won't tell you to take a walk .. sometimes doesn't help me either... lol