how do you stop thinking of pills??

[flamingogirl1]

so im currentyl weaning off the oxys im using percoets for the most part i only take  a 20mg oxy in the morning and then i take perks the rest of my dosage for the day. but all i seem to do all day at ork is think i about how good it use to feel to be high on pills all day and how much easier worked seemed then. and then i keep thinking about my next dosage and its driving me crazy!1 what can i do to take my mind off of the damn pills?

[Sarah231]

In time it will become less and less of an obcession.

Until then, try not to glamorize the drugs.
Remember how frustrating it was to run out of pills or planning your day/weekend etc around how many pills you have.

Think about how terrible it would be to get caught taking so many pills.

Wear a rubber band around your wrist and snap it whenever you find yourself wanting a pill.

Take a huge deep breathe until the crave passes or lessens.

And think of every pain of withdrawal as the poisen leaving your body.

[Korley]

I am having this problem too. I told my husband last night that I wanted a new brain. But I was reading my 12 step book last night from A.A. I read through all of step one and it talked about the mental obsession. It said that this mental obsession cannot be removed w/ human willpower. So yes, the best answer to this would be prayer. We just have to be vigilant in our prayer and know that God will remove this obsession. Were you that happy using the pills anyway?

[CATUF]

Two suggestions:

1) Take a look at the Amino Acid Protocol (www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Amino-Acid-Protocol/show/15?cid=66)
Better yet, get a copy of Dr. Gant's book End Your Addiction Now

2)  Pray about it -- most people that I know in sustained Recovery say that prayer works, even if you don't believe in it/doubt it, etc.  

When I was in early Recovery someone suggested that I deal with the almost constant cravings by praying "please remove the obsession and compulsion to use, please remove the obsession and compulsion to use, please . . ." over and over again until the obsession passed.  

Sometime before I hit 6 months, someone else suggested that what I was saying in that prayer was a bit like praying "please don't let me think about the monkey on the couch, please don't let me think about the monkey on the couch, please don't let me . . . ."  How could I avoid thinking about the monkey on the couch when I was actively keeping the phrase "monkey on the couch" alive in my mind.  This person suggested that I come up with a prayer that was for what I wanted instead of relief from the thing I wanted to stop.  What I came up with was "please grant me peace and serenity in my Recovery."  That worked better for me.

CATUF

[joann1975]

Great advice eagle....I am still asking myself that flamingo....I know when I quit smoking during the first part I used tootsie pops for awhile.... right now I distract myself with playing with my kiddo and trying to help others.... also I am now reading to educate myself.... and going to start swimming w/my toddler when the rain lets up!!!

Flamingogirl..you will find something....it gets better.....and when you are off them totally you realize you are better out of the "haze" they had you in....and you remember stuff better! I do anyways!

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

You will likely need a multidisciplinary approach for this.....do you meditate at all? Yoga, cho gong, things you can do in a short time even sitting in a chair for a minute - breathing exercises, Most libraries have good cd's on relaxation and relaxing / distracting techniques. Watch a good comedy movie - or whatever you like. Read a book. Next time a pill starts sounding good.....think about how nice it would be to be reclining under a palm tree, next to the surf, with seven shades of water spread out in front of you and cold shrimp in a bucket with cocktail sauce. Just get your mind off those pills!!!