Dealing with life right after you stoped your DOC

[avisg]

So you have done it you have stopped using your DOC you have gotten threw the weeks of physical withdrawal .Think wow I should feel on top of the world RIGHT ? I does not always work this way. Some people are left with depression fear of learning how to deal with thoughts and feelings they have not had to deal with in a very long time .Using made it easy not to have to deal with life and feelings .It was a major reason for my using .When you use for any length of time you change your brain chemistry. So now there you are not numb anymore not feeling the way you used to before you used drugs either .. The things you loved before or love to do before using don't appeal to you anymore. What do you do ? How do you relearn sober living ?First off give your self  a break and sometime .Your brain chemistry did not change over night. It wont repair itself over night either .Don't make any major life changing decisions in the first few months . If the depression seems overwhelming try some supplements see if they help .If they don't talk to your doctor about other options to start feeling better you deserve it . DONT BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF .If I had listened to my feelings and thoughts two or three weeks after I stopped using I would be divorced  now .Eat well, sleep well (this might take time ). It really is time to get yourself some help AA/NA a counselor a pastor SOMTHING this site is great but you need a face to face support system.Life will get better and happiness does come again just remember you didn't get here over night you wont get well over night either.

[soreadytodetox]

thanks for this post today has been a bad day just like im in my 5or 6 day of ct of the snorting percs again! but also i am tending to a friend who od and she is getting to be a hand full! but i have felt wrong all day! shaky,sick on stomach,nervious, and craving so bad! my friend keeps telling me just take a couple you quit to fast. im 40 days clean from a 20plus snorting perc habit. i just wasnt expecting it and it hit me so fast!!!! i just dont want to relapse!!!!!!  i was so scare the way i was feeling it feels so differnt!! thanks for the info. i just wasnt sure! your thew best   thanks again   sherri

[avisg]

ohhhh it made me motivated as well .I could work very long hours then take care of my family go for a jog ,you name it i did it ...I just happened to be numb at the same time.

[gg222]

A year...omg...that makes me more depressed!!! Ughhhhhh life sure likes to slap ya in the face as much as it can, doesn't it....looks like it's gonna be a long a** year!!! haha

[Decisions]

I think it takes a year or more to stop craving or thinking about  the DOC.
I would hope that most autonomic systems come back online faster than a year. But the 'reward' system of taking is emmed into the brain for a long time.  Also, I have heard the many of our DOCs are stored in fat cells, and leach out over time... a long time.
Again  I am not an expert, but if the DOC is leached out into the body and bloodstream, certainly this could prolong the cravings, and the body's desire to want more.

Also, I would point out that in my case, I NEVER numbed up.  I can say for sure, that in most cases it helped me get motivated, and I got some pretty good work done on them.  This is NOT a commercial for continuing a DOC.  Simply, at some point, it becomes necessary to take just to FEEL normal.  So, when stopping that that point, is when I think the body really , really makes things tough on a person...
just my .02!!!!

[NautyOne]

My sister is a Nurse.  When she worked in a psyc. ward .....where they did rapid detox she learned a lot, and pretty much says it take 1year for the brain to recover....thats why addiction is such a nasty disease.....1 year.....Oiy!  thats why we are so prone to relapse.....

[GoingToMakeIt]

BTT

[Shattered]

I know.. Things are OK... Been lurking for a couple of weeks..I send ya a PM.. Really good to hear from ya AVIS...I've Missed you guys

[avisg]

Shattered ,
LTNS How have you been !!!! You have been missed !!!
Avis

[Shattered]

As always, Gret advice AVIS!

[GoingToMakeIt]

this really is valuable information. We spend so much time getting ourselves and others clean that we don't put as much emphasis on staying clean.
   Staying clean is by far harder to do then getting clean. It takes so long and much patience to see it through. There are many obstacles to overcome. Depression, total lack of energy and drive, emotions all over the place, trying to rediscover who you really are with out these drugs and then realizing that you have changed because of these drugs. It is a process.

[desperate1111]

i have found it difficult to get interested in things that i used to enjoy. i have to push myself. i also discovered i don't like certain people like i did when i was using. i guess i was numb all over. but life is good w/o the pills!!!!

[Penelope14]

I couldnt agree with you more!  During my first month & a half off methadone, I was so emotional & pritty much all over the place, & was ready to pack my bags & get out of my marriage & quit my job, looking back I often wonder, what was I thinking? How insane, but after taking methadone for 5 years, it takes time to reajust. It,s now been 3 months since I,ve been methadone free, & I,ve learned how to cope much better in my personal life & my job is much easier now that Im not feeling weak & thinking constantly about withdrawals. I also attend na, which has played a huge role in my success. Thanks Avis!!!

[worried878]

Good post...and so true...so many get impatient waiting on the energy to return and the depression to lift...it can take 90 days to see a big improvement in the mental thing stats say.....thanks for the reminder avis