Aa
Do cravings/urges diminish significantly after a certain time period?
Dr. Horvath,
I have read the info on your site - helpful stuff! (really!)
The one answer I did not find is whether there is a certain threshold point, like a month, or a year, in which your cravings to use significantly diminish. I know a person's pain and physiology has a lot to do with it, but in your experience, is there a common denominator time length when this happens? I would be interested in opinions from from my friends here too.
I am now seeing what everyone says about gettng clean being easier than staying clean, like getting clean was easy! Easy like a root canal followed by a gasoline enema!
Over the last two days, I have hourly knock down - drag out sword fights with myself over getting some relief with the lowest dose of Vicodin possible. It goes something like this "You are in pain, get some relief and just keep your dose low". "You fool, you are a drug addict. One pill per day means 12 pills per day eventually".
With God's help and the folks here, I have won both days. I am now at day 32 - no narcotics whatsover. Will this get any easier after a month, three months, 6, a year?
Thanks for the help.
Rex
I have read the info on your site - helpful stuff! (really!)
The one answer I did not find is whether there is a certain threshold point, like a month, or a year, in which your cravings to use significantly diminish. I know a person's pain and physiology has a lot to do with it, but in your experience, is there a common denominator time length when this happens? I would be interested in opinions from from my friends here too.
I am now seeing what everyone says about gettng clean being easier than staying clean, like getting clean was easy! Easy like a root canal followed by a gasoline enema!
Over the last two days, I have hourly knock down - drag out sword fights with myself over getting some relief with the lowest dose of Vicodin possible. It goes something like this "You are in pain, get some relief and just keep your dose low". "You fool, you are a drug addict. One pill per day means 12 pills per day eventually".
With God's help and the folks here, I have won both days. I am now at day 32 - no narcotics whatsover. Will this get any easier after a month, three months, 6, a year?
Thanks for the help.
Rex
Oops!
Sorry for re-posting other people's posts underneath my own comments, in the above post.
What I'm saying finishes under the PS paragraph.
Apologies for any confusion & infringement of copyright!
Disjointed
Sorry for re-posting other people's posts underneath my own comments, in the above post.
What I'm saying finishes under the PS paragraph.
Apologies for any confusion & infringement of copyright!
Disjointed
Dear JBB,
I hope you are not feeling too groggy after taking your aunt's medication, and that the whisky hasn't left you with a bad hangover - also that stealing from a family member hasn't left you with too many bridges to repair.
From my own history, I am aware of the destructive effect on trust between family members that the behavioural effects of addiction can have - when in many cases strong family ties are what's needed for helping someone climb out of the pit of drug abuse. It can be a viscious circle.
JBB, in your ten years on heroin, would I be right in assuming that this is not your first de-tox attempt? Could I go further and ask if you have not in fact tried several times before, using gradual withdrawal programmes & perhaps methadone? Perhaps you have also been on a residential de-tox too?*
These programmes work very well for some people, however for others, even after the physical withdrawal has gone, they start using again because they find life very hard to deal with without the drug. It can sometimes take a while, months or even a year or more, to find and learn new ways of relating to the world which bring equal rewards in reality to those false rewards which the opiate used to bring. Until then, the possibility of just one impulsive urge to solve one of life's inevitable problems by having 'just one hit' can be a real danger.
I'm not suggesting that you stay on naltrexone for ever and a day; merely that when you do take the decision to come off it, it should be a considered decision, taking into account how deeply you have ingrained your new non-druggie thoughts and behaviour into your personality and lifestyle.
One last thing - for the depression which you feel and your impulsive behaviour, have you considered cognitive-behavioural therapy? It has a good track record with these problems. If you can't afford CBT there may be a useful self-CBT book for you which I could look up for you.
Best wishes, and I hope you're not in too much trouble with your aunt!
Disjointed
* If my hunch is right about your history, it's not because I am telepathic - it's just that ten years is a very long time to be on such a serious drug as heroin without a few attempted de-toxes, and also that a naltrexone IMPLANT is usually a very last resort in my experience.
Thanks to all of you who have given me kind advice and support. I was just so confused after disjointed's comments. I found those sad stories so depressing. I went to my great-aunt's house after reading disjointeds message, and stole her temazepam. I have only taken a few, with some whisky, now I don't know where I am, all I know is some of the pain has gone away.
I think maybe Mr Michael67 is right. I think I will get rid of this implant. I am just going to take temazepam and whisky instead to take the edge off.
As for you disjointed, your 'advice' was not in the least helpful - where were you when your friends died? Was this the kind of advice you were giving them before they died?
Peace
Johnbrownsbody
C54 begbie
(28-Dec-02) disjointed As addict or in your words "JUNKIE",I find your responce to jjb way out of line,it obvious this person is in the early stages of recovery so leave him alone with your horse **** advice.PS HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN IMPLANT? I think not.
C55 mrmichael67
(28-Dec-02) . I never told anyone to "abandon" anything. I said to try it for one time. The effects should be almost intstant in the relative scheme of things....a few days to a week. If it doesn't help at all, go back on it. I think that would be an intelligent move. I know what that black hole depression is like and who the hell wouldn't want to try what they had to try to alleviate it. I know I would. Of course, one would have to have other tools to help keep clean. Go to a meeting every day if that is what it takes. Three months is a long time to go. One hell of an achievement. Time to let your body start to work the way it is meant to. I couldn't imagine waiting three years to feel good, or better actually, not necessarily good. Like I have said, naltrexone is an excellent tool to get one over the hump. It helps to get that precious time under one's belt. But, it is intended for short term use.
I hope you are not feeling too groggy after taking your aunt's medication, and that the whisky hasn't left you with a bad hangover - also that stealing from a family member hasn't left you with too many bridges to repair.
From my own history, I am aware of the destructive effect on trust between family members that the behavioural effects of addiction can have - when in many cases strong family ties are what's needed for helping someone climb out of the pit of drug abuse. It can be a viscious circle.
JBB, in your ten years on heroin, would I be right in assuming that this is not your first de-tox attempt? Could I go further and ask if you have not in fact tried several times before, using gradual withdrawal programmes & perhaps methadone? Perhaps you have also been on a residential de-tox too?*
These programmes work very well for some people, however for others, even after the physical withdrawal has gone, they start using again because they find life very hard to deal with without the drug. It can sometimes take a while, months or even a year or more, to find and learn new ways of relating to the world which bring equal rewards in reality to those false rewards which the opiate used to bring. Until then, the possibility of just one impulsive urge to solve one of life's inevitable problems by having 'just one hit' can be a real danger.
I'm not suggesting that you stay on naltrexone for ever and a day; merely that when you do take the decision to come off it, it should be a considered decision, taking into account how deeply you have ingrained your new non-druggie thoughts and behaviour into your personality and lifestyle.
One last thing - for the depression which you feel and your impulsive behaviour, have you considered cognitive-behavioural therapy? It has a good track record with these problems. If you can't afford CBT there may be a useful self-CBT book for you which I could look up for you.
Best wishes, and I hope you're not in too much trouble with your aunt!
Disjointed
* If my hunch is right about your history, it's not because I am telepathic - it's just that ten years is a very long time to be on such a serious drug as heroin without a few attempted de-toxes, and also that a naltrexone IMPLANT is usually a very last resort in my experience.
Thanks to all of you who have given me kind advice and support. I was just so confused after disjointed's comments. I found those sad stories so depressing. I went to my great-aunt's house after reading disjointeds message, and stole her temazepam. I have only taken a few, with some whisky, now I don't know where I am, all I know is some of the pain has gone away.
I think maybe Mr Michael67 is right. I think I will get rid of this implant. I am just going to take temazepam and whisky instead to take the edge off.
As for you disjointed, your 'advice' was not in the least helpful - where were you when your friends died? Was this the kind of advice you were giving them before they died?
Peace
Johnbrownsbody
C54 begbie
(28-Dec-02) disjointed As addict or in your words "JUNKIE",I find your responce to jjb way out of line,it obvious this person is in the early stages of recovery so leave him alone with your horse **** advice.PS HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN IMPLANT? I think not.
C55 mrmichael67
(28-Dec-02) . I never told anyone to "abandon" anything. I said to try it for one time. The effects should be almost intstant in the relative scheme of things....a few days to a week. If it doesn't help at all, go back on it. I think that would be an intelligent move. I know what that black hole depression is like and who the hell wouldn't want to try what they had to try to alleviate it. I know I would. Of course, one would have to have other tools to help keep clean. Go to a meeting every day if that is what it takes. Three months is a long time to go. One hell of an achievement. Time to let your body start to work the way it is meant to. I couldn't imagine waiting three years to feel good, or better actually, not necessarily good. Like I have said, naltrexone is an excellent tool to get one over the hump. It helps to get that precious time under one's belt. But, it is intended for short term use.
Some places offer the implant and that's it. Some places don't leave it in the hands of the patient. It has nothing to do with a mental evaluation or anything like that. They just don't do it.
I never told anyone to "abandon" anything. I said to try it for one time. The effects should be almost intstant in the relative scheme of things....a few days to a week. If it doesn't help at all, go back on it. I think that would be an intelligent move. I know what that black hole depression is like and who the hell wouldn't want to try what they had to try to alleviate it. I know I would. Of course, one would have to have other tools to help keep clean. Go to a meeting every day if that is what it takes. Three months is a long time to go. One hell of an achievement. Time to let your body start to work the way it is meant to. I couldn't imagine waiting three years to feel good, or better actually, not necessarily good. Like I have said, naltrexone is an excellent tool to get one over the hump. It helps to get that precious time under one's belt. But, it is intended for short term use.
As addict or in your words "JUNKIE",I find your responce to jjb way out of line,it obvious this person is in the early stages of recovery so leave him alone with your horse **** advice.PS HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN IMPLANT? I think not.
Thanks to all of you who have given me kind advice and support. I was just so confused after disjointed's comments. I found those sad stories so depressing. I went to my great-aunt's house after reading disjointeds message, and stole her temazepam. I have only taken a few, with some whisky, now I don't know where I am, all I know is some of the pain has gone away.
I think maybe Mr Michael67 is right. I think I will get rid of this implant. I am just going to take temazepam and whisky instead to take the edge off.
As for you disjointed, your 'advice' was not in the least helpful - where were you when your friends died? Was this the kind of advice you were giving them before they died?
Peace
Johnbrownsbody
I think maybe Mr Michael67 is right. I think I will get rid of this implant. I am just going to take temazepam and whisky instead to take the edge off.
As for you disjointed, your 'advice' was not in the least helpful - where were you when your friends died? Was this the kind of advice you were giving them before they died?
Peace
Johnbrownsbody
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