Aa
PAWS~NEED SUPPORT
I am just having a really hard day today. I beleive I am going through PAWS, and just need support.
Hey sweetie:
I'm so sorry that I did not see this post until today! I was not on the computer all weekend! Anyway, I'm glad you received so much help and as you told me in your PM that you're doing much better! I'm so happy about that! You know I love you!!!
I am so inspired by you and the strength that you have - I'm also so proud of you!!!
Love ya tons!!!!
I'm so sorry that I did not see this post until today! I was not on the computer all weekend! Anyway, I'm glad you received so much help and as you told me in your PM that you're doing much better! I'm so happy about that! You know I love you!!!
I am so inspired by you and the strength that you have - I'm also so proud of you!!!
Love ya tons!!!!
how inspiring m-mom....u know we worry so much here on earth...and all we are doing here is waiting to go somewhere else..somewhere better....almost makes this life seem trivial in a way....but really the only thing we are accomplishing here/if we Beleive/is where we will go when we leave here
life is so short and can be taken away in a blink of an eye.....sometimes reflecting on that point can makes me live in the "moment" i think/for me anyway/ I have spent so much time here on earth worrying about a past i can not change and a future that may never come....when all i need to do is live right this second ....cos u know this second will never ever repeat itself again....remembering why i quit is a good thing as when i do...as it is not so 'exciting" anymore...it helps
life is so short and can be taken away in a blink of an eye.....sometimes reflecting on that point can makes me live in the "moment" i think/for me anyway/ I have spent so much time here on earth worrying about a past i can not change and a future that may never come....when all i need to do is live right this second ....cos u know this second will never ever repeat itself again....remembering why i quit is a good thing as when i do...as it is not so 'exciting" anymore...it helps
worried thanks for the post.
Reasons I quit: I know a lot of people say this, but I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It was my choice to quit, no one forced me. The drugs were affecting every aspect of my life. I wanted to feel alive again, and be happy and healthy in order to take care of my family and be a good role model for my daughter. The drugs started to rob me of everything. Nothing made me happy, not even being a mother, and that breaks my heart and gives me the courage to fight this battle. I didn't quit because I no longer had access to drugs, just a phone call a way, but I choose not to make that call. I didn't quit because I ran out of money, I quit because I choose to live life drug free.
Wannabefree, I did feel better after I cried, and it's really not that bad feeling these feelings. I need to be able to feel, I have been numb for to long! I prayed to God, and then I opended my Bible, and I asked Go for the strength to give me guidence to find a Bible verse that would help me. I closed my eyes, opened my Bible and this is what I read: I would have you learn this great fact: that a life of doing right is the wiset life there is. If you live that kind of life, you'll not limp or stumble as you run. Carry out my instructions, don't forget them, for they will lead you to the real living.
Reasons I quit: I know a lot of people say this, but I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It was my choice to quit, no one forced me. The drugs were affecting every aspect of my life. I wanted to feel alive again, and be happy and healthy in order to take care of my family and be a good role model for my daughter. The drugs started to rob me of everything. Nothing made me happy, not even being a mother, and that breaks my heart and gives me the courage to fight this battle. I didn't quit because I no longer had access to drugs, just a phone call a way, but I choose not to make that call. I didn't quit because I ran out of money, I quit because I choose to live life drug free.
Wannabefree, I did feel better after I cried, and it's really not that bad feeling these feelings. I need to be able to feel, I have been numb for to long! I prayed to God, and then I opended my Bible, and I asked Go for the strength to give me guidence to find a Bible verse that would help me. I closed my eyes, opened my Bible and this is what I read: I would have you learn this great fact: that a life of doing right is the wiset life there is. If you live that kind of life, you'll not limp or stumble as you run. Carry out my instructions, don't forget them, for they will lead you to the real living.
Contrary to what we addicts believe,........crying is really beneficial and a HEALTHY way to let our emotions out. One of our biggest problems is that we do not deal with our emotions and many times.....don't know how to. On top of that, we have used drugs to deal with life for so long, when I would feel an emotion I had a tough time even figuring out WHAT I was feeling. So, GOOD FOR YOU!!! don't be ashamed of crying, it is a natural response. Let yourself feel, let yourself react.....and move on.
A journal can be very helpful not only now, but every day. Sometimes when I start feeling gloomy, or even feel that something just isn't right......I get out my journal......write down what i'm feeling.......what is going on in my life (physical, emotional, spiritual, mental) and what I'm doing about it. Then, I take time to look back at my previous journals where I was fresh out of detox and brand new to recovery........It helps me remember what I went through and then I realize I can make it through ANYTHING!!!! It also allows me to recognize positive changes I have made and it reinforces my wanting to stay clean and do anything I can to help someone else.
Another thing that may help, is service. Get involved in helping someone else who is going through what you went through. It helps you get out of your own mind, and focus on something else.
Stay positive, and stay strong.
A journal can be very helpful not only now, but every day. Sometimes when I start feeling gloomy, or even feel that something just isn't right......I get out my journal......write down what i'm feeling.......what is going on in my life (physical, emotional, spiritual, mental) and what I'm doing about it. Then, I take time to look back at my previous journals where I was fresh out of detox and brand new to recovery........It helps me remember what I went through and then I realize I can make it through ANYTHING!!!! It also allows me to recognize positive changes I have made and it reinforces my wanting to stay clean and do anything I can to help someone else.
Another thing that may help, is service. Get involved in helping someone else who is going through what you went through. It helps you get out of your own mind, and focus on something else.
Stay positive, and stay strong.
that article is our very resourceful "health pages" can u list the reasons u quit for us?
Intervening On An Episode Of Craving by Cathy:
Since craving is a normal and natural symptom of addiction that follows the addict into recovery, it is important for addicts to learn how to deal with craving in recovery. This is done by learning and practicing a number of steps.
1. Recognize Craving: Addicts must learn how to recognize a craving while it is happening. Many addicts fail to identify mild cravings as problematic and wait until they are in a full blown, severe craving before taking action.
2. Accept Craving As Normal: Many people experience a craving, panic, and believe there is something wrong with their recovery or that they are condemned to return to cocaine use. This is not true.
3. Go Somewhere Else: The craving was probably activated by an environmental trigger, so get out of the setting you're in and get into an environment that supports sobriety.
4. Talk It Through: If you talk it through, you don't have to act it out. Addicts need to talk about their cravings as soon as they occur to discharge the urge to use.
5. Aerobic Exercise: This stimulates brain chemistry and reduces the physiology of craving.
6. Eat A Healthy Meal: Eat a healthy meals in order to nourish the brain. Consume some lean fish or meat for protein and eat some whole wheat bread or baked, potatoes or brown rice for complex carbohydrates. It also helps to take some vitamins and amino acids to help stabilize brain chemistry imbalances.
7. Meditation And Relaxation: Cravings are worse when a person is under high stress. The more a person can relax, the lower the intensity of the craving.
8. Distraction: divert attention from the craving by engaging in other activities that productively distract the person from their feelings.
9. Remember Cravings Are Time-limited: The ninth step is to remember that most craving is time limited to two or three hours. If you can use the previous eight steps to get yourself fatigued enough to fall asleep, most people wake up and the craving is gone.
It is possible to understand craving and to learn how to manage craving without returning to drug use. A model that allows people to identify set-up behaviors, trigger events, and the cycle of craving itself, and intervening upon this process has proven effective in reducing relapse among addicts.
Since craving is a normal and natural symptom of addiction that follows the addict into recovery, it is important for addicts to learn how to deal with craving in recovery. This is done by learning and practicing a number of steps.
1. Recognize Craving: Addicts must learn how to recognize a craving while it is happening. Many addicts fail to identify mild cravings as problematic and wait until they are in a full blown, severe craving before taking action.
2. Accept Craving As Normal: Many people experience a craving, panic, and believe there is something wrong with their recovery or that they are condemned to return to cocaine use. This is not true.
3. Go Somewhere Else: The craving was probably activated by an environmental trigger, so get out of the setting you're in and get into an environment that supports sobriety.
4. Talk It Through: If you talk it through, you don't have to act it out. Addicts need to talk about their cravings as soon as they occur to discharge the urge to use.
5. Aerobic Exercise: This stimulates brain chemistry and reduces the physiology of craving.
6. Eat A Healthy Meal: Eat a healthy meals in order to nourish the brain. Consume some lean fish or meat for protein and eat some whole wheat bread or baked, potatoes or brown rice for complex carbohydrates. It also helps to take some vitamins and amino acids to help stabilize brain chemistry imbalances.
7. Meditation And Relaxation: Cravings are worse when a person is under high stress. The more a person can relax, the lower the intensity of the craving.
8. Distraction: divert attention from the craving by engaging in other activities that productively distract the person from their feelings.
9. Remember Cravings Are Time-limited: The ninth step is to remember that most craving is time limited to two or three hours. If you can use the previous eight steps to get yourself fatigued enough to fall asleep, most people wake up and the craving is gone.
It is possible to understand craving and to learn how to manage craving without returning to drug use. A model that allows people to identify set-up behaviors, trigger events, and the cycle of craving itself, and intervening upon this process has proven effective in reducing relapse among addicts.
Thank you guys~Not having any cravings just the mental stuff, no energy. My husband is out Christmas shopping, I called my mom to come get my little girl, and as soon as they left I broke out into tears. It just came from out of nowhere! I will beat this i'm determined. Posting really does help, thanks again.
Those are 2 great post...Amy, i had PAWS twice , and it is no picnic..I definetly had to keep myself out of my head!!! I had to find something to do..not sure how your weather is, but a walk does wonders...Also for me, a good movie..I know it takes alot to get to doing something else, but you HAVE too....Also posting was a great thing to do..Stay Strong, talk to us if you have too, call a good friend...
you can do this, it will pass i promise!!!
r2r
you can do this, it will pass i promise!!!
r2r
Do whatever you can to keep your mind off of......well your mind! This is a tough time of year in itself let alone dealing with recovery and addiction. Times when we feel SOoo overwhelmed, and it brings back thoughts of using, and escaping the present. There are other ways to deal with wanting to use and escape. You can PHYSICALLY remove yourself from wherever you feel overwhelmed........go to a movie.......go for a drive......cuddle up with a blanket and get deep into a good book......call a friend or meet a friend for coffee.....go to a meeting. This WILL pass. Sometimes PAWS lasts longer than other times, but knowing it WILL pass is a big help. Do something to distract your thinking. When we isolate, we start to think.........and our brain is a DANGEROUS place for us.
Keep moving forward, and don't look back.
Keep moving forward, and don't look back.
I'm sorry your having a hard day Amy. Your right around that month mark and it could be PAWS. Are you craving bad also? Just think of what we just put ourselves through with our relapses and how long it takes to feel better, pills are the last thing you need right now. I know it's hard when we are craving or feeling down, but try to stay busy, turn on the tunes, bake me some christmas cookies, go for a walk, some excercise will help and keep your mind from negative thoughts. Have you read up on PAWS in the health pgs? Hang in there, im around for a bit again if you need to talk. You have come a long way so hold your head high and get through this, we are here for you girl:)
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