stress at parents for thanksgiving

[steveo30]

the holidays are always tough for me.i just started tapering off 10-10mg's of hydros,went down to 9 in the last 3 days.i know i'm gonna screw that up tomorrow.i'll be around immediate family,plus my kids.i know that i will have a few beers,because i dont want to feel uncomfortable.i also know that i will probably do about 12 hydros,just to make sure i dont look under the weather around family and kids.it may sound like an excuse,but thats simply what i will do.my family dosen't understand this stuff,and want to enjoy the day.this is how i've been handling these type of scenarios.i almost feel safer at home.need help

[persnick38]

I can relate. Not only have I just had one of the most stressful weeks I've ever had at work but as much as I love my family, holidays stress me to the max!

I really encourage you to try to stick with your current plan. At least start the day with the attitude and plan that that is what you are going to do. Every time you have a craving or temptation to reach for more pills, make yourself wait at least 10-15 minutes and remove yourself from the situation. Take a walk, just go outside for a few, whatever works. Just promise yourself that you will wait 10-15 minutes - or even better, longer -before you take a pill.

This has worked for me - especially this week that has been so stressful. Every time I thought about reaching for a pill, I convinced myself to wait, did something to distract myself and prayed for strength. It really does work.

Part of addiction is about immediate gratification. If you can "train" yourself to delay your gratification, you will be that much closer to reaching and maintaining sobriety. I'm sure you've heard the AA motto "one day at a time." Well, for some of us before we can get to one day at a time, we have to start with one minute at a time.

I wish you luck tomorrow and will pray for you. I really believe you can do this. If I can do it, anyone can!

[worried878]

or hand them over to someone to trust and i guarantee u will only do 9 and feel tons better about urself..tapering can be self defeating and make u feel extremely weak and frustrated...best to either have someone holdur pills and write out a strict taper..then pick a QUIT day..and be done...CT is often easier in the long run due to emotional stress that tapering causes an addict...is very humiliating to say the least

[TRMs_wife]

why not stick with the 9 for tomorrow?? that way you'll still have your meds so you don't look sick AND you're sticking with your taper?? and I'm sure you know but I'm going to say it anyways, it's so bad for your liver to drink and take those pills. the tylenol and alcohol are such a abad mix. try to be strong and stick with your taper.......... we believe in you

[laurel453]

but, please, steve you are heading for failure before it does happen !! this is not going to make you feel better, just the opposite and you well know this otherwise you wouldn't be  here asking for help. so you don't want this for you, and this is good asking for help. Maybe  there is something even if its a little bit that you need changing here to make you feel better about this time spent with the family, right ?

first it would be about the anxiety you are already feeling...maybe having a good warm bath tonight and a healthy walk to start the day tomrrow...

instead of being r4ady for disaster,  maybe set for success, or even try to take less than nine tomorrow or just do something you have never did before in those celebrations so that at the end of the day instead of feeling bad about yourself  you gonna feel even better...and be positive you can do it...its only one day more and you can forget about drinking any alcohol for instance ( this is usually a trigger for us so you would be "winning" and feeling better if you keep far from alcohol  tomorrow) ....find a sort of mantra for tomorrow...something like " nothing even the family or even the holiday with them is worse than living an addiction so i would put up with them ! " .....i don't know...  try everything but this plan that you have already imagined now, please...you can do it , be positive that you can do it ...:)