Originally Posted by
idun 
Hi, I have been 6 days clean and have got through the worst of the physical withdrawal and very, very stupidly (spare me the lectures) used again today.
If I stay clean from this point on, will I have to go through the grueling 6 days again or will there be hardly any withdrawals?
Everyone experiences things differently, but in the past when I relapsed after 3 to 5 days (did that several times)---- it (thank God, Carl and Grandpa) did not make me any sicker... Possibly it prolonged my origial w/d a few days (the milder symptoms). Just my opinion, but I think you'll be okay if you stay sober. And don't be ashamed. Relapse is a part of recovery for some people hen they finally get serious about it... but you can't excuse yourself either. Try to learn from it, find something you learned about yourself. (i.e. that you can't keep the DOC at home, that you aren't strong enough to avoid it --- and there is NOTHING shameful about that. I have been clean since 3/4 days before Memorial day (the 3/4 because it was around midnight, it's a judgement call)... BUT ANYHOW.... I was looking for the keys to my storage closet, found one of my evil RX buddies, popped it in my mouth, had an arguement with myself, spit it out and then later felt like I was back at square one, but it will pass.
I'm now noticing (even though I'm either an insomniac or over-sleeper when my body has had enough)...
When I am well rested, I cope much better. I've read and I believe strongly in this: Even if you are unable to sleep, your body still needs rest, so even if you are just laying still, it's good for your body. Staying up all night is not and that is just common sense.
ONE thing that REALLY has helped me is finding my "happy place". Mine is the cottage that me, my Grandpa (RIP) and Grandma used to go as a child. This was a decade before drugs were even a forethought... I remember dipping my toes in the water when Grandpa took me out on the boat, I remember fishing for minnows, I remember my Grandmas cooking, how much I loved playing and jumping off the dock and HOW RELAXING IT WAS TO JUMP IN TO THE BUNK BED AT THE END OF THE NIGHT..
I was so exhausted from running around carefree, I would fall right asleep. I literally close my eyes and pretend I'm back in that cottage, back in that bed and it will bring an overwhelming feeling of peace and put me to sleep. (Staying asleep... I'm still working on).. but seriousy TO ANYONE READING... IF YOU HAVEN'T ...
FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE AND GO THERE.