femmejolie

Hey SR

After years of heavy opiate use I detoxed in March, I have used 3 times since then, but otherwise clean. I realize I have to keep starting over every time I have a slip. I know this is awful, but I have come a LONG way, I was also heavily addicted to benzos and speed, have not used either since my detox. I never thought I'd ever be able to be as sober as I am.

Why is it that the only thing I crave is Opiates? I tend to glamorize my drug use, everything was more fun then, everything was more alive, My art was better than ever, I WANTED to get out and be in the sun and enjoy life.

Now every day sober just seems to be so dull, I am a stimulation addict, I know that excersice helps and trust me I am working out. But will my energy ever be up again? It seems I am just walking through the motions of life, sleeping in on sunny days, convincing my partner to stay in bed with me for days. At the end of these days however I am still proud of achieving another day sober, but the only thing I could think of that would get me jumping out of bed would be some pills.

I suppose my question is, former opiate addicts, how long did it take you to stop feeling so lethargic? Also, any tips on subsiding the cravings, drooling over your drug days, will I ever not want that feeling?

rwa0009

How many days sober are you if you don't mind me asking? I've been trying to quit for a while and am on day 2. I've been craving pills all day but at the same time I'm still going through w/d hell so I'm viewing the pills as the enemy. I've heard that opium helps stimulate the creative mind and I used that as an excuse to use because I am a musician. However, I haven't even tried to write a song since my addiction went full blown. If we used the pills for creative purposes only then it probably wouldn't be such a problem in our lives but that's not how addicts use drugs. We use and use till there's nothing left and usually there is absolutely nothing to show for it. Congrats on being sober, I really hope I can make it through like you seem to have done.

SNST

Femme, Im at day 25, my energy is slowly coming back, I honestly believe thats the main thing I took pills for, I loved the energy I got from them. I keep wondering the same thing, will I ever have the energy I had before I took the pills? But I doubt that I will because I was a lot younger then, of course I had lots of energy to burn. I do believe exercise helps to get it back, Im still in early recover & not sure were you are at this point, so Im sure its gonna take a little longer from where Im at.

I also want to say something my son told me, he's been clean for over 2 years ( Opiates ) and he took a couple pills here & there in the beginning, and every time he took just 1 pill he said he felt like crap for the next week.

liv1ce

I am going to echo rwa and ask how long have you been sober? I understand that you are more sober than you have been for years but if it is a few weeks and then use and then come clean and then use then you are not really getting clean of the drugs and the stages of withdrawal are not yet over. It is a reward system and if you continue to reward youself then the behavior is still there. There are lots of studies that show that inconsisitent reinforcement is the strongest form. If you resist temptation 100 times and give in twice you, indeed, strongly reinforce the demand for drugs.

You cannot expect the desires and dreams of opiates to go away if the memories are right there in front of your face.

You must also realize that you have taken away something that your systems - physical, emotional, psychological - have come to accept as normal. If you were in a desert your body would be screaming for water. If you were starving the demand for food would be insatiable. Why shoud this be different. The change cannot occur until the drugs truly stop.

The brain also has a system of rewards through endorphins and the like. There has been no need for it and at this early time it doesn't work. Self stimulated happiness and creativity will recover but not until those systems find themselves and get into gear. There is no timetable for this. It happens on its own.

We ALL go through periods of lethargy, boredom and feelings that we cannot be happy without the drug(s). It will and does come back.

There are ways to stimulate it but they involve participating actively in your recovery. The tendency is to just quit taking drugs and then passively wait for our lives to get better. I had to MAKE it get better.

joygirl

femmejolie!

I quit opiates, pills taken orally for 8 years, March 16 of this year. I have been coming here to SR since April.
My experience has been up and down after the detox. I went through a really happy, excited phase after about a month. Then I came down off of that cloud and felt the apathy, depression, boredom and frustration for about a month. Two weeks ago, I began weekly therapy and a small increase in my antidepressant. I am trying to be patient, and I come to this site to read a lot and post some. It's getting better, slowly. I remind myself that my brain chemistry and body are still recovering from 8 years of abuse.

A very wise person (on this site, named Dee) once told me two things that have stuck with me foremost: 1. Take drugs/alcohol off the table 2. If this was as good as it gets, no one would stick with it.

The MANY other wonderful people here have given me love, support, care, advice, and an untold number of laughs to get me through these past 74 days.

I hope some of us can help you. Stick around, make yourself comfortable, and hold on!!!

BFD

I love that! "If this was as good as it gets, no one would stick with it." That is brilliant.

ShakeJaunts

It defiantly takes a bit to get your energy back. When i stopped using (1 1/2 - 2 grams of heroin a day for 5 years) it took about 3 days to get through my withdrawals then came the hard part. I took lots of vitamins such as vitamin c, calcium and magnesium, vitamin b1 and others. I also spent a lot of time in a sauna which helped to sweat out all of the residual toxins i had in my body. It took about 2 weeks for me to get my energy back and to be sleeping well again. This really does wonders for your body though and I feel like a new man now. I hope this helps. Stay strong buddy, it will only get easier.

DoThisForWe

At the end of 2011, I got clean and I had a difficult time with my energy coming back as well. Other things were great - it felt great to laugh again, I was so happy to be in the moment - my creativity was way better - but the energy still wasn't great. Then a friend was doing a 10 day Cleanse and asked me to do it with her and I did - and I felt great afterwards - I think that it helped to get all of the leftover 'junk' out of me. From that point moving forward, I began eating better, using food as energy - as before, I was eating junk - so instead, lots of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. I had crazy energy. Whenever someone on here would mention to eat right, I would be like, 'Yeah, whatever.' Now, I am a believer.

Brad436

ShakeJaunts
I was wondering what all vitamins you where taking and in what doses ur reply was the one tht gave me the most hope and seems more my route if u could please reply with all details of things u did to recover.

larrylive

Brad,
This thread is nearly 3 yrs old and shakesjaunts hasn't been back. Which may be a blessing as you asked about what he did to recover. My guess is not enough. I hope you continue to take part in other discussions and wish you much success with your recovery
Be Well,
Larry

Dee74

Hi and welcome to SR Brad.

You're asking for a treatment plan which is medical advice by our rules I'm afraid.
What might work for others may not work for you.

how long have you been clean?

D