One of the reasons I started using heroin in the first place was that I read in a book that opiate withdrawal was "mild cold or flu-like symptoms lasting 3 to 5 days". I figured that really didn't sound so bad and I arrogantly thought that I would prevent myself from getting addicted anyway by not using every day. Yeah right! I really wish Bluelight had existed back then.
Opioid withdrawal, particularly methadone withdrawal IS definitely the worst kind of torture I can imagine.
I am Leaning towards those statements as mostly true. Cmon Junkies are arguably the most exaggerated creature on this planet.
the whole withdrawls IS an exaggeration.
Its mostly the Mental Withdrawls that exaggerate the physical to make it seem that much worse.
The mental aspects are a part of withdrawal syndrome, you can't separate them. Of course someone mentally addicted is going to have a tougher time than someone merely physically dependent (although the latter is rare), but a large portion of the mental symptoms of withdrawal are due to real changes in the brain and not something you can just will away. Or course they make you feel way worse. If you had symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, chills and sweating, aches and pains, etc yet felt great mentally it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad! But the combination of feeling depressed and anxious and miserable and fatigued plus all the physical symptoms that come with those feelings - the brain and body are inextricably entwined! - plus all the symptoms we consider purely "physical" can be unbearable.
I have seriously contemplated suicide while in withdrawals and the only reason I didn't go through with it is because I didn't even have the energy to kill myself.
Maybe i was just lucky and diddnt feel the full extent of withdrawl
Definitely the case.
I think it varies from person to person. Also lentgh of time on them. After a few days its not so bad, after a few months it gets pretty rough. My opinion is you can't tell someone else what THEY are feeling and describing the symtoms is way different than experiencing it first hand.
^THIS. It varies so much from person to person and is so dependent on how long you took the drug for (and what drug and in what dose) that it is absolutely ridiculous for someone to say that because
they didn't find withdrawal that bad that others are lying/exaggerating/being wimps/whatever 8)
but to say its the worst feeling imaginable is EXAGGERATING it a bit dontcha think???
No I do not.
Answers below within the quote:
Ever lost a family member due to suicide??? Yes.
Lost a child?? No.
Ever fell 20 feet off a roof and busted yourself on the concrete???? No, but I have been in serious motor vehicle accidents that the doctors said were equivalent/worse.
ever been hit by a car?? Yes.
Ever have the love of your life, use, abuse, and walk out on you??? Yes.
Being trapped somewhere having no way out? Yes.
ever been Starving to the point of hunger pains?? Yes.
Id say those would be around the worst feelings in the world. I disagree.
Methadone withdrawal has been the most miserable and hardest thing I have ever experienced, and I've experienced a lot of suffering in my lifetime. The sheer endless duration makes it far worse than heroin withdrawal, not to imply heroin withdrawal is not horrific.
These are the symptoms for me:
Nausea, chronic diarrhea, severe "bone" pain all over, choking, tickling cough, extreme chills, sweating/hot flushes, extreme restlessness, restless "leg" syndrome except in the arms too - to the point of fantasizing about cutting off my limbs and hitting them hard just to feel something else, tremors, abdominal cramps, sore genitals, extreme anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, dread, hypersensitive skin (even a light tickle or a shower feels painful), raised heart rate, heart palpitations, irregular heart beat, constant yawning, sneezing, dripping nose, weakness, extreme fatigue, extreme insomnia, general malaise/sickness behaviour, self-loathing, dehydration, vitamin deficiency (believed by my doctors to be caused by the drug itself), hormonal imbalances (again, believed to be caused by the drug itself), lack of joy/enjoyment of anything... I'm sure I'm leaving several things out but you get the picture. And that's not even including the intense cravings that most people get - I have made a lot of progress in resisting cravings (but quitting heroin came with some super intense cravings) .
Lesson: If you are considering using opioids, don't, and if you are new to opioid addiction quit now before it gets worse, because it gets MUCH worse.
