Opiate Withdrawals and Salt Cravings

[Papaverium]

Does anyone else here experience intense cravings for salt when in withdrawal?
I find a lot of the time, even though I don't have an apatite, I crave food with a high amount of salt.
It's almost the only thing I can really make myself want to eat when I'm wding. Sallty, salty food.

I've read about people craving sugar, but not so much salt. Just curious who else this happens to, and maybe if hey know why.
I'm assuming it has to do with the reward pathways needing something there to "fill the gap" so to speak.. But why salt? I almost never crave sugar during wds. I guess everyone is different.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Yes, it's not unheard of. Sodium is essential for life, though too much of it can cause health problems (hypertension, etc). I know someone who used to consume a lot of sodium while using heroin then buprenorphine.

Try eating some watery fruit like grapes; this always is good to me when I used to come off heroin/meth.

We are all different, and eating anything that is reasonably healthy on its own should be good for recovery.

I'm so glad to see you posting here hun, and am wishing you the best!!!

 

[Papaverium]

Thanks CH
I just wanted some feedback, because I never crave salt so much as I do when I haven't used for a day or two... or three. lol
I guess drinking some water would be a good idea to balance out all this salt intake.
It's just weird cause I never really noticed it until about a week ago when I went a couple days without using. I had an insane craving for salty stuff, then thought back to all the other times I experienced that and it definitely had a pattern of happening when I was of sober mind. So I googled it (of course) and could only really find info on people craving sugary foods.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Do you like spicy foods? I've been craving them this whole last year and am enjoying some rather spicy sauce at the moment. :D

 

[Papaverium]

I looooove spicy foods!!!
lol what endorphin addict DOESN'T love spicy food??
I'm kidding though, I'm sure there are lots of opiate addicts that don't like spicy food. Either way, it's a good release, I love when my mouth and lips are burning... like when you start to drool from it being so hot, ooooh yeah *pleasure* lol

What kinda sauce is it you are/were eating??

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I looooove spicy foods!!!
lol what endorphin addict DOESN'T love spicy food??
I'm kidding though, I'm sure there are lots of opiate addicts that don't like spicy food. Either way, it's a good release, I love when my mouth and lips are burning... like when you start to drool from it being so hot, ooooh yeah *pleasure* lol

What kinda sauce is it you are/were eating??

using trinidad moruga scorpion peppers (wiki link) which look like this:

It's got a fruity full flavored body, and the burn isn't instantaneous and is long lasting (closer to the long-lasting burn of a serrano, but a much cleaner, less 'bell pepper' flavor). It's weird, every time I use some, it's like I'm tasting roses or flowers on top of the ultra-spicy burn.

I also LOVE the lips and mouth burning but especially the throat and lymph nodes; I love when I feel the lymph nodes burn, and for some reason, especially habanero, serrano, and these scorpion peppers are the best.

habanero and jalapeno tend to be a quick onset/short burn, and serrano, ghost, and scorpion is a longer burn with a slower onset.

Not sure why this is, but it's likely due to unique capsacinoid content / concentrations.

 

[Papaverium]

I'm not very educated on the different types of peppers and their heat levels. I am familiar with the Scoville scale though.
Man, I need to learn to cook.. That would probably be a great release instead of using drugs.. Keep the mind off of cravings because FOOD.
I find it hard to concentrate on a painting or a poem, but if I was cooking, I'd HAVE to pay attention cause I wouldn't wanna burn stuff or undercook it. Cooking is an artform I'd like to get into.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I'm not very educated on the different types of peppers and their heat levels. I am familiar with the Scoville scale though.
Man, I need to learn to cook.. That would probably be a great release instead of using drugs.. Keep the mind off of cravings because FOOD.
I find it hard to concentrate on a painting or a poem, but if I was cooking, I'd HAVE to pay attention cause I wouldn't wanna burn stuff or undercook it. Cooking is an artform I'd like to get into.

this is a good guide.

I'm also a fan of the mantzano peppers %)

cooking is VERY rewarding! Try to get into it, I've been getting into it little by little :D

 

[Papaverium]

cooking is VERY rewarding! Try to get into it, I've been getting into it little by little

I understand now that cooking is rewarding. I am a very impatient person and I always felt like.... why spend hours cooking something that is gonna be eaten in 5 minutes?
I mean.... that was my mentality when I was 18,... now Im 23 and I know that it really can teach patience and the true meaning of letting go.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

You can actually put very little effort into some amazing healthy dishes, it's all about knowing how to speed the process up.

Like if you hate peeling garlic, you can buy it pre-peeled.

If you don't like chopping an onion by hand, they sell little kitchen contraptions which can dice it real quick.

There's also the beauty of the grill, the pressure cooker, rice cooker, etc. - great time savers

Are you a fan of sushi? I recently had some freshwater eel sushi; was delicious :D

re: the pepper list, I've had a BEER which was flavored with ghost peppers. WORST DECISION - EVER. Never again!!

the pequin peppers are also quite spicy for being so small; don't underestimate them based on their size.

mantzano peppers are quite spicy too, and are supposed to have black seeds (unique for peppers)

 

[Papaverium]

Sushi is like, my favourite food!!

I'd like to make it one day.. :3

I also had a slow-cooker at one point... man I miss all my things, I had so many things and I threw it all away... oh well. I gotta start fresh.,.

Maybe cooking really will help me get clean. That would be really cool. I just don't wanna start gaining a whole bunch of weight. lol I don't mean to sound self-conscious but when I was clean for 43 days I ate sooooo much food I started to gain a few pounds and it freaked me out a little... I mean it was healthy weight, but I was afraid that I'd keep gaining it.
I have a really high metabolism though, and I wasn't eating healthy.

This lifestyle change is going to be damn hard, but so worth it!

 

[cj]

ghost pepper beer sounds like about the worst thing I have ever heard of! yuck...

 

[neversickanymore]

Yes, it's not unheard of. Sodium is essential for life,

Yep.. anything that stimulates the dopamine reward pathway. Salt, fat, sugar,drugs, sex, water. All of these can also be a good tool to use against drug cravings.. think salty, fatty, shugar. like chocolate covered bacon. Little supply of poppycock or peanut butter cups can help shut down cravings.

Here is a bit of discussion on hot peppers to add to that.

What the deal with hot peppers?

 

[Papaverium]

Cool, thanks nsa

Yeah I kinda figured it was a matter of my brain trying to stimulate dopamine production in one way or another. For me it just so happens to usually be with salt.... and hot foods are definitely great for the endorphin factor as well. Right now I'm eating a tuna sammich with ground up cayenne peppers in it, straight from my grandma's garden!! yum

 

[manboychef]

Cooking is an awesome thing. Don't look at the time you put in = the time that it takes to eat it. Look at it The time put in = The love you feel for those eating it.

I have to go against what CH says on adding gadgets to the equation. I do everything by hand, and from scratch (including making pasta/dumplings). Part of doing the motions of chopping, or shaping, or stirring, is the repetition. It is cathartic in a way, and absorbs your thoughts. You end up with almost a oneness with what you are creating.