How long of being opiate-free does it take to get back to normal?

[The Straight Dope]

I think that believing your brain is gonna be fucked for life is a pretty pessimistic thing, and since feeling "normal" again is pretty much half psychological it can't do good for you to think like that.

I think a nice long suboxone taper might do the trick for me.

 

[OxYcOnTiN_obsessed]

Sub might be just another opioid but how many ppl can taper off of heroin? My husband just stopped sub and he did a very slow taper, maybe 2 days of discomfort/weakness which small doses of clonidine took care of. How many ppl can say that of heroin?

the problem with tapering off H is that once you have H on you and you start doing it and know you have more, then you tend to want to finish all of it once you start........the craving is just to intense to sit and star at it and say "no more for now"

 

[Mr Blonde]

I think that believing your brain is gonna be fucked for life is a pretty pessimistic thing, and since feeling "normal" again is pretty much half psychological it can't do good for you to think like that.

+1. I hate people who sit around and talk about how fucked up they are and how they will never be normal yet don't make any real effort to fix things.

Ruins it for those of us who are truly fucked.

 

[Binge Artist]

If someone had told me when I was 14 that my whole life would have revolved around feeling warm, fuzzy, and itchy--or at the very least, not sick--I would have laughed in contempt.

Sometimes it helps to "trivialize" the opiate buzz. But deep down inside, I know it's much more. It's almost like my "muse".

 

[Mr Blonde]

Sometimes it helps to "trivialize" the opiate buzz. But deep down inside, I know it's much more. It's almost like my "muse".

+1. That's why it's so hard to break...

 

[Binge Artist]

After a bit of self-reflection, it's easy to see why drugs like heroin, alcohol, and cocaine became my muse.

You see, I was born with a very difficult disease: Too much ambition and too high of hopes coupled with not nearly enough talent. This results in a viscious cycle of self-loathing, undertaking new endeavor after new endeavor only to be slapped in the face with my own inadequacy each time, at which point all of my creative energy dissolves just like shit on a spoon. The drugs I've listed masked that inadequacy and left me with a bloated sense of self-importance. Accordingly, abstaining from those drugs, I can hardly imagine I'll ever feel normal, unless a cure for my disease is found.

 

[Mr Blonde]

I can empathize with that. Have you ever tried therapy? It helps me a bit, but then I find myself slipping into old habits and need to go back again.

 

[Binge Artist]

Have you ever tried therapy?

Yeah, I call it "chipping"--works good in the short run.

 

[The Straight Dope]

You see, I was born with a very difficult disease: Too much ambition and too high of hopes coupled with not nearly enough talent. This results in a viscious cycle of self-loathing, undertaking new endeavor after new endeavor only to be slapped in the face with my own inadequacy each time, at which point all of my creative energy dissolves just like shit on a spoon. The drugs I've listed masked that inadequacy and left me with a bloated sense of self-importance. Accordingly, abstaining from those drugs, I can hardly imagine I'll ever feel normal, unless a cure for my disease is found.

I'm sure someone has told you this before and you've probably thought about it. But have you ever thought about seting more reasonable goals for yourself? I think in life you sometimes have to achieve lesser goals before moving onto the bigger ones.

 

[Binge Artist]

I always start with small goals and work my way up the ladder. Problem is, I always end up lacking the talent to get to the top of the ladder. So, I get depressed, take drugs, etc.

If I were CAPABLE of having reasonable goals and hopes, then I would be a regular, happy guy who doesn't take drugs.

Indeed, I can think of nothing short of a frontal lobotomy to make me feel "normal" without opiates.

Obviously, I know the point of this thread is about returning to "normal" in the sense of your "old self", and not normal in the sense of feeling like a "normal person"...But let's face it...our "old selves" are the ones that became drug addicts in the first place!!!

 

[QuasiStoned]

Obviously, I know the point of this thread is about returning to "normal" in the sense of your "old self", and not normal in the sense of feeling like a "normal person"...But let's face it...our "old selves" are the ones that became drug addicts in the first place!!!

This is true for me, I'm in a lot of physical pain so I seek treatment and comfort with opiates. I quit them for a while, but ultimately I know I'll always come back unless I get on some sort of legitamite prescription.

 

[The Straight Dope]

I always start with small goals and work my way up the ladder. Problem is, I always end up lacking the talent to get to the top of the ladder. So, I get depressed, take drugs, etc.

If I were CAPABLE of having reasonable goals and hopes, then I would be a regular, happy guy who doesn't take drugs.

Indeed, I can think of nothing short of a frontal lobotomy to make me feel "normal" without opiates.

Obviously, I know the point of this thread is about returning to "normal" in the sense of your "old self", and not normal in the sense of feeling like a "normal person"...But let's face it...our "old selves" are the ones that became drug addicts in the first place!!!

Well I was actually able to not be an addict after first trying heroin for years, what got me addicted was more of a temporary situation. This might sound pretty lame but what got me addicted was pretty much girl problems. Things went sour between me and this one girl, so I was flooded with negative feelings and thoughts. Thoughts of failure and inadequacy and pretty much heartbreak. I found heroin to do a really good job of getting these feelings and thoughts of her out of my head. It sucks though since now I'm pretty much over it but I'm still trying to defeat feelings of psychological and physical drug addiction.

 

[sixpartseven]

After a bit of self-reflection, it's easy to see why drugs like heroin, alcohol, and cocaine became my muse.

You see, I was born with a very difficult disease: Too much ambition and too high of hopes coupled with not nearly enough talent. This results in a viscious cycle of self-loathing, undertaking new endeavor after new endeavor only to be slapped in the face with my own inadequacy each time, at which point all of my creative energy dissolves just like shit on a spoon. The drugs I've listed masked that inadequacy and left me with a bloated sense of self-importance. Accordingly, abstaining from those drugs, I can hardly imagine I'll ever feel normal, unless a cure for my disease is found.

I always start with small goals and work my way up the ladder. Problem is, I always end up lacking the talent to get to the top of the ladder. So, I get depressed, take drugs, etc.

If I were CAPABLE of having reasonable goals and hopes, then I would be a regular, happy guy who doesn't take drugs.

Indeed, I can think of nothing short of a frontal lobotomy to make me feel "normal" without opiates.

Obviously, I know the point of this thread is about returning to "normal" in the sense of your "old self", and not normal in the sense of feeling like a "normal person"...But let's face it...our "old selves" are the ones that became drug addicts in the first place!!!

Are you in my head?

 

[imnakedrightnow]

well i dont fuck with H but im a big morphine fan and after a week of use every day (first day dose about 30-50mg last day about 150mg-300mg) my wd is over after like 3-4 days but thows days im dieing for some percoset or lortab any thing its like the olny thing i can think of but iv never gone more than like 3 weeks of use so i have no clue on long turm use

 

[Binge Artist]

!

Are you in my head?

I AM you, only about five years in the future.

Let me fill you in on what you have to look forward to. Prior to shipping off to boot camp, you will be "more or less" clean of opiates (a few slip ups here and there, but nothing major). You will have been exercising more, and take pride in your increasing physical ability. While at boot camp, dope will be the last thing on your mind. When you graduate, you will feel physically great--best shape of your life.

Unfortunately, when you arrive at your duty station you will be overcome by a "call of the wild". At first, this will manifest itself in multiple encounters with prostitutes, as this is much more acceptable (and even encouraged) in the military. Unfortunately, again, you will see that these prostitutes enjoy drugs just as much as you ever did! From there, it's a downward spiral, and you'll get kicked out in about a year.

After you get back home, you'll feel the need for a creative outlet, so you'll enroll at a local college/university. Your professors will be amazed at your development, and even encourage you to become a professor yourself.

In the meantime, you will become disillusioned with banging college chicks and try to find "true love". When Amanda comes around, you'll instantly realize she's the one (not just because I've already told her your name). Downside is, she'll cause you to lose focus on your studies. So who do you turn to? Why of course, your best friend, drugs!

So, school's pretty much gone to hell. But at least you have Amanda. Ugh oh, more bad news! You will feel she's destroying your independence, but you'll never have the heart to say "no" to her for anything. So guess what? More drugs, dude! Because you'll find that's the best way to deal with the lousy job and failing relationship you shall find yourself in five years from now.

Mark my words

 

[belfort]

no doubt the root of staying sober is being able to accept ourselves for who we really are...the problem is, like already said, many of us either have too high expectations with limited intelligence, or some of us have no motivation to begin with, or some are very smart but lack the ability to relate to other people, some have genuine mental disorders etc etc..the list goes on and on....you are who you are and i believe you can change a little but you will still be that same person...thats the problem, drugs change that..they say a persons entire attitude and personality is formed by the time they are 5-6 years old, this isnt a good thing for most drug users..