6 years clean - menatally weak - need help/advice

JB666

Greenlighter
Joined
Nov 4, 2015
Messages
2
Location
Finley, NSW, australia
I have been clean for 6 years of heroin, since xmas 2013 for pot, quit cigarettes 1 year ago. I remain on Suboxone. I dont know if its relevant but I am HCV Positve.

I have absolutely zero cravings, desire or thoughts about using any drug. I enjoy the fact I can now follow the law. It is highly unlikely I would ever relapse.

The only scenario I could think of where I could relapse would be if the world ended causing the pharma giants to stop manufacturing suboxone, withdrawal from suboxone became too great for me to handle and I stumbled across a big pile of heroin that someone had lost. then, i could be in danger of relapse.

But the way it is now, no chance of relapse. I live in the middle of no where, I am allowed to dose once weekly at a pharmacy (60km away)(120km round trip) and every other day is a takeway. im on 3mg per day sub-lingual films.

The reason I am here is because I am always soo tired. mentally and physically. I have little sense of humor. I take everything way too serious. I dont mow the lawn. I hardly ever cook or do dishes. I dont shower nearly as much as I should. Of course I have gone through phases of "last ditch effort" to establish a pattern of discipline and hopefully restore dome level of fitness and motivation.

For e.g. about a year ago when I quit smoking I was extremely unfit. Still am, but not as bad as a year ago. I was getting chest pains. If I got up to go to the toilet in the night, I would be exhausted when I got back to bed. If my daily drive car got a flat tire and I had to change it, it would take me like 5 or 6 days to recover. My immune system would plummet, I would get cold sores, and suffer flu like symptoms anytime I had to exert myself.

So I knew I needed to find a way to get a little fitter. Given my extreme lack of motivation to do anything, my theory was that I need to take up a hobby that required a small amount of physical exertion. I chose racing Radio Controlled Cars. For those who dont know, RC Car racing is actually extremely serious, competitive and relatively expensive. Here is a video of the same type cars I race: https://youtu.be/2yvrQUhopAg

When you are not driving at a race meet, you are required to "Marshall" This requires you fetch cars that have rolled over and place them upright. you are expected to do this as fast as you can. I chose this hobby because I always like cars. I always wanted to race cars, but as I have learned more about the reality of motorsports, I have realized it will NEVER happen financially for me. However, RC Car racing truly is motorsport in miniature. I figured this would allow me to have motivation for something.

As well as being expected to Marshall, you are required to pitch in and help with track maintenance and working bees from time to time.

So this has helped me get a little more aerobically fit. But I need more than this now. in order just to live longer, and to hopefully get back to full time employment (of which I have none). but I found quickly the novelty of RC Car racing wore off, and I dont know what this means for my over all motivation, but im sure it cant be good.

Im not depressed in the conventional sense. Im not Depressed like I was before drug use or during drug use. Its really strange. I have ZERO thoughts of suicide. I DO want to live, but I want to enjoy life. I just dont enjoy life the way I used to. A part of my brain has almost certainly changed. But in what way? Stuffed if I know.

you know how as you get older, music begins to loose its magic? How it doesn't fill you with goosebumps and emotions the way it did when you were a teenager? Well its like that, only its life. I find almost all things in life dont do anything for me emotionally. and Those few things that do take my interest dont do it in a way that it needs to to get me out of bed, to get me off the sofa. Im worried that if I was suddenly transported to a desert with no food and water, that I would just give up. that I wouldn't even try to survive. Other than perhaps looking around my house or immediately outside my house for a bit of food and water. Other than that I think I may just go to bed until I died. How did I get like this? Why cant I lift myself out? im used to being able to fix stuff, but I cant seem to fix me, and this causes me great frustration and anxiety.

I have no sense of humor. I take everything way too serious, I dont feel like doing anything but sit at home watching TV. I am totally un satisfied with that. but its been that way for so long. Everyday is full of procrastination, that tomorrow or next week I will do this or do that, but it NEVER EVER gets done.

Even RC Cars, which is something I would have loved 10 or so years ago should be something I very much look forward, but the novelty wore off very quickly, and already I am forcing myself to go, just in case I find a magic bullet for my state of mind.

Is anyone else first of all experienced this, then found a way to get motivated, in a way that could work for others? I dont mean you "just pushed through" (Been then tried that) thats shallow. it only got me so far. in fact its how I got this far, I need something else to go further, as I am running out of time, Im looking for something deep, like I dunno, you tell me. Im all outta ideas, this is why I am here. this is on my list of last resorts (online drug addiction forum)

If I cant figure this out, im not likely to live a lot longer. im 40 Years old, my health is poor. Its better than it was 1 year ago, but if I only improve that much once per year, by the time im 50 I may have only improved enough to survive to 55 (and thats if im lucky)

I dont just wanna live. I wanna enjoy my life. You only get one, and I have completely Fu#$%& this one thus far. Apart from a bit of travel within my own country (mostly through homelessness due to drugs) and meeting a massively broad range of people in my travels as a drug addict. I cant really claim to have lived life very much.

When I die. I want to be satisfied in my own mind ive done anything and everything that interests me. I will take solace knowing that I did something with this one solitary life before I turn back into the earth from when I came. I can handle there not being a heaven (or hell) I can handle that in death, there is "no more" there is "nothingness". What I can NOT handle is going into that state of death after doing not a whole lot more than a dead person does anyway (a dead person does nothing).

Anyway. I'll see what info comes my way here in this thread and hope for the best

I suppose on the bright side... I have hope!
 
I think it is great that you posted this and that you are searching in general. Congratulations on your current situation and feelings not leading to relapse--that is huge!:)

It sounds to me like you are dealing with depression and that the depression is because you do not feel any meaning in your life. One of the easiest ways to fix that is by getting involved in something that helps others (could be people, could be animals, could be your local environment). We are all ruled by our own egos to a certain extent but you can learn to turn away from the ego's insatiable hunger by focusing on someone's needs other than your own. Ironically, your own needs tend to be met when you do this. As an added bonus, the fact that others are depending on you means that you have a built-in motivator that is missing when you are trying to get motivated for yourself. Have you thought of volunteering? Most counties have a volunteer bureau where people can go check out various ways to help their community. But if that seems too formal and stressful, you can do it on your own. For example, if you have a neighbor that has a dog that sits home all day, offer to walk it once a day. If you have elderly neighbors, see what you might be able to do to help them out. Check out the local animal shelter and see if they use volunteer dog walkers.

Do you like to read? Reading empowering books helps me. These could be anything from self-help to psychology to spirituality.<3
 
Honestly, I believe its the suboxone making you have this feeling. After a certain point, I myself, had no passion for anything and just felt like a zombie. It totally sucked. As soon as I got off of the shit, I was feeling feelings I haven't felt in a long time- good and bad, but it felt so GOOD. If you want to start feeling passion and life and energy again, you gotta get off the suboxone man- I would bet my life that's what's hindering you right now- you'd feel better in a week mentally if you were to stop taking it - sure, you'd be withdrawaling and your mood would be all over the place, but you'd at least feel.

Good luck man.... I hope you find your life and get it back.
 
Thank you so much for your replies.

I think both of your answers have truth and meaning in them for me.

Herbavore: Doing things for others is made difficult by a couple of factors. one is obviously my total lack of motivation. I have been diagnosed with depression when I was younger, and in those days it was probably true. I did make several attempts on my life when
I was much younger. I dont know if I really wanted to die or if I just told my self and others that so many times that it became a self affirmed truth. Either way, I grew out of it, to a point where i realized I wanted to live, and I do want to live. I just dont want to exists and only exist, which is what I do now. I dont live, i just exists from day to day. this is a terrible waste.

So if I were to become a volunteer firefighter, or join the local search and rescue org (SES( State Emergency Service) for e.g. I would probably sign up, push my self to turn up for a while before quitting, or simply not showing up anymore (this has been my history) I seldom finish anything. I find it difficult to keep an interest in anything for more than a few minutes or at best a few days.

The other factor limiting me from doing something that helped others is my remote location (Finley, NSW Australia) Google map link: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.6465411,145.5874356,16z

There is really very little I can do for others around here.

I also have a substantial criminal record. It is quite old now, but includes crimes considered technically violent, including firearm offenses. (no sex crimes) Ahh hell. ill say it. I was charged with Armed Robbery and illegal firearms possession. When I was a young adult I had a lot of trouble understanding the consequences of my actions. I am sure I am not alone there. So I ended up serving a number of years in prison and not being able to travel outside my country, and not being allowed to do certain jobs. Even being a volunteer fire fighter or volunteer for Search & Rescue is inhibited by my record. Even if I could talk my way in to joining, they would know about my record, and in a small town like mine it wouldn't take long for the whole town to know. Once people know about my record they dont trust me, they would never believe I am one of the most trustworthy and loyal people they will ever meet.

Anyway, my point is, there are very few options for doing something where I can help others. the few things I can do, I am already doing I suppose. like the RC Car club. there are many opportunity's to help others through that club. Its going to be difficult for someone not familiar with this hobby to picture how helping other would happen very much, but just trust me it does. picture any other community based org or sports club. its not unlike those. Rest assured that I will try to find some way I can be of benefit to the community, its just between my remote location, my record and my extreme lack of motivation and poor fitness options are rather limited, but I wont quit on that, I promise.

bdomihizayka: As for the Buprenorphine (in my case Suboxone) I think you are right. I will have to start lowering my dose immediately to find out for sure. I have often pondered on this myself. Either way I have been on it or other maintenance program for far too long and even if its not whats causing this extreme fatigue, lethargy, lack of motivation and pathetic-ness I suffer and cant be very good for me in other ways.

If I do get off it and stay off it and then find more energy and motivation then it must be it. The only thing I fear (and it really makes no difference) is that Using these drugs has permanently changed my brain for the worse and that even once I am off suboxone, it wont make a difference. I will permanently be useless till the day i die. I dont know this for sure. I just fear it being possible. Either way I must try to get off this stuff. I will do that immediately.

Thank you both for your replies. I really do value your input.

Ill Post back and let you guys know how I am doing. In the meantime. I'll have a look around the forum and see if I can help out with advice on stuff. While I need help on this subject ive posted about here, im sure there are other areas I am quite knowledgeable in and may be able to offer help in some way.

Thanks again :)
 
Jesus man, I google mapped your location and took a little "street view" tour around your town- talk about living in the middle of bumblefuck nowhere LOL. Do you actually like living out in the country like that- I mean I guess you do? :P

Anyways- opiates are not neurotoxic. It is highly unlikely you suffered permanent brain damage. I wouldn't worry about that at all..... It can take some good time to feel normal again, give yourself a chance, and never underestimate diet and exercise in your recovery process- which will speed it up tremendously.

Keep us posted.
 
I hear you on the depression/motivation factor, OP. I know that it is incredibly hard when you are depressed to feel motivated to do anything at all let alone anything new. Good idea to look around Bluelight and get involved. Mods may be responsible for the site maintenance but it's the regular members that are the lifeblood of the site. This place provides community and we all need communities!
 
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