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Cravings months after using?

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drdmike

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
94
I weened off opiates due to the sexual and hangover side effects. It wasn't a big deal to quit. Anyways, every now and then, I get a massive craving for opiates. I never surcum to those urges. Is it normal for recreational users of opiates to get random cravings? What is the physiological causes?
 
A physiologic cause would be the neurotransmitter dopamine, but that is probably an oversimplification as addiction goes much deeper than that. Basically dopamine is released whenever you do something that is rewarding. It is tied to almost every action that promotes the survival of the human species as well as yourself. Think: sex, social interaction, food, love, etc. Now when you use (most) drugs you are artificially creating a flood of dopamine that your brain interrupts as a reward. It then associates the drug with other actions like food, sex, etc, only on a much stronger level since the amount of dopamine released during eating or sex is much less than the amount when you get high. This is one of the many reasons why it is so hard to stop. Your brain still associates the drug with something necessary for your survival (as well as feeling good).

This is also why many people need to hit a real rock bottom to finally quit. Once you hit bottom your brain re-associates the drug with your newfound shitty situation.
 
pinpoint said:
A physiologic cause would be the neurotransmitter dopamine, but that is probably an oversimplification as addiction goes much deeper than that. Basically dopamine is released whenever you do something that is rewarding. It is tied to almost every action that promotes the survival of the human species as well as yourself. Think: sex, social interaction, food, love, etc. Now when you use (most) drugs you are artificially creating a flood of dopamine that your brain interrupts as a reward. It then associates the drug with other actions like food, sex, etc, only on a much stronger level since the amount of dopamine released during eating or sex is much less than the amount when you get high. This is one of the many reasons why it is so hard to stop. Your brain still associates the drug with something necessary for your survival (as well as feeling good).

This is also why many people need to hit a real rock bottom to finally quit. Once you hit bottom your brain re-associates the drug with your newfound shitty situation.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me. Usually the craving comes at a time of boredom or when I feel overwhelmed and need an escape. The strangest thing is that I remember how good opiates felt and I can kinda 'tap' into those highs by remembering them.
 
OD--->TDS

It is common to have cravings months later, but it eventually gets to where you don't think about it all the time. When I quit everything for 3 1/2 years, it was really strange for the first few months when I started smoking weed again though. Eventually, you just phase it out of your life and all the time you spent getting high, you focus on other things, and it seems amazing how much time and energy you spent getting high.

People seem to get really attached to opiates though, and intense cravings can pop up out of nowhere 10 years later.
 
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