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Good things about being off drugs/getting sober

I'm noticing that prolonged abstinence is incredibly beneficial for my anxiety disorder - I haven't needed benzodiazepines for quite a while. I've learned coping mechanisms to handle panic attacks in a healthy manner. Furthermore, I have a lot less to be anxious about now that I'm not constantly broke/copping/lying to family and friends :D
 
jesse_dimas said:
I'm noticing that prolonged abstinence is incredibly beneficial for my anxiety disorder - I haven't needed benzodiazepines for quite a while. I've learned coping mechanisms to handle panic attacks in a healthy manner. Furthermore, I have a lot less to be anxious about now that I'm not constantly broke/copping/lying to family and friends :D
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Which coping mechanisms do you find useful? <3
 
ad lib said:
Which coping mechanisms do you find useful? <3
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Well, now I'm much more pro-active in dealing with stressors - to me, this looks like aerobic exercise (hadn't done that in YEARS) and mindfulness meditation (something I hadn't given much thought in the past). Cognitive behavioral therapy has really helped me to challenge the negative self-talk that can exacerbate those nasty waves of anxiety. In the heat of the moment, 'embracing' anxiety as I would a craving - feeling it ebb and flow, knowing it will pass, being receptive to biofeedback - has benefited me somewhat. Breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation are, for me, a must as well.
 
jesse_dimas said:
Well, now I'm much more pro-active in dealing with stressors - to me, this looks like aerobic exercise (hadn't done that in YEARS) and mindfulness meditation (something I hadn't given much thought in the past). Cognitive behavioral therapy has really helped me to challenge the negative self-talk that can exacerbate those nasty waves of anxiety. In the heat of the moment, 'embracing' anxiety as I would a craving - feeling it ebb and flow, knowing it will pass, being receptive to biofeedback - has benefited me somewhat. Breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation are, for me, a must as well.
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Those are all awesome :). I'm trying to work on embracing my anxiety but I really struggle with that. I've been trying to control my breathing better for relaxation/anxiety sake- I noticed I am a very shallow breather which doesn't help at all. Sometimes I use progressive muscle relaxation to fall asleep, i remember my grandma giving me tips on falling asleep when I was younger before she passed.. She's tell me to say to myself "my toes are relaxed- my toes are very relaxed" and go all the way through my body.
 
stardust.hero said:
Freedom to do and go anywhere you please anytime for how long as you like.
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QFT. It is quite liberating, being able to enjoy activities I normally would without thinking, "when do I get to go home and use?" I simply didn't have the mental stamina before I got sober to handle family outings, running errands, days spent traveling. My schedule really was dictated by using and finding means to get more.
 
Instead of sitting on a torn up, dirty sofa sweating and shaky with the blinds pulled down, I got to ride a bike through the woods for 13 miles.

Stopping and sitting on a bench away from the world with the wind blowing, rabbits and groundhogs running around and the sun shining down was so peaceful. Such a contrast to the way I used to live.

I'm content with my life now instead of searching for more of anything I could get
 
Going on a sober camping trip with hundreds of other young addicts and alcoholics in recovery.

Should be a fun weekend. :)
 
This thread has been amazing! I'm one-day clean, coming from a several year opiate addiction, started with pills, then recently progressed to dope. The tapering I've been doing has me feeling surprisingly well, most of the time. I feel like I'm started to get my old self back. It feels good.

I randomly visited this thread earlier, while feeling sad, and it instantly cheered me up! I have so much to look forward to, and I can't wait! Thank you.
 
sadow430 said:
This thread has been amazing! I'm one-day clean, coming from a several year opiate addiction, started with pills, then recently progressed to dope. The tapering I've been doing has me feeling surprisingly well, most of the time. I feel like I'm started to get my old self back. It feels good.

I randomly visited this thread earlier, while feeling sad, and it instantly cheered me up! I have so much to look forward to, and I can't wait! Thank you.
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Great to hear. I'm in early recovery (again), but let me share some of my experience with you: it's not a cake walk. As post acute withdrawal rears its ugly head, things will get worse. Your emotional, mental, and physical well-being may take a turn for the worse. The first few months are so up and down - one day is great, the next you'd like to do nothing more than use. Just keep your head up, because the progression is inconsistent but it ultimately leads to feeling better. I'm happy that you're doing well now. Don't hit restart on your recovery for anything!
 
Thanks for the quick reply! I forgot my login information since my last post, so i created a new user name. Unfortunately, this is not my first time getting off dope, but it will be my last. It has to be.

I've tapered down so slow that I've been dope sick for months. The depression gets bad at times. In fact, I got sad today driving home from work, knowing that today, I'm coming home to sit here sober. That thought made me sad, so, I got home, did a Google search and found this thread. After reading it, and sharing it with my hubby, our moods changed. We were optimistic, hopeful and excited. It was exactly what we needed.

I've always loved drugs. I couldn't imagine life without drugs. But, they're not doing it for me anymore. I spend all my money, borrow pay checks, pawn jewelry, all to get money for dope. And after all that, I'm just doing it to feel "normal.' So I live broke, lazy and dope sick. What a miserable existence it's been.

Part of me always thought that the only life I'd live is one with drugs. But my husband has been encouraging and we've got to where we are together. He talks about his desire for a change. I went along with it, half-heatedly excited. But, in the first days of no dope,. I felt like shit, but I was smiling a few times. It was a genuine smile that I haven't felt in a long time.

Now, I have irrefutable proof that life does not suck, and seems to quite frequently become better, when clean. Yes, PAWS is a huge concern of mine and part of the reason I've used as long as I have. But I now know that I can lead a happy and fulfilling life clean. In fact, when I have my next waves of sadness/depression, I'm coming back to this post and re-reading this thread. I can do it, because I finally want it enough.
 
I'm barely at a week of sobriety, and even though the acute withdrawal phase is pretty much over, it still gets hard mentally... but this thread reminds me what I have to look forward to and it is sooo inspiring/encouraging!! Thanks again, neversickanymore <3 <3
 
being able to just get in my car and drive wherever i want to, whenever i want to, without having to worry about my next "dose" or driving under the influence.
 
Knowing what hope feels like again

Being able to laugh and giggle and smile for real

Better relationship with family

Actually WANTING to do things other than use, things that used to be considered a chore.

... I'll add more when I have more than 8 days clean haha
 
Being healthy. Having sincere emotions. Not having to call off work or be late to work because I'm out of pills or I have to get rigs.

Now I can say no. I don't have to manipulate women to get my fix.

All and all its very liberating.

To those in early recovery...ride that pink cloud but keep how you felt detoxing fresh in your mind. That is a good consequence to think of when you hit paws. Hell, I have over a year straight and I still have to think of it whenever the "one more high would be nice..." fantasy pops up.
 
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xburtonchic said:
... I'll add more when I have more than 8 days clean haha
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eight days is nothing to laugh at.. your doing it<3.. all you really have to do is tell yourself Im just not going to use for today no matter what comes my way.. give yourself credit burton this shits hard but so fukn worth it<3


That i never wake up and the first thought is either.. oh shit hope i didn't make an ass of my self.. or who the fuck am I in bed with.. or where the fuck am I.. HOW am i going to get the money or the drugs to get me through one more damn miserable day.. or i hope i dont get busted or today.. instead I wake up and no longer even think of a cigarette... instead i think what amazing thing will this day bring<3

edit: and not loosing my mind when ever i see a cop.

EDIT 2: oh and its funny i used to say i took drugs to relieve stress.. ha what a lie, my life is so much less stressful now..

3rd edit: i used to want to die, now i'm afraid i will die to soon.
 
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