Problems experiencing emotions after heroin withdrawal.

[danbar20]

Hello I'm a 38 year old guy I live in the UK I've recently stopped a 2 year heroin habit I was using about a gram a day I was mostly smoking it. I recently went cold turkey about 3 weeks ago. So through the bad stuff but I find myself with some post acute withdrawal symptoms most are fine and bare able. This isn't the first time I've done this but it's definitely been the worst getting though the withdrawal. My main problem is I can't seem to experience any emotions other than anger. It's pretty bad I can't even tell my partner I love her it's like I'm completely empty inside there's nothing left. Has anybody else experienced anything like this during the post acute withdrawal stage.
Did it get better?

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

I have little experience of opioid withdrawals so I approach this issue from standpoint of basic psychology; anger is often emotion our brain produces to protect us from other emotions or cognitive content that render us more vulnerable.

I would, using common sense, expect it to get better over time, but if not, you could meet with some mental health professional if no one else could help you.

 

[GulpingBatteryLiquid]

I only have experience with alcohol but there are minor lingering effects after withdrawal that hang around for a quite a while, it will probably get better eventually

If you're concerned you can see a doctor or therapist etc, if that's possible in your situation

 

[some dude]

You will return to normal.

You are still in the middle of it.

I'm 3 years clean from 60mg methadone. All signs and symptoms of withdrawal are long gone.
Hang in there and grit your teeth through the b.s.
It slowly gets better and as time goes by you heal up and feel normal.

 

[Halif2]

Hey Danbar20,

The most important thing to know is that it will get better. Just hang in there and try not to be reactive when you feel that anger.

In times past, I have used that angry energy to (re)start exercising, especially weight training. Literally pushing (or pulling) against weight can use up a good portion of the rage. When you have exhausted yourself physically, you will likely feel better or at least more neutral mentally. The other bonus is that exercising will stimulate your nervous system and kick start the healing process.

Don't expect the negativity to just disappear suddenly, but it will definitely lessen with time.

One of the most difficult aspects of opiate withdrawal (in my experience) is that once you've got through the hell of the acute phase, you then have to deal with however many months or years of emotions you have suppressed with your use. It's a huge change up as your mind and body try to return to a natural baseline.

Hang in there man.

 

[Nas47]

it will get better friend....after sometime...it's a normal reaction

 

[endlessnameless]

You will return to normal.

You are still in the middle of it.

I'm 3 years clean from 60mg methadone. All signs and symptoms of withdrawal are long gone.
Hang in there and grit your teeth through the b.s.
It slowly gets better and as time goes by you heal up and feel normal.

Hey Danbar20,

The most important thing to know is that it will get better. Just hang in there and try not to be reactive when you feel that anger.

In times past, I have used that angry energy to (re)start exercising, especially weight training. Literally pushing (or pulling) against weight can use up a good portion of the rage. When you have exhausted yourself physically, you will likely feel better or at least more neutral mentally. The other bonus is that exercising will stimulate your nervous system and kick start the healing process.

Don't expect the negativity to just disappear suddenly, but it will definitely lessen with time.

One of the most difficult aspects of opiate withdrawal (in my experience) is that once you've got through the hell of the acute phase, you then have to deal with however many months or years of emotions you have suppressed with your use. It's a huge change up as your mind and body try to return to a natural baseline.

Hang in there man.

I'm going to second both of these posts, echoing @Halif2 in their sentiment of: Hang in there man.
I'm sure it will interest you to know that for me, following every one of my many, many gruelling cold-turkey withdrawals, Anger has always been one of the first emotions to return, second only to a very deep and overwhelming depression. I'm actually going through it now. What gets me through that is the knowledge that its only temporary my friend.

Did you completely skip the depressive phase and go straight to Anger, or have you already 'crossed the Abyss'?

In times past, I have used that angry energy to (re)start exercising, especially weight training. Literally pushing (or pulling) against weight can use up a good portion of the rage. When you have exhausted yourself physically, you will likely feel better or at least more neutral mentally. The other bonus is that exercising will stimulate your nervous system and kick start the healing process.

I couldn't have put it better myself. Frankly I cant wait for my Anger to rise again because exactly what I'm going to do is channel it into exercise and I suggest you do this too for the very reasons stated above. The last time I did that I ended up cycling 40km on sheer Anger (and hunger, actually and oddly enough). Not the type of Anger where I'm going to slap someone, but more like being frustrated at myself once my mind began to clear and I realised how dumbed down and numbed the fuck out I had been for those two years.

I found cycling to work wonders for my anxiety too, because if the crowds got too overwhelming for me (natural enough following what was essentially 2.5 weeks of solitary confinement in the midst of cold-turkey heroin withdrawals, I should think), I could piss off to a park somewhere - and rather speedily so at that.
Gradually I became more comfortable outside and that was my new habit - jumping on that bike every morning, hitting the deli and going on a new adventure every day. I'm not too far from the coast (30min brisk cycle) so typically I'd head out in that direction and found incredible peace out by the sea with nothing but the the ocean in my ears. It worked incredibly well to quiet my mind - which cycling in itself does as I find I have one sole focus: Not to end up under a bus. Its quite a meditative experience.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

It worked incredibly well to quiet my mind - which cycling in itself does as I find I have one sole focus: Not to end up under a bus. Its quite a meditative experience.

haha absolutely. I suffer of scenario running and other OCPD symptoms so engaging in work mode network by cycling as fast as I can (without endangering other people) is my daily crutch. And being kinda disconnected from everyone and able to escape situations is awesome.

obviously it sometimes makes me angry too because finnish traffic culture has somewhat outrageous characteristics. Cunts everywhere.

 

[azurefire]

I'm going to second both of these posts, echoing @Halif2 in their sentiment of: Hang in there man.
I'm sure it will interest you to know that for me, following every one of my many, many gruelling cold-turkey withdrawals, Anger has always been one of the first emotions to return, second only to a very deep and overwhelming depression. I'm actually going through it now. What gets me through that is the knowledge that its only temporary my friend.

Did you completely skip the depressive phase and go straight to Anger, or have you already 'crossed the Abyss'?



I couldn't have put it better myself. Frankly I cant wait for my Anger to rise again because exactly what I'm going to do is channel it into exercise and I suggest you do this too for the very reasons stated above. The last time I did that I ended up cycling 40km on sheer Anger (and hunger, actually and oddly enough). Not the type of Anger where I'm going to slap someone, but more like being frustrated at myself once my mind began to clear and I realised how dumbed down and numbed the fuck out I had been for those two years.

I found cycling to work wonders for my anxiety too, because if the crowds got too overwhelming for me (natural enough following what was essentially 2.5 weeks of solitary confinement in the midst of cold-turkey heroin withdrawals, I should think), I could piss off to a park somewhere - and rather speedily so at that.
Gradually I became more comfortable outside and that was my new habit - jumping on that bike every morning, hitting the deli and going on a new adventure every day. I'm not too far from the coast (30min brisk cycle) so typically I'd head out in that direction and found incredible peace out by the sea with nothing but the the ocean in my ears. It worked incredibly well to quiet my mind - which cycling in itself does as I find I have one sole focus: Not to end up under a bus. Its quite a meditative experience.

holy fucking shit, you ever wake up just angry? It's a minute or two after waking then straight anger for the next two or so.... All I do now is run miles week after week hoping I can strangle out that fuck who thought he was hot. The corner drug dealer, offering poison for a price knowing he was the wiser or the fucking corner drug dealer pretending to be your doctor? I respect the guy selling what he knows and shit but wow do some of the doctors got that drug dealer beat. Fuck holy fucking shit read the papers put out by vyvanse and cool speed wonderful but maybe they could have wrote about it like they do here with clear stages...

 

[boomboomshloom]

Not sure where this account came from...but I have known others that have had the same issue after getting clean. It can take some time for the brain to start making certain chemicals on its own again. This could also be a known as anhedonia, very common among people who are long term users who just got clean.

it gets better

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Actually, I've always found the opposite to be true. Too many fuckin emotions post gear.

The lack of emotion was one of the many 'benefits' of heroin for me...

 

[TheGyattDamnRizzler]

Hello I'm a 38 year old guy I live in the UK I've recently stopped a 2 year heroin habit I was using about a gram a day I was mostly smoking it. I recently went cold turkey about 3 weeks ago. So through the bad stuff but I find myself with some post acute withdrawal symptoms most are fine and bare able. This isn't the first time I've done this but it's definitely been the worst getting though the withdrawal. My main problem is I can't seem to experience any emotions other than anger. It's pretty bad I can't even tell my partner I love her it's like I'm completely empty inside there's nothing left. Has anybody else experienced anything like this during the post acute withdrawal stage.
Did it get better?

Uh so in my experience with heavy heroin use. You do permanently nullify some stuff to a degree but you will randomly get flashes emotion while in PAWS( 3 to 4 weeks in). Sometimes I would like here a song or some crap that would trigger and I would cry uncontrollably about nothing. I think 90 days is when your brain is totally healed and you will feel things normally again. Heroin isn't going to like permanently screw up your emotions but it will mess with them for awhile. Heroin is also going to be your go to when your triggered by anything negative so try your best to avoid that. Your not going to like fry your brain out of dopamine and seretonin like you do with meth but heroin will permanently change your brain the further you go so be aware of that I guess.


I was thinking about this time when I was walking down the street listening to music and I was experiencing natural euphoria. That's probably never going to happen again lol.

 

[danbar20]

I'm going to second both of these posts, echoing @Halif2 in their sentiment of: Hang in there man.
I'm sure it will interest you to know that for me, following every one of my many, many gruelling cold-turkey withdrawals, Anger has always been one of the first emotions to return, second only to a very deep and overwhelming depression. I'm actually going through it now. What gets me through that is the knowledge that its only temporary my friend.

Did you completely skip the depressive phase and go straight to Anger, or have you already 'crossed the Abyss'?



I couldn't have put it better myself. Frankly I cant wait for my Anger to rise again because exactly what I'm going to do is channel it into exercise and I suggest you do this too for the very reasons stated above. The last time I did that I ended up cycling 40km on sheer Anger (and hunger, actually and oddly enough). Not the type of Anger where I'm going to slap someone, but more like being frustrated at myself once my mind began to clear and I realised how dumbed down and numbed the fuck out I had been for those two years.

I found cycling to work wonders for my anxiety too, because if the crowds got too overwhelming for me (natural enough following what was essentially 2.5 weeks of solitary confinement in the midst of cold-turkey heroin withdrawals, I should think), I could piss off to a park somewhere - and rather speedily so at that.
Gradually I became more comfortable outside and that was my new habit - jumping on that bike every morning, hitting the deli and going on a new adventure every day. I'm not too far from the coast (30min brisk cycle) so typically I'd head out in that direction and found incredible peace out by the sea with nothing but the the ocean in my ears. It worked incredibly well to quiet my mind - which cycling in itself does as I find I have one sole focus: Not to end up under a bus. Its quite a meditative experience.

To be honest there wasn't much of a depressive stage for me sure I'm completely drained week as a kitten and I ache like an old man. But I pretty much went straight to anger.

 

[boomboomshloom]

Actually, I've always found the opposite to be true. Too many fuckin emotions post gear.

The lack of emotion was one of the many 'benefits' of heroin for me...

From what Ive seen, that seems to be the normal reaction with with people getting off dope. The lack of emotions usually comes from drugs whose primary or secondary mechanism of action also effect the endocrine/endocannabinoid system's hormone production (or anything that fucks with your hormones), and yes opis can affect this because of how they change hormone production. THC also can cause this, but is much more rare.

Serotonin burn out can also present like this from things such as long term MDMA use, while people who only use it occasionally usually just feel blah and a little depressed the next day, long term use causes the brain to stop making the chemicals because your getting them from the drug.

Drugs that directly effect D2 Dopamine receptors, usually antagonist like haloperidol can also make you feel nothing at all. Since this is basic drug drug discussion ill stop there as they why is very complicated and requires a understanding of the d1/d2 balance.

And just like every drug, it just depends on your body chemistry, what the drugs are cut with and what other drugs your taking

 

[TheGyattDamnRizzler]

To be honest there wasn't much of a depressive stage for me sure I'm completely drained week as a kitten and I ache like an old man. But I pretty much went straight to anger.

Well your in luck then my friend. Your going to be raging for a bit though without the H so try not to explode on anyone.

 

[skyHiGuy]

I gave up H 3 years ago cold turkey.
After the initial nastiness which included anger and a general feeling of life is crap and lacking emotional feeling even with my sweet wife.
For me excesise, cycling in my case, resolved stuff. Forced out the blues with endorphins from the excersise.

And now all that is a long lost terrible memory and Normality resumed after 6 months or so. Not touched H since (though was forced to take some opiodes (codeine) for genuine pain of a broken back. Used them for pain only and did not get re hooked. I asked my doc about the risk and their advice was stick to using it for pain relief and you won't get hooked again. That worked.

Be well my compatriot.