Trying to kick mild opiate habit - what helps?

[Divine Moments]

Harden the fuck up and go through it cold turkey...It's your bodies way of rejecting the drugs in the first place, for which you've been naughty. How else will you learn?

I've been through about 9 benzodiazepine withdrawals since the age of late 17 to 21 (current age). I know my fair deal of druggos who have gone through opiate withdrawals as well, you bore me friend! lol.

This really isn't a helpful attitude mate. You don't know his situation, and everyone deals with things differently. Bluelight is a harm reduction board so when it comes to withdrawals we take it seriously, even if you don't.

 

[chugs]

the weekend was ffaaaaarked.....one more day down. It's like I am waiting for something...but what? A relapse?

- i wish it was friday

indeed. perhaps you need to set yourself a target, and a reward for reaching that target. I guess it depends on your long term reason for stopping. Did you plan to quit or just have a breather?

for me its been over a month now of no usage and its hard with a bank account full of money not to go out. but equally I take much pride and satisfaction that I've resisted despite there being absolutely no barrier or reason not to.

In a few months time (can't say when) I plan to get high, and ensure more importantly that I don't go back to regular weekly/daily usage (too hard to control and the track marks were too much to hide).

 

[Stiffeno]

I didn't know you could throw up entirely through your nasal passages, for instance. Quiet a learning experience.

You would be surprised what places you can vomit through.

A few years back i got extremely drunk (drank 2 bottles of white wine and had about 5 beers). I got home and felt extremely sick, when i threw up there was so much of it (in terms of volume) that i vomited from my mouth, nose and....MY TEAR DUCTS O_O...yes thats right, liquid vomit (not chunks) actually squirted out my eyes, it did this because there was no room left for it to come out my mouth and nose.

Needless to say it stung like a bitch!

 

[What was it?]

- i wish it was friday

indeed. perhaps you need to set yourself a target, and a reward for reaching that target. I guess it depends on your long term reason for stopping. Did you plan to quit or just have a breather?

for me its been over a month now of no usage and its hard with a bank account full of money not to go out. but equally I take much pride and satisfaction that I've resisted despite there being absolutely no barrier or reason not to.

In a few months time (can't say when) I plan to get high, and ensure more importantly that I don't go back to regular weekly/daily usage (too hard to control and the track marks were too much to hide).

Well you know what it's like when you have a mild/moderate habit....it's like faaaarkk...pull back, get my shit together, get over the physical withdrawals....when it is all happening I usually only think I need a break at a bare minimum or perhaps wanna quit totally....it's a confused state, but usually don't set a definite time-frame. It's like " I need to quit know for at least 2 weeks and then go from there" Then after about 10 days when the mind settles the idea of using responsibly creeps back in and I ask myself: "Hmmmm, so how long do I actually want to have a break for and how regularly do I want to use after that?" Once the bad feelings are gone it's so hard to cling onto the idea of perhaps totally quitting....that's the problem with addiction in general and espcially with our friends - the opiates 8(

 

[Charles Bronson]

Hey dude, be nice...what's the point of the above post? You don't know the full circumstances and the above post helps nobody...neither me nor you. Karma mate, karma. How about I throw a box of Dilaudid 8mgs, MSContins 100mgs and Oxycontins 80mgs in front of you everyday and see how you go???

Yes please....!!!

 

[What was it?]

Thought I'd drop a note on how I've been going over the last few months. I had a bit of a run over December again with Heroin in SE Asia, but since mid January I have been using only once a week to forthnight. It's the first time in 2 years that I have gone from dependent use to recreational/chipper status. I still have almost unlimited access to pharm grade opiates but have just realized I can enjoy life better with less frequency of usage. I did another post last week about how morphine isn't really getting me too high anymore. It might just be that it's MSContins (so time-release) and the wax within still acts as a time release even if one crushes the pills. I'll got for Ordine 10s next, and then hopefully will be able to get away with using 100mgs rectal once every 2 weeks on a Saturday morning. Over and out - have a good week folks!!!

 

[MrIbis]

The only way to kick an opiate habit - have a life changing psychedelic experience coupled with finding a new peer group and a real hobby.

IME the only way to kick one for good. I rarely think about opiate use at all anymore. No PAWS or anything like that. Whenever i do actually think about heroin or opiates most the time i just think about how much i dislike junkies. Since quitting all opiates back in november i'm still clean - only opiate ive used since was oxy once nasally and the occasional strong pain tablet for a headache.

These days i'm doing lots of work running bush doofs, DJing/Producing and playing gigs. My peer group has grown insanely, and doesn't really include many of my old opiate using friends, bar a few who I was really close with. Unfortunately i've not had much luck in swaying their use.

 

[What was it?]

The only way to kick an opiate habit - have a life changing psychedelic experience coupled with finding a new peer group and a real hobby.

IME the only way to kick one for good. I rarely think about opiate use at all anymore. No PAWS or anything like that. Whenever i do actually think about heroin or opiates most the time i just think about how much i dislike junkies. Since quitting all opiates back in november i'm still clean - only opiate ive used since was oxy once nasally and the occasional strong pain tablet for a headache.

These days i'm doing lots of work running bush doofs, DJing/Producing and playing gigs. My peer group has grown insanely, and doesn't really include many of my old opiate using friends, bar a few who I was really close with. Unfortunately i've not had much luck in swaying their use.

none of my friends use opiates....only I do.

 

[MrIbis]

^That's a bit of a dilemma, if I was in that position back when I had a habit, I probably wouldn't have been so likely to use.

Just try to focus your mind towards why you don't want to use, as opposed to the small amount of torture you're gonna have to put yourself through. I was at a similar stage before i quit cold turkey, using once to twice a week, then it went down to usually just once fortnightly on payday. And then to never. I found this the easiest way of cutting down, simply not being able to afford too much gear. I never got to the point of selling my shit for gear, or stealing. But I won't deny I had ripped a few people here n there to feed my habit.

You'll know when the time is right, just try to keep social and your mind focused more externally than internally.

 

[What was it?]

^That's a bit of a dilemma, if I was in that position back when I had a habit, I probably wouldn't have been so likely to use.

Just try to focus your mind towards why you don't want to use, as opposed to the small amount of torture you're gonna have to put yourself through. I was at a similar stage before i quit cold turkey, using once to twice a week, then it went down to usually just once fortnightly on payday. And then to never. I found this the easiest way of cutting down, simply not being able to afford too much gear. I never got to the point of selling my shit for gear, or stealing. But I won't deny I had ripped a few people here n there to feed my habit. You'll know when the time is right, just try to keep social and your mind focused more externally than internally.

Yeah, I am quite social these days: Talking to people at work more, going out with friends, studying a course. going to the gym regularly. It just seems that I get strong cravings out of nowhere every now and then. My legs start hurting and cramping, I get this uneasy feeling and then suddenly my brain goes: "Opiates!!!! This is completely and purely the only thing you need right now!!!! " I purposely threw my last 2 MSContin 100 tabs away last Monday night and yesterday I was regretting that bitterly.....so I was planning on picking up some Ordine, but haven't pursued it yet. Maybe if I hold out a bit I'll get through it. Yesterday I had a few drinks and the only thing I thought is: "Man, I don't feel like drinking, don't feel like ephedrine, amp, benzos that I have at hand....just give me some morphine or 40mgs of Oxy up the nose." Opioids really are my DOC. Money really isn't the problem so it's hard to completely stop. I think your recommendation is ok....go to forthnightly using for a while and then try and stop completely somewhere down the track. Maybe it's more of a gradual process for me. I am definitely a lot better than at any stage last year though

 

[What was it?]

Another update: Had a bit of a run in April where I did 100mgs of Oxy on maybe 6 out of 8 days. (6 packs of Endone) All in all I must say I don't enjoy Oxys as much as morphine anymore. It makes me feel kind of weird and lacks character compared to morphine, which lacks character compared to clean opium. Got 10 days off everything this time, including booze and any meds. Once again the cravings are harsh but the fact I'm not taking ANYTHING is amazing. I don't expect to be able hold on for longer but will try as hard as I can. I stumbled across a lonely 1mg Xanax in my work drawer and I've been obsessing about taking it all evening. Damn.

 

[What was it?]

Another update: Been pretty clean for the last 3 months which is amazing. I did some Panadeine fortes, but I actually had them legit scripted for a muscle tear. Did PST twice, had one benzo fuck up weekend and that's it. By my standards, things are definitely looking up and I feel I'm recovering. Now the cravings are slowly getting less, especially Monday to Thursdays. I've also tried mindfulness and CBT which is great and extremely helpful in giving perspective. I can see how the NA guys says 90 meeting 90 days could help. The first 90 days is where we undergo most changes. Been using Kava or Propranolol for anxiety. Never drink more than half a bottle of wine and only on weekends....hope these posts can help somebody else in their opiate recovery.

 

[footscrazy]

Great news! Well done

I'm so glad you've tried the mindfullness meditation and been getting a benefit from it. It really is such a great tool, and, like you said, a new perspective, and ultimately even a new way of life

 

[tyrael]

*thumbs up* What was it?!!

Just to add to the benefits of MiCBT - I was recently talking to a mate of mine (who's an anaesthetist) who is par-taking in Mindfullness training. He says he needed something to help with the stresses of the job. Anaesthetists being one of the most stressful jobs and in fact one of the highest suicide rates for it's profession.

 

[youneedacid]

Kratom is useful for quitting opiates from what i've read. You should check it out, heaps of info on the web. You can replace your opiate habit with kratom use and get off the kratom much easier.

 

[What was it?]

youneeacid, are you in Australia? From what I've heard it's really hard to obtain here and is also Schedule 9, so the same as heroin etc. It does interest me, but I've just never come across it here.

 

[youneedacid]

Yeah I am, it is illegal here. But so is heroin. Don't think availability discussion is allowed, but I've never encountered it anywhom.

 

[Verybuffed]

Yeah I am, it is illegal here. But so is heroin. Don't think availability discussion is allowed, but I've never encountered it anywhom.

Mitragyna Speciosa is piss easy to grow in Australia. Once you track down a live plant you'll never run out.

 

[Christ!]

Great work! Thanks for coming back and posting about how it went.

 

[What was it?]

That's really interesting. As you can imagine, totally quitting opiates is probably not thinkable long-term (at least not now), and i like to have an alternative to PST which in my experience is too long lasting and pins my eyes too much. It's just too obvious and inconvenient.