Hello out there! I'm 12 days clean today. I snorted Heroin for almost a year, for the last 6 months my girlfriend and I were sharing 3 grams of heroin a day. We decided to quit on April 14th. I initially wanted to go to rehab but we have two puppies and I had no where for them to go. I went to a dr because I have back problems and he prescribed me methadone which we used to ween us off the Heroin. We used the Methadone which was 10 mgs for 7 days using 6 the first day dropping down to half the last day to avoid any dependence on that. Now that I'm drug free honestly I feel like a maniac lol, I have to laugh because it's the only thing that keeps me going. I've suffered from panic disorder since I was 4 years old, and depression through out my life but it's sooooo much worse right now. My girlfriend also suffers from a previous anxiety disorder and is going through the same thing. Living with someone else that has severe anxiety and depression is very difficult because are disorders seem to play off each other. She tries to talk to me about her anxiety and then I feel all stressed again and vice versa. Anyway my question is, is this terrible depression/anxiety/insomnia normal after coming off of heroin? I can only imagine that I have messed the chemicals in my brain up using as much as i did. I got 50 mg's of Zoloft from my dr and I took that for the first time today. I have also been taking a multivitamin daily and drinking green tea daily. I tell myself everyday that I'm not going to relapse, I don't want to, I hate that drug, and frankly I want to live. However I'm scared because I feel like what if my mental state never gets better...I ask myself can I live like this the way I feel right now...for the next 30 to 40 years. I'm trying to find an NA meeting I can go to tonight for the first time and I figure maybe that will help. I don't know ,I'm sorry for rambling I just need someone to tell me that it's going to get better :(
Dear Cherrybomb,
I don't have much experience on the medical side of things, but I do know what it's like to live with chronic depression. It certainly sounds like withdrawal has brought on the depression and anxiety much worse than before, but I would think it would settle down after a while, when your body is used to being clean again.
Whatever you do, hang in there! I'm so proud of you for how far you've come already and the direction in which you're headed. Take care of yourself and check in again. I'm sure you'll have plenty of other replies that are more useful than mine.
Take care,
Rachel
I don't have much experience on the medical side of things, but I do know what it's like to live with chronic depression. It certainly sounds like withdrawal has brought on the depression and anxiety much worse than before, but I would think it would settle down after a while, when your body is used to being clean again.
Whatever you do, hang in there! I'm so proud of you for how far you've come already and the direction in which you're headed. Take care of yourself and check in again. I'm sure you'll have plenty of other replies that are more useful than mine.
Take care,
Rachel
Hi Cherrybomb,
The depression/anxiety/listlessness that you are experiencing is completely normal. It's called PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome). It can be a real roller-coaster ride. If you want to follow a detailed account of what it entails, you may want to check out "am in hell". My own detailed experience with it and the advice others gave me to help me through the peaks and troughs.
Wishing you the best,
Reshie
The depression/anxiety/listlessness that you are experiencing is completely normal. It's called PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome). It can be a real roller-coaster ride. If you want to follow a detailed account of what it entails, you may want to check out "am in hell". My own detailed experience with it and the advice others gave me to help me through the peaks and troughs.
Wishing you the best,
Reshie
Congrats to you, Cherry Bomb. That's no easy feat. Plus looking for a Meeting is excellent.
Just can speak for me. Well and other heroin addicts who describe our real "early" recovery YES YES YES YES YES! What you're experiencing is normal. Yeah we get depressed.
I hear ya though any time I got newly clean I was like this manic mess. I was so all UP. All running around. Then you get the black hole comes.
Indeed we sure do mess up those brain chemicals. I always use this analogy someone told me. Old posteers may tire of hearing it, but it worked for me.
Think of the penjalum (sp) on a clock. Heroin we made it swing alllllllllllllll the way to the left. Now, you're geting clean and it goes alllllllllllllll the way to the right. Now, your brain is like "WTH?" I wanna go back to the left, but I'm not. It takes a long time to get to that middle. Even out.
Ya know I wasn't the anxiety/depression kind of person prior to my use. I know a ton of people who were. However getting clean? Sheeeeeesh. So of course some Doctor prescribed me Lamacitil. I ask my friend what it is. She says "Half of the people at my meetings are on that". I tossed the prescription.
Of course I am not saying you should do that. You've had prior stuff going on, but just be wary ya know? If you can do this try and find the best way with the least drugs. JMHO!
This will sound nuts and I am nuts, but this recommendation isn't. Omega 3 Fish Oil I no joke swear helped me. It's good for the mood stufff. Ya need some amino acids as well. Vitamin B complex. These are just what helped me.
Beware though of some amino acids. That L-Phenalyine? Good for mood. Made me like a blooming speed freak. Manic for sure.
Again all good things for ya. Stay tough and let us know how you are. Same for your partner.
Just can speak for me. Well and other heroin addicts who describe our real "early" recovery YES YES YES YES YES! What you're experiencing is normal. Yeah we get depressed.
I hear ya though any time I got newly clean I was like this manic mess. I was so all UP. All running around. Then you get the black hole comes.
Indeed we sure do mess up those brain chemicals. I always use this analogy someone told me. Old posteers may tire of hearing it, but it worked for me.
Think of the penjalum (sp) on a clock. Heroin we made it swing alllllllllllllll the way to the left. Now, you're geting clean and it goes alllllllllllllll the way to the right. Now, your brain is like "WTH?" I wanna go back to the left, but I'm not. It takes a long time to get to that middle. Even out.
Ya know I wasn't the anxiety/depression kind of person prior to my use. I know a ton of people who were. However getting clean? Sheeeeeesh. So of course some Doctor prescribed me Lamacitil. I ask my friend what it is. She says "Half of the people at my meetings are on that". I tossed the prescription.
Of course I am not saying you should do that. You've had prior stuff going on, but just be wary ya know? If you can do this try and find the best way with the least drugs. JMHO!
This will sound nuts and I am nuts, but this recommendation isn't. Omega 3 Fish Oil I no joke swear helped me. It's good for the mood stufff. Ya need some amino acids as well. Vitamin B complex. These are just what helped me.
Beware though of some amino acids. That L-Phenalyine? Good for mood. Made me like a blooming speed freak. Manic for sure.
Again all good things for ya. Stay tough and let us know how you are. Same for your partner.
