Hello Everyone-
I'm Betsy and I'm an addict. Today is my 9th day clean, never felt better. However it was especially stressful at work today, the kind of stress that makes you get out your pill bottle and dump 3 or 4 into your hand and swallow them down with a big Diet Pepsi. Just as that visual was dancing in my head, I had to take a few more calls, find patient charts, transcribe a few letters, and call back some patients. Before I knew it a couple hours had passed and I realized that the thought of self-medicating had disappeared. The sheer busy-ness of work was just what I needed to pass the craving.
I'd like this post to be about what everyone does to prevent relapse: please share!
Betsy
I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I totally agree with you, when I am at work busy the thought of using just goes away. So were your withdrawls as bad as you expected? Keep us posted!
Chrissy
I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I totally agree with you, when I am at work busy the thought of using just goes away. So were your withdrawls as bad as you expected? Keep us posted!
Chrissy
Well Betsy, today I used my wife as a watchdog, thats what I did today. Everyday I stay away from any chance of me coming into contact with them. Everyday, I am not going to use THAT day. if that makes sense.
Best Regards.
Tom
PS I am so happy you are doing well.
Best Regards.
Tom
PS I am so happy you are doing well.
You're right, when you stay busy, the "cravings" usually end up going away on their own.....
When they don't, I usually think about all that I could be losing..... that never worked before - I was very close to losing everything several times, yet I couldn't give the pills up..... but once I had several weeks of clean time under my belt, I was thinking a lot more clearly..... and I started to realize what was important to me in life and what's not...... My family, my home, my freedom - those things are important to me and I don't want to give them up..... so whenever I think about using again, I remind myself that my husband will leave me, I'll lose custody of my son, I won't have a home to live in, etc.....
If I can, I try to go for a run/walk if the craving is real strong.... or I'll go stand on the lakefront and enjoy being sober, thinking how much breathing and the sun and the wind and the sky...... none of that was important when I was using.... I dont' want to go back to being that person.
Danni
When they don't, I usually think about all that I could be losing..... that never worked before - I was very close to losing everything several times, yet I couldn't give the pills up..... but once I had several weeks of clean time under my belt, I was thinking a lot more clearly..... and I started to realize what was important to me in life and what's not...... My family, my home, my freedom - those things are important to me and I don't want to give them up..... so whenever I think about using again, I remind myself that my husband will leave me, I'll lose custody of my son, I won't have a home to live in, etc.....
If I can, I try to go for a run/walk if the craving is real strong.... or I'll go stand on the lakefront and enjoy being sober, thinking how much breathing and the sun and the wind and the sky...... none of that was important when I was using.... I dont' want to go back to being that person.
Danni
Beautifully said Dani!
Chrissy - The w/ds were nothing because of the taper.
Tom, like you I'm lucky to have a spouse that I can trust and who cares about my recovery.
Chrissy - The w/ds were nothing because of the taper.
Tom, like you I'm lucky to have a spouse that I can trust and who cares about my recovery.
