Cravings

[Maria0920]

Hello all, I know it's been a very long time and for that I'm sorry. Over the past few weeks I have been extremely overwhelmed bc we are getting ready to move plus my husband works 2 jobs and can't really help unless he's off. I've been having such a hard time coping with all of this. Yesterday I almost used but thank God I couldn't find it. Since I've had time to reflect I'm so happy I didn't use. The other day the cravings were so bad all I could  do was cry. That day I cried well over 10 times. I've started counseling and I'm going to my first meeting Friday! I am still on suboxone but I'm down to 2 mgs a day. Does anyone have any advice on if a craving starts what can I do to stop it?

      Thank you
          Maria

[motye51]

Cravings.....Stress......Overwhelmed....these are all things I can relate to.  I joined N/A really soon after I got clean. I stayed clean for a bit, but then life started coming at full force and I wasn't equipped to handle it AT ALL!!!!  Working the steps has helped me learn alot about myself and how I operate.  In return it's helped me to learn how to deal with things as an adult, without having to "numb out" like regular people do.  

[gnarly_1]

Hi Maria.....well congrats you dident use....take time to thank God for putting the road blocks in place so you dident.....I would be lying if I said it ok and it will pass but relapse is a very real part of addiction and you need to treat the disease b/4 it brings you back down....it often comes at time of high stress like what your experiencing just know it is treatable with aftercare...now I have tried most  first the pastor of my church  then a substance abuse counselor  then a addiction tharipist all helped somewhat and I managed to stay clean  but I was still white knuckling it threw my sobriety I figured after 35 yrs of abuse 10 + yrs on the pills and 7 on methadone  this was just going to be the way it is for the rest of my life and I would just have to struggle threw it...NOT TRUE!!!!! I finely surrendered to the rooms of N/A I figured I would at least try it.....well let me tell you being able to talk with other addicts about life and its pitfalls my weakness as well as my strengths was priceless....for the first time the people there ''got it''  I wasent crazy and others had the same feelings obsessions and compulsions I wasent alone or unique I was a addict....with time going to meetings getting a sponcer and working the steps I no longer have addiction running my life  the best part  of it  I no long crave or long for the high..im finely free and it is one of the promises N/A offers that other forms of aftercare cant you will loose the very desire to use...something I always thought was impossible.....so go with a open mind you dont even have to talk just listen....this is a program about life with all its ups and downs the big difference is no mater what life throws at you you will no longer have to go it alone and you can express your feelings with people that understand....we all work together to keep each other clean....where all members of the ...''we dont pick up no mater what club''  N/A has been a life changer for me...today I have a life second to none 5 kids raised now 4 grand kids ...''my nest is blessed''  until you get to a meeting keep posting here we have a lot of people that work the program and where here for you  just know this can all be yours to..........Gnarly

[Danny111]

Hi Maria,

There are a lot of things you can do when you get cravings.  Exercise, listen to music, call someone who's aware of your situation, come on here and post(as you did).  Most people that I've seen on here who have significant amounts of clean time say that without question the most important thing was getting into some kind of aftercare like  AA, NA, any kind of meeting, counseling etc.  There are so many AA and NA meetings that depending where you live you can find one at many different times of the day.  Going to a meeting would be a really good thing to do when you're having cravings.