I need help

[yogi911]

A little background....My name's Brian, and I'm 17 years old.  Last summer, I got my wisdom teeth removed.  I became addicted to the painkillers they gave me.  For the next four or five months, I continued to use them.  I relapsed very briefly (one night only) in January.  I stopped cold turkey, without any rehab/detox.  I have used cannabis for a couple years now, but only on occasion.  However, since I've stopped using painkillers, cannabis has virtually replaced them.  The second I get the opportunity, a voice in my head says "go get high", and usually, I listen.  I had to stop smoking cannabis because it became too expensive and because I was very fiendish about it.
  Most of the time, I have very little problems.  However, I don't know what to do when I DO have problems.  I'm fine with not doing drugs, but I just don't know how to live.  My method for dealing with my problems was to find some oxy's and shoot them, or smoke some weed, or take ecstasy, or Xanax--basically, whatever I had to do to escape.  The question is, how do I learn how to deal with my problems like a normal person?  Also, I really want to be able to enjoy life without getting high, but it just doesn't seem as interesting to me.  Any and all help is accepted, I sure as hell need it...

[broknbck]

hey,
never got to thank you for all the great info in your pages on your profile. i followed your advice on the aminos, different vitamins and the protein.
i started all that the day i quit. and i felt great in no time.
you were a huge inspiration to me when i was quitting.
THANK YOU SO MUCH

[mom_of_two136]

Maybe try to get those natural endorphins flowing with working out. It has always helped me perk up my mood. Just a thought.

[Beenerkitty]

i think yogi did a excellent job and summed it all up for you sweetie. thanks for the friend invite and ill be here to support you if you need anything. ive got a lot going on now too as ive relapsed yesterday after 30days!! im pondering a plan of attack though and going to get back up. i know we all fall sometimes. hang in there and stay here on this forum there are wonderful people here-literally God sent.im soo early in my recovery im hesitant to give out advice. i yet still have a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do. youll be well looked after on here as i am everyday! Keep your chin up. it ***** growing up i know! youll be just fine.ill be here for you
Bkitty

[peaches84]

Hey Hey honey
I know how you feel and drugs are an evil thing and I am also looking for the answers to how to deal with problems without turning to drugs. I have been using cocaine for three years now, it's a dangerous and horrible drug, and it is making me ill, and I want to, and have to stop now.
I saw that you use cannabis, trust me on this, if u use that, u will do stronger drugs in the long run, so the best way to avoid that is to stop using it. Cannabis makes u paranoid and it's now a class B drug. The best way to solve your problems, is, to talk about them, that's one step anyhow, personally concelling doesn't work for me, but it may for u, I find, talking to like minded people or friends helps alot, this group is great and I will log on here alot to get advice and support as I will support others too. It's a great community.

The nice high u get from drugs, is very short lived... and, it is bloody dangerous too which I'm now learning!
best way if I'm honest is, to do something that can give u a REAL high, not a pretend one!! as when the drugs wear off, u feel twice as bad right? do something active,like a sport, kung fu? my bf does that and he gets a massive high!! something like that, whatever ur interested in!! try herbal highs to!!! they are legal, safer, but still, be careful as they're still stimulants, but def a safer option and u can get them online.
it's good uve joined this and ur aware that drugs aren't doing you any good, if I'm hoenst, I think youll be fine=). be strong, don't be peer pressured by any of ur friends, and do talk about your issues, online here is a great start! x

[worried878]

takes time to feel ok and cope without drugs...even miss a headache if u have had it long enuf...it is a habit and is a coping mechanism..why deal with life if u can escape with getting high?  lots of reasons why NOT..but sometimes it is hard to see them..and when u do sometimes it is too late...unhealthy coping styles can get u in deep doo doo...and then it just aint so much fun anymore..and can be a ball and chain tying u down when u could be moving forward and enjoying life...u may not be there yet, but give it time and u will be cos addiction dont get any better..only worse...letting go is hard/specially if u r not sick and tired of it yet...but u will be one day and u will let go..or u wont and u will look back on the past and wonder why u did this to urself...and then u will wish u woulda taken care of this a long long time ago...keep posting

[yogi911]

Wow it means so much that you'd take time out of your day to help me like that...I'll definitely try the amino acid regimen.

[corey411]

Brian, this is the amino acid protocol. Look at the top of the pag and if you click under health pages there are many good topics.

Most of this program is from the book END YOUR ADDICTION NOW.. the doctor who wrote it ran a treatment facility in UPstate New york where they gave patients amino acids and vitamin via IV during treatment.. He also counsels patients individually.. All of these things are meant to rebuild activity in the major neuro transmitters.. as addicts our neurotransmitters have been disrupted by our use of drugs.. even stuff like cigarettes and eating alot of sugar can disrupt them.. with drugs however it can be more damaging.. I will list the aminos maily used for addiction, their dosages etc.. everything should be taken on a empty stomach... an hour b4 meals.. Take all of them together with lots of water... I have added stuff as I have done more research on this...

**Please check with your doctor or pharmacist for any interactions with any meds you may be taking.


B- vitamin Complex  100mgs, needed for absorption of aminos, rebuilding of the liver, reducing stress,  If you can get injections from your doctor that is even better.. I would buy the sublingual for best absorption

Multi mineral vitamin high potency formula , just good to take all around, addicts are using lacking many of the right vitamins and minerals, and alot of prescription drugs rob our bodies of nutrients.

5HTP-- this is what tryptophan gets turned into prior to being turned into serotonin in our brains. Serotonin is what is usually depleted if we are depressed and anxious.. Taking this will help with PAWS ( post accute withdrawl syndrome) or eliminate you suffering from them all together      DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTI DEPRESSANT
Dosage-- up to 300mgs a day 3x DAILY ( I take 100mgs 3x per day, start with the lower dose and move up if needed) IF YOU ARE TAKING THE 5HPT PLZ DO NOT TAKE SAM E AS WELL. IT CAN BE DANEROUS

L-glutamine--amino acid required for GABA production, that is the relaxing part of our brain.    up to 2000mgs 3x per day.. ( I take 1000 mgs 3x day, again start lower and work up if needed)

L-Taurine-- another "relaxing" amino  up to 1000mgs 3x daily

DLPA-- helps restore the function to the pain receptors working with the enporphins/enkephalins, can also help with pain if you are someone that suffers with some kind of legitamate pain. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT or if you have DIABETES or HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Dose-- up to 2000mgs 3x per day (again you can start lower like 1000mgs 3x daily)

Sam-e-- aids in stress relief, depression,eases pain, and produces antioxidant effect that can improve the health of the liver 200-400mgs per day   YOU ARE TAKING THE SAME PLZ DO NOT TAKE 5HPT AS WELL. IT CAN BE DANEROUS



Vitamin C-- use Ester c buffered form, detoxifies the system, and lessens cravings for drugs. Supports many body systems. Take 2,000mgs every 3 hours. Start with 1,000mgs and work your way up. Can cause loose stools, body will adjust.

Calcium 1,000mgs at bedtime Magnesium 1,000mgs at bedtime  nourishes the central nervous system and helps control tremors like RLS and other muscle spasms calms and relaxes the body, helps sleep.

If you find yourself really struggling with energy after being on the aminos you can add L-tyrosine to the mix in the early part of the day.. up to 1,500mgs..  This is not usually used in the treatment of pain pill addiction and can over stimulate some people I would say only take it if you are still struggling with energy after starting everything else..

If you find yourself having some anxiety the amino L-theanine is like natural valium.. It has helped me so much I no longer need to take xanax at all for my panic attacks

As far as sleep.. in my early days off of pills I took a sleep blend from GNC with a L-theanine and calcium magnesium liquid everynight and slept like a baby.



Another aid to help with sleep is melatonin.  This is a hormone released from the pinal gland in the human body at night time for sleep...this is essential for those coming off opiods. As little as 1mg to 30mg have been effective.  Start low and add 3-5 mgs every half hour till sleep.  Reasearch on healthy volunteers using up to 100mg of melatonin in a single dose shoes little side effects.  Melatonin is also known as a very strong antioxidant with 1000x the potenecy of vitamin E.  Take only at night right before bedtime as the hormone is released naturally by the body when it is dark.


I suggest GNC to purchase this stuff they are pretty cheap (some stuff is only 4.99 a bottle)  they were also super helpful and knew alot.. I got a gold card to save some bucks in the future..

After a few months if you are feeling good you can taper the aminos back to once a day... then a few months after that a few times a week.. the best part about taking aminos instead of drugs is you don't have to take them forever to get the benefit.. the FIX the problem not put a band aid on it.

Protein shakes can be of great benefit.. protein is needed for rebuilding of nearly everything in the body.

If you have any questions I am always around.. FLaddict

[yogi911]

beenerkitty, could you tell me what kinds of amino acids I should take and where I could find them?

[OKnotOK]

I think you made a good choice re no antidepressants ... you sound like you're having a minor "crisis," and you recognize it as such. I'll wager it happens to most of us -- some withdraw, many change their reality with drugs (it's back when you wake up), and a heck of a lot of folks get going on something they find interesting, and forget the whole downer thing.

Which I was was in the latter category, but I get messed up with substances from time to time (winter's a killer) ... I always regret it. Life's hard sometimes, and I wish I could hide behind the bookshelf for a year or so, but, well, you only get one shot at it.

[broknbck]

beenerkitty,
so what is going on? what happened?
i understand what you say about loosing yourself. i felt that way too.

i think the drugs damage our brains and normal feelings. start taking the amino acids.
especially the l-glutamine. my normal feelings came back and i started to remember what i like and don't like and feelings like happy or emotional sadness. the kind of feelings that send real tingles through your body.

this all returned like after about a few weeks of being clean.

[corey411]

Hi Brian, It is great that you are thinking seriously about your drug use. Sometimes addiction can start out with using any drug to escape until eventually one reaches out and gets it's hooks in you. You are still very young and it sounds like life seems a little boring to you. Bordom is something that happens to everyone in life. It's life's way of telling us that we need to do something different.....to make changes and grow. If you cover that signal with drugs you will never be guided to make those changes and you will not grow beyond it. The same is true with learning what to do with your problems. You are numbing them. When we do this with drugs, we don't learn how to problem solve or cope because we no longer feel the problem with the drugs. The problems are still there. In fact they multiply and we just let them surround us. You have to feel through your problems and bordom to get past them and work you way into the life that the voice inside of you wants you to live.

Please read a lot of the posts people have written here. Drug addiction id pure h@ll. You have your whole life ahead of you. You can make it anything. Don't make it an addict. Before you know it 17 becomes 50 and you still center your life around chasing a phony high and fake happiness. I will keep you in my good thoughts. With peace and compassion, Corey

[yogi911]

That was the kick in the *** I needed.  Thank you very much.  It'll take some work, but you've given me a plan of attack, and I feel ready for battle.

[broknbck]

so you are growing up and it *****- right?

when i have a problem to deal with, i usually look at it and figure the worst case senerio. then i come up with what i will do if it turns to that. then i am ready for it no matter how bad it turns out. of course i look at the best too and go for that one.

you just have to deal with problems . they are always gonna be around. and there are always good lessons to learn with each of them. that is how we grow and become the person we are going to be.and it never stops. we are always growing and learning. if you look real good at every problem, you can find some good in each.

it would be a pretty boring, bland, unexperienced person if we never went through anything- right?

of course sometimes things can get a little overwhelming and we need to take a break. but taking a break everyday is no way to go through life and we how will we learn courage and bravery if we do not ever face anything?

[yogi911]

I don't think I need any medications; I have little to no physical symptoms.  It's just that I don't know what to do with myself sometimes.  Thank you for your help.

[Beenerkitty]

stay here on the forum for a while and your question will be answered by some awsome people her. have you ever been treated for depression? that was the main reason i used pills. i too wanted to "escape" i even forgot who i was. and sometimes i dont feel like i can ever really be me again without the pills. something to look in to-the depression. talk to your parents and/or make an appointment with your doctor. there are some really good medications that can help. like i said stay here and help and more support will come along
Bkitty