Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Hi Everyone!!
So my question is how long did it take everyone to feel ok mentally after stopping your DOC. I am 162 cleans today and physically good but not mentally. Still very anxious, bad mood, good mood, sad, depressed sometimes and these emotions can change like the clock - literally I can wake up feeling bad then have a great day and a bad night?  Is this normal to still be healing? I hope so!
So I am just looking for everyone to give me an idea (from your experience) when you all started to feel better?
Best Answer
Avatar universal
I think of it is the ebb and flow of healing. I would think, "This is why I quit, these are the moments I was longing for. The lows kept coming, yet the good feelings kept getting better and longer. To put a time on it, I would say 10 months was the point I felt like I was good enough. Getting close to two years, I can tell it has gotten better since then. I was told it may take two years, there is something to that. Methadone is it's own animal, a very unpredictable one. I'd say you are still healing, but want to ooint our something. Yes, you're still moody, but I can tell your head is more clear than the day you showed up. Progress over perfection, the journey is the destination.

I think replacing those old bad feelings is the only way to squeeze them out. Keep seeking activities that inspire you. Keep taking inventory of how you can get closer to your potential and intention. You won't regret it. Surrender to the process I say. We can't return to anywhere, we can only make a new day today. Hang in there, you won't regret the worst of it.
17 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I abused oxycodone for at least 3 years and have been clean only 11 months. So my brain circuits are still recovering. I will say that overall from week to week, I still experience improvement.
Yes I have moody times, happy and sad, but now I get to experience them without being chemically numb. I privately believe that all my personal challenges now, my daily spiritual journey, everything, contributes to healing at the cellular level in my brain.
Every day I am just a little bit more capable of handling tough issues, my sleep is a little deeper, my center is just a little stronger.
I do not believe in a magic number of days and then we are back to normal. In fact. I do not want my "old normal" back--that style of thinking gave me a lifetime of problems. Oxy was not my first rodeo. Before that benzos and booze for decades. It took a lot of AA to end the booze, a complete breakdown to end the benzos-and now I am hoping to keep my sobriety long term by sincerely working a program of recovery every day.
So every day is better, and the more clean ones I put together, the better it gets. One day at a time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Honey, honey....
My heart breaks for you the way it breaks for me.
What a ride hey...
It must be nomal because we are both going through the exact same crap!!!
Unfortunantly im glad your feeling the way i do because it gives me hope to know we are not alone.
Im glad you posted this to see the comments. I always knew like Weaver an Digger said it may take up to a year.
But you would think the good days were more often.
If it makes you feel better, im crazier and more messed up now, then when i was using lol.
I was doing great for maybe a month then went backwards fast.
But im trying to make my brain and body learn new ways of coping, i know its not forever.
I still get anxious, tired, bored, cold, confused, cant hold a conversation, fatigued, lonely, now im waking up 100 times a night, sad, heart pounding, cant breath, cant socialise and the list goes on and on and on, oh also angry an irritable.

Surely ive made you feel better now.
Or worse....

Its ok girlfriend, lets give it 1 year as our target to feel awesome.

Were still clean, and alive, that deserves a high 5 !!!
Your holding it together and thats all we can do for today.
Tomorrow may be a great day, just wait and see.
Take care beautiful girl, you know i love you and sending prayers your way xoxoxo
Helpful - 0
1742220 tn?1331356727
hey just wanted to briefly comment, I haven't really stayed clean long enough to tell you ... !   but I know I have a lot of mood swings from day to day and even within one day.  I agree that sometimes you get a certain time of day which is a slump, like after work or something, and you learn to accept it.  I still think that my good feelings/moods outweigh the bad when I am clean.  You are doing great ...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey friend,

My take on this is, we all as addicts have some void we kept trying to fill with our doc's, I am unsure if that void will ever be filled again with other happier and healthier things, I doubt it will but believe me after a good 10 month (that was my turning point or big one anyway) it seemed to level off and I found myself accepting the NEW me! I am unsure if we will ever feel "normal" because our understanding of normal is way off. I do know how you are feeling now will subside to a more manageable level if you stay patient. For me at just over a year clean from Heroin and Valium, I still wake with anxiety and once home from work always get a litttle low in mood BUT I've accepted that, that is just me or my "normal". Learning to live with your new clean coat on is tough, but it becomes a much better fitting coat after time my friend, yup you got this and so have we, ;))
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi Girl..We have talked about this a bit and then I never got back..Sorry!
However, a Dr did tell me it would take my Brain to adjust back up to a Year or Two..Now this has to do with my using from a very young age. I came off those 3 meds c/t and it did take me physically around 6 months with many different Stages. Then I hit the yo-yo mentally in my 6-8 month. Meanwhile the whole time I have been taking some Great Vit/Min..Some to get me going and some for sleep and to clam me down. Then in my 18month or less I had those deaths that set me back Mentally which affected me Physically. I noticed around my 600 day I started to balance out Physically, Mentally and Spiritually. I am NOT talking about the physical, physical part like Detox..This is a bit different..All 3 Spiritually, Mentally, and Physically came to balance out in one. I think I have 635 today.(not sure) but I noticed the days are so much better..BUT I also feel it took this long for the vit/min to work and also I have been working in our Business with the Hub and also around the house..I noticed the Weather has played a BIG part because I get out and do my Flower Garden and my Veg Garden. If I am out side working it really lifts me up. It seems like FINALLY things are going good. It has been a very tough but interesting Journey so far..Lots of ups & downs but this of coarse is just Life. I have grown more and more at my Meetings and I am understanding it all a bit different then when I first started out..SO I do think it just takes TIME and lots of WORK and Changes for the Best. All the things that had happen to me in the last 6months or more with loosing so many loved ones in such a short time REALLY made things change for the best too! It had to be this way. I now can take the Bad and find a message in it for the Good. I also feel like I am walking closer to my Lord then I have ever in my 58 years on this Earth. It does take some Faith and some Surrendering to know it will all work out in it's own time. I just know that I would of never under stood any of this and would of gave up if is was not for my Dr, Hub and all those people at those meetings and the Angels on here. Also I noticed a big difference when I went and got some Natural Hormone (hot flashes and such)  drops at the Health food store. I had a complete hysterectomy back in the 90s and I was on some shots but gave them up..I realized I was lacking this as well..All those Brain Chems we talk about are hormones too that get messed up when we use besides the Transmitters. They are different then the Female ones but all of this intertwines with each other..Ha! If you know what I mean..ALSO a BIG one was when I went back to eating Right!! Like no sugars, simple carbs and bread or flour (Gluten). Each meal has at least 2oz of lean Protein..Protein (Amino-Acids) is one of the Biggest keys to healing as well and keeping us balanced out and also as we age. Well I could go on & on in a more scientific way about all of this, but I think you get it. I will be praying for YOU! Just know it will take some more time and what you go and do to redirect your self plays a big role here too. lol
Bless
Helpful - 0
2107676 tn?1388973859
Awww sweetie
It really suck s  that you are still having so many ups and downs.  
I don't have any answers for you because I have never made it as long as you have.  I just wanted to offer my support.

Hugs
Helpful - 0
5429734 tn?1379741413
Hey honey 162 days is AWESOME! I am at 265 days and it is getting better slowly but surely just keep the faith that is what I am doing lol. I can honestly say that I would rather feel the way I feel now clean then feel how I did even before quitting the pills. What I have noticed is that the days where I am outside and walking around are the days that I see the more positive side of me. Also if I catch myself in a grouchy mood I try to redirect my thinking by watching a couple funny videos or listen to an upbeat song and dance like no one is watching lol. It will take time and are lives are worth all the time it takes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well I'm glad for that lulu!! Sometime I am horrified to see what actually got posted. Honestly I must look like an idiot sometimes.   Some of the typos are so off I can't even figure out how. Looking forward to the IPhone 6 and a bigger screen soon!!
Helpful - 0
1926359 tn?1331588139
Hi there-
Sorry to hear that after 162 days you are still struggling with this.  I would just add to the above posters and mention that as addicts we cannot just stop our DOC and ride it out and hope to feel better.  We have to transform our lives.  Find out what makes us happy and run towards it.  For me, I began doing a LOT of volunteer work which I do to this day.  I work with women who are rape and abuse survivors, many who are also addicts or recovering addicts.  I also opened my own business and moved homes.  I got very involved in my community.  The thing that probably helped me the most with my anxiety and constant worrying brain was to begin a daily yoga practice which was both wonderful for my pain management and a spiritual place where I could connect with just me.  I miss it terribly.  I've been physically incapacitated now since February and cannot do most of the things that made me feel better.  So I am struggling- but I work my recovery every day and try to find new ways to find that peace within myself.  Often this is just a support group, a new volunteer project, or just spending time with loved ones and talking about my fears.  Life is full of ups and downs and you just gotta ride the wave and do what you can to make each moment count for you.  Be proactive and whatever you do, DON'T ISOLATE.  This is the number one cause of relapse IMO. Just ask yourself what can I do today to make myself feel good?  Keep reaching out.  You've come  a long way and should be proud.
Lu

And Merri- you're phone typos really crack me up.  As in full on belly laughs.
Helpful - 0
7188197 tn?1399464311
I know this is not the new me, it cant be. This cannot be who I am off drugs lol If that's the case I was better off on them .... I just wanted to get a feel from everyone who has already been through what I am currently going through and tell me what I am feeling is normal and that it will subside! Just trying to get an idea of how long this part lasts.

Thanks for all you commented
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi recovery is a process and like all addict  ''we want it and want it NOW'' but that is not the way it goes I detoxed off methadone it took me 90 days just to start to get better it is different for everyone exercise is great for anxiety even if it just walking there are also good teas available that help you relax I know I beet this drum a lot but the rooms of N/A are priceless in helping you recover you need to be pro active in your recovery and N/A is a great place to find recovery you no longer have to do it alone just Google N/A meetings in your area keep posting for support we all want to see you get past all of this
............................................Gnarly...............................
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ok not Gordon (really phone??!!).   Took over our lives for so long...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I always wonder if it is still wds are you just being you.

The pills or drugs took over Gordon long that we don't really know how we are supposed to feel. We are all moody normally. Some more than others. I remember having good days and bad before the pills. Some days I was down some not.

Just my thoughts. Maybe you are still adjusting. But maybe this is what normal life is really like too. I guess thenext several months will tell.

But 162 days is awesome. Great job!!!
Helpful - 0
5986700 tn?1380791380
Hey sweetie, man I understand your uncomfortableness,   It's different for everyone, depending on what you took, how long, WHY seems to be a big one.....a lot if people have underlying issues such as depression, social anxieties (which I think comes under depression too), etc.  depends on what you are doing to relieve your mood swings etc too, if you're not doing anything proactive, then they're not likely to lessen sooner than later.   Try not to give them too much "stage" time.  Just acknowledge your anxiousness then move on to exercise or reading or music or thinking about what you can do to help others.  Humour is huge for me....laughter makes me forget most unpleasantness. All that being said .....around seven mos....I noticed the best of changes.    Hugs out
Helpful - 0
7188197 tn?1399464311
Grrr!!!! Praying for you my friend! Do you get all these crazy mood swings like me lol?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have 210 days free from hydos and I still have bad days more than good days. . Pray for each other and take it one day at a time !!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

Top Addiction Answerers
495284 tn?1333894042
City of Dominatrix, MN
Avatar universal
phoenix, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.