i stopped using opiates august 25 2014 and since then i have had a few slips but my energy is STILL in the toilet and my motivation well at times i have none i am going to na meetings have a sponsor and working the steps all the right things my cravings come and go and i have acted on them but its getting way less but the energy man is definitely the last to come back i wish you the best and you will not be successful without aftercare all the people on here drilled that into my head i finally listened they know whats up!!!
The physical part will be done soon. It takes time for the BRAIN chems to balance back.
If someone used everything and anything for yrs & yrs, they have a harder time Mentally balancing out because of whacking out the Nero-Chems.
If someone is young and only used a short time, then they will balance back sooner.
Just be glad you caught it sooner then later. It does take time, and I mean some time, for your Mental to come around.
Meanwhile, just take it day by day. We do have a Mid-Brain called the survival part of the brain that will always remember the pleasure we got. IF you do NOT feed it, then in time it will ease up.
Make sure you get ALL the Support you can get. No more going around your old stomping grounds and playing around with those old friends who still use. It does take MANY new LIFE STYLE CHANGES and one BIG thing is changing some OLD BEHAVIORS. Work, Work and more Work. It does become a "WE" thing not a "ME" thing to work on sobriety.
Hang in you will level out soon.
Bless
Guys I promise the energy is the last thing to come back. Trust me. Right at 35 days I am little by little getting git back. This is not an overnight process. Be patient and let your body and mind RECONNECT! Peace to you all!
Btw. I recently started going to accupuncture to help w the cravings and so far it's helped. At this point I will do anything to try and be "normal" again.
Iam in your same boat w a different drug. Iam struggling w the pick me up I always got. It is about changing the way we think, your not alone that's for sure. Iam looking into different aftercare programs myself. Hang on!!!
Your question is perfect as to why we all need aftercare. That is exactly what everyone feels post opiates. You said it perfectly by stating it isn't just giving up the pills. If it was, there would be no addicts.
I fought for so so long going to aftercare. I kept detoxing then thought "ya NOW I'll change my life!" Ha ha, my brain always took me back to using. I did a 180 when I went to meetings and got seriously involved in the program.
There's that silly but true saying: an addict needs to change one thing when they get clean...everything. Get into aftercare, face to face w/ addicts on a daily basis. N/A or AA. There are other programs, but I am unfamiliar w/ them. Gotta get outta your head and be with others who understand and can help.
Good luck, keep posting w/ questions etc:)