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723959 tn?1314744225

please be honest

After quitting pills do you really Ever get your old life back? I know that it will always be a battle mentally, but physically. do you get your energy back like before you ever started using?

kalie
21 Responses
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486507 tn?1237242081
Its gr8 to be alive again!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i really do not want my old life back, i quit in 04, went through tons of bad stuff early in recovery, like being homeless, depressed, etc....
and now i own a nice home, play sports, take care of my kids, work in the addiction field, i love being around people in recovery or trying to get clean, i have a new purpose in life, staying clean and helping others, i feel like i am of use in this world, and i did not feel that way before, i felt like a retard and a burden, yes, i have bad days
but my worst day clean is much better that my best day using
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
YES, you will get your old life back!  I was addicted for several years (codeine), and went cold turkey, but after a while felt better than ever.  I have a serious and painful medical condition, and NOW I'm on pills again!  I'm scared and want to stop ASAP.  I'd rather take the pain than go through the addiction lifestyle again.  How I let this happen...it was so stupid of me.  So, it's my own fault.  But I'm determined.  And I'm not taking near the amount of painkillers I was before, so perhaps I've caught myself in time.  I hope so.  But I promise you - when this is over, YOU WILL FEEL GREAT AND NORMAL AGAIN.  In the meantime, wish me luck!
Helpful - 0
774059 tn?1235681948
Life back sweety, yes. I am on day 3. Pretty close to your day if I remember correctly. Everyone varies as my research here as showed me. However, I am already starting to smell things differently and clarity of my mind is improving daily. I can't wait to meet me again. It's been a very long time. Keep up the hard work - You can do this! We can do this! Keep posting and stay busy as you can. It's hard -  I KNOW.
Helpful - 0
611067 tn?1458591483
Oh, and WAY TO GO on RIPPING UP THAT SCRIPT!  WOOHOO!!!!
Helpful - 0
611067 tn?1458591483
I believe, YES!  You do get your life back.  But, you have to remember that once an addict that you will always had temptations.  But, the energy does return.  For me, life is better!  I went to a therapist and recently he told me that I didn't have to see him regularly, only when I feel the need.  He has helped me (with everyone here) to see my worth as a human and child of God.  Once, you can get past the things that caused us to want those pills or smoke whatever to begin with - we are happier!  So, like I said, life get BETTER!  It's WORTH it!  

Keep trying and stay here for the support we can give you!  We have a great group here!

Hugs & Prayers,
Janet
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Way to go! I agree with everyone it is great to be clear minded and not feeling guilt over the pills. It is so worth it!
Helpful - 0
723959 tn?1314744225
thankyou Cathy :-)
Helpful - 0
340590 tn?1290952141
sooo glad you ripped up the script.  thats a final parting from the pills...life gets so much better...one thing to remember is that even non-addicts have bad days...thats just the natural flow of human life....some good days and some bad....dont get discouraged...you will soon have more good days than bad....life is good for me now!!!!  it can be for you, just stick with it...
Helpful - 0
723959 tn?1314744225
wow, i really no joke have tears streaming down my face!!!!! to those of you who replied, something in everyone of your post made me feel warm inside. I feel like I can fight now! To hear all of your success stories, i don;t know what it did, but I am DONE with this **** really!!!! I don't know if i will be hitting myself later, but i just tore up a scripe of 7.5 vics!!!!! 40 of them!!! I can't believe i did that, but then again i feel like i just let myself free if that makes any since. thankyou all so much. Today feb..25, is a day to remember. I really am done, and when i do get sick and need you guys again, plz remind me of the better future a head of me!!

kalie
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
no, you will never get your "old life" back.  instead you will get a new one with more strength and wisdom than before.  hardwon from living through hell and coming out on the other side to tell about it.

Kova
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I agree with all the above.. I really do no remember being straight for that long as alcohol was involved in my supposedly clean time.. but I can tell you now that I'm really clean... Life is good.. I think I have more interest now then before.. It is like you have something to gauge your life on and my life now compared to my past is 100% better.. even the down days I do not go as low.. It will all come back with a touch more gratitude for now you know how bad it can get.. the good has no ceiling.. so keep looking forward and soon this question will be a part of your recovery.. I wish you well and much happiness.. lesa
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
TODAY IS MY 3 DAYS CLEAN I AM COMING OFF OF LORTABS AND I CAN NOT BELIVE THAT ONLY DAYS AGO I FELT LIKE **** BUT I TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT I FEEL LIKE MY OLD SELF ALL READY THE ONLY THING I AM TAKING RIGHT NOW IS MOTRIN FOR THE ACHES I DO FEEL LUCKY BC I DID NOT HAVE THE BAD WD LIKE MOST AND I DID STUFF TO KEEP MY MIND OFF IT I GOT UP AND CLEANED SOME YESTRDAY AND TODAY I HAVE PLANS TO DO MORE YES IT DOES GET BETTER AND IT TAKES ALOT OF WILL POWER ALSO, A SUPPORT SYSTEM HELPS TO, I HAVE MY HUSBAND AND MY 3 LITTLE BOYS AND MY MOM CAME TO STAY WITH ME FOR AWHILE , YES SHE IS STILL HERE  BC MY TEST IS WHEN I GET PAID , BUT I THINK I WILL DO FINE BC MY MOM HAS ALOT OF PAIN AND SHE IS ON PAIN PILLS TO AND SHE HAS THEM SITTING IN MY CABNIET ABOVE THE STOVE AND I HAVE NOT TOOK ANY SO YES I AM PROUD OF MYSELF , I AM SO SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN RAMBLING ON AND ON , AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS POST WILL HELP ANY ONE BUT MAYBE , I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT , YOU ALL HAVE HELPED ME SOOOOOOOO MUCH SO THANK YOU  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow, thoses are my two favorite movies!!!
Helpful - 0
52704 tn?1387020797
I have so much MORE than my old life back that there is no way to adequately express it.   I would have been happy to agree to getting just my old life back in the early, seemingly hopeless days of my recovery.  But, as they say, I would have been selling myself far short if I had made such a bargain.

And it's not the case that it will always be a mental battle.  It was a constant mental battle when I was getting 25 days here, 45 there, almost 60 over here . . . . It was exhausting and unsustainable.  

I am not strong enough to live a life of never-ending battles.  I’m not strong enough to keep up that kind of fight, let alone strong enough to WIN every single battle.  Sooner or later I’ll be too tired –the next battle will come too soon after the last – and I will lose.  Besides, what fun would it be to live in the middle of a fight that never ends.  

The answer for me, and pretty much everyone I know who has found sustained recovery after a trip to the black hole, is to simply give up.  Quit.  Surrender – unconditionally surrender.  Cease fighting everyone and everything.

I was not able to get to that point on my own.  Addiction had to beat me into submission.  I had to be beaten down so badly that I didn’t care if I got up or not.  I’m still not sure what it was I thought I was fighting, but there was a spirit of resistance within me that felt absolutely necessary.  It felt like that resistance was what stood between me and nothingness.  It felt as though I had to maintain that, no matter what, or I would simply be gone.

When I finally said: “Enough.  I can’t do it anymore.  I quit,” I did so thinking that would be the end of me.  But I just didn’t care anymore.  I was too tired and broken to care.   I knew it meant death for me, but I couldn’t keep up “the good fight” any longer.  

I was surprised to find that that’s when I finally started to get better.   Since then I’ve learned that there are a great many things in recovery that are completely upside down.  

My battle with addiction can’t be won.  Addiction is too big and too strong.  It never gets tired and it never quits.  No matter how strong I am or how long I fight, sooner or later it will find a weak point in my battle plan.  The only way for me to “win” a battle with addiction is to completely avoid the fight.

Two movies have scenes that provide metaphors  that have been helpful to me – first, for the futility of fighting with this monster and, second, for what it’s like once I realized that fighting is not necessary or even productive.

The first is from Terminator, where Reese is trying to explain to Sarah Connor exactly what they’re up against: “Listen.  Understand.  That Terminator is out there.  It can't be reasoned with, it can't be bargained with... it doesn't  feel pity or remorse or fear . . . and it absolutely will not stop.  Ever.   Until you are dead.”  That’s what addiction seems like to me.  I don’t want to fight with THAT!

The second is from the Matrix, where Morpheus is trying to get Neo to understand what’s he’s truly capable of – Neo asks: “What are you trying to tell me? That I can...dodge bullets? “  Morpheus  replies: “No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you, that when you're ready . . .  you won't have to.”  

"THE ONE WHO SURRENDERS THE MOST WINS."


CATUF
1359
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
  
    We are helping around the world by making them leave this bad habbit

Austin

Drug Intervention
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348629 tn?1212325673
i use to post this question atleast once a day when i started quiting i quit back  in march it was tough but YES you really do go back to normal as time passes i found that you acually forget what it likes u no? you acually really do feeel alot better clean its undescribable
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Absolutely, but it takes a little while...I am at 100 days today and honestly feel as good or better than ever.  Maybe better because I have the bad (using) days to compare to.  From reading here, I think most feel they will not because it does take several months, but it will come.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am being totally 100% honest - yes yes yes.  I feel better now than I have in over 10 years(!) Exercise truly does help and eating healthy and really taking care of yourself - which is something we tend to not do when using.  I never in a million billion years thought I could feel this good again (physically and mentally)... when I was using, when I was on suboxone maintenance and when I went through suboxone detox, I honestly could not even remember what feeling good meant... it comes back slowly.. but it does come back and its incredible.  I wouldn't just say that - I believe in brutal honesty.  If you asked me this question 3 months ago, I would have had a completely different answer  probably along the lines of "he11 no, not for me"... but I am so glad I waited it out cause I feel happier and healthier now than I have in many years..  It is so worth all the struggle.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Even though I am a cocaine addict I still want to reply. I wondered the same thing. Even after i was a few months clean and feeling so much better, i still didn't feel 100%, I didn't do the things I did before and my energy was still lacking. Although I am just under 4 months clean again, realistically I have been clean over a year and I finally feel 100%. I am more energetic although it's winter here and sometimes I hibernate, but only a couple more weeks lol. I think about the future now instead of day to day and after hitting the bottom I did, I actually maybe feel better then before because I am more grateful. The answer to your question is YES. Although the physical w/d's don't last long, it takes awhile to heal after using so long. Recovery is a process and i have noticed different stages and how I have healed. The mental battle gets better too. Are you clean right now?
Helpful - 0
199177 tn?1490498534
Of course you do for most of us our lives are far better then they where when we were using abusing pills takes a toll on your body .It does get better .I will suggest to you that you start an exercise program that helps speed up the process and makes you feel better faster.Better days are coming I promise ..
avis
Helpful - 0
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