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[Serious] Dealing with Symptoms of Withdrawal

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by hotballa, Aug 25, 2016.

  1. underrated015

    underrated015 Member

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    Just have to be around Family and Friends (not the ones that will make you go back to that phase) and be active. Being alone will make you sink into depression more. Exercise does help too. Good luck man.
     
  2. fallenphoenix

    fallenphoenix Contributing Member

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    Not much you can do, but try to manage your thoughts. Just keep reminding yourself that this state of mind is only temporary and not to do anything you'll regret.

    If you feel yourself going to a dark place reach out to someone you trust to keep you company, and just say you need to not be alone at that moment.
     
  3. eric.81

    eric.81 Contributing Member

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    I got lucky.

    #1) I was a bartender, so I put everything I had into my work... I know that sounds dumb, but I convinced myself that if I could do everything just a second faster, it would translate into more money. I exhausted myself every day and just hustled... worked as hard as I could. Eventually, and quicker than you might expect, I got a lot of gratification from just running my ass off at work and getting really good at my job. I realized being as busy and pushing myself as hard as I could was one of my ways of getting through that dark tunnel. Did I just physically exhaust myself with no emotional attachment for a while? Did it seem like I was pushing for nothing and it was a worthless exercise? Absolutely... at first. It gets better.

    #2) I moved in with my girlfriend (now wife), partly to get away from a bad crowd. The daily process of creating a home with someone shook me out of it too... along with the fact that, now that we were living together, *something something something* like rabbits. :cool:

    I'm sure all this sh** sounds hollow to you right now. All I can say is: trust that this is only a phase. Life will absolutely return to normal. Ride this out, knowing that you will emerge from the tunnel a better, stronger person. You will enjoy the exact opposite of what you're feeling now... an excess and abundance of feelings and a more profound appreciation for everything you are and have.

    You can do this, sir.

    TL;DR

    1) Work hard
    2) **** someone... alot.

    ;)
     
  4. ynelilvs99

    ynelilvs99 Member

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    Prayer. Focus on something other than yourself. Do something for others. Help someone.
     
  5. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Contributing Member

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    I like Pokemon Go as much as the next guy, but it is no reason to lose your family and friends over. Just delete the app!
     
  6. MystikArkitect

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    Not sure what the addiction is/was but coming out and saying you have an issue is a big step, even if some posters react immaturely to it.

    The answer really depends on your personality. I could tell you that it's easy and to find a couple of hobbies to occupy your time. Or going out with friends. Trying something new every day (cooking, writing, playing music, arts). Do you have a dog? I was going through some tough times a few years back and I look at my dog as a walking symbol of me getting out of it, focusing on him and his development. It faded, like it always fades, then in a few years you'll be talking to someone going through something similar where they don't understand how to feel better and you'll recommend some distractions that you know worked well for you in hindsight but you weren't sure of at the time (that time being now, for you).

    Good luck.
     
  7. Nook

    Nook Member

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    A lot of it depends on what the particular addiction is. Some addictions are a result of self medicating an underlying deficiency and it is possible that a medication administered by a doctor would help you if you have an underlying issue such as bi-polar disorder.

    Going through the motions is common for recovering addicts, as is depression. It can take quite awhile to overcome all of the turmoil.

    Exercising and setting goals is an excellent way to try and off set the feelings you have. There is a chemical change in your brain from working out. Talking about your problems and how you feel is another positive.
     
  8. Batman Jones

    Batman Jones Contributing Member

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    Or, if you can't afford talk therapy, depending on your addiction, find the proper support group so you're talking to someone about it and someone that will understand. I'm a recovering alcoholic that isn't in AA but I know many people that give AA all the credit for their recovery. It is powerful stuff, AA, as are similar support groups like NA. I'd definitely echo Rashmon's suggestions (no surprise -- he is a very smart poster) but I'd add AA or a similar group even if you can afford talk therapy.
     
  9. Batman Jones

    Batman Jones Contributing Member

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    I'd also recommend the book Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp whether your addiction is to alcohol or not. I found it helpful to read about the grief that comes from giving up something you've been relying upon for so long.

    Depression is VERY common when quitting an addiction. And you are clearly describing signs of clinical depression. There's no shame in it and there is plenty of help out there for you if you'll stick with it.

    I'm rooting for you, brother.
     
  10. RudyTBag

    RudyTBag Contributing Member
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    Cold turkey is so good. I could never quit it.
     
  11. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    The way you describe not feeling joy or being away sounds like you're depressed. Some drugs like painkillers or narcotics muck with your mind and will take a few months for your mind to wean off. The pathways will always be there, but your response doesn't have to be the same.

    That bit of knowledge isn't supposed to be self-defeating, but rather the fact that some things are not about a fight against having "direct control" over your actions. It's more like, don't be harsh on yourself. Genuinely forgive yourself while you're working on it and be nicer to yourself.

    In the "Power of Habit" by Duhigg, he cites research into what he boils down into a ritual of "Reminder, Routine, Reward". So it's not just the act of going cold turkey, but also altering and diverting the first R, so that you can slowly build other suitable rewards. Willpower, it seems, is limited capital that only replenishes with proper sleep and rest. It slowly dwindles throughout the day from work, making decisions, and fighting urges like addiction. It's like a raging river, but the trick is to slowly divert that river at the beginning so you don't have to fight the torrents coming from the Reward you're trying to quit.

    It's not going to be a silver bullet of do this, this, this, ????, CURED.

    You could be going through different natural things that you haven't had time to pause and consider. Some of these root causes are not easily fixed with medication, nor should medication be used to mellow out the edges we as human beings either tune out or deliberately avoid.

    I would look for a clinic that has a licensed therapist that could potentially be cheaper and a bridge to what you eventually have to choose to invest upon. At the very least, that professional will give you options, but always weigh them and look for second opinions until you find the fit that makes the most sense to you.

    Good luck, keep us posted and take care.
     
  12. dharocks

    dharocks Contributing Member

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    The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but connection. You need to find someone to talk to.
     
  13. Space Ghost

    Space Ghost Contributing Member

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    There is a lot of self-help advice being given which basically amounts to motivate yourself and do something. It sounds like a classic case of depression. I understand when you're at this stage, its very hard to motivate yourself to do anything. Depression is a b****.

    There are support groups out there that can really help. It doesn't have to be a "omg, i'm about to wrap my car around a tree" depression group. It helps to be around people who understand you have a problem ... you don't necessarily have to share the same problems.
     
  14. Buck Turgidson

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    Talk to someone.

    Find a hobby or five.

    Do something that makes you happy.

    Repeat, see above.

    Depression is a terrible thing.
     
  15. hotballa

    hotballa Contributing Member

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    You guys are amazing. I've read each and every one of your thoughtful posts, even the fap related ones. Thank you for the support.

    I guess it's almost a little sad indictment of my life at this point that I am unable to confide in anyone I know in real life. Ever since I picked up the habit, I've been more and more isolated from anyone not in my immediate family.

    I will be looking for local support group as that seems to be the only viable option for me right now. I haven't yet decided whether to let my wife know about the addiction though I am sure she suspects.
     
  16. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Is this some food you are addicted to that you can no longer eat? Are you going through sugar withdrawals because of the diabetes?
     
  17. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Prayer is a first line treatment for heroin and cocaine addictions.
     
  18. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    my advice that you don't need to listen is to come clean with your wife and let her hold you accountable on actions you yourself decide to take.

    Main goal is to include her in your life as you go through this change and also to not feel like you're alone on this.

    I'd still say regardless that you should look for pro health just as juicing doesn't cure cancer for everyone, whatever you're going through could be illness that is more manageable with treatment.

    Don't Asian up on this and will it off because the pragmatic answer is inconvenient.
     
  19. OmegaSupreme

    OmegaSupreme Contributing Member

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    the bolded part soooo much. especially one that specializes in chemical dependency.

    google "sliding scale" and search for clinics where it is an option.
     
  20. Ottomaton

    Ottomaton Contributing Member
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    Obviously, whatever drug you are taking determines the course of your problems.

    Anhedonia is a pretty common symptom that sets in after the initial withdrawal in many cases. What always works for me with any drug withdrawal symptom is I look at it as something to be endured that you will eventually pass through. For me, mild, persistent anhedonia is usually the last phase before you are over it.

    It isn't forever. You just have to push through to the other side. It may take a couple of weeks or months, but there is an end. You just need to endure. Maybe that sounds stupid, but just knowing that I can eventually outlast it is enough to keep me focused.

    My other thing for dealing with it is to exercise until you want to fall down. Really intense exercise results in all sorts of interesting chemical alterations in your body and mind. Beating yourself up can break up the rut your brain is in. At the very least, feeling anything at all is a nice break from just feeling disinterested and apathetic. Also, there is a self-flagellation angle, where you punish yourself for giving in to addiction, that seems kinda cathartic.
     
    #40 Ottomaton, Aug 25, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2016

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