[addictedtosomething]

Hey Cherry8

Cold turkey is horrible. I tried it, and I could have taken the heads off those around me. I was having brain zaps, my legs wouldn’t stop moving, and I had the feeling like I wanted to stretch, but couldn’t.

For me though, it’s the mental impact it can have, like the depression, anxiety, etc. These all subside over time. That’s why having that support system is so important because we have that safety net to fall on during the tough times. You clearly have that with your husband which means you’re off to an excellent start.

Tapering is by far one of the best methods to get off pills. Is there a possibility you have damaged your liver? Well, you’re 33, which is still young, and the sooner you get off them the higher chance your liver will fully recover. Any of us who hammer pills will certainly have done “some” damage. But I don’t think it’s anything which can’t be fixed if you start recovering now and live a healthy life. The paracetamol is probably one of the worst offenders for doing the most damage.

Remember, you’re not looking for the same feeling when you taper down. The reason I say this is so you expect there to be a difference. You will notice it. However, think of it positively. If you went cold turkey you would be crawling all over the floor. This is a better way of doing it.

I spent 3 months tapering which for me I found was a nice amount of time to ease the discomfort. Everyone is going to have a different taper. Yours might last a little longer or less depending on how quickly you want to be rid of them. As long as you’re consistent, and don’t go over the taper, you will pull through.

Advice would be: Take multivitamins, drink loads of fluids, long baths or showers before bed to help you sleep. Keep yourself distracted, tv shows, movies, anything to keep your thoughts away from wanting to take a little “Extra” pill.

Just remember that you’re not alone. Loads of us throughout the country are going through or have gone through addiction and recovery. It’s a long process, but it’s one which everyone can attain through support and determination.

Take Care

[addictedtosomething]

Hey IGR12

I was addicted to tramadol for around 4-5 years. Now, I didn’t take them to excess, but mentally I built up a dependence. Our brain becomes dependent on the medication, and so all these chemicals which are normally produced by the brain require the medication.

If you’re going to come off the tablets I will give you some advice:

1. Don’t be ashamed to admit you have a problem. Addiction isn’t something which belongs to a specific class in society. Anyone can get addicted, no matter the age, race, creed, etc.

2. TAPER TAPER TAPER. To save yourself a world of hurt, you need to taper. It has to be done very very gradually. For me, I did a 3-month taper. You have to plan it out and create a taper diary. You decide how to drop the dose because it’s your body. But the withdrawal from it will not be anywhere NEAR as severe as going cold turkey.

3. Drink loads of fluids. If you can, buy a multivitamin to take every day.

4. Routine. Create a routine to get you through it. If you can’t, just keep your mind active which can be movies, games, TV shows or just anything to help distract you when you’re alone with your thoughts.

5. At nighttime, take a long bath. This will help you sleep at night. Or take a long shower. Get into the routine of doing this, even while tapering.

6. Even tapering, you are going to have ups and downs. Anxious, irritated, depressed. These are all normal. It’s part of the withdrawal process, and it will subside each day until you eventually come off which will allow your brain to get back to normal. Harness the pain you feel and use it to push you through the hard times. Think of it like this, “If I relapse I need to do this all over again”.

7. Doctor. Your doctor will not judge you, because their job is to help us. Yes, you will have addiction on your record, but that isn’t really a bad thing considering you can easily get hooked. They have a plethora of methods, and can even prescribe medication to make it a little more tolerable. They also have access to all the services needed and information which will help you. That same doctor which prescribed you the medication has probably more so than not treated people for addiction because of that same medication.

Do not EVER be ashamed to admit you have a problem. The fact that you’re here shows that you want to change. This is a good thing. You’re realizing the negatives are now starting to outweigh the positives from taking the pills. The exact same thing started happening to me. I started hitting roadblocks in life with my hidden addiction, and I knew I had to do something.

I think your wife possibly knows you have a problem with the pills because she will be able to tell if they’re missing. If she hasn’t said anything to you, it’s probably because she’s waiting for you to say something to her. If not, you should have a sit-down and speak to her.

You won’t be judged, and the only way to truly get off them is with help from those around you. It’s hard to come off pills when you start getting more anxious, insomnia, irritability, and those around you have no clue. It can be an extremely lonely feeling. Just explain your whole situation, and make them aware that since your back pain problems you got hooked on these pills and you want to stop them.

With those around you knowing you have a problem with the pills, they can accommodate the changes and problems you will run into by being part of the healing process. It’s an uphill battle. But if done correctly, I promise you, you will pull through and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Take care

[addictedtosomething]

Hey Chu

First of all, the situation you’re in will be extremely stressful. Addiction is indeed an illness. I can attest to that. Whether it’s from pills, powders or liquids, it’s still an illness of the mind. You’re not alone. Many families throughout the country are going through the same thing.

Your father is your father, no matter what anyone says. He’s still your dad who you will love no matter what. That’s what makes it more painful. Your husband needs to be a little more thoughtful and understand the situation you’re in. Tell him: “Put yourself in my shoes, if it was your father”. Anyone can become an addict. It’s usually negative events or underlying mental health problems which lead us to escape reality. It can also become a routine addiction. Some people don’t even realize they’re doing it, because it just becomes a part of life.

What you need to maybe do is try to get your husband to support you in regards to your dad. If he’s on board it will make it much less stressful for you at home. Tell him how you feel, and that you’re seriously worried about your fathers’ health. Tell him you need his support so that you can attempt to get your father back on the straight and narrow.

It’s good that you’re on here instead of bottling it all up, which just makes it worse. I hope you find a solution so that your father gets the help he needs. You’re not alone.

Take Care

[Author]

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