Heroin Addiction Support Group

I am 31 and been on Heroin 90% of the time since I was 16 (yep sad init!)

For the last couple of years i've been on methadone which has transformed my life and means I don't take stupid risks and enables me to have a generally stable life; I have a fulltime job,a daughter etc, but there is one thing i'm struggling like hell to do - STOP USING, especially before bed. because virtually every night for 15years i've had a toot before bed and one in the morning before work, I'm struggling like hell to beat the cravings. it's just bred into me. has anyone any ideas of how on earth i can beat this. i've done it all my adult life. Its just enough to still ruin my life. money,debt, lies, dodgy deaings, hurting those i Love,messing relationships up,, i'm sick to death of it. in black and white its so obvious n simple to do but the cravings are ridiculous. anyone had similar issues and how were they overcome/?

(Sorry for War&Peace)

Paulo, Leeds

You say you have a daughter. Isn't that a good reason enough?

I'm not going to pretend to know how hard it is b/c I don't. I can tell you that you can do it, you just need to find the right "program" that works for you. Have you tried counseling or NA meetings? Do you have a support system in place to help you when you are having those unrelenting cravings?

You can't quit for anyone but you. When you take care of you, then you can take care of others. You have to love yourself enough to stop....

have you looked into detox off methadone??? my boyfriend was a heroin addict for 12-13 years and he did a 10 day detox (they used clonidine) and he did about 40 days in treatment and is doing REALLY well. Almost 5 months completely clean!

Hang in there and do research to see what your options are. call rehabs and detox centers!! dont give up on yourself!

Hi Paulo. I guess I was unsure of what you posted? Are you on the methadone clinic and still using heroin at the same time?

Paulo, I think the worst thing you can do at this minute would be todetox and come off methadone. If you are still figting the habitual craving mentally and daily, one day off methadone and you could be back to what you knew.

The "trick" is to find something to do instead. When you feel like a hit, read a specific passage if you're a religious person, start a craft you only do when you feel tempted, resort to exercise like my husband did, or spend that time with your child instead. Until you find something that you can do instead that takes the place of that association with that time of day, staying on methadone is probably your best option.

Good luck and stay healthy, you can do this.

sp

do you know what the underlying cause to this is? what started the usage? you can't heal properly until you know what the ailment is. i would strongly recommend counseling to help you cope with the addiction and to begin the healing process. i know there is a stigma with counseling, but if you find the right counselor...it will work wonders. i go to one to help me cope and process my husband's recovery....and to heal from all the hurt and pain his addiction caused. i'm glad i started going over a year ago and i'll continue to keep going until i feel it no longer helps. stay strong. you can do it.

good news!! After a week away on the lincolnshire coast with my daughter i have stopped using. 11 days without n feel fine. My eating n sleeping is that of a normal person n i have a life again. I'm too long in the tooth to use again n get back on the slippery slope... so no worries of that. Not throwing another fifteen years down the bog!

thanks for all your help and comments.

Paulo

I'm sure we're all proud to hear that. Stay strong and be careful, don't let it sneak up on you when you aren't watching. Let that new happinness be the motivation you needed to resist.

Paulo,

This is great to hear! I agree with sweetpolly... keep the addiction on the back burner. My husband named his heroin addiction "the devil" because it snuck up on him and tempted him and at weak time, it took him back in.

Stay positive and keep doing what you need to do to be clean and sober and you will have true happiness.