KCI The Anti_Meth Site

How do you make the Meth cravings go away?

vctry7	How do you make the meth cravings go away? Sometimes, I just want to get high. I feel like the only reason I don't relapse is because I have isolated myself from meth. Yeah, I could get it, but it would be a lot of work. Even coming here was causing more cravings. I took Catest's advice and thought it "all the way through to the end". But, I want to quit thinking about it. I want to pretend that I have never done meth. I want to find the rock that so many people seem to be living under in the world where meth doesn't exist. I just want it all to go away. I am sorry. I don't know if I need advice (I think I have heard it all) or if I am just venting. It's been a rough day.
Replies...
Naiev Newly wed	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? vctry7 I'm sorry you're in this spot. All I can think of to say is something a very wise man told me.... A thought only lasts 7 seconds unless you entertain it. Get busy doing something else.....have you tried those freakin Seduko puzzles? They're a bytch! They make my brain hurt! Hang in there -
SOS 1988	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? I'd recommend physical exercise, makes cravings go away and makes you feel better
vctry7	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? I talked to my daughter's basketball coach today. The same woman also coached my sister-in-law 20+ yrs. ago and a long lost best friend of mine about 15 yrs. ago. The coach filled me in on my BF. She had problems in school. My first arrest was with her at 12 years old for public intoxication. BF grew up, got married, had a child. She did okay for a while. Her next baby died. He lived for 3 days and died in her arms. She got a divorce and has since has more downs than ups. I can picture her sitting in that hospital with her baby. I know the pain she had in her early life. I wanted so badly to ask for her phone number or to have coach tell her to call me. And I can't. I can't risk it. I know she is probably on meth or at the very least has access to it. Everyone around here that was ever on any drug has switched to meth. I feel so weak at times, the only thing I know to do is to stay completely away. I have so much respect for those of you that are so sure about your ability to say no. I have so much admiration for those of you that have no desire to use, ever. You are very blessed. I want that. My cravings are still too frequent and intense - after almost 4 years - to be that positive.
ROSE NINA	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? It will get better. You can't give-up now. Meth will ruin your life and your brain. That's a great reason to stay clean one more day. Try to hang out with other recovering addicts. share, and please don't isolate. That took me out when I had my 30 days. Now I almost been clean for 3 years. No regrets
smbch 06	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? Exercise, for sure. Also, it may be not the best thing for you, but if you really need some kind of fix, you can try coffee, some protein, or something sweet. Doing something else, anything, for about 10 minutes helps a lot; by then the craving will often have passed. AA and/or NA meetings are helpful because: 1) you get ideas from other members, 2) you can ask for a sponsor to help you through and show you how, 3) meetings get you out of the house and are a safe place to be, and 4) their literature is great. Reading a lot about recovery was a huge help for me; anything I could get my hands on at bookstores, library, stuff they sell at meetings, and online info was, and continues to be, a HUGE help for me. Prayer sounds corny but I do think it really works. B complex, vitamin C and zinc are all really good in recovery too. Hope this helps. Hang tough. You can do it. Cravings are fleeting, like emotions, and they pass. They WILL go away.
DSAL O1	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? Dear Victory, You should desire Meth no more than you would desire something horrific to happen to you dearest loved ones.
scorpio	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? Oh geeze, sucks to be you right now,,, I was you a few months back. Here's something that I have found helpful and a few others have found helpful also. They tell you to stay clean a day at a time, but when the cravings are really strong, a day is way to much of a commitment so try this: tell yourself, your going to stay clean for 15 minutes, then find something to occupy you for 15 minutes, rearrange the stuff on the coffee table, watch TV, call another recovering addict, read through these posts, rake leaves, whatever, doesn't matter what, shoot you could even read something in the basic text (I recommend starting at the preface),, anyhow, when 15 minutes passes, look at the clock and make another 15 minute commitment, and on and on and on and on, if this is TOO easy, then try an hour, do this all day long, until you go to sleep, every single day until you can make it all day, and then start one daying it. If you screw up, start all over again, however, if you really do this, and don't stop doing, you won't mess up. What's 15 minutes eh?
Kell happy	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? For me, the thing is I can never go back to "under that rock" and pretend meth doesn't exist. Talking to people here is one of the things that keeps me sane. I'm glad you are venting, sharing and talking with people. That helps. Keeping it all inside is much harder. It gets better, but it takes time. Those strategies, like thinking it through to the end, are really going to help you. Unfortunately, it won't just disappear. One of the ways you stay clean is by doing just what you're doing, and not going around the drug, or people you know to be using. I used in a very small town, and live pretty darn close to it. I could probably make a phone call and be high within an hour. That thought is frightening. Before I moved, I saw the people I got high with, but only out in public places. I saw people who were spun out of their minds at my work all the time. Convenience store. Anyway, I actually really still miss a couple of people I used with, but I don't think I'd still be clean if I kept hanging out with them. All it takes is once for me. I'd have rationalized a reason one of those times. I'm pretty sure. I keep reminding myself where it all got me. Homeless, friendless, loveless, no self-respect, no family, and on and on. I was a slave. That shyt ran me. OK, I'm kind of sleepy, sorry, so I'm rambling. Anyway, you just keep talking. Keep finding out what works for you, and what has worked for others. I'm glad you're posting. You'll find lots of great experience, strength and hope here.
UCL Angel	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? Well, everything that everyone has said so far is true. I have one thing to add.....I've heard many people say that PROMETA, when monitored by a doctor, does stop cravings almost completely. I haven't tried Prometa, so I can't say. And I don't know how it acts biochemically, either. But, I know there is a link to it from the main page on this site, so if you are interested that's one way to go. As for me, I've been very lucky I guess...I never have had cravings after I made the decision to get clean and started attending meetings, calling my sponsor, etc. Along with that, an antidepressant to address the serotonin/dopamine issue was enough to get my brain chemistry started back to normalcy, and, I've been sober ever since. I think the reason why I have never looked back fondly at meth or had cravings, is because I went through horrific and literally torturous experiences the whole time I was on meth. So all meth represents to me, is sadistic horror, and unexplainable dark phenomena that kept me afraid all the time. After I got clean, my husband kept using meth after I got clean, so many the horrific and torturous experiences continued long after I got clean. By the time he hit bottom, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with meth. I associated it with the most frightening and painful events of my life, and I still do. I hope you find help with your cravings.
imlost inky	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? A, for me , I find I can handle the cravings easier if I can just take the time to get to the why's behind them. What am I wanting an escape from? What am I wanting different that what I have? I crave for 2 reasons- an escape from responsibility, from life in general- just to use and go wild and f-k it all- or as lately, I am wanting a quick fix for my weight. If I can get to the source of the why- then there is always another answer, another solution- it may take more work on my part- it may mean admitting some painful truths- but it is always a better alternative to using. I have gone that road- been there, done that. I know right where it takes me- to insanity, serious insanity. As hard as I am fighting to get myself non-mental, the last thing I would ever need is another trip down that road. Logic and reason- the 2 qualities I did not have when using. The 2 qualities I value most. They are my tools in coping with life. If I use, I lose. It isn't worth it. You know where I am in you ever need me- right here along side of you, battling away and winning. {{{HUGS}}} Nope, been there, seen that- time for a new view.
Jamie J1979	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? There really is no "magical cure" to stop the cravings but I will share with you what works for me. I'm a recovering heroin/coke/sometimes speed addict. Even though I didn't use speed for very long and it wasn't my drug of choice I choose to come to this site because it's the best one for support and real advice. Another reason is because there are actually people on this site with some clean time and that's all that matter's to me. I used speed off and on from 18-19, usually snorting it sometimes smoking it. I didn't shoot it until 2004. I liked it too much and quit after trying it 10x's. I've used cocaine off and on since the age of 15, I'm now 27. I started out smoking crack and then stopped for a couple years only to start snorting lines around age 18. I didn't start shooting coke until I got into heroin at age 20. My addiction really took hold of me around age 21. Since then I've either been in treatment or on drugs. My pattern is this--I would get clean and then think I was okay, I attended a few meetings but that was it. Then after about 9 months to a year I would get bored and get drunk or take some Valium or another downer and my defenses would come down and I would start craving coke or speed. Then after relapsing on coke or speed I would want to come down so I would use heroin to do so. Before I knew it I was back to using daily once again. This time around I've done things totally different and let me tell you it's a lot harder to stay clean then it is to get clean. It takes effort and hard work, for me I have to be really involved in my recovery or it won't happen. I can't just sit back and expect things to work out. I've also made the mistake of thinking I can drink or use like a social drinker or weekend party person. This is not so, I can't just have one of anything when it comes to drugs and alcohol. It took time to realize this, I always thought that drugs were my problem not alcohol. Now I know that if I drink I will start craving coke or speed and then I'm off to get heroin and blah blah blah. Cravings - I make myself think things all the way through, I make myself remember the hell I went through not just the "good times". My last run was hell, I truely hit a bottom I never thought I would sink to. For the first time my addiction took over my whole life. I couldn't work, I couldn't pay my rent, I was walking the streets for dope money, everything was out of control! So I have a hard time remembering good times right now. I noticed that I only experience cravings when I'm neglecting myself in some way. Meaning if I'm not sleeping right, eating right, getting enough exercise, if I'm lacking in some area I will crave dope. So I try to take care of myself better. I get cravings if I hang out in area's that I used to do dope in. I also get cravings if hang with people I used drugs with. So I don't put myself in those kind of situations anymore. I try to keep busy so I don't have time to think about crap like using. Going for a walk sounds simple and silly but it helps me, it really does. It gets my mind off of things and I get some exercise which makes me feel better. I set small goals and accomplish them, this makes me feel good. I have a strong support network, this is essential to my sobriety. The more people I'm accountable to the easier it is to not use. I'm active in my recovery today instead of just sitting around expecting my addiction to just go away. I realize the patterns that I fall into that lead me back to active addiction and I avoid those patterns. Everyone has to find what works for them. For me it's a combo of things like one on one counseling, women's group therapy, acupuncture, some 12 step meetings, online support like this site, exercise, getting enough sleep, taking time to really do nice things for myself, doing things to better my situation like going back to school, staying away from drug user's and dope houses, finding things I really enjoy and taking the time to live in the moment to name a few. When I used to try to stop using before I realized I really didn't want to stop using. I wanted to find a way to be able to use in moderation and not have it ruin my life and still have all the other things in my life that I liked such as family approval, job, friends, place to live, bills paid, etc. It took me a long time to realize that I can't have both, at least not for long. I will eventually get back into the dope game full time and all the other things that are important will fall away. I feel the one thing that kept me from saying screw life and jumping into the drug game with two feet were my cats. Seriously. I couldn't just give up because I had adopted my 3 cats and I had to take care of them. I had to feed them, provide clean kitty litter, toys, vet care, a roof over their heads, and so on. I couldn't just become a total dope fiend that just lives for dope. Anyways, I just realized what time it is and I have to leave for a doctor's appt. I was starting to ramble anyways, sorry. Cravings will pass, if you turn your attention to something else you will notice the craving has passed sooner than you thought was possible.
vctry7	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? Thanks everyone. I am feeling much better today. Everything is okay. Thanks again.
Penel0pe	Re: How do you make the meth cravings go away? SoVctry7 - sounds like just getting it off of your chest, being honest about your cravings, and sharing it here helped get you through another day clean!