Lately as I have been going through therapy I have been asked to give up all my addictions.?

Question

I have turned to alcohol, benadryl, weed, sex and well anything to distract me from the pain that I have. Now that Im trying to give up everything the pain is almost unbearable. Its kinda like being kicked in the stomach. I cry when I wake up in the morning and I cry on the way to work and I cry when I go to sleep. Does this pain go away? Im trying stop seeing my family for a bit because that is where a lot of the pain comes from and it just makes me realize how empty I feel inside. Also about how little love there is. I dont want to sound like Im complaining its just that I have had this pain ever since i was little.

Answer 1

Well, I know that kicked in the gut feeling. That "I lost everything that makes me feel safe and wanted" feeling. Namely, my addictions, which I have also just recently given up. I've had pain ever since I was a little girl, too. Long story short; bad things happened, never told anyone, finally, fifteen years later, have faced it. Now I have to let go of all the addictions I have, the ways I run from my pain. But half the time, it doesn't seem worth it, does it? The pain from feeling so lonely without your addictions makes you wonder if giving them up is a loosing fight. Like maybe the addictions were better.
Yeah, I get it. Totally. And, I don't know how you feel about this, but I'll tell you the only way I'm getting thought it. Day by day. Minute by agonizing minute. You may not believe in God, and that's fine. I don't want to preach, but the only way I've found any hope, any love, any chance for healing, is through Jesus. My prayers were so pathetic to begin with. Mumbling, babbling, I didn't even know what I was saying. I just wanted help to get through it, because it hurt so much. But He is there, even though half the time it doesn't feel like it. Even though half the time I don't believe in Him, I know I would never get through this without Him. I've come to see that I can't find love through my addictions or through my family or friends. They cannot love me the way God loves me. I haven't gotten through the pain yet. But now I have hope, and before I turned to Jesus, I didn't have any hope. I know this is long, and I know it might sound cliche, and I can't pretend that I know exactly what you're going through, but I hope that you will see that there is love in the world, there is hope. Like the song says, cry out to Jesus.
My prayers are with you, God bless.

Answer 2

Jeez, that sucks. Well, the best thing to do is go out and find a hobby or cause that will make you feel good and worthy in the eyes of others. IF your family or any friends are toxic, cut them off- you don't need that! Life is too short. As for the addictions, they're just masking the real pain. Every week, take the money you would have used on drugs and alcohol adn buy yourself something special and meaningful, then look at it whenever you feel like going out and getting high or drunk. Together, you and your therapist can find the source of the pain, but you have to give up whatever he asks you to give up first.

Answer 3

First we need to know if its physical or emotional pain. Either way really when you get yourself clean from mind altering or mood altering things many people report feeling things to an extreme really. The reason I believe is because they covered all this pain up for so long that when they did finally feel it again it felt a million times worse to them than it ever did to begin with. It most likely will take a long time to get used to any type of pain all over again but in my opinion it is well worth it. It is however all too easy to fall back into drugs and alcohol and the same behaviors that got you to where you are now. You must deal with what ever hurts you but deal with it with your therapist. Good luck and well wishes for a clean and sober life!!!

Answer 4

Therapy.... You need a friend, someone to chat with once in a while. Its prolly more mental than now. You have let these things get to you for soo long it seems like its pain full, if it really is physical i would see a doctor, but im serious about the friend thing, its always cool and it helps a lot to meet someone you dont know, and just start a realationship with them, not sex, or meeting but sometimes just a person over the net

Answer 5

Yes, the pain does go away. It doesn't happen right away and it's not easy to be sure, but the pain will go away. But for the pain to go away, you need to change your way or thinking and acting and I'm not just talking about thinking positive. I'm talking about specific things you can do. There would be too much for me to simply answer for one question. Also, you say you're lonely, but you only have your e-mail address on your profile and not your IM address. Why not? My IM and e-mail address both are in my profile so that others can talk to me so that I don't feel alone. And I don't feel like you're complaining so long as you are searching for a solution to your problem. So e-mail or IM me, look at my profile and read my blogs on Yahoo 360. And IM me if I show I'm online. You don't have to be alone any more than I have to be alone...

Answer 6

It gets easier, it just takes time. You have to find healthy coping mechanisms to replace the unhealthy ones. I think you are increadibly brave in what you are doing, it takes a lot of guts to give up everything like that. I'm sorry that you have had such negative experiences with the people who are supposed to be closest to you, and it's because of that, that you have had other people in your life hurt you. Keep working with your therapist and try to find ways to express yourself through art or poetry, I bet you have a lot to say.
I disagree with you on one thing, there is so much love in the world, but some people are greedy with theirs. There's a woman in India who gives hugs for a living. She doesn't charge anything and they are not fake hugs, they are pure unconditional hugs, so there is so much love to share. When you feel better share the love that you have because the more you share, the more you will find good poeple wanting to share their love with you.

P.S. Don't let anyone put you on medication and numb you out again. You can get through this, I promise.

Answer 7

It will go away. The reason that it seems over whelming for you is that the substance abuse was keeping you from having real feelings. So this is actually a good thing. You're just feeling all these emotions that you weren't able to fully experience before. At least that's what they say in my IOP. Which is basically intense substance abuse therapy.

Answer 8

The reason the pain is unbearable is because you're stopping everything you used to use to dull the pain, so you're feeling everything. On top of that, you're feeling everything you've blocked out before all at once. The pain does get better.

Answer 9

I hope my situation will ease your mind. My doctor put me on a pain patch 7 yrs because I have a pancreatic disease. I started out with 50 mcg. up to 150 mcg. This drug is used in surgery as an anesthetic. It is very addictive. 2 mo ago I told my doctor I'm sick of a drug controlling me and I don't want it anymore. So he sent me to a doctor who specialized in drug addicts. 20% of his patients are like me and want to get off a med their doctor put them on. I decreased the patch slowly. I have never experience such horrible pain, not just in my pancreas, but everywhere. Remember, every part of your body depended on these drugs, so every part is going through withdrawel. It does get better. I have bee off that patch now for 3 wks and I never felt better. Hang in there. We are all rooting for you,

Answer 10

Sorry about your pain. If it helps, all of us, every last one, has their own baggage they have to drag around, their own crosses to bear, so to speak, nobody gets out of life unscathed. Alcohol and benadryl are a total waste of time, and whatever therapy you're going through, if the therapist has a Ph.D., he or she should be able to prescribe medication that will help you. Good luck.