Has anyone got experience of quitting an addiction?

[Dundundun]

I'm a regular but NC andndidnt really know where to post this (and relationships tends to be a nicer crowd than AIBU)

Don't want to go into loads of detail but I've had an addiction for over 10 years. I'm trying to quit and have successfully gone 11 days but I'm finding to day so incredibly hard. Had a shit day in work and with the stress of quitting I ended up walking out half an hour before my shift ended and just crying in my car and I just don't feel like I can keep going but then I see how far I've come and don't want to go back to old ways.

Has anyone here successfully quit an addiction? How did you get through the really hard times? If you haven t been through an addiction but would like to share something funny or encouraging words that would also be greatly appreciated.

Bump

Didn’t want to read and run. I don’t have any experience beating an addiction as such, was a smoker for 8 years and quit that about 4 years ago, just went cold turkey.. hard but worth it and kept myself busy and distracted. I think you’ve made th first step by reaching out on here for advice and support. Use online tools available and don’t be afraid to speak to someone if you need help and support xx

Depends on which addiction. I'm a sober alcoholic and I would never have made it without frequent AA meetings - daily for the first few years. The same is true for heroin and cocaine addicts, who go to NA meetings.

Hi Op,

I have experience of quitting an addiction to a highly addictive over the counter medicine. It’s been about twelve years now. I also gave a smoking.

It was very hard at first but I (with the help of my doctor) weaned myself off it. Self help CD’s were great as well (self hypnosis). I also won’t lie say that the cravings disappear completely. Very occasionally the thought crossed my mind but it’s very rare and is easily pushed away.

It takes time and determination. Unfortunately quitting something isn’t a quick process and you will have good days and bad days. Gradually you’ll notice that there are more good days than bad ones.

You’ve done really brilliantly already, don’t give up now. I’m really happy that you have come this far. You’ve recognised you have a problem and are taking steps to do something about it - that in itself is awesome. Remember that the first few weeks are the worst. You can do this! I am behind you 100%.

It just seems so hard atm I feel like tonight is never going to end every minute is taking an hour. I have looked up groups near me but they are all in the evenings and I'm a single mum. Feeling like a failure. Thank you all for taking the time to reply. Really thank you. It does help even if that sounds silly.

My DP is in recovery and found blogs helpful in those first few weeks. People who had been through it and knew how he was feeling. You're doing great. Take one hour at a time

There is also an addiction support topic on mn which is helpful

You are not a failure!. You’ve seen that you have a problem and are doing something about it. 11 days is amazing. Take each day, hour, at a time. Sounds stupid but I find reading a really trashy book helps distract my mind xxx

Yes me! Alcoholic here, 13 months sober. As the poster said about regular AA meetings got me through, along with support from alcohol counsilling. I am also a single mum, i was fortunate enough to be able to arrange with the childrens father to do most of the overnights and i practically moved in with my parents to allow me to put the kids to bed then i could leave for a meeting. I am forever grateful for that support.

You are doing the right thing asking on here for help, it shows your determination to beat your addiction. For me it helped to know i am not alone, addicts think a certain way that 'non addicts' do not understand. The first ever aa meeting i went to i was terrified, it didnt help that i am from a very small town so AA was not so anonymous. At that very first meeting i got hope that i would beat this because there was proof sitting around me. I am not at all religious either, so dont let that put you off. AA saved my life. If i can help feel free to ask.

You can do this, one day at a time

I quit a cocaine addiction of 10 years standing last year. I had tried and failed many times to quit before, and began to feel I never would break free of it but one day I did.

You don't mention what you are addicted to, but if it is drink or substances you could try the approach I used which is Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey - lots of stuff on the net and he has written a book.
I also joined an internet support group but didn't have any support in RL. Only my husband really knew (plus some druggie friends I ditched) but we both recognised that he couldn't do it for me.

Essentially, I just made a decision to quit forever, at a very deep level and stuck to it. So easy to say and so hard to do!

I 'mourned' my addiction for a few weeks and had a few tough moments but I also cut off all routes to supply (using friends, dealers etc) which was hard in itself but once I'd done it it made things a lot easier.

I don't miss it at all now. This time last year I was still getting high from the night before and dreading the comedown. This year I had a nice fresh head on NYD and thought 'thank fuck I got that out of my life!'

I don't know how else to explain how I did it... I guess I did reach a sort of rock bottom but fundamentally I had to admit the party was over and accept that. I thought I wanted that party, but now I'm free of it all I can see that that was just the addiction talking and I don't actually want to do that anymore at all now - been clean about 6 months and pretty certain that's it.

Thank you for sharing you experiences, they really have helped. My addiction is marijuana, everyday for 12 years until 11 days ago. But I've had a bath read all your kind comments and encouraging stories and some stuff online and I'm feeling a lot stronger again tonight. So thank you again everyone.

Dundun, please feel free to message me, I'm in the same boat.

I feel for you.

I'm a food addict and go to a 12 step group (OA). I also go to AA open meetings sometimes, though don't share because I'm not an alcoholic. 12 step is just so brilliant and AA meetings are a way to get a dose of 12 step.

I couldn't do it without support in my group and a sponsor ie I couldn't do it alone. I suppose with food we've got to carry on eating so that can be a bit tricky! But all addictions are the same underneath: we use whatever it is to check out; then we get to the point we can't control it, it's controlling us.

I wonder if you can get online meetings for marijuana? I know a lot of 12 step meetings function in this way as well as f2f meetings. If you want a taste of 12 step you could go to an AA open meeting to get the gist of how they work. AA meetings are easy to find as there's so many of them at all times of day.

I don't know much about marijuana but did you smoke it with tobacco? If so then the come down from nicotine can be horrendous. I came off nicotine using patches and working with a stop smoking nurse - even though it was vaping I was trying to come off! I thought I could stop cold turkey but O.M.G. it was horrendous (numb face anyone? the horrors?). Doing it with the nurse worked so well for me.

Keep going. You're doing so well