[PsychNitrous]

I'm looking for some information, but I don't even know where to start, so I figured I'd try posting here. For the last 2-3 months, I've been using heroin 4-5 times a week. It's never been a lot, usually my boyfriend and I would split about $20-30 worth in a day. If we bought more than that, if it was good quality it would last us several days. We tried to keep our use as low as we could to avoid any problems. Neither of us experienced any kind of dope sickness during this time, even when we'd go a few days without getting any. We didn't use IV, never even considered it since both of us have needle phobias. I don't know if I'd say I've developed an addiction, though I know there's some of it psychologically. I've always been a fan of the way opiates make me feel.

Anyway, the point of this post is that now we are quitting. We'd been buying through a friend, and he's going into treatment for his own addiction, and we don't want to risk finding a source of our own. Last night was the last time we used. I've read some stuff about withdrawal symptoms, but it always seems to be talking about symptoms in people who have used for years or used IV. What I want to find is what kinds of symptoms we can expect for having only used a few months. Does anyone have any kind of answers to that? Or can point me in the direction of those answers?

[emgreen]

I just ran a quick Google & there are plenty of sources out there. One I found was:

https://www.addictions.com/heroin/sh...in-withdrawal/

I just cut & pasted the first one I opened, so it might not apply to you directly. There's a phone number at the top of the page, however, for information. If you call that number they might be able to give you information more relevant to your specific situation.

I'll try not to lecture, but if you do use again there's some crap out there now that can kill you quick...& in small amounts. I'm sure you already knew that, however. Good luck.

[All Is Revealed]

Ughhh ... I've been through this.

The first week is the worst. You will lose sleep, have nightmares, shake, and feel sick. At times you will feel like you are about to die. You will feel cold, then hot, and then shaky. This is why relapse is so common, because quitting makes you feel worse than going back on it.

Hopefully your symptoms are not this severe ... If it is, you may want to go to rehab. Even after using heroin for only several months your body goes into shock.

[PsychNitrous]

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it from everyone.

I guess I really wanted to post this because I'm just confused by all of it. I primarily use marijuana, and don't really go very long periods without using, so I've never really withdrawn from that. Plus the withdrawals are minor, so that's never been an issue. Other drugs I've experimented with I've only used once or twice, so I'm feeling like I'm in unfamiliar territory here.

I've read about the symptoms, and in fact I've studied substance abuse in school, so I'm really not as ignorant as I'm making myself out to be. I just feel like everything that's talked about in terms of withdrawals from opiates is in terms of long-term, heavy users. I can't tell what's the drugs and what isn't. Depression? That's likely, but it's late fall and I usually have more severe episodes linked to seasonal changes. I haven't experienced anything else, not that I can tell. My life seems to be the same way it was before I started using, but that still seems unlikely.

[emgreen]

Did you try calling that number to get info more in line to your & your boyfriend's situation? I think talking to someone might take a load off your mind. I'm sure the line is anonymous. As for SAD, been there & do that. I hope you've got a light box fired up. Depression might mimic some symptoms of drug withdrawl, but I don't know anything about it. Good luck finding some solid info.

[PsychNitrous]

Originally Posted by emgreen

Did you try calling that number to get info more in line to your & your boyfriend's situation? I think talking to someone might take a load off your mind. I'm sure the line is anonymous. As for SAD, been there & do that. I hope you've got a light box fired up. Depression might mimic some symptoms of drug withdrawl, but I don't know anything about it. Good luck finding some solid info.

I haven't called that number, but I appreciate you finding it for me. This issue is turning into a bigger, more general issue related to my drug use. I'm working with my therapist on it, but I think it's going to take time.