Kicked Heroin 14 months ago!

[mchristakos]

I was an active IV heroin user for 8 years. My story about how I got addicted is super long so I won't get into that right now, but getting clean was the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life (and I've been through some hard ****** **** - excuse my language). I had a trifecta of things that got me to finally give up the heroin and SMART Recovery meetings is one of those things. I started going to SMART about 8 months before getting clean and it literally helped save my life. I am so grateful to have these meetings (in person and online). I was one of those "meetings don't do anything" people before I actually started going on a regular basis and now I swear by them. Meetings are medicine for me and without my medicine, I know that I will get very very sick again.
I never thought that I would make it out alive, and because I was so high all the time, that fact didn't bother me back then. Now that I am clean and my brain isn't full of fog, I feel extremely blessed to be alive today and I know that a higher power out there had their hands on me because I know I wouldn't be here today if someone or something wasn't protecting me. There's just no way I lived through everything I lived through without reason. I would absolutely love to someday share my entire story and hopefully prevent someone from going down the same path I did or help someone that's already in the throws of addiction to realize that a clean & sober life is worth living!!
Thank you for letting me share and taking the time to read my poor writing. (I've never been good at expressing myself in writing.)

[6142]

Great job, keep it up. You're an example for people that are struggling.

[LoveKernel]

Great job! Congratulations for your clean time Many more to come, I'm sure.

[Caroline14]

Hi mchristakos, and how wonderful to read about your amazing recovery! What an incredibly achievement!

[Meow77]

First, congrats on getting clean and 2nd thank you for joining here to share and of course now 3rd, I would love any advice you have to offer: I recently broke up with my fiance, because of her addiction. I've never had anyone close to me addicted to anything and my own alcohol abuse didn't help. I've since quit drinking but in the past 9 months since we split I'm still not over this at all, I guess you could say I need relationship help too but for now I want to focus on being able to help her if she reaches out to me again for help- she reached out about a month ago and although we've barely talked we had enough conversation to establish that she's still a mess and I'm willing (ok, wanting more than anything) to be there for her- but I'm not anywhere near educated enough on this matter to know how to deal with it. Everyone I know says run and don't look back because she's a lost cause but I can't because that doesn't feel right. I truly believe she's capable of overcoming this. I just can't find many success stories when it comes to heroin. 😐

[Lilywhite]

I know that when i started Smart Recovery, I was on oxycodone 30mg, On 11-21-18 was the last time i ever took it, I am free now nothing i need to live. In feel Smart helped me, Thank you all, People who help don't even know they are helping, All I can say is i have my life back YES, No more i need this, To you people who just talked to me Thank you, Because, I am my old self like it great ,My only problem is to get my family my daughter back in my like, I hope i can, Then all will be Good,Help find my Daughter back to me, Please.

[RSH85]

Congrats! It's a win! rom my own experience that any addiction starts with a single use. Then you do it again a week or two later because you liked it. Then you start doing it a couple times a week, it’s not a problem yet because you can still function and get things done and you’re just letting off steam. Then you up the dosage to three times a week. Until you can’t stop and you need it in order to avoid mood swings and withdrawals. Only close people and specific services like addictionresource can help out.

[Luck475]

Congradulations!!
I only understand so much that saying of "yup, ill quit..." or "yup, this is the time now."
But you've actually done it - there is nothing more applaud worthy!

[SlappShot]

Amazing!!!!

Slapp

[FancyFace]

Nice job! (clapping hands)

[phrosz]

Holy crap, that's amazing! Congratulations on your will of freaking iron!

Can I ask if your anhedonia/lack of ability to feel pleasure has ended and when it did?

[Gordon1]

Sensational!

Thankyou very much for sharing your triumph