''it's 3am, I Must Be Lonely''

Pinkbeam

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Hey guys, I'm adjusting to a new sober life. 90 days sober today, :) After a six yr drug addiction to meth, which is the devil. So, I've been doing a lot of adjusting and one issue I have now is insomnia. I'm laying in bed next to my snoring husband on the cat forum. :)
Any of you guys have any advice for the changes I'm going through from your experiences? I'm not trying to get off in a deep subject, just looking for some positive thoughts or advice. :) :)
 

Maria Bayote

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Congratulations! You've done great! As what Tik cat's mum Tik cat's mum said, just take it one day at a time. The greatest motivation in almost anything is family. We all wish to be much better for the people we love, and for ourselves. :)

As for the sleeplessness, I also suggest besides cuddling with a cat, is reading books! Or crossword puzzle on your phone. What I do every night to make me sleep is this game called Wordscapes. In just 15 minutes, I am off! :)
 

Mia6

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Congrats on your sobriety!!!

I agree with the one day at a time. Sometime very close to me had a 15 year addiction to Heroin and is now sober. He joined a gym and wears himself out
How about reading? A movie? Take a walk earlier in the evening.

Mia :hugs:
 

di and bob

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Any addiction is life altering when you quit, you have to find something to replace it. Many times a mild antidepressant helps tremendously, I tried to quit smoking innumerable times and that is what finally worked. You can't look into the future and say I will never do that again, it makes you depressed and left with a feeling you can't do it. You dwell on what it was like, romantisize it even, and really make your addiction desirable. Try instead to get your mind off of it, Like said above, just take one day at a time..... It is more mental than physical (although it is definitely both). You HAVE to keep busy with something you enjoy, anything, to keep your mind off of it, especially the first year. Go for walks in a beautiful place, keep your mind occupied. Other less harmful habits you pick up can be dealt with later. You might try some over the counter sleep aides, there are many out there that are herbal. Benadryl works well, and it will help with any sinus/allergy issues.
Addiction is definitely one of the hardest things to change. You have to really change your whole lifestyle and your attitude. You really have to stay away from old friends thatt shared your addiction and old haunts. You have to surround yourself with family and sriends that love and support you. That is not easy for anyone. But you can do it, millions have. Chalk up each day you make it as a better healthier life, adding days onto that life, and use all that money you were spending to get yourself something special. Strive towards a goal. Say a year, drug free, and when you reach it you'll find it is a little easier to go on. Reward yoruself with a special vacation, a new pice of furniture, new clothes, or some other treat.You are doing really well! The hardest part is taking that first step, that first day, you have done that and found out it iS possible. Keep going and know there are millions right there with you in spirit, YOU CAN DO IT!
 

susanm9006

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You can try adding a 200 mg a day magnesium supplement to see if that helps with your sleep pattern. It doesn’t have an immediate effect and can take several weeks before you begin to notice a difference.

Also, of course, exercise is good for a whole lot of reasons but it great to reduce stress, calm nerves and make you tired. It doesn’t need to be anything major to start with, walking a few blocks is great.
 

Jem

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Congrats on your new lease on life!!! Well done!
As for helping with insomnia, I know of a few things that can help although they are not directly related to addiction recovery, but who knows, they may help.
1) Taking a Melatonin supplement. If is safe to try as your body already makes it, and it doesn't get stored in the body. It will either work or it won't. So if after one small bottle you see no change, just stop using it. Melatonin regulates the sleep/wake cycle of your body, which my have been disrupted by your addiction.
2) A Magnesium supplement is also said to be good for sleep and anxiety. And it also helps with muscle cramps and soreness, so if you've got that too, bonus! One caution about Magnesium, take the lowest dose and slowly increase to the recommended amount. Magnesium can cause diarrhea if you take too much.
3) Stay off electronics for at least one hour before bed. They keep your brain too stimulated, so a good night's rest may be disrupted.
4) Start exercising
5) Eat a small, high protein snack before bed. Not a big one and not too heavy. Something like a handful of nuts. It encourages the "rest and digest". And if you're the type who wants to get the midnight snack, it will help curb the craving.
6) Valerian Root is an herb that helps support sleep. But I warn you, if you decide to get the tea. Be ready, it smells like a horse's behind. Literally!
7) A hot bath with epsom salts and Lavender oil will help relax and calm you. So add this to your nightly routine, 20 minutes, and you'll drift off in no time!
8) Wear warm socks to bed. If you have circulatory issues, where your feet and hands get cold, having cold feet at night can disrupt your sleep.
9) This may not work depending on where you live and if you work a "regular" job. But it has been shown to help regulate you sleep / wake cycle. Allow the sun to dictate when you go to bed and when you wake up. When the sun goes down and it's dark, go to bed, and allow the sun to wake you up naturally in the morning. As I said though, it might not work depending on where you are, in the winter months here, it can get dark by 5:30/6, so, not exactly practical! But allowing the sun to wake you in the morning is still a good way to get up in the morning.

If you decide to take any supplements to help with sleep, only take one at a time, until you know if it works or not. If you try them all and something works, you won't know which one, and you might be wasting your money taking all of them when only one is needed. Some natural supplements can take up to a month to work if they are working from "the inside" to regulate your patterns, so be patient.

I hope this helps.
 
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Pinkbeam

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Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to my post. Thank you for all the kind words and helpful suggestions. It means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. I'm gonna go back and read it all again and take some of the advice and try some things that were mentioned. I really like this forum. Everyone has been so nice. :)
 

Talien

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Any kind of addiction is hard to kick but something like meth is as you said the devil. It will follow you for the rest of your life trying to tempt you into returning to that habit. You have to be prepared for that, both mentally and physically, or you risk falling back into it and if you do it will be even harder to break.

I would highly suggest getting an exercise machine of some sort and really wearing yourself out in the evening, then taking a nice hot shower before you go to bed. A set routine every day will help immensely. Taking some form of marital arts would also be beneficial, as the self discipline that comes with it will help fortify your mind.
 

Mia6

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Was/is there someone in the medical profession helping you? Perhaps ask their advice on the insomnia issue. Talien Talien is so right about a set routine. My friend began a journal and that helped him a lot. Something else that helped him was hot cocoa at night with marshmallows. He got sober at an in-patient facility and although the food wasn't bad he missed good hot beverages.

:hugs:
 
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Pinkbeam

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Was/is there someone in the medical profession helping you? Perhaps ask their advice on the insomnia issue.

:hugs:
Yeah, I'm seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist. I'm on depression meds and he did just give me sleeping pills last week. However, they don't help me fall asleep, but they help me STAY asleep. So much so, that I can't wake up. They are strong. Lol. I have tried a half of the dose and it wasn't as bad, but I still slept until 3 pm the next day.

What I don't like about that is, I have a lot of appts early in the morning and I'm terrified of oversleeping. Also, I'm about to go back to work. I haven't worked in awhile due to my addiction, so I'm apprehensive about over sleeping and screwing that up.

Really, I sound like a big baby here, I know lol.....but this insomnia thing is so new to me. I've always been able to go to sleep no matter what, so easily that it made my husband mad haha. Now that I'm sober, I lay there and toss and turn and my mind won't shut off. A sleepless night here and there is to be expected, but every night, it gets old.

I'm for sure going to try the drinks mentioned above. I love trying new drink anyways. A few years ago, they use to sell this Bob Marley drink that had melatonin in it and some other stuff, and I'd drink them just to wind down after work and they worked well. I can't find them anymore though. That was before I screwed my brain up doing drugs. :(
 

JamesCalifornia

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You can try adding a 200 mg a day magnesium supplement to see if that helps with your sleep pattern.
Taking a Melatonin supplement. If is safe to try as your body already makes it, and it doesn't get stored in the body.
:yeah:
~ I take magnesium citrate - absorbs much better. Try taking it between meals so it will not compete with calcium in food.
Hang in there ...:hellocomputer:
 

kashmir64

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Congratulations on your 90 day sobriety. I know how hard it is to quit something, but you can do this.

BTW - Matchbox 20 fan? (your thread title)
 

Sidewinder

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Ugh... meth IS the devil, I saw so many lives ruined by that cr@p back in Coronado. My friends from the surf shop got into coke for a number of years, and I did my share of it as well, but thankfully we all drifted away from it... in fact, my best friend Tommy (a.k.a. "T-Bone") has been completely clean & sober for a decade or more. :salam:

The first part is the hardest part, and you've already racked up 90 days! I'd suggest herbal tea, it can be quite soothing. Splurge once in awhile with hot chocolate! A good book can take one's mind off things, and it won't make noise like a TV. Paperbacks are lighter & easier to hold up while lying in bed. :read:

As for Big Pharma products, you're probably better off without 'em, some of those pills can be hard upon your system. Not just your liver, kidneys & other organs of elimination, but your entire system, including your brain. Time to give it some rest... Big Pharma is NOT your friend, better to go with a holistic approach. :cool2:

A hot bath or even a second shower can help calm one down... soaking in a tub always worked for me. With so much bad news in the world today, insomnia is not uncommon... rest assured, others are lying awake too. Figure out what calms your mind so you can get some sleep... :sleep:

I'll leave you with a Zen Buddhist proverb which has often helped me in the past:

If you are filled with desire, your sorrows swell like the grass after the rain... but if you subdue desire, your sorrows fall from you like drops of water from a lotus flower. :purplebutterfly:
 

CatLover49

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Congrats....Keep up the goid work...AND TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME...As far as insomnia....Watch a good movie...that u really would enjoy...N be patient...Try listening to calming sounds...Like waterfalls etc..Relaxing sounds...:):thumbsup::goodluck:
 
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Pinkbeam

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BTW - Matchbox 20 fan? (your thread title)
Hahaha, yes, I'm a Matchbox fan and I was excited about being able to quote the song for my thread title, but I'm stoked that someone caught it and mentioned it. That makes me happy. I just love lots of different music, it's my life. :)

Once again, thank you everyone for all your encouraging comments and helpful suggestions to me. I really appreciate it.
 

kashmir64

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I just love lots of different music, it's my life.
The only music I don't like is rap, grunge, country and most heavy metal. Although there are a few songs by Metallica and Queensryche that I like. But for the most part Beethoven to Zep.
 
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