Searchingsoul9 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 So i have been clean for nearly one full year. I HEAVILY abused for 2.5-3 years. How long into your recovery did you feel significantly better? Should i expect even more progress or benefits after the one year mark? Or am i "fully recovered" ? That isn't worded how i want it, but can't think of another way to phrase the question. Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldmcniel Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I've been clean for almost 19 months. Everyday gets better but there are still bad days. I don't consider myself fully recovered because I still struggle. I too was a very heavy user. I even lost my 14 year career and became a convicted felon due to my actions to feed my addiction. I know in my experience though, the longer I am clean, the better I feel. Congratulations on nearing the one year mark. It is a tough battle. I had many relapses before I fina started my 19 month clean. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searchingsoul9 Posted February 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I've been clean for almost 19 months. Everyday gets better but there are still bad days. I don't consider myself fully recovered because I still struggle. I too was a very heavy user. I even lost my 14 year career and became a convicted felon due to my actions to feed my addiction. I know in my experience though, the longer I am clean, the better I feel. Congratulations on nearing the one year mark. It is a tough battle. I had many relapses before I fina started my 19 month clean. Congratulations on 19 months! I am very sorry to hear about all the troubles adderall brought into your life. That's heartbreaking. How long were you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LILTEX41 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I think my turning point came when I started training for the Ironman. I had been clean for 1 year and 1 month. I was so incredibly fixated, excited, scared, and in awe of the goal in front of me that I was totally distracted for my obsession with adderall. Not to mention the crazy insane amount of exercise I was getting. I felt like superwoman and it gave me a positive goal to focus on. Nobody of course has to an Ironman to recover, but I am sure glad I did! I kind of felt invincible afterwards and had zero desire to return to my old addiction days. I guess it could be helpful to find something to distract you or a new goal to focus on in addition to your quit. I didn't plan on the IM curing my love of this drug, but it worked. I really stopped wanting it after that. Also, I think a huge part of this was being that I joined a triathlon team. I had a coach and a brand new support team that inspired me. I was so impressed and in awe of my fellow teammates. The support, camadarie, and influence they carried was by far greater than any group I had ever been a part of. I simply aspired to new levels from being a part of this group. That might be the biggest key in my recovery now that I think about it. Find a positive healthy support group that encourages you to be your best. Find the people that inspire you and stick with them! Anyhow, that's what helped me more than anything and I wish you the best of luck! You're doing great!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hyper_critical Posted February 8, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Should definitely expect things to continue getting better, but it won't be in a straight line. If you've gotten to a year, you know that. 18 months was significantly better than 12 months, and from what I've read 36 months is significantly better than 24. In my experience, right when I start to feel like I'm up against it, like I'm starting to plateau, if I can just push through and get through the day, significant progress is just on the other side. It can be a grind at times, but "keep on keepin' on." 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searchingsoul9 Posted February 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I think my turning point came when I started training for the Ironman. I had been clean for 1 year and 1 month. I was so incredibly fixated, excited, scared, and in awe of the goal in front of me that I was totally distracted for my obsession with adderall. Not to mention the crazy insane amount of exercise I was getting. I felt like superwoman and it gave me a positive goal to focus on. Nobody of course has to an Ironman to recover, but I am sure glad I did! I kind of felt invincible afterwards and had zero desire to return to my old addiction days. I guess it could be helpful to find something to distract you or a new goal to focus on in addition to your quit. I didn't plan on the IM curing my love of this drug, but it worked. I really stopped wanting it after that. Also, I think a huge part of this was being that I joined a triathlon team. I had a coach and a brand new support team that inspired me. I was so impressed and in awe of my fellow teammates. The support, camadarie, and influence they carried was by far greater than any group I had ever been a part of. I simply aspired to new levels from being a part of this group. That might be the biggest key in my recovery now that I think about it. Find a positive healthy support group that encourages you to be your best. Find the people that inspire you and stick with them! Anyhow, that's what helped me more than anything and I wish you the best of luck! You're doing great!! What is The Iron Man? I did a half marathon last May and it definitely helped build some confidence in my mental and physical abilities post Adderall. I am currently focusing on find a new baking job in Manhattan and dealing with moving and living in a new place where i don't know anyone-so that been exciting and nerve racking. I haven't felt any overwhelming desire to use since probably 8 months clean. I do think about how productive i was on it though and find myself missing that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doge Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Don't ever forget this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searchingsoul9 Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Don't ever forget this! hedgehog.jpg ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldmcniel Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I used for at least 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeHereNow Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I do think about how productive i was on it though and find myself missing that I feel ya. I sometimes have those moments. But I had them way more often at 1 year. This statement scares me though. Be careful not to put adderall on a pedestal it doesn't deserve. Anyway. I'm at about 25 months and I feel a lot better. But after one year I don't think there was any major changing point. Just ups and downs and a nice, gradual uphill towards feeling better and better. And two years is significantly better than one. I won't pretend I'm 100% but I'm on my way LilTex the idea of a new goal to distract you is incredible advice!!! Total game changer. Thank you for sharing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BeHereNow Posted February 10, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 On second thought... When did I REALLY start to feel better? Last summer, when I broke up with my ex! In all seriousness! And when I think about it, this is also a life question. When we think about feeling better it almost always has to do with life stuff. For people who are so used to pills controlling our mental states, it's easy to continue thinking that it's the pills or lack thereof. That's only part of the story. Joining the 12 mile a week running club was a significant change, about 6 months in. I also went from drinking and partying almost daily to being almost 100% sober. I now consider myself to be a sober person who has one (literally one, sometimes two at most) glass of wine, socially and very rarely. That made me feel significantly better too. Both of these are lifestyle changes that made a huge difference. And breaking up with someone toxic has turned my life around. I thought I was doing better before I broke up with him, but that was NOTHING compared to how I feel now. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 So i have been clean for nearly one full year. I HEAVILY abused for 2.5-3 years. How long into your recovery did you feel significantly better? Should i expect even more progress or benefits after the one year mark? Or am i "fully recovered" ? That isn't worded how i want it, but can't think of another way to phrase the question. Thanks! I wasn't even close to feeling fully recovered after 1 year. I felt better at 2 years, and way better at 3 years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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