Quote from Sarandipity:

Can I take meds to help me sleep during the first days of detox? Or is that just completely out of the question. (Comm on, Im waiting for the right answer.)

Hi Sara, there is no doubt that sleeping as much as you can is best during the first 2-3 days. The Thomas Detox Recipe (internet Message Boards around 2001) recommends using high levels of benzodiazepines (BZDs) to induce a sleep state for the first 2-3 days. Personally, I have concerns about that part of the Thomas Detox Recipe because of the high addiction risk history of BZDs, particularly with folks who abuse opiates. According to the American Family Physician Report, April 2001, 80 percent of benzodiazepine abuse has an multi-drug abuse association, with the other drug most commonly being opiates. Is a person likely to become addicted with 2-3 day use, no. According to the report it takes approximately 1-2 months usually, shorter if you have a drug abuse history. So, for someone detoxing from a tolerance dependency status associated with prescribed opiates for pain, there would likely be less risks. However, for a person who is procuring drugs online or through 'other' sources to get high or chase the high.....it is playing with fire to put another euphoric drug in the mix. Only you know which category of risk you are in. There are less risky OTC alternatives....though not as effective.....Nyquil, Tylenol PM, Benadryl, Valerian Root, RobitussinDM, etc.

Im just so sad. I keep wanting to put this whole thing off. But I know its not the right thing to do.
Fear is a very powerful thing. Fear is very scarey....causes people to hang on the ledge of uncertainty about when to let go....and if they haven't done their preparatory work will scare the hell of ya once WDs commence UNLESS you are prepared about what to expect and what your coping options are. Once you are prepared as things start to happen, rather than feel free you recognize it as something you were to expecting to happen....your body is able to better cope with things that it expects to happen. As an example...getting hit in the stomach out of the blue knocks the wind out of you....but if you know the blow is coming your body prepares for it....it still hurts like hell physically of course, but doesn't knock you mentally off center. Once you have asked enough, learned enough to conquer your fear you will be ready.

jam- talk to me about the stuffed animals. They helped you?
LOL, ohhhhh about WinnieI and WinnieII. Yes they did. It sounds crazy I know, but it did. The idea for me originated after seeing a piece on Winston Churchill's struggle with depression. He called the depression "The Blackdog" and it somewhat became code among his innercircle where days he was out of sorts with it all he would just say, 'sorry, The Blackdog is visiting me today'. As we all know, Hydro Hell definitely brings depression. So, I bought first bought a handful of those lil pound puppy~beanie baby type dogs---put them all around the house to remind me and make me smile...in the kitchen window, on my makeup table, bathroom counter, computer desk, etc. It was working great for me ....then I was in Big Lots and found these HUGE 3 foot floppy stuffed wrinkle dogs....I bought 2 of em, WinnieI for downstairs and Winnie2 for upstairs....they are my guarddogs against The Blackdog and they keep the drug demon out...every time I see em I smile and know they are on duty working to help me....makes me feel I am not alone....crazy I know, but hey it works for me.....AND, they are that soft furry fleece material making them extremely cuddly so I use em as body pillows to cuddle with to help with my back pain....the Winnies were something I did for me....I thought my hubby would think I am totally nuts...I didn't tell him what they represented to me for some time...I did a discrete detox where no one know....anyway, I did eventually tell him everything.....I was pleasantly surprised to learn he thought it was precious and understood their purpose completely....go figure. Now, during the day sometimes he calls me at home from work and asks me how the Winnies are doing and if he needs to pickup dogfood yet, lol...they have become quite a family giggly-poo which is just what I needed....but only he and I know they are there to keep The Blackdog and the Drug Demon in their place.