New to the website, day 26 from Xanax abuse… having intense cravings today.

[GoatFromCenCal]

What’s up everyone, my name is Wes and I’m an addict. I’ve been sober for 26 days and everything has been going well. I attened meetings multiple times a week, but this is an "emergency" of sorts. The past few nights I’ve had very lucid dreams about falling out of recovery and now today I’m having insane cravings to get high. I’m trying not to leave the house as I know what could result but it a eating me up inside. If anyone has any suggestions I am all ears!  Meeting in my town doesn’t start until 7, and it’s 1:30.   Should I just try and go to sleep? That seems like the weenie way out but I know going out and using would be even worse because this is the best progress I have made in 10 years. I don’t want to fuck this up, I know relapse can be a part of recovery but I also know it isn’t necessary!

[Gemm]

Hey Wes – welcome home & to our little piece of recovery.   

There are several things that we can do at times such as you are experiencing. One is just what you are doing – hanging on, no matter what! There are others we can use as well and they come highly recommended. While at meetings get phone numbers of other addicts that you can call when cravings hit. It really can help to talk about it to other recovering addicts and tell on our disease. Get and read our books. There is a lot of great information and help in them. Addicts wrote them for addicts to help pass the program on to others in a form they can carry with them. Also while at meetings, look for someone who seems to have good recovery and ask that person (preferably of the same gender) to be your sponsor, as that person can really help walk you through the steps. We all need help from other addicts to get through recovery. This is a "WE" program not an "I" program. I can’t but we can.