Anyone out there have any suggestions for different activities to do at night time. I have a huge association with drug use with sitting and watching a movie or tv. That is fine a few nights a week, but I need to get out of the rut. We have kids so it seems so natural to just turn the TV on and waste away. Anything work for anyone else.

how about a meeting? they always worked for me !

good luck, michelle

sounds great --EXCEPT there are none. Only one on monday nights. Thats it. Sucks to live in a small town.

FullO

Buddy, I think something to keep the mind a bit busier might help. How old are the kids? Old enough for a board game? How about a Monopoly Night for the family for a change? Cards. Something to keep the mind focused a bit more than TV allows?

If the kids don't fit that mold... here's a thought.... why not sit alone and write a letter to your wife and to each of your kids. Tell them each what you like about them. Maybe share some future dreams with them,

If that doesn't work... try a new physical activity. You know what a great psychiatrist told me to do many years ago when the first depreesion hit so hard after the cancer? She said to do some mindless, repetitive chores. Scrub the deck (or at night maybe the kitchen floor) by hand in slow circular motions. She said it calms the mind and she was right! I worked on the deck and cleaned the whole thing in tiny little circular motions. I just got into the inch by inch progress and my mind stayed there and did not torment me as I did it.

You know, there is nothing wrong with a guy taking up knitting or crocheting or cross stitch or hooking a rug. The time passes quickly with these activities and brings a nice sense of accomplishment. I think it was Rosie Greer, football player who paved the way here for the guys. Smiles.

Start checking out the weekly calendar in your local paper.... there are all kinds of family events at libraries, clubs, churches and stuff very night of the week.

Oh, FullO, I have LOTS more ideas, but will give you a break and let you digest and ponder some of these first. Chuckles. Keep the faith, Buddy. It is going to be okay.

reach

PS One thing my Hubby and I did when the kids were young was to spend time togeher every evening working out the crossword in the newspaper. We got to learn all the little idiosyncrcies of crosswords and the common weird words. Might be nice to try with the wife while kids are watching TV!

you know, my son used to do that take some pills to just watcha movie and relax..out of boredom..he has been going to more meetings now...im sorry but i cant believe you ahve 1 meeting in your town..or wait i do believe that..but i know the surronding towns have to have meetings...is a 10-15 minute drive so hard for you to do?

Hi FullO

First to Spark... that was a really funny comment. I chuckles out loud. Hehe.

FullO... how are you doing there? Any ideas catch your fancy? Meetings are a great idea, but I understand the need to discove more and different activities as a general change in life also. You know, it's odd, maybe, but since I began the tapers, I have basically stoped watching TV. I couldn't concentrate on it anyway in withdrawal, so I just started doing other things to occupy my mind instead. And the no TV trend that started has just become kind of ingrained now. I watch late at night after Hubby stops the flicking and clicking routine and goes to sleep. Then I maybe watch a bit of Nickleloden or MSNBC if it is not disturbing and then Click! Off goes the TV and I try to just go to sleep. ( The sleep is happening easier more and more latley).

Spark triggered my memory writing about his Mom and Dad. As my kids were growing up and all the way into college, we used to play a lot of backgammon and cribbage with them. ( Simpler board games when they were younger). Each one of them got a cribbage board and a backgammon set as they went off to college. They all taught roommates to play. Even all the teens and young adults who visited were taught to play and often stopped by for that very purpose. My own Dad taught me and every time I played, it brought about a pleasurable memory of him. Smiles.

You know what? All the cribbage and backgammon pretty much stopped from the point I got the cancer all those years ago. I think it is time I got it reinstituted in the family unit here! Those times of playing were good for all of us. Good time to talk with each other and fun, too. And I am going to get proactive here about it (practice what I preach!). I am going to get a new cribbage board for everyone's stocking this year. And I am going to pull the Monopoly and game boards out of the attic and put them in a more accessible plave like the living room.

hey... this thread and the comments have been great for me. geeze, never know where an inspiration is going to come from and surprise us. Thanks, guys!

reach

Those are some great ideas and thanks. As you can see from the late night post --last night was not a good one. I am at work right now trudging on though. How many of you remember being WIDE AWAKE at 3:00 and then you finally fall asleep just in time to get up for work --THAT SUCKS. Once I get through this crap the evening are going to change. I am glad that I sparked some interest for others to re-institiute some activities.

GUYS AND GALS. -- did any of you use codeine 8mg to get off hydro? I have some of that too and have never used it because it did nothing for me. The darvocet only helps when I sleep, and only a little. The codeine has some caffeine in it which will help during the day. PLEASE NOTE: BE YOU YELL , I AM TALKING ABOUT 1 OR 2 PILLS A DAY. Remeber, I have to work all weeke and weekend and next week, then get a full 10 days off for Thanksgiving. I have come to realize that will be my TOTAL CLEANSING WEEK. All substances. I am not switching to another opiod. I will not let that happen. Its kind of like the alcohol. Take it or leave it. Doesnt matter. Just curious.

O

I've used codeine to help take the edge off of a successful detox (my third one?) What is the difference between that and a slower taper? Two 8 mg codeine tabs don't amount to one good .750/.325 vicodin.

Good luck, and stay strong,

mk

MK --thanks for the reply --I am out of hydro forver --I never want to see it again. Codeine is all i have and a little darvocet. I would quit CT right now, but I still have to work for 7 more days. then a 10 day break to kick this once and for all

O