Opioid drugs don’t just mitigate physical pain. If that’s all they did, they would be nowhere near as addictive as they are.
The truth is, opioids can act as emotional painkillers as well.
When I first started taking opioids, I didn’t have any physical pain.
But I had a lot of emotional pain, stress, worries, and anxieties.
And these all vanished into thin air whenever I took the right dosage of opioids.
Buffering the Stress of Life
I recently had a 73-year-old male client that had been on Zubsolv (buprenorphine/naloxone) for six years.
He stated, “For me, opioids buffer the stress of life.”
buffer (verb) – lessen or moderate the impact of (something).
On our first call, this client told me that his wife constantly nagged him.
And he said being on Zubsolv and Valium was the only way he could take her nags and criticisms.
We talked at length about the many benefits of opioids, and namely how they can make life easier to deal with.
But they provide these benefits at a huge cost for most people.
And for my client, he stated that long-term buprenorphine treatment had deteriorated his cognitive function and blunted all emotions, both negative and positive.
He would often space out on our first few calls.
He spoke slowly, and he was worried he had the early signs of dementia.
Fortunately, using the plan that he and I developed together, he was able to come off Zubsolv a few weeks after our first coaching call.
The first few weeks off Zubsolv he was mostly feeling good, with a few minor issues here and there that he was able to resolve quickly.
Cognition & Emotions Coming Back
The most extraordinary part of this coaching relationship was getting to witness firsthand my client’s cognition and emotions come back.
Within a week off Zubsolv, he was more mentally and emotionally in-tune.
Within a month off, his mind was as sharp as a tac.
And he expressed sincere gratitude for being able to feel emotions once again.
Getting Off Buprenorphine is Totally Possible
I get a lot of coaching clients that are age 60 and up. Many of whom have been on long-term buprenorphine treatment.
They are often very fearful at the beginning of our first call together.
They believe that getting off the medication will be too hard, and they won’t be able to do it.
This belief comes from their many failed attempts in the past.
However, by the end of the first coaching call with me, the client is almost always feeling positive and courageous.
This comes from talking with me and getting a customized, strategic plan that is tailor-made just for them.
When clients have a written plan to follow from someone they believe is the best person to help them, the fear goes down tremendously.
And when the client follows the plan to the tee, often times the results are phenomenal, inspirational, and life-changing.
Of course, I’m not a doctor, and that means that the treatment plans I create with the client are just for informational use, and not medical advice or treatment.
Many clients show the plans I write up to their doctors to get approval and support.
However, many don’t do this, and whether they do or don’t is their business.
My Love For Coaching
I love coaching so much because I love helping people one-on-one over the phone.
Being a part of someone’s success story feels surreal.
And I feel truly blessed that so many people hire me to be their coach to help them conquer opioid dependence.
There have been so many extraordinary client success stories, and this is just one.
I wanted to share this to show that if a 73-year-old that has been on buprenorphine for 6 years can quit and remain comfortable through the process, I think most people can.
It all just depends on whether or not they have the motivation to quit, an effective plan, and someone to help and support them through the process.
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