Why Entrepreneurs On Opioids Often Have a Really Hard Time Quitting

I’ve been helping people get off opioids for over 7 years now. First, I worked as a counselor at an Opiate Treatment Program (OTP). I did that for a few years, and then I started blogging about opioid detox and recovery solutions.

And for the last 4+ years, I’ve been helping people get off opioids in my private coaching practice.

One thing I’ve learned in working with so many people is that entrepreneurs often have a very difficult time giving up opioids.

Of course, most people have a hard time giving up such a powerful class of drugs.

People with anxiety disorders, pain syndromes, PTSD, depression, and other issues often use opioids to self-medicate these issues.

And thus it can be very hard to quit because they’ve found something that helps them so much.

But in this article, I’d like to discuss why entrepreneurs can cling to their opioids — and most importantly — how they can quit and stay quit while still building their businesses.

So if you’re an entrepreneur, this article is for you.

Read on to learn some awesome tips on how you can successfully give up opioids while still being motivated, energized, and passionate while growing your business.

The Opiate-Energy Addiction Connection

After corresponding with many thousands of opioid-dependent individuals over the past 7+ years, I’ve discovered something fascinating.

In my estimate — at least with the thousands of people I’ve talked to in person, over the phone, and through email, blog comments, and YouTube comments — about 99% of these opioid-dependent individuals get ENERGY from opioids.

I also received energy from opioids.

And this happened right from the beginning, during the first time I took a 5 mg hydrocodone that said M357 on it.

My friend Morgan took one as well, and while the small dose of hydrocodone made him basically fall asleep in a chair and drool on himself, the same dose gave me the complete opposite reaction.

Here are the effects I received from my first time using an opioid:

Opioids are central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and they make most people tired.

However, they have the opposite reaction in many people, and I’ve labeled this phenomenon The Opiate-Energy Addiction Connection.

While people that don’t get this opiate-energy still can become addicted, I’ve discovered that a person has a much higher chance of becoming addicted if they get the energy/confidence/happiness/motivation benefits.

This combination of benefits can help moms take care of their kids and homes better, it can help dads enjoy jobs they normally hate, and it can also help entrepreneurs grow their businesses very, very fast.

The Entrepreneur Struggle

Entrepreneurs are creators. They find a need and then create products and/or services to meet those needs.

Using their imagination, an entrepreneur can come up with innovative ideas and then implement those ideas, thereby creating a business that serves their clients and/or customers.

Entrepreneurship can be exciting, fun, and fulfilling.

But there is also a “dark side” to entrepreneurship.

Periods of low sales and low growth can cause stress, frustration, and financial insecurity.

And there isn’t a single entrepreneur I’ve ever met or heard of that hasn’t experienced these emotions at some point on their entrepreneurship journey.

The Ultimate Entrepreneur Resource

However, there is an extremely powerful resource that can enable an entrepreneur to avoid all of these unpleasant emotions.

This resource can also help them be more:

 

Can you guess what this resource is?… If you guessed “opioids” you are 100% correct.

For the entrepreneurs that get the energy/creativity/confidence benefits from using opioid drugs, these drugs can be the “Ultimate Resource” for helping them grow their businesses.

And once an entrepreneur has become dependent on these benefits to grow or even maintain their business, he/she can often have a very hard time giving up this resource.

The entrepreneur may get off opioids, then feel exhausted, depressed, and fearful for weeks to months after detoxing.

First, they have to get through the acute opioid withdrawal syndrome.

And if they bravely face this obstacle and succeed, then they’re likely going to need to endure at least 4-12 weeks of the post-acute withdrawal symptoms.

Then, if they courageously get through all of this, they have to learn how to be an entrepreneur without the opioid-benefits.

This entire process is difficult and long, and most entrepreneurs cave in and get back on opioids.

And who can blame them?

What’s worse… not being on opioids and not being able to grow or maintain a business, or being on opioids and kicking butt and taking names?

Solutions for Opioid-Dependent Entrepreneurs

Luckily for entrepreneurs, there are many solutions that can help. For starters, there are proven opioid detox methods that can allow a person to get through the acute withdrawal with little or no withdrawal symptoms.

Some of my favorite acute detox methods are:

1. The Mega-Dose Gabapentin Method
2. The Thomas Recipe
3. Ibogaine Detox
4. NAD Detox

Methods 1 and 2 are great for the acute withdrawal. But Methods 3 and 4 are effective for both acute and post-acute withdrawal.

The problems with Methods 3 and 4 is that they are usually $7,000 to $14,000, and the patient often has to travel to get treatment.

Post-Recovery Solutions

After the entrepreneur has successfully recovered from acute and post-acute withdrawal, now they’re free from the chains of opioid dependence.

However, it can still be quite difficult to grow or even maintain a business now that their Ultimate Resource is gone.

Fortunately, I have some effective non-opioid solutions for this.

My favorites are:

• Nootropics – Also referred to as “Smart Drugs,” these are cognition and performance-enhancing substances, which come in natural forms and manmade forms as well. Nootropics can increase creativity and productivity, and they can boost mood.
• Meditation – Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world are regular meditators. The practice of sitting quietly and calming the mind through specific breathing exercises can help the entrepreneur grow a business more effectively.
• Exercise – Out of all the entrepreneurs I’ve corresponded with, the ones that develop a “positive addiction” to exercise seem to have the easiest time growing their businesses. Exercise boosts serotonin, endorphins, GABA, dopamine, and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which can all help an entrepreneur grow their business.

Key Concepts

 

Click here to learn more about coaching with Matt Finch. And if you have any comments or questions on the topic of this article, please post them in the comment box below.