| Pain pill addiction - it stole years of my life. Can | | | | this. Okay. You grit your teeth. Today's the day - |
| you relate? Not too long ago, I was emotionally | | | | no more pain pills for you. A few hours go by. |
| and physically addicted to pain pills. Although I | | | | You start thinking about maybe having just one |
| considered myself a recreational user, my | | | | last hurrah to get you ready to face this again. |
| "recreational" use had gotten to the point where I | | | | Just a couple of pills. |
| wanted to "recreate" every single day. I loved | | | | It's then that you realize what a monster you've |
| those drugs more than anything else. I almost | | | | got on your hands. No matter how badly you |
| ruined my life in my frenzy to keep up a steady | | | | wanted to quit, how desperate you were to get |
| supply. | | | | off the pills, they still call to you in a way that |
| Opiate pain pills had become my best friend, my | | | | even Hercules couldn't fight, and you realize just |
| constant companion, and my partner in crime. | | | | what a monkey you've got on your back. |
| (Vicodin was my drug of choice.) (Worst | | | | You may feel it's hopeless. You'll discover that this |
| embarrassing memory about my addiction: the | | | | addiction is super humanely strong (has a mind of |
| doc at the ER told me to never darken their | | | | its own), and it's going to take a lot more than |
| doorstep again, after my 20th visit there.) | | | | grit and determination to get over it. What you |
| Pain pill addiction sneaks up on you slowly. Maybe | | | | really need is an arsenal of powerful weapons that |
| you have broken a leg, gotten a tooth pulled, sore | | | | actually work to fight your addiction. |
| back. Whatever it is, your doc whips out the old | | | | Whether you go to formal detox or not (highly |
| prescription pad, writes you up a prescription for | | | | recommended), you still need to know what to |
| 20 pills, and before you know it, after a few | | | | do on a long-term basis to keep your cravings at |
| refills, you are addicted to pain pills. | | | | bay. You need a step-by-step roadmap so you |
| It's easy to get addicted to pain pills, because | | | | can navigate your way through the whole |
| they give you that glow-y, all-is-well feeling in your | | | | "getting-free" process. You must know exactly |
| belly, life seems better high, more fun, mellow. | | | | what to expect and what to do to deal with |
| Who wouldn't get addicted to pain pills? Of course, | | | | those devastating desires to get high that come |
| the problem is, in the end they rule you - and end | | | | up out of nowhere and "whup you upside the |
| up ruining your life in the process! | | | | head." You need to know how to flatten cravings |
| You may need to do some fancy footwork to | | | | so they don't knock you down and send you |
| keep a steady supply of pills (different doctors, | | | | screaming out the door seeking more pills. |
| trips to ER, etc.) But even if you do have a | | | | There's no denying that getting over addiction to |
| constant stream of pain pills, you only end up | | | | painkillers is going to be the toughest thing you've |
| wanting more and more and more, to the point | | | | ever done - that's the bad news! But the good |
| that it becomes dangerous and even deadly! (I | | | | news is that it can be done, provided you know |
| used to worry that my family would find me lying | | | | exactly what you're dealing with and exactly what |
| slumped over the toilet, dead from an overdose | | | | to do. In this case, knowledge is power. And |
| of Vicodin.) | | | | knowledge is freedom, your freedom, freedom |
| If your mind is constantly on those little white pills, | | | | from pain pill addiction. |
| how to maintain your high, worrying about taking | | | | So before you set another "Quit Day," be sure |
| too many, etc., it's hard to lead a quality life and | | | | you know what you're facing. Reading recovery |
| have anything left over to give to your job and | | | | literature, researching addiction-overcoming |
| your loved ones. So you've decided you want to | | | | techniques, finding out ways to deaden cravings |
| get over your addiction to pain pills. Great! Now | | | | naturally, 12-step meetings, journaling, and |
| what? | | | | mapping out your strategies ahead of time all can |
| Your resolve is firm. You definitely want to do | | | | significantly improve your odds of success. |