How Pain Management Can Lead To An Addiction

by AdamS on August 19, 2012

It isn’t very hard to find information on the internet about how to recognize if you have an addiction to prescription pain killers and even what to do about it. What if we could discern the early signs of an addiction? That way, action can be taken in order to avoid further dependence. There aren’t too many drugs that leave people addicted after just one use; pain meds are no exception. All too often, substance abuse subtly transforms into a full blown addiction, and only then do the victims begin looking at the steps that led to it. If you believe that you have developed an addiction and need to undergo a safe medical detox, go to https://www.thewatershed.com/treatment/programs/medical-detox to find help.

Start To Use For Reasons Other Than Pain

Some individuals suffer from chronic pain where they may be prescribed addictive medications from their doctor for an extended period of time. Although pain relief is the primary objective, patients may also start to feel better in other ways. Sometimes it helps people get better sleep or reduce stresses of anxiety or depression. Perhaps you will notice that it is helping you cope with emotional pain; to escape negative thoughts and difficult feelings. This is no longer taking meds as prescribed for pain, but for the high that you are getting.

Increasing Your Dose

Under the right circumstances, it can be completely normal to increase the dosage of a medication. However, if your pain has subsided and you still are asking your doctor to increase your dose, then you could be on your way to an addiction. This issue usually starts when you start increasing your daily dose without the approval of your doctor for one reason or another. Another indication that you are developing an addiction is if you are mixing your prescribed medication with another drug in order to magnify the effects.

Loss Of Interest In Pain Relief Alternatives

If you are starting to get dependent on a pain medication, then it is likely that your thoughts are revolving around how to attain and consume the drugs. The thought of looking at other pain relief options such as exercise or message, probably seems like a waste of time because you know that you are not going to get the additional high that the meds give you. When you start to avoid doctor appointments other than to get more drugs, it is likely that you are developing a serious addiction.

The National Institute of Health found that of the 200 million prescriptions that are made for pain medications every year, lower than 20 percent of people will use them for other reasons than they are prescribed. Even so, that does mean that some people will be vulnerable to developing a dangerous addiction. By recognizing the early signs, you can change your habits before it gets out of control. You can also examine the life of a loved one that could be showing these signs and intervene before addiction takes over. To find out the best way to carry out a crisis intervention, go to https://www.thewatershed.com/resource/crisis-interventions/ for information.

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