[cdaus]

Upon reading these messages I see a lot of people addicted to drugs through no fault of their own (autoimmune diseases, auto accident, etc., etc.) My question is: WHY ARE THEY SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DRUG ADDICTION WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE (DOCTORS, NURSES, ETC...) PUT THESE DRUGS IN THEIR MOUTHES TO START WITH. Some of them were injected at the hospitals. Why does society turn around and call these people "drug addicts"? I pass pills for living at a nursing home. These old and frail people watch the clock for their next pill. WOULD YOU LABEL THEM AND CALL THEM DRUG ADDICTS?

constance

[mpvt]

I understand were your coming from and in a very small number this does happen.For most addicts there comes a time when the reason for taking narcotics isn't because of the pain from say an injury or auto accident.The majority of people stop taking pain pills when thier pain is gone.An addict as you know doesn't stop.I had a choice, whether to stop taking the pain pills and I chose to keep taking them because I liked the way they made me feel.I hold no doctor or family member ect responsible for my decision to keep taking narcotic when I knew I was making a bad decision.I hope that helps,alot of addicts will try and pass the buck when they're still using but once they get clean it becomes pretty obvious who's was at fault.....Dave

[cdaus]

Dave, you might be some of the lucky ones who can just stop when the regimen is finished. For quite a few people it is not so. Many got started legally and got addicted. Thank God I don't have this problem so the only thing that I can compare it to is cigarettes. I smoked for 17 years before I quit for good. I haven't had the urge to smoke since I quit but when I was smoking I would have nicotine fits when I ran out of cigarettes. But I started innocently enough. Never knew that I could get hooked on them until it was too late. Yes. I quit. But there are many that can't. It's a good thing it was only cigarettes.

constance

[mpvt]

Hi Again: Unfortunetly I'm a recovering addict,I couldn't quit because the feelings I got from the narcotics were so powerful.I would compare it to an orgasim if I can be so up front,that's about the closest thing I can think of.I do believe that geneticlly I was prone to addiction.It's strange really my Dad is a alchoholic (he's been sober for 35 years) but I can take it or leave it and even in my college years I never developed a problem with booze.I had a few surgeries too before I noticed how good I felt on propoxyphene.......Dave

[Stallion]

like many people you seem to be confusing addiction with dependence. Dependance is when the receptors in the brain that recieve a drug become used to having that drug present in the brain, and when use of the drug stops, unpleasent and sometimes life-threatening withdrawls can result. This idea of dependence is intimitly linked to tolorance, where the dependend individual notices a need for more of the drug to achieve the desired effect. Note that dependence can develop not just with "recreational" drugs like opiates and benzodiazapines, but withmany other drugs, including some antidepressents (most notably Paxil), migraine meds and antihistimines as well.

Addiction is a set of antisocial behaviors surrounding an individual's dependence on a drug. Stealing, withdrawing from social interactions, dangerous administration techniques (like snorting or injecting pills or taking large doses), neglecting physical health...etc...are all hallmark signs of addiction.

That being said, there is a lot of confusion surrounding these two different ideas, and this causes some people who legally and responsibly use "addicting" (read dependence causing) medications on their dr's orders to worry that they are drug addicts. Some people are in chronic pain for their entire lives, and must have powerful painkillers in order to live normal lives without pain. But these people are no more drug addicts than a depressed person on paxil or a diabetic on insulin, all of whom would experience severe discomfort if they were to abrubtly stop their meds. So no, the geriatrics who sit egerly waiting for their narcs are no more drug addicts than the people egerly awaiting their blood-pressure meds (they just happen to get a euphoric feeling as part of their relief).
Also, plenty of people are treated in hospitals or by doctors with dependence-causing drugs, and many people have no problems using them responsibly and only for a short time. Problems can arise when people start increasing their dose w/o telling their doc, rasing tolorance and causing them to run out faster (this is often a case of the doc being fearful of DEA reprisal for perscribing powerful narcotics and instead perscribing weaker painkillers (codeine, hydrocodone, propoxyphene, tramadol etc.) to avoid scrutiny, leaving the patient in pain and setting him up for addiction: this is imo one of the few cases of doctor-induced addiction).

So when people get "hooked" on narcotics from an injury, and procede to seek out other narcotics once their dr cuts them off (a la Rush Limbaugh), we see the transition between dependence and abuse. The dependence on the drugs never changed, but the actions surrounding the use did. Buying large amounts of black-market oxycontin and chewing them up in handfuls is certainly abuse and addiction, even if you don't believe the docter rule that all drug use w/o a doctor's consent is drug abuse. It's a shame that docs are quick to perscribe painkillers, but rarely counsil their patients on how to come off of pailkillers without discomfort.

I hope that has helped clarify things for you. It is a facinating subject I am willing to talk at length about, so let me know if you have more questions.

Information = Freedom

[Miles]

Most insightful Stallion. I am fairly certain that Adam glanced over at Eve one day and said, "This can't be it! Let's chew one of those leaves on that tree over there and see what happens!" Point being... humans have and will always attempt to alter their consciousness be it through coffee, illicit and licit drugs, cigarettes, or even prayer.

When it comes to drug therapy, there are physicians among us who genuinely want to help patients through deployment of psychotropic medications. However, they are closely watched by law enforcement authorities. In general, they fear negative sanctioning should they exceed the arbitrary limits set up by narcotics officers. As Thomas Szasz eloquently states, "Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic."

[cdaus]

Stallion, thanks for the enlightening explanation. It is true that society in general does not discern between dependenced and addiction. I personally didn't know the difference. But shouldn't there be a follow-up of people who have been given strong narcotics to see how they are getting along? And intervention if necessary? When my husband was put on amiodarone he had to have thyroid checks and spirometry every so often. I thought that was a very responsible thing to do. Don't you think by law there should be a follow up?

constance

[Miles]

Cdaus, drug manufacturers are required to conduct extensive testing of their drugs before FDA approval for dispensing. Side effects are part of the testing process. Anything that is happening to your husband should have been identified during this process. In our current medicalized culture, drug manufacturers, in their zeal to realize huge profits, deceive and mislead to the point of criminality both physicians and the public. To wit, the 12-year old boy who murdered his grandparents while on Zoloft (not a narcotic) and was just sentenced to 30 years in a South Carolina prison (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...ck=1&cset=true). There is no need for follow-up if drug manufacturers play by the rules, but they do not. Regrettably, profit prevails over human rights and dignity.

[trecrop]

DAVE --

Why do you keep telling people that this kind of addiction happens to only small numbers of people? It is a serious problem and very, very common!

[drastikmesurz]

I am a suffer of migraines for over 14 years. We're not just talking about little headaches for a 24 hour period but a contiual crushing headache for DAYS! Usually by day 4 after popping Extra Strength Tylenol (Can't take motrin I'll kill my stomach) every 4 hours (and they wear off by hour 3 or don't work at all) I was given diladid, morphine, oxycodone,and a few I can't remember. None of those worked and the feeling they gave me was worse than the headache!
So I come here looking for side effects of a drug I was perscribed for mifraines, And I run into this thread.
My headaches are frequent and last long. That means that I may be taking the medication frequently and for a week at a time twice a month. If a drug that I am perscribed says anything to the effect "You may become addicted." I stay away from. I want a drug that will take away the pain and leave me functional. I don't want to live my life in a big blur because of pain!

I can agree that there is dependence and addiction. But there is a fine line where dependence is drawn and addiction is defined.

I can say I am dependent on Demerol when I get a migraine and go to the ER. Because with experience I know I can rely on Demrol to take away the pain. It will take away my headache for the time being. That has been proven.
But you may say I have become sole dependent when at the drop of a hat I go to the ER before trying any Tylenol first.

Now, you can assume I am an addict when you notice I am showing up at diffrent hosptials quite frequently for a shot, or I lay there for hours complaining of pain and say the meds aren't working. And I jump from Dr. to Dr. trying to get diffrent narcotics.

Or I could be an addict just by reaching for the bottle to get the feeling of the drug when I have no pain. Becasue I can rely on or be dependent on the drug to do that for me.

If you take medications for any reasons besides for pain control. Or you take them not as directed (ie.,crushing,chewing, snorting, or shooting) you are a dependent addict and you need help!

As for the Drs. percribing these drugs. Many are doing what is in the best intrest for the patients. It's a two way street and you need to be completley honest with your Dr. so they may help you.

I may have frequent migraines, but in a years time, although I know I can be dependent on Demerol for some of my mirgaines I have only gone to the ER 2 times. The other times I have used hot baths, cool compresses,anti-inflammatory meds.,heating pads,and sleep to rid myself of the pain. Only after these failed did I seek the help of Demerol!
These medications should be used for short periods of time. If you still have pain after the therapy session has ended you need other help and not help soley by the drug.

No body should have to live with pain, but nobody should have to be sole dependent on a drug either!