Addiction to prescription drugs like OxyContin, hydrocodone, Percocet, Lortab, Fentanyl and others is on the rise in the United States. One of the reasons why prescription drug addiction is such a large problem is because of the crimes that are often associated with the disease. In order to maintain prescription drug addiction, addicts cost the insurance industry about $72.5 billion every year, according to the 2009 Drug Threat Assessment report. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that deaths that involved painkillers increased by 66 percent between 2001 and 2005.

Every year, prescription drug addiction increases unlike any other illegal drug.

Common Crimes Associated with Prescription Drug Addiction

The most common crimes associated with prescription drug addiction are doctor shopping to procure duplicate prescriptions, outright fraud where prescription pads are stolen and fake prescriptions are written and filled, and pharmacy robberies. “Pharm parties” are common among high school and college aged students as well: each person brings whatever prescription painkillers they have left over from their own (or their parents’) prescriptions and shares with everyone else. Still others try to get the prescription painkillers they are craving by going to the emergency room and faking injuries.

No matter how they are obtained, taking these pills without medical supervision can be deadly. Those same emergency rooms where many prescription pill addicts feign pain in order to get drugs fraudulently report that the number of true admissions related to prescription drug overdose or abuse rise every year.

Private Versus Public - The New Crimes Associated with Prescription Drug Addiction

There have been a number of cases in the media over the past couple of years where the courts have brought charges against those who gave their prescription meds to friends or family members when the person receiving the medication ultimately died using those drugs. In each case, no matter the age of the person on trial (in many cases, they were teenagers), it was ultimately decided that jail time was appropriate. With charges that include involuntary manslaughter, the court is making their position clear: only you should be taking your prescription medications.

Prescription Drug Addiction Crime

Using prescription drugs non-medically is a crime in and of itself. The problem with the other crimes associated with the maintenance of prescription drug addiction is that they will only serve to increase the consequences when you finally get caught. When those crimes turn violent-someone dies accidentally or gets hurt while you are performing the crime-drug court and court ordered drug addiction treatment is no longer an option.

Treatment for Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or someone you love is addicted to prescription drugs of any kind including sleep medications, anti-anxiety medication or opiate painkillers, don’t wait until your cravings have reached such a crescendo that you are forced into criminal acts to get the pills you need. Call Michael’s House at 1-877-345-8494 instead. We can help you stop using prescription pills before they stop you. Call now.

The rate of prescription drug addiction has skyrocketed over the past decade for every age group: teenagers, young adults, middle-aged adults and seniors are all struggling with addiction to prescription pills. Whether prescribed for chronic pain or anxiety, there are a number of different prescription drugs that are highly addictive. There are, however, also a number of other drugs that are non-addictive and perfectly safe to take. How do you tell the difference? How do you protect against prescription drug addiction? And if you or someone you love is already addicted to a prescription pill, how do you get help?

Addictive Prescription Pills: Opiates

Opioids are the deadliest group of addictive medications. Depending upon their potency, they are generally prescribed for acute pain after a surgery or for chronic pain like back pain or pain related to cancer treatment. After regular use, almost no one can avoid becoming physically dependent upon a drug in this class, but yet doctors prescribe them often. These include:

• Codeine and codeine combination prescriptions (i.e., oxycodone)
• Fentanyl (i.e., Atiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze)
• Morphine (i.e., Roxanol, Duramorph)
• Opium (i.e., laudanum, paregoric)
• Meperidine (i.e., Demerol)

Other generic opioid pain relievers include oxycodone, meperidine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and propoxyphene with brand names that include Tylox, OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet, Demerol, Dilaudid, Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, Darvon, and Darvocet.

Addictive Prescription Pills: Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that slow down the nervous system to prevent you from becoming anxious. Those who have panic attacks due to anxiety or seizures  or experience increased anxiety before surgeries or other high-anxiety events are often prescribed benzodiazepines. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the primary issue, many who take drugs to ease anxiety often overuse their medication or fear living without it. This increases the length of the prescription as well as their tolerance, two factors that contribute to the development of prescription drug addiction.

The most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines include Alprazolam (i.e., Xanax, Xanor, Alprox, and Tafil), Diazepam (i.e., Valium, Apozepam, Hexalid, Stedon, Valaxona), Clonazepam (i.e., Klonopin, Rivotril, and Iktorivil) and Lorazepam (i.e., Ativan, Temesta, Tavor and Lorabenz).

What are the Most Commonly Abuse Prescription Drugs?

Codeine, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin are the most commonly abused opiate painkillers and Xanax, Valium and Klonopin are the most commonly abused benzos. These are also the most commonly prescribed drugs in their classes. Ease of access and less monitoring by doctors means that more people are taking addictive painkillers for longer than necessary. Extra pills are often stored in common areas where teenagers can find them, contributing to teen drug addiction. Seniors are often given more pain medication than necessary due to the fast pace of the healthcare system and the need to get patients in and out as quickly as possible.

Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment

Whether you came to drug addiction through a doctor’s prescription or experimental use, there is help in prescription drug rehab. At Michael’s House, we offer an holistic program designed to help you break free from prescription drug addiction. Contact us today for more information.

When taking OxyContin, the development of OxyContin addiction is often a concern. One of the most commonly abused opiate painkillers on the market, OxyContin is also one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for moderate to severe pain. With a number of nicknames including oxy, OCs, and hillbilly heroin, OxyContin addiction is a huge problem in this country. What should you know when taking OxyContin to help you avoid OxyContin addiction?

What Drug Interactions Should I Avoid When Taking OxyContin?

Many other drugs are not safe when taken with OxyContin. Your doctor will be able to determine whether or not your current medication will interact with this drug. If you are taking other pain relievers, your physician may need to adjust your dosage. Since OxyContin causes drowsiness in many patients, you should use caution when using this drug with other substances that promote sleepiness. Your doctor will want to know if you are currently using blood pressure medication, MAO inhibitors, sodium oxybate, muscle relaxants, or cimetidine and SSRI antidepressants. If you require any non-prescription drugs, consult your pharmacist to see if the ingredients will create any adverse effects when interacting with OxyContin.

Mixing OxyContin with other drugs of addiction including alcohol can not only hasten addiction but cause an OxyContin overdose. Avoid mixing OxyContin with other mind-altering drugs at all costs.

What are the Side Effects of OxyContin?

You should notify your doctor if you have any side effects that are overwhelming or severe, such as vision changes, problems breathing, irregular heartbeat, stomach pain that is chronic or dizziness that prevents you from standing. Certain side effects are common and unless they persist are not considered dangerous:

• Drowsiness
• Mild itching
• Lightheadedness
• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite

In the event that you experience symptoms that are increasingly uncomfortable, tell your doctor immediately. OxyContin overdose is always a risk, even when you think you’re being safe. Mixing OxyContin with other drugs or taking more than prescribed or sooner than prescribed can result in overdose and leads to OxyContin addiction far more quickly.

What Else Should I Know When Taking OxyContin?

If you are allergic to any prescription medications, especially opioid-based drugs like OxyContin, you should avoid this drug at all costs. Patients who have suffered from bowel diseases, head injuries, seizures or respiratory problems will need to disclose this to their healthcare professional. A complete medical history should be shared with your physician before you use OxyContin. It is strongly advised that you avoid any type of alcoholic beverages while taking OxyContin. It is imperative that you not drive or use any type of heavy machinery until you are aware of how OxyContin will affect you. An overdose of OxyContin requires immediate medical assistance.

Prolonged use of OxyContin in pregnant women may result in the infant experiencing withdrawal symptoms after birth. Diarrhea, persistent crying, vomiting and overall irritability are common signs of withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. In the event that you require surgery, tell your dentist or surgeon that you are taking OxyContin for pain relief.

OxyContin Addiction Treatment

OxyContin addiction and its addiction is best treated through a combination of behavioral and medical treatment at a certified OxyContin rehab. Michael’s House offers an holistic OxyContin rehab that includes a medical detox and psychological addictive treatment. Call us today for more information.

According to Linda Deutsch at the Associated Press, Dr. James Gagne, a witness for the prosecution, retracted some of the drug testimony he made in the Anna Nicole Smith case… partially. Recently, Dr. Gagne testified that Anna Nicole had a prescription for methadone that was hugely increased by her doctor, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, for no apparent reason; this was the part of the testimony that was retracted. The part that was not retracted was the assertion that Anna Nicole’s doctor fed her drug addiction with copious opiate painkiller prescriptions and was largely responsible for the continuation of her addiction which ultimately led to her death.

Why Did Dr. Gagne Partially Retract Methadone Testimony in Anna Nicole Case?

It was a misunderstanding, he says. He read Dr. Kapoor’s records incorrectly and “now believes the methadone prescriptions were not a major issue in the drug case against Kapoor and two other defendants,” according to Deutsch.

He is adamant, however, the Dr. Kapoor gave Anna Nicole far too many opiates and sedatives.

Whose Fault Was Anna Nicole’s Drug Addiction and Drug Overdose?

Though Gagne believes that the prescriptions were unnecessary and clearly excessive, some of his statements imply that he may not believe the fault to be Kapoor’s. Gagne says, “She was an expert at manipulating physicians into giving her the drugs she craved.”

Also, cross examination by Kapoor’s lawyer revealed Kapoor’s side of the story: Anna Nicole had suffered from two fractured ribs which occurred happened in a jet ski accident and the subsequent pain warranted the opiate painkillers he prescribed.

Gagne disagrees with Kapoor’s contention that the prescription fit the injury. He points out that pain from a couple of fractured ribs would have lasted a couple of weeks and could have been taken care of by a single and less potent painkiller than the ones prescribed; the prescriptions for Dilaudid and methadone that lasted for five months was absolutely not an appropriate treatment in this case, according to Gagne. He also said that there were too few follow up visits, which was inappropriate as well considering the painkillers Kapoor gave her and in those amounts could easily add up to psychiatric distress. The effects of his excessive prescriptions, if nothing else, should have been more closely monitored.

The Case of Anna Nicole’s Drug Overdose

Three people are on trial right now for their contribution to Anna Nicole Smith’s drug addiction and eventual death due to drug overdose: Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, the doctor referred to in this testimony; another doctor of hers, Dr. Kristine Eroshevich; and Howard K. Stern, her boyfriend and lawyer. All three are charged with, among other things, providing Anna Nicole with drugs illegally and contributing to her death. All three have pled “not guilty.”

What Will Happen Next in the Anna Nicole Drug Overdose Case?

Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry would like to move forward. Gagne’s testimony was made during a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the defendants should stand trial. The preliminary hearing has last more than three weeks thus far and the judge is urging the prosecution to limit further examination.

It’s not often that I turn to the golfing community for strength or wisdom. Sports, in general, do little to pique my interest and golf least of all. But here’s a golf story that inspires:

A Golfing Story That Pertains to Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

It seems Tiger Woods got some bad news about two weeks before he was supposed to swing his clubs in the U.S. Open: he had a double stress fracture of the tibia and a torn ligament besides. Not good news. You have to hoof around and play more than 90 holes just to be a contender. But Tiger, he didn’t give up. He said, “I’m playing in the U.S. Open, and I’m going to win.”

Alrighty then, Tiger. I mean, it’s not like it’s easy to win the U.S. Open, even if you aren’t dealing with a double stress fractured tibia and a torn ligament. But Tiger persevered and-that’s right-he won, despite his bad knee and the fact that it only got worse as the days passed.

The Moral of the Story is not the Winning

That’s right. Yes, Tiger had a bad knee and he won the U.S. Open despite that fact. But the interesting part of the story is that he didn’t whine about it. He didn’t do interview after interview harping on his injuries. Instead, he just set a goal, announced the goal, and made it happen.

And How Does This Apply to Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment?

Getting clean is hard but staying clean is even harder. It’s an infinite goal that can become overwhelming. Life, in general, can be overwhelming and when you’re dealing with drug and alcohol cravings, it’s easy to use it as a shield to deflect criticism or as a scapegoat for why things aren’t going better.

I met a girl once who never brought up the fact that she was a recovering addict. She didn’t collect chips at meetings or have ’sober birthdays.’ When it somehow came up in conversation, I was genuinely surprised that she was struggling with the issue of alcohol and drug addiction. And I was impressed that she didn’t feel the need to use it as a crutch, an excuse for bad days or bad moods or a way to get a pat on the back when she needed to hear something good about herself.

Not that it’s a bad thing to celebrate sober birthdays. It’s a huge part of recovery for many people: to get chips and know how many days clean they have. Many need that reminder that things were once much worse and that a great accomplishment has been made for staying clean and sober for X number of days. However, it’s still impressive when someone doesn’t need the validation, to see someone who perseveres despite injury or hardship and doesn’t wave it like a banner.

What do you think?

When you’re in recovery-during or after drug and alcohol rehab-you find yourself with a lot of time on your hands. When you are recovering from addiction to opiates like heroin and prescription painkillers especially, you may feel like you’re all alone or that no one has successfully come back from such a debilitating disease.

Reading is not only a great way to pass the time, but it is an excellent way to see that you are not the first one to suffer from heroin addiction or OxyContin addiction, and that there is hope for the future. Books can also help you learn more about your addiction and yourself in the process. Check out some of the books below.

Autobiographies by Opiate Addicts

Do you sometimes feel like you’re going through this alone? Well there are a ton of books out there written by people just like you who have been where you were and are. Who knows. Maybe you’ll be inspired to pen your own memoir.

• The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx
• How to Stop Time: Heroin from A to Z by Ann Marlowe
• A Small Journal of Heroin Addiction by Robin Marchesi

Fiction That Focuses on Opiate Addicts and Addiction

If nothing else, drug addiction provides an escape from the chaos of everyday life and the hammering of your own thoughts. It’s not quite the same, but books can do that for you, too, especially really well written fiction. I’ve picked out a few novels that tell the stories of addicts and addiction, in case you need a reminder of why you quit using in the first place.

• Smack by Melvin Burgess
• Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction by Luke Davies
• Beauty Queen by Linda Glovach
• Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

History of Opiates and Opiate Addiction

Oh, the endless debate about the origins of different drugs, drug legislation, drug usage, etc. Drug lore in general is, for some reason, an intoxicating aspect of drug use. Get the facts with any of the titles below.

• Medicating Modern America: Prescription Drugs in History by Andrea Tone and Elizabeth Watkins
• Dark Paradise: A History of Opiate Addiction in America by David T. Courtwright
• The History of Drugs - Opiates by Nancy Harris

About Opiate Addiction

Even more about addiction and the drugs we are addicted to, with a little bit of personal commentary by the author. Interesting viewpoints. Check it out:

• Heroin by Humberto Fernandez
• Prescription Drug Addiction: The Hidden Epidemic by Rod Colvin
• Addiction by Prescription by Joan E Gadsby

Interactive Books for Opiate Addicts in Recovery

If you’re looking for something a little more interactive, you might prefer a workbook type of book, one that guides you through your recovery and prompts you to dig deep and really get to the bottom of your addiction issues. Here are a couple you might be interested in:

• Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding by Rod Colvin
• How to Quit Drugs for Good: A Complete Self-Help Guide by Jerry Dorsman

Anyone have any favorites they’d like to add to the list?

It’s a big debate among those in recovery: is medical use of prescribed medication a relapse if that medication is physically addictive?

Because so many end up in drug rehab due to developing an addiction to their medical prescription for drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, codeine, Xanax and more, it’s a concern in the recovery community that using these drugs at all, even for medical purposes, is a relapse.

The Scenario: Prescription Drugs in Recovery

Say you get into a car accident or undergo surgery. As you recover from the physical injury, your doctor prescribes you oxycodone, Percocet, or hydrocodone to help mitigate your pain as you recovery. Or maybe, after your car accident, you develop anxiety about driving in cars or being on the road, a problem which your doctor responds to by prescribing you Xanax or another anti-anxiety benzodiazepine. Is the simple act of taking these drugs exactly as prescribed a relapse if you have been or are currently undergoing drug and alcohol rehab?

Prescription Painkillers as Relapse: The Argument For

Many in recovery, often those in 12-step meetings who believe in 100 percent abstinence at all costs, will tell you that, yes, even in the examples described above, use of these drugs is a relapse. They will say that because you do not have a tolerance for them, you will likely experience some sort of euphoria or “high” when you take them and for that reason alone, it’s not okay. They will point out that alcohol is legally available as well and that, by following the same logic, you might determine that one or two drinks with dinner or at a holiday celebration shouldn’t be termed a relapse, either, even if alcohol wasn’t your drug of choice. To people who believe that any use of prescription drugs when it isn’t medically necessary to keep you alive is a relapse and it isn’t just that it could lead to you actively using again but that it is a relapse in itself and that you are no longer clean and sober.

Prescription Painkillers as Relapse: The Argument Against

Others don’t believe that the medical use of a prescription drug of any kind, despite its addictive potential, is a relapse unless you abuse it. According to this view, if you take your medication exactly as prescribed and do not increase your dosage or your dosing schedule in any way and then stop taking the drug completely when you are no longer in pain or feeling anxious, then it is not a relapse. If you aren’t enhancing the drug’s effect by mixing it with alcohol or other drugs, doctor shopping for someone who will give you more than you need, or embellishing on the pain associated with an injury in order to receive more powerful medications, then you don’t have to worry about returning to drug and alcohol rehab as a result.

What Do You Think?

Have you ever been prescribed painkillers while you were enrolled in inpatient or outpatient drug rehab? Have you had a sponsor drop you because you were taking potentially addictive medication? Do you feel like taking prescription drugs is a relapse if you are in recovery? If you don’t believe that it’s okay to take prescription painkillers during drug addiction recovery, how do you recommend those with

Leave a comment and tell us what you think.

We’ve talked recently about people who leverage their drug addiction to take time off their sentence when they are arrested for doing something either in service to or because of their issues with drugs like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs and others. Usually, the way it works is that if someone commits a crime while under the influence or if they committed a crime in order to procure more of their drug of choice, then they can take a percentage of time off of their sentence if they enroll in drug rehab. The amount of time off their sentence will vary according to state law, the crime they committed and the number of times they have been arrested.

It’s unusual, however, for someone to avoid jail time altogether the way nurse Sherri Anne Silva did recently, according to Leslie Slape at The Daily News Online.

Forging Prescription Drugs: Sign of Addiction

One of the signs of prescription drug addiction is the constant search for more of your drug of choice. Whether you go “doctor shopping” in order to get multiple doctors to give you multiple prescriptions or forge prescriptions by changing an existing prescription or stealing a prescription pad, either of these actions are irrefutable: if you’re doing this, you have a prescription drug addiction and you need drug detox and rehab.

Silva was accused of forging prescriptions in the amount of more than 4000 pills. If all of those pills were for her and she wasn’t distributing them in any way, then it’s a clear sign that she is indeed struggling with drug addiction. This helps her case in terms of getting time off her sentence for her behavior. The sheer number of pills, however, makes this an exceptional case: why is it that the act of forgery or fraud done even once lands most people in jail but in this case-done multiple times for thousands of pills-there are a list of court-ordered requirements, but no prison time.

Forging Prescription Drugs: Not Without Consequences

Just because Silva avoided jail time, though, doesn’t mean that she isn’t suffering the consequences of her actions. For one thing, Silva is no longer employed by PeaceHealth St. John’s Workplace Wellness clinic, where she was the manager and the place where she is “accused of stealing a doctor’s prescription pad, signature stamp and Drug Enforcement Administration number stamp from a locked cabinet at PeaceHealth St. John’s Workplace Wellness clinic. She then filled forged prescriptions for Vicodin at various pharmacies in Kelso and Kalama 19 times between November and February, when a pharmacist told police,” according to The Daily News Online.

She has been admitted into a diversion program in which she is required to enter drug rehab. She will stay out of jail as long as she breaks no more laws and comply with other court orders, including remaining employed at least part time, use no illegal drugs, take all medications exactly as prescribed, comply with nursing board requirements, and submit to random drug testing. When she successfully completes her diversion program, all charges will be dropped. If she doesn’t complete the program, the charges against her will be filed again and she will be found guilty based on a written confession and stipulation she signed at the end of last month.

Adam Goldstein, otherwise known as DJ AM, was found dead last night in his SoHo apartment. The autopsy results are forthcoming, but when the investigating officers on the scene rolled his body over, they discovered an almost-empty bag of crack underneath him.  According to the New York Daily News, they also found “a glass crack pipe in his bedroom and at least seven bottles of prescription drugs on his kitchen counter, including the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.”

Did Goldstein die of a drug overdose? Unfortunately, it will be quite some time-at least a couple weeks-for the answer to that question is known for certain. Toxicology tests are pending, according to the Associated Press. Until that time, it seems likely that the results will conclude that DJ AM’s death was due, at least in part, to the abuse of drugs.

Goldstein: His History with Drug Abuse And Addiction

Goldstein was 36 years old when he died and had a long history of drug abuse and addiction, which he often discussed openly. One of his defining characteristics was his 11-year sobriety, a fact he often mentioned at clubs when he djed and often talked about with interviewers when asked. His drugs of choice? Crack and Ecstasy, but crack especially.

He has said in the past: “I would deejay until 2 a.m., go get drugs and stay up until 10 in the morning doing drugs in my apartment. Then I would wake up and eat like a beast. I was the only fat crackhead in L.A.”

He was set to continue talking about the problem as the host of a reality show on MTV called “Gone Too Far” that would chronicle drug and alcohol addiction interventions staged by concerned friends and family of addicts. It was set to debut in October of this year, and Goldstein was looking forward to it. He told Extra magazine in July that, “It makes me feel great. People were there for me when I asked for help, and I had no idea how to stop, so I’m there for them.”

Drug Addiction and Tragedy

What triggered DJ AM’s relapse that most likely led to his death last Friday night? Last year, Goldstein survived a plane crash that killed four people. He and Travis Barker, the drummer for band Blink 182, were the only people who survived the crash. After that incident, he had skin graft surgeries on his head and neck and reportedly developed an understandable fear of flying. The result of this was a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication, Xanax, since the dj had to fly regularly for his job.

Goldstein told Glamour magazine that: “Every day I have to remind myself that no matter how much time I have behind me, I’m still a drug addict At any given moment, I’m five seconds away from walking up to someone, grabbing their drink out of their hand and downing it. And if I do that, within a week, tops, I’ll be smoking crack.”

Getting Help for Drug Addiction Before Drug Overdose

If you or someone you love has a problem with drug addiction, get the help you need before it’s too late. For more information about the types of drug rehab programs available, contact Michael’s House today.

Painkillers, especially opiate painkillers, are extremely addictive. It doesn’t matter who you are: if you take prescription medications like OxyContin, hydrocodone, Xanax, Vicodin, Fentanyl or codeine, you will build up a tolerance to the drug, requiring more and more to achieve the initial pain killing effects. This physical tolerance is one of the characteristics of prescription painkiller addiction and once it sets  in, you will need a medical detox to break its hold.

There are a number of reasons that people become addiction to prescription painkillers, but high on the list is the attempt to self-medicate emotional pain. The emotional reasons we abuse drugs and alcohol can be broken down into four different categories:

• Inability to handle pain
• Feelings of unworthiness
• Need for approval from others
• Need for control

Emotional Painkiller Addiction: Inability to Handle Pain

As a child, it is normal to feel overwhelmed by emotional pain, experiencing feelings like helplessness and loneliness. However, as an adult, it is possible to learn to manage these feelings in a healthy way rather than turning to drugs for assistance. Taking a painkiller doesn’t make the feelings or the problem disappear. Instead, when the effects of the drug wears off, the original problem is still there and is now compounded by the issue of prescription drug addiction.

Emotional Painkiller Addiction: Feelings of Unworthiness

Feelings of unworthiness may come from not receiving the affection you needed as a child or the perception that you did not get what you needed from the adults in your life. A very small child may speculate on the cause of this and decide that he or she does not deserve to be loved. The essence of these feelings is shame. Sadly, these feelings can follow us into adulthood and hinder us even if we find a loving spouse and community. Taking painkillers may seem like the only way to feel better about ourselves. Unfortunately, the mechanism of opiate addiction is such that, over time, without the pills, we feel even worse than we did before we started.

Emotional Painkiller Addiction: Needing the Approval of Others

Approval from other people is a core need for most individuals. While wanting and needing recognition is healthy overall, it can be debilitating if too much importance is placed upon the opinions of others. Again, painkillers may seem like the best way to combat obsessing over what other people think of us.

Emotional Painkiller Addiction: Needing Control

The need for control is another reason that a person may turn to painkillers. The fact that life is uncontrollable is scary, but unfortunately, painkiller addiction can become dangerously out of control, too. You may be able to control your mood with the first pill, but the second and third and fourth will control you.

End Painkiller Addiction at Michael’s House

Healing from painkiller addiction is not impossible. At Michael’s House, we know that facing the pain and discomfort can be an unimaginable thought, and we are here to help you every step of the way. At Michael’s House, we have the tools and resources you need to become healthy again, breaking your addiction to painkillers with an painkiller detox and rehab program that is personalized to suit your needs. Call Michael’s House today for more information.