subject: Hidden Away [print this page] I was hiding from the truth of what the addiction was and I was hiding from anyone finding out about this secret my family was experiencing.
My husband is a 35 year old family man with a great job who became addicted to prescription drugs after bouts with chronic back pain. My first sign was realizing that the amount of pills in the bottle were gone far too quickly than as prescribed. I let it go. He's in pain, right? But, from there I began noticing the mood swings. Anger. Joy. Restless. Calm. Irritable. Tired. Overexcited. Such a range of opposites. He would continually find excuses to go to the doctor again and get more pills. He slept for long periods of time and woke up groggy and useless. I felt helpless. I wanted to protect our marriage; I wanted to protect our children. I had no idea where to start.
I knew that time, alone, would not "heal all wounds" and I had to seek help for my husband. I began letting him know that I was aware that this was more of a problem than treating a back issue. He, as expected, disagreed. I sought out friends to support me and encourage me when he was in denial. Once his behavior became unbearable, I began asking professionals what I could do to get him on the road to recovery. It took many days of encouraging and supporting my husband before he agreed that he had a problem.
So, that's why I will always share that one should never give up hope that the person you love will be able to conquer their addiction and be healthy again.
Watch for the signs and trust your instincts.
Confide in a trusted friend or family member if you yourself are addicted or someone you know is addicted. Someone that you can trust and will help and encourage you through this time. Their support of you and your loved one during the recovery process is invaluable.
Call a professional. They have advice and support for the addicts and their family members. They can give hands-on help and strategies to bring you or your loved one to sobriety. Away to rehab? A 12-step program? Psychological help? Drug Addiction Counselors/Specialists are trained to know what's best for each individual case. They have the necessary connections to find the place best suited to carry out the addict's recovery plan.
Signs of Addiction:
irritability
long periods of sleep
weight gain/loss
tantrums
angry outbursts
"up" times of talkativeness
finding excuses for misbehavior
bursts of energy
depression
This list is not exhaustive and addiction can manifest itself differently in every addict. Help is a close as only a phone call away. It's worth the time, tenacity and fortitude it takes to overcome addiction. Don't spend your life hidden away, take it from someone who knows and get help.
