Av8or72Dan
Registered User
Does anyone here know how to handle someone who is addicted to prescription drugs? How can I go about getting treatment for this person? Does Tri-care have any type of program? Thanks for the help.
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Prescription Drug Addiction
- Thread starter Av8or72Dan
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Definitely seek professional help. Some places may even be free depending on the need.
You may think you can personally help someone who has an addiction, but it won't work...
If this person is in the military, early recognition may save a career.
Good luck.
r/
G
You may think you can personally help someone who has an addiction, but it won't work...
If this person is in the military, early recognition may save a career.
Good luck.
r/
G
Yup,
Definately have that person seek medical help. My first vote would be to a trusted Physician. They will be adept, with info from you, at recognizing the signs....slurred speech, stumbling gait, multiple prescriptions, etc. and, often, multiple physicians. They may direct you to the mental health folks near you for assistance. If that is not attractive, try a Family Service Center near you.
I have witnessed first hand what that particular addiction can do. By far the hardest part is getting them to admit that they have a problem...it may take intervention by their physician(s), other family members, you or a combination thereof. A tricky situation indeed as there is a lot to consider.
Definately have that person seek medical help. My first vote would be to a trusted Physician. They will be adept, with info from you, at recognizing the signs....slurred speech, stumbling gait, multiple prescriptions, etc. and, often, multiple physicians. They may direct you to the mental health folks near you for assistance. If that is not attractive, try a Family Service Center near you.
I have witnessed first hand what that particular addiction can do. By far the hardest part is getting them to admit that they have a problem...it may take intervention by their physician(s), other family members, you or a combination thereof. A tricky situation indeed as there is a lot to consider.
Av8or72Dan
Registered User
The person who has the addiction is in my family. For some strange reason, my other family members just turn away and hope that the problem will dissolve on its own. I seem to be one of only a few that wants to help. Do you think that there will be any repercussions (for my family and/or for my career) if I go talk to a tricare doc? Thanks.
None, if the problem is not you. Lots of people have family members with medical issues. Not something that can affect you professionally you unless you let it start to interfere with work...
Good luck with this tough problem.
G
Good luck with this tough problem.
G
just a note on px drug addictions--
even if the initial drug is removed, there is always something else to take its place, and people will go to extreme lengths to get that fix. they seem to rationalize it by thinking that if a doctor gave it to them, it's okay-- even though they know better. if you're in a position to pay close attention to dr. visits, px's, behavior in general, please do so.
feddoc is correct in that you will have much better success if you can get this person to see that yes, there is a problem, and not only is it hurting them, but everyone close to them. your family members may not want to deal with it for several reasons: it's hard to watch someone you care about go through something like that, they may see it as 'not their problem', they may feel hopeless/ helpless as to what they can do to help. it may not be that they don't want to help; they may just not know how. obviously there are a lot of variables that we, on the site don't know about, and that's okay.
you're embarking on a long, tough road, but take heart-- what you're doing has been done successfully, time and time again.
even if the initial drug is removed, there is always something else to take its place, and people will go to extreme lengths to get that fix. they seem to rationalize it by thinking that if a doctor gave it to them, it's okay-- even though they know better. if you're in a position to pay close attention to dr. visits, px's, behavior in general, please do so.
feddoc is correct in that you will have much better success if you can get this person to see that yes, there is a problem, and not only is it hurting them, but everyone close to them. your family members may not want to deal with it for several reasons: it's hard to watch someone you care about go through something like that, they may see it as 'not their problem', they may feel hopeless/ helpless as to what they can do to help. it may not be that they don't want to help; they may just not know how. obviously there are a lot of variables that we, on the site don't know about, and that's okay.
you're embarking on a long, tough road, but take heart-- what you're doing has been done successfully, time and time again.
Av8or72Dan
Registered User
Thanks for all of the support.
I confronted the person about the addiction about 3 months ago. Now she takes pills late at night when no one is around. She pretends to be sick to get attention from the other parts of the family and the doctors. It seems as though it doesn't matter what kind of medication it is, just as long as she is taking something so she can sit around the house all day and sleep.
Do you think that I should try to find her medical record so I can bring it into tricare? It is just a little bit smaller than a phone book. I think it might overload the doc and I do not want to tip her off that I am doing something. She enjoys making drama as well as trying/getting the police involved. She has told me several times that she was going to ****up my career by getting me in trouble with the law(this was said after I confronted her).
I confronted the person about the addiction about 3 months ago. Now she takes pills late at night when no one is around. She pretends to be sick to get attention from the other parts of the family and the doctors. It seems as though it doesn't matter what kind of medication it is, just as long as she is taking something so she can sit around the house all day and sleep.
Do you think that I should try to find her medical record so I can bring it into tricare? It is just a little bit smaller than a phone book. I think it might overload the doc and I do not want to tip her off that I am doing something. She enjoys making drama as well as trying/getting the police involved. She has told me several times that she was going to ****up my career by getting me in trouble with the law(this was said after I confronted her).
Av8or72Dan said:
Up to this point you have done nothing which will * * * * up your career. She can try all she wants, but, most skippers I know will take that kind of flack with a huge grain of salt. I am not suggesting you do nothing. Contact your doctor, FSC, etc. for advice. D***ing around with her medical record could very well goof things up.
It may be that an anonymous phone call to her doctor might enlighten him/her. Docs don't want to be a part of this addiction either. Do you know if she has multiple docs and/or prescriptions?
Av8or72Dan
Registered User
tons of docs and even more perscriptions. This has been going on for many years. I use to think that she was just sick. But now I am at the age where she cannot munipulate how I think or my actions and i see through the bs
Cate
Pretty much invincible
Outside of the Navy, you might want to check out Al-Anon (www.alanon.alateen.org) and/or Narc-Anon. They've got really good resources to help deal with a family member with an addiction. Not to just completely air my family's dirty laundry here, but Al-Anon and Narc-Anon really helped us when we had to have an intervention for a family member with multiple addictions. There's also a national intervention referral method, if you choose to go that way.
Lots of sympathy here; you've got something really difficult to deal with. And I'll warn you (although you seem to be getting it already) that if you really want to see this through to the end, you will have one sincerely angry family member on your hands. But we always said that it was better having him p!ssed off at us than dead somewhere, and gradually, things are getting better. Gradually.
Lots of sympathy here; you've got something really difficult to deal with. And I'll warn you (although you seem to be getting it already) that if you really want to see this through to the end, you will have one sincerely angry family member on your hands. But we always said that it was better having him p!ssed off at us than dead somewhere, and gradually, things are getting better. Gradually.
Av8or72Dan said:
I feel your pain bro. Couple members of my family have or still do battle with addiction to prescription drugs. Some of my friends are so called "pill poppers" too. The answer lies in professional help. You do not have the training nor time to deal with it by yourself. Don't try, trust me. Get them to a professional. It's a long hard battle, and more often than not they'll be fighting it their entire life. Addiction is a brutal thing.
Like Cate said, they're most likely going to be beligerant at some stage. Fvck em. Believe me, it's better for them.
dear, i know you care deeply, or you would be posting these things on a forum.
one thing you need to watch out for, is that you don't violate her medical privacy-- which in fact, you could inadvertantly do by taking her records to a physician. if it really is as bad as you say, and i believe it is, one option would be to get the courts involved.
one option: the courts.
if there is a child in her care, this will be much easier. court-mandated, inpatient rehab isn't a permanent thing. (i would recommend this over removal of a child from the home.) if she is a military dependent, have JAG see if they can help you work this through the courts.
She enjoys making drama as well as trying/getting the police involved. She has told me several times that she was going to ****up my career by getting me in trouble with the law(this was said after I confronted her).
tell her to go right ahead. (courts, remember? unfortunately, sometimes you have to play hardball.) don't be guilted here, this isn't your addiction, but she's clearly making it your problem.
you probably aren't going to be able to help her until she sees the damage she's doing, to herself and others, and wants to be helped. please make sure that this doesn't drag you down into the mire. don't forget that you still need to take care of you.
cate's right-- you're going to have to deal with a lot of anger, seemingly directed at you. of course it is-- you're trying to make this person stand up and look their weaknesses in the face, and accept those weaknesses for what they are. that's tough for anyone to do, especially someone who probably knows that what they're doing isn't right. that's called tough love. at least you care enough to stay involved. she won't realize it now, but if you can get through it, you not giving up on her will be the best thing she'll ever know.
one thing you need to watch out for, is that you don't violate her medical privacy-- which in fact, you could inadvertantly do by taking her records to a physician. if it really is as bad as you say, and i believe it is, one option would be to get the courts involved.
one option: the courts.
if there is a child in her care, this will be much easier. court-mandated, inpatient rehab isn't a permanent thing. (i would recommend this over removal of a child from the home.) if she is a military dependent, have JAG see if they can help you work this through the courts.
She enjoys making drama as well as trying/getting the police involved. She has told me several times that she was going to ****up my career by getting me in trouble with the law(this was said after I confronted her).
tell her to go right ahead. (courts, remember? unfortunately, sometimes you have to play hardball.) don't be guilted here, this isn't your addiction, but she's clearly making it your problem.
you probably aren't going to be able to help her until she sees the damage she's doing, to herself and others, and wants to be helped. please make sure that this doesn't drag you down into the mire. don't forget that you still need to take care of you.
cate's right-- you're going to have to deal with a lot of anger, seemingly directed at you. of course it is-- you're trying to make this person stand up and look their weaknesses in the face, and accept those weaknesses for what they are. that's tough for anyone to do, especially someone who probably knows that what they're doing isn't right. that's called tough love. at least you care enough to stay involved. she won't realize it now, but if you can get through it, you not giving up on her will be the best thing she'll ever know.
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