Meds for withdrawls
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: America
Posts: 4,136
Hi Britney. There's a few schools of thought on this issue.
One is people feel that if they are put a med to assist with coming off another substance they are mostly just delaying getting completely clean because they view meds as a substances too.
But if guided by a Dr. (necessary to prescribe the meds) and with 100% patient compliance, med could be helpful with symptoms of withdrawing...and thus perhaps help the patient from seeking out their drug of choice simply to alleviate the symptoms.
There are many ugly "sides" to addiction. One of them is the person is no longer taking the drug to get high really. They are taking the drug to avoid withdrawals.....and progress further and further into needing more and more of the drug and being truly dependent.
I was prescribed something to help me sleep and I did indeed find it to be helpful. I didn't overuse it or abuse it and it was guided by a competent Dr. who knew what he was doing.
I might be sticking my neck out here, but it's been my observation that many Dr. don't know as much about addiction as I'd like them to know. And, since addiction does affect the lives of so many people, I really do wish Dr. knew more about it and how to help people with it.
Insomnia is a big issue with many people. And they might start "self medicating" just to sleep. I knew a gal who said she didn't sleep well for about a year after she stopped doing heroin. At first I simply did not believe her. I though how could that be possible. But she was very proud of being CLEAN....you should have seen the joy on her face when she told people she had been clean for over a year. I found her testimony to be very INSPIRING!
When a person is deep in addiction it is HARD to imagine joy and happiness being CLEAN. But it is so possible and worth it.
My best advice is to be open and honest with your Dr. They may not know all the answers for you, but if you are open and honest and can articulate you needs the two of you can work together to come up with better answers. Most Dr. 's I know respect it when they patients are simply honest. So, don't be afraid to speak up for yourself and what's really going on with you. Is it sleep deprivation? Say so. Is it depression? Say so. But in order to "say so" you have get honest with yourself first and foremost.
Dr.'s aren't mind readers and they can only help you with as much information they have.
Hang in there Britney, It's so worth it.
One is people feel that if they are put a med to assist with coming off another substance they are mostly just delaying getting completely clean because they view meds as a substances too.
But if guided by a Dr. (necessary to prescribe the meds) and with 100% patient compliance, med could be helpful with symptoms of withdrawing...and thus perhaps help the patient from seeking out their drug of choice simply to alleviate the symptoms.
There are many ugly "sides" to addiction. One of them is the person is no longer taking the drug to get high really. They are taking the drug to avoid withdrawals.....and progress further and further into needing more and more of the drug and being truly dependent.
I was prescribed something to help me sleep and I did indeed find it to be helpful. I didn't overuse it or abuse it and it was guided by a competent Dr. who knew what he was doing.
I might be sticking my neck out here, but it's been my observation that many Dr. don't know as much about addiction as I'd like them to know. And, since addiction does affect the lives of so many people, I really do wish Dr. knew more about it and how to help people with it.
Insomnia is a big issue with many people. And they might start "self medicating" just to sleep. I knew a gal who said she didn't sleep well for about a year after she stopped doing heroin. At first I simply did not believe her. I though how could that be possible. But she was very proud of being CLEAN....you should have seen the joy on her face when she told people she had been clean for over a year. I found her testimony to be very INSPIRING!
When a person is deep in addiction it is HARD to imagine joy and happiness being CLEAN. But it is so possible and worth it.
My best advice is to be open and honest with your Dr. They may not know all the answers for you, but if you are open and honest and can articulate you needs the two of you can work together to come up with better answers. Most Dr. 's I know respect it when they patients are simply honest. So, don't be afraid to speak up for yourself and what's really going on with you. Is it sleep deprivation? Say so. Is it depression? Say so. But in order to "say so" you have get honest with yourself first and foremost.
Dr.'s aren't mind readers and they can only help you with as much information they have.
Hang in there Britney, It's so worth it.
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