When you think of a drug pusher, the image that comes to mind is of a shady character lurking in dark places selling drugs. You never think of a drug dealer as a young college student wearing a lab coat working behind the counter of your local pharmacy. But that’s exactly what they are, drug stores sell drugs. The difference being what they sell is for medical purposes and approved by the government while drug dealers sell drugs for recreation. One is outlawed and the other is not, but both sell substances that are highly addictive.
Painkillers, we’ve all taken them in one form or another and they vary in potency from relieving headaches to completely numbing you. Addiction to painkillers is a widespread problem and its a trap that anyone can fall into. In college I was a member of the varsity soccer team and we held practice twice a week. Naturally at the end of training my body was sore and the next day my muscles were painful and stiff. One time it was so bad I told my teammate that I couldn’t go to practice. He said, “No problem,” and offered me some muscle relaxants. “I take these after practice so I don’t get stiff,” he said. I tried the pills and when practice time came my body was fine. It felt great to be able to play and move with out the soreness that comes afterwards. I decided to buy some for myself and began using the pills every time I felt sore. At first I used them only after really intense training sessions. Then I started using them after every session regardless if I was sore or not. I discovered they were pretty good for treating headaches too, and soon I was taking them for no reason at all. Thankfully I was able to catch myself before I developed a serious addiction to them. I decided that it was better to let my body heal in its own time, and pain is your body telling you to slow down so it has time to recover. Pain killers should be taken sparingly and only as a last resort.
The painkiller I was using was a mild over the counter variety which can become addictive but are nowhere nearly as strong as the prescription only variety. I have a friend who broke his arm badly in a motorcycle accident and after the operation he was prescribed powerful painkillers to manage the pain. There were complications and it took a long time for his arm to recover, and he was using painkillers for the entire duration. By the time his arm healed he was already addicted to the pain killers. The doctor stopped issuing him prescriptions for the medicine but it was not hard at all to buy them elsewhere. He struggled for many years battling his addiction to opiate based pain medication and the problems associated with drug abuse. Who would have guessed that a broken arm would lead him down such a dark path. His story is not unique and many people who become addicted to pain medication usually start off when an injury occurs and they are prescribed by a doctor. Painkillers are a double edged sword that can help you heal, or it can destroy you if you are not careful.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction to painkillers and other opiates, feel free to contact Milestone Health and Wellness here.
We are here to help.