Minimizing Addiction: How People Explain Away their Opiate Addiction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse one of the main characteristics of drug abuse is lying about your addiction. One of the ways that you lie about it is to explain it away. Many people use this form of lying in order to gain acceptance of their addiction by their family and friends. Sometimes these lies are easy to see through, other times they are not, it depends on the person. Unfortunately, most opiate addicts tell these lies.

The Doctor Prescribed it for Me, I have to Take it

This is a very common excuse. Some addicts even believe it themselves. The more they talk themselves into this, the easier it becomes for them to not admit to addiction. The doctor might prescribe the opiates but addicts often double the dosage or take them earlier then they need to. Many people fall for this excuse because they believe the addict is taking the medication as prescribed rather than more of it or more frequent doses.

You can check this excuse by counting pills and checking the date on the prescription bottle. If there are less pills than there should be then you know an addict is not taking them as prescribed. This is also true if they lose their prescription frequently or lose pills frequently.

I can Stop Any Time I Want

Opiate addicts will claim they can stop using whenever they decide to.

Being an addict is difficult but quitting is even harder. By saying they can quit anytime they want they are almost issuing a challenge. They might even try to stop taking the pills but they will always have an excuse to return to taking them once the withdrawal starts. Most people who say they can quit any time that they want are addicts. This is just one of the things that they say.

The Pain Gets Too Bad if I don’t Take Them

Yet another excuse this one is similar to the doctor prescribing the drug excuse. Most people who are addicted will be in intense pain if they do not take something like Suboxone or methadone when they quit. Each person is different when it comes to pain and it is extremely difficult to tell if the pain is real or if it is just a way to get the opiates.

You have to be extremely careful when someone says this. There is a chance that they are in real pain. If they are and are prescribed opiates, the possibility exists that they need the opiates more frequently than prescribed. This is when it is time to see a doctor about an alternative to opiates.

6 Ways to Tell if You are Addicted to Opiates

If you are questioning whether you are addicted to opiates or not, you probably need opiate addiction treatment. Most people …

I only Use them When I Have To

This is both a lie and an excuse, when someone says I only use them when I have to, they could be talking about when they crave them or when they are in pain. Most of the time if the person is truly in pain there will not be missing pills.

If you find yourself making any of these excuses for taking opiate pain killers, you need to seek treatment immediately. There are many opiate alternatives and opiate addiction treatments available. For more information or to find a treatment center call us at 800-994-1867Who Answers?.