Addiction is a complex illness, and oftentimes the line between “OK” and “not OK” isn’t clear. This is especially true in active addiction, but it is also so during the recovery process. For instance, a dozen different recovering addicts may have differing positions on what constitutes a relapse. By definition, relapsing means a return of old behaviors. But is a relapse simply drinking or getting high? Can there be mental or spiritual relapses that don’t involve substances? What about medications? Even if they are prescribed by a doctor for perfectly legitimate reasons, would taking painkillers count as a relapse?
Can You Be Sober and Take Painkillers?
Medications in general are a sensitive topic within the 12-step/recovery community. Despite what its individual members may think or say, the general position of such matters is neutral. For example, an AA pamphlet entitled “The AA Member — Medications & Other Drugs” reads:
…just as it is wrong to enable or support any alcoholic to become readdicted to any drug, it’s equally wrong to deprive any alcoholic of medication, which can alleviate or control other disabling physical and/or emotional problems.
This philosophy is simple enough to adhere to. However, it can also be argued that painkillers are unlike other drugs such as anti-depressants or antipsychotics. Painkillers are opiate narcotics, made from the same opium poppy resin as heroin, and oftentimes just as harmful. They are drugs that many addicts have used and abused recreationally, and many more have actually become addicted as a direct result of taking them for medical reasons.
Drug Use or Medical Necessity?
Opiate painkillers are a class of drugs that includes morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and Fentanyl (among various others). They have been used to treat both chronic and acute pain for many years, but started to attract controversy in the mid-1990s due to their extreme potential for abuse and addiction. Rampant opiate addiction throughout the Northeast as well as Florida has led to the implementation of prescription monitoring programs and other law enforcement efforts to regulate the painkiller industry and discourage their non-medical use.
Despite their bad name, it is important to remember that painkillers have also helped thousands of people alleviate pain from rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia, and cancer-related discomfort. Whether or not they have improved as many lives as they have destroyed, it doesn’t make sense to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sobriety is supposed to be gratifying and fulfilling, and it can hardly be so if a recovering addict suffers from debilitating pain. At the same time, a relapse into full-blown addiction would be just as bad, if not worse, than any such physical pain.
Things to Consider About Taking Painkillers
Taking medications as prescribed is one thing, but consider a scenario where a recovering addict was prescribed a medicinal dose of alcohol. Obviously, such a case would be unlikely, but many would argue that prescribing painkillers is inherently the same thing. Opiates are addictive drugs, and taking these drugs activates the physical symptom of addiction that gives addicts the insatiable appetite for more. As the introductory “Doctor’s Opinion” in the AA text states: alcoholics “cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving,” which makes drinking/using drugs a physical necessity.
If addicts and alcoholics cannot use ANY mind-altering substances safely, then how can we reconcile this with the advice of a medical professional, which may include taking painkillers for chronic pain. Here are some things to think about before you jump to any conclusions.
What are Your Intentions?
Many times, it’s not a matter of what your doctor is up to. It’s what you are up to. It is imperative that addicts in recovery be honest with themselves and others at all times, and this is of the utmost importance in medical matters. They must not exaggerate their symptoms with the secret intention of securing a prescription they don’t really need.
Be Open With Your Physician
It is equally important to be 100% transparent with your physician and let them know upfront that you are living a life free from drugs. If you are uncomfortable with this, then you may want to consider finding a doctor that you can be open with. Remember that doctors cannot treat their patients unless they have all the necessary information about them, and this certainly includes information about their history with drugs and alcohol.
Rely on Others
Relying on others is no less of a key factor in health than it is in any other area of recovery. Some sober supports may have had similar experiences with taking painkillers in recovery. Asking them about their experiences can help you reach your own decision, even if you have to take their advice with a grain of salt. If taking painkillers is an absolute necessity, then many addicts will ask their sponsors or other supports to hold onto their medications for them. Even when men and women have been sober for decades, they avoid temptation at all costs. When it comes down to it, addiction is a life or death matter, and one mustn’t take any chances.
Conclusion
Only the individual can determine for their self whether taking painkillers in recovery is a good course of action. There are far too many factors for there to be a simple “yes” or “no” answer. If you are in this position, be honest with your supports, your family, your doctor, and most importantly with yourself. Ask about non-narcotic medications and always err on the side of caution — in the end, the spiritual pain of addiction will always trump any kind of physical pain.
Contributed by: All About Recovery