Pain is a serious problem. Whether you have acute trauma or debilitating, chronic pain, you may take prescription medications.
Common prescription painkillers include the following:
- Oxycontin
- Vicodin
- Roxicodone
- Norco
- Lortab
Your doctor may prescribe you these medications to help you manage your pain. However, they may also provide you with a sense of euphoria, which can lead to addiction. Here are some red flags you are suffering from painkiller addiction.
1. You are taking more than you should
Your doctor is more than likely aware of the addictive properties of painkillers. For this reason, he or she may only prescribe you a specific amount or instruct you to take them in certain intervals. If you find yourself taking more of these pills, you may be abusing your prescription drugs.
2. You are going to multiple doctors
One warning sign of addiction is doctor shopping. If you are seeing multiple medical providers so you can more of the same pills, you may have a problem. You may find yourself lying about losing a prescription, being dishonest about your existing prescriptions or seeking out pill mills.
3. You are seeking pills from other places
Another signal of addiction is obtaining pain medications from other sources than your doctor. Here are some examples:
- Purchasing prescription drugs from other people
- Stealing pain medications from friends or family members
- Ordering drugs online
- Taking a prescription pad from your doctor and writing a prescription for yourself
- Intentionally hurting yourself so you can get new pills for your pain
Not only are these behaviors concerning in terms of your health, but you may face legal consequences for illegally obtaining prescription drugs. If you are committing theft or fraud to get painkillers, you may end up with criminal charges against you.
