Obviously, all legal drugs and medications have legitimate uses to relieve pain or aid healing. They can very beneficial when prescribed by licensed professionals.
We, as recovering addicts/alcoholics, certainly are not qualified to dispense medications. We are equally unqualified to tell those who need medications not to try to help themselves. We can only advise them through our experiences. In a sense, all of us have tried to dispense medication to ourselves. We’ve been self-prescribing chemicals, smoke, and liquids to ourselves from the day we first picked up until we began our recovery programs. In fact, I believe that some addicts/alcoholics can get addicted to “the idea of taking something.” The simple act of inhaling, injecting, or swallowing can give, at least in their minds, some degree of relief emotionally, psychologically, and or mentally.
Here are some tips and suggestions you may mind find useful:
- Even if you’re suffering from a mild illness, be careful when self-medicating.
- Medications can often reawaken old cravings and habits.
- Pain relieving substances, or anything containing alcohol, no matter how minute, should send up a red flag to your defenses.
- Because of your extended substance abuse, your body chemistry has changed. Medications may not be as effective.
- Always tell your medical professionals (doctor, pharmacist, dentist) the whole truth about your substance abuse history.
Chemical substitutions for life simply will not interest you for long periods of time. In other words, strive for a better way of life through genuine living.