Is My Husband Addicted to Pain Pills?

What Are the Signs of Pain Pill Addiction in Men?

If you find yourself thinking my husband is addicted to pain pills, you might also notice your man trying to hide the extent of his problem or keep you in the dark about his need for these drugs. Fortunately, help for your husband’s secret drug addiction is available that can help him achieve recovery and prevent health problems or even death from this untreated medical condition.

There are many symptoms to watch for that can indicate a possible addiction to opioids, including:

• Misusing pain pills, such as taking more than prescribed or taking the medication just for the way it makes them feel.
• Saying they’re taking a pill in case they feel pain, even when they’re not in pain.
• Focusing more and more of their time each day on getting more opioids or thinking about when they can take more.
• Mood changes and mood swings.
• Trying to get prescriptions from multiple doctors, or seemingly often “losing” their medication to try to get more.
• Compulsive drug-seeking behavior, such as continuing to use opioids despite the many negative consequences they’re suffering.

Even a legitimately prescribed opioid painkiller can lead to addiction in some people due to the powerful effects of these drugs. That’s why doctors will closely monitor their patients’ opioid use and look for possible signs that could indicate misuse, abuse, or addiction.

What’s the Difference Between Pain Management and Pain Pill Addiction?

Opioid painkillers do have a legitimate medical purpose, primarily to treat severe pain or chronic pain conditions. They’re most often prescribed after an incident that causes extreme pain, such as a surgery or accident, as well as to help people deal with ongoing pain caused by cancer, diseases, or other conditions. They work by attaching to receptors in the brain, blocking pain signals while also causing a calming or even euphoric feeling in patients. Their quick-working, powerful effects can quickly lead to abuse, dependence, and even addiction in many people, especially if taken for longer periods of time.

This potential for addiction is the reason why patients must be closely monitored in their use of opioid medications, especially if taken more than just for a few days following a traumatic injury or surgery. Doctors must closely balance the need to help people successfully manage and lessen ongoing, chronic pain with the very real possibility that these medications can cause life-threatening problems and even death if they lead to addiction and misuse.

Is It Possible to Be Addicted Even If the Pills Were Prescribed?

If you’re starting to think my husband is addicted to pain pills, you might wonder if that’s even possible, especially if he was prescribed the medication for legitimate medical purposes. While it’s true that someone who takes opioids that they weren’t prescribed, such as by getting the drug from a friend or acquaintance, it’s also true that people can and often do become addicted to opioids after originally starting to take them as a prescription pain pill as directed by their doctors.

Several factors can increase the risk of developing an opioid addiction, including:

• Being younger, such as in their teens or 20s.
• Having a family history or past personal history of misuse or addiction of alcohol or drugs.
• Living in stressful conditions, such as being unemployed or struggling financially.
• Having a history of problems with work or school, and relationships.
• Past legal problems.
• Mental health struggles, such as serious depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
• History of abuse, either physical or sexual.
• Heavily using cigarettes or other tobacco products.
• Tending to engage in risky or thrill-seeking behaviors and patterns.

Genetic predisposition, physical or mental health struggles, and environmental circumstances can also increase the risk of eventually developing an addiction to painkillers. Generally, people who are prescribed painkillers must be closely monitored to try to ensure they don’t start to misuse or become addicted to these medications.

What Our Customers are Saying

 

How Can I Tell If He’s Hiding His Drug Use?

If you’re having this nagging thought—my husband is addicted to pain pills—you’re likely very worried about the hardships that come with being the spouse of an addict, and you’re wondering how you can help them and improve your relationship. Unfortunately, it’s common that someone who is struggling with addiction will either be in denial about the extent of their problem or will work their hardest to hide their problem, especially from close people in their lives like spouses or partners.

That’s why it’s important to look for possible warning signs of a prescription pain pill problem, such as seeking out prescriptions from multiple doctors, often borrowing medicine from other people or claiming they lost their pills so they can try to get more, or showing possible red flags of being preoccupied with trying to get and take more medication as often as possible.

You might notice signs that they’re under the influence of opioid pain pills, such as agitation, confusion, depression, anxiety, nausea, constipation, and slowed breathing, as well as fatigue or low energy. If they don’t take the drug or take as much as they’re used to, they could start to show withdrawal symptoms that range from minor to severe, such as:

• Sweating or chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• Pain or extreme discomfort
• Sleep problems, especially not being able to sleep
• Growing fatigue
• Depression or anxiety

Key Takeaways on My Husband Is Addicted to Pain Pills

• Opioids are highly addictive and powerful drugs that are often prescribed as painkillers to treat severe or chronic pain.
• These drugs can lead to misuse, abuse, dependence, and addiction.
• Even people who are legitimately prescribed opioids as painkillers can become addicted to these drugs.
• There are many warning signs that could indicate a new or growing problem with opioid pain pills.
• Professional treatment can help people break the chains of opioid addiction and gain the strength they need to live a better, healthier life without painkillers.

If you find yourself thinking over and over that my husband is addicted to pain pills, he’s likely suffering from opioid use disorder, and it’s doubtful that things will get any better if you ignore the problem. In California, Resurgence Behavioral Health offers comprehensive addiction treatment programs, including medical detox, inpatient rehab, and aftercare support services, that can guide your husband to a better future and help you get your loved one back. Call us today at 855-458-0050 to learn how we can help you help your husband.

Resources

• FamilyDoctor.org – Opioid Addiction
• Mayo Clinic – How to Tell If a Loved One Is Abusing Opioids
• National Institute on Drug Abuse – Prescription Opioids DrugFacts