Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Opioid prescription painkiller addiction (also known as Opioid Dependence) affects millions of Americans. Although opioid prescription pain killers are effective medicines, some people develop opioid dependence as an unexpected consequent of their pain treatment.
I, unfortunately, am familiar with opioid dependence as I have two family members that have experienced/are experiencing it. It’s not something that you expect to happen. It just creeps up on people. I admit, even as a family member I didn’t realize it was a problem until it was to the point that it was very obvious. The need for the opioid prescription pain killers is to treat a specific problem. As someone with a chronic pain disorder I know what it is like to be told the pain is “all in your head,” so when a family member says they are suffering with pain, but the doctors are telling them they are not, at first it may be easy to believe your family member.
Although more awareness is being raised for opioid dependence it’s not something that is easy to assume. If a friend or family member starts taking opioid pain killers due to a surgery, injury, accident, etc., and after a while they say they are still in a lot of pain and need more help our instinct is to believe that they really are still hurting and need help. They DO need help, but not in the way we believe. They need help breaking free of this addiction they never expected would happen to them – that YOU never expected would happen to them!
Turntohelp.com is an online resource that allows people to anonymously research opioid dependence as well as find help and treatment options. It has a wealth of information from signs and symptoms to a locator to find local help. It even goes into detail explaining how dependence can begin. Dependence can happen to anyone.
There are many misconceptions about opioid dependence. For example, many don’t view it as a disease. Opioid Dependence is, in fact, a chronic medical disease. It actually tricks the brain into believing the opioid is necessary to survival! Many are afraid to get treatment, though, due to embarrassment or shame. Some also fear treatment won’t be covered by medical insurance, which is another misconception – it IS covered by health insurance companies, and their privacy is still protected.
Here is more information:

I think it is important, too, for those of us who love someone with Opioid Dependence to understand they have a disease and need help. If you need help or know someone who needs help visit Turntohelp.com for more information.