Nixiam
Bluelighter
I self medicate when I'm troubled. What about you guys? I should probably just suck it up but it gets to me, you know?
I self medicate when I'm troubled. What about you guys? I should probably just suck it up but it gets to me, you know?
There's a thin line between addiction and safe use of painkillers IMO/E. For moderate to severe pains I'd always recommend you to see a doctor. Sometimes they can prescribe non opioids medication and use it together with with non steroid anti inflammatory. Or mild painkillers which can be taken without any further issues or problems if you follow the doctor's instructions. I've seen a lot of people, including relatives and close friends using opiates, and at some point dealing with their withdrawal issues without feeling so bad or emotionally affected. This was probably because they'd considered these effects as part of the side effects and had no interest in keep using them when there is no more pain. Or in between intervals.
I believe the problem starts when people find the 'need' to increase dosages by themselves for recreation, escape or just to feel good. The pain suddenly becomes their 'ally' so they can use that to have more and by doing that their tolerance increases and they need more medication. And the problems may start because obviously in order to obtain these extra meds they have to lie to the doctor and using medication even when there is no acute pain becomes a problem.
I believe that no one should live in pain. I personally don't think it's okay to learn to live with your pains as our body and mind balance will be affected. And by by doing so one may start to experience depression, lack of motivation, problems to sleep, etc.
The challenge imo is how you handle pain when you already have problems with abuse. How can a doctor treat an opiate addict without risking relapses or misuse. That is very difficult to manage and in many cases addicts who are admitted in hospitals because of pain are easily spot or have already a history in that city or state. I often question myself how would I deal with opioids or opiates if I have to go through a surgery, when I'd need meds for few days. (?)
Are we talking about physical pain, emotional pain, what kind of pain? And how severe?
If the pain is extreme then there's nothing you can do but be at its mercy. We all have our coping limits, some have higher tolerances than others. You'll suffer more if there's a story attached to the pain, but the pain itself can be enough to do real neurological damage if it's great enough, regardless of what story you tell yourself. In fact, at some point pain becomes so great that stories are irrelevant and you need help.
My point is that most people greatly underestimate the extent to which we have little control over our living experiences. In many ways we are subjected to them, and we have some degree of say in how we react to it, but not whether or not it's happening. Pain is like that. You either cope or you don't, and it's not always about doing things differently.
If you feel that your coping threshold sucks, then maybe you could work on changing that. But maybe, like some people, you've done heaps of inner work over the years but still can't cope. Sometimes life is about pain and that's just the way it is.
I'm not trying to be negative or defeatist, actually it's the opposite. By acknowledging what you can and cannot change, you can decide to let go of a lot of worry and focus instead on what is real. If there's a part of you that will always be in pain, then you can let go of worrying about changing it, and instead learn to become accustomed to the pain in a way that doesn't involve fighting with reality.
numbing and denial in equal measure work well at this point
vigorous episodes of cursing and limp limb flailing also satisfy
:D