My Best Friend Is I Believe Addicted to Pain Pills

(Colorado)

MY best friend has been on pain pills for over a year now, she is always saying she is in pain and that's why she takes them. Then she also says she is taking them the way she is supposed to and not abusing them - but she always runs out of her pills two or three weeks before her refill date so makes no sense how she is not abusing them when she is running out that fast.

Then she goes on searches to buy some from other people. She makes up stories that she is in a lot of pain. I went with her to a doctor appointment and she said go along with what I say - then she limped in the doctors and out and acted like her ankle was in a lot of pain to get a prescription.

Then when she does not have any pills she gets real shaky and says she can't get out of bed and do anything or even eat. She has lost so much weight very quickly and does not eat healthy, but claims she is working out and that is how she is losing the weight. But neither do I or her family and other friends believe her.

She also passes out sitting up with cigarettes in her hand all the time after she takes her pills, causing burn holes in her clothing, blankets, and drops them on the floor. She has lost so much weight so fast that a lot of us are very concerned.

She uses her son's death which happened over a year ago as her reason for taking her pills, but has two children that are very worried about her and she does not take care of them. Her husband is very worried but does not say anything cause does not want to upset her.

She always says she doesn't have a problem but I myself and a lot of others tell her she does, then she just gets really mad at everyone else. She is in complete denial. I am not sure what to do or what steps to take or even where to call for her to go to get help quickly.

I would rather lose a friendship then watch her die cause it's not healthy at all. And a lot of people are worried about her.

Alcoholism-and-Drug-Addiction-Help.com Answer

You need to try and get your friend professional help, but that becomes very difficult if she's in denial about her addiction to pain pill, and refuses to get help. And it's not something you could likely orchestrate by yourself anyway. You'd have to get her husband and family involved, perhaps even some of her closest friends.

So the best thing to do would be to have a serious chat with her husband, and explain how worried you are. Then you need to try and suggest that you all perform an intervention on her, as a way to get her into treatment for her addiction. But it's something that would need buy-in from her whole family, and one of the things that would need highlighting is the effect her addiction is having on her kids, and hopefully once she realises that she'll be open to getting help.

Apart from that though, there isn't much else you can do. Because ultimately she has to want to change and turn her life around, if she's ever going to overcome her addiction. No one can force her. Sure, you can try and facilitate the process through persuasion and attempting things like an intervention, but there are no guarantees.

Denial is unfortunately the biggest barrier an addict faces in ever getting clean. That's why so many do unfortunately have to hit rock bottom before they're ready to change. So do what you can, and if nothing works and you feel you can't continue your friendship with her until she turns her life around - then that is your choice and isn't something you should have any qualms over.

Good Luck

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