Drug Addictions?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2004
Drug Addictions?
3
Fri, 04-07-2006 - 11:40am

OK! I thought I'd throw this out for general discussion since I've managed to confuse myself in my other post.

I am wondering if anyone has ever gotten addicted to one or more of their meds? How do you know if you are addicted? How do you stop them if you are? I just discovered I may be addicted to Xanax. I can stop taking it without any physicial problems but without it and the Ambien I don't sleep. I turn into a major manic monster. I don't have any phsicial symptoms stopping them I just stay awake all night. And get so manic I feel like my body is going to explode. I can't control my emotions. But I NEED to sleep. I supposed that would mean I am addicted? This is rather scary.
Jodie

Jodie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 04-07-2006 - 12:07pm

Honey...i'm sorry to have confused you! you aren't addicted...you're just manic without it! addiction means strong physical withdrawals...getting very sick, NEEDING that particular drug or else you're going to go off the deep end, literally...sweats, freaking OUT in a major way...i was addicted to other street drugs, which is why they hesitate to give me anything that can cause addiction...xanax and ativan are benzos, which you can become addicted to. Just because you can't sleep without them doesn't mean you are addicted to them...you just run manic and can't sleep. Lots of us have that same problem. That's all. No worries.

:)

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2003
Fri, 04-07-2006 - 12:53pm

Um, no. It means you have a medical problem that requires medication, prescribed by a doctor.

Addiction would be if you start taking MORE than is prescribed, and you aren't taking it to sleep (the use it's prescribed for) but for some other "feeling".

I'm not addicted to insulin, yet if I stop taking it, I feel awful. Not b/c I'm addicted, but b/c my pancreas doesn't work properly.

You aren't addicted to your meds b/c when you stop taking them your symptoms return; your symptoms return b/c your brain is a little wonky. That's all.

My father tried to scare me out of taking meds when I was a kid by telling me I'd get addicted to them and dependent on them.

Well, I AM dependent on them - if I want to live a normal life! Because I have a disorder that is treated by medication, I DEPEND on the medication.

But I'm not addicted, and I don't think you are, either.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2004
Fri, 04-07-2006 - 1:02pm
Oh good! No I don't have any physicial problems like sweating or anything when I dump a drug. I just wish more would work on me. The Trileptal did have an effect on me, so maybe I'll try it again. I just won't let them start me on 1700 mg's overnight! lol
Thanks!

Jodie