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Chronic Pain Management & Pain Pill Addiction: What to do?

December 9, 2011 in Ask Joe by jherzanek | 12 comments

Joe Herzanek, Author, Addiction Counselor and Interventionist

Joe Herzanek, Author, Addiction Counselor and Interventionist

Chronic Pain Management & Pain Pill Addiction

Q. What do you do with someone who is addicted to pain pills but can’t come completely off because of continual pain?

Joe,

I have read your book “Why Don’t They Just Quit?“ and also gave it to my sister to read.  She has a daughter who has a pain pill addiction.  The problem is–she can’t just quit because the reason she was put on pain pills in the first place was because she has an incurable back problem.

I don’t remember your addressing this in your book, but what do you do with someone who has a pain pill addiction but can’t come completely off because of continual pain?

~ Betty F. (Tampa, FL)

A. Dear Betty,

This is a difficult dilemma. If your sister’s daughter has genuine, documentable chronic pain (by that I mean a physician has done a thorough exam and can point right to the problem) then this can be a huge challenge.

There is a lot I don’t know from your short email such as her age, type of injury, how long it has persisted and so on.

If she were my daughter I would want to personally go with her to a Dr. appointment and hear the prognosis first-hand. And I am not talking about going to a pain management clinic–but to the physician who is medically treating her injury.

The downside to using opiate pain meds (pain pills) for pain is that the person can/will build a high tolerance to them (if used over many months or years) and even if the original issue that caused the pain were to heal, the patient won’t be able to tell–because their central nervous system now expects opiates to come in on a regular basis. If this doesn’t happen, the body will “revolt”–go into withdrawal.

Your email stated “she has an incurable back problem.” I don’t know what that may mean, how severe the pain is, what has or has not been tried. I’m not a medical doctor. I do know trying lots of other options with the hope of finding a better solution than opiates is worth the effort.

There are often, other options for chronic pain management. Neuromuscular stimulators, stretching, exercise, chiropractic adjustments, over the counter medications, acupuncture, as well as surgery are some treatments for chronic pain. Some physicians use placebos, which in some cases have resulted in a lessening or elimination of pain. Psychotherapy, relaxation and medication therapies, biofeedback, and behavior modification may also be employed to treat chronic pain.

These options require work and a willingness on the daughter’s part to maybe go through a little more pain to find an alternative.

Keep in mind that all the while–she knows in the back of her head, that she can just take another pill or two and get instant relief. This can be a real mental tug-of-war.

Perhaps the best advice is to take the time to find a doctor that truly understands addiction, chronic pain management, pain med abuse along with the psychological mind game that a patient will struggle with.

I can advise you of several resources for advice or suggestions that you may find helpful—depending on your location.

Best regards,

~Joe

 

RELATED:
Pain Meds Cause More Pain! The new silent epidemic.
Read more about this topic—chapter 27, Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?

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12 Step AA Wisdom: “Bring the body, the mind will follow.”

June 13, 2011 in AA Related, The Wisdom of the Rooms, Words of Wisdom by jherzanek | 1 comment

The Wisdom of the Rooms

So many people who call Changing Lives Foundation feel like they are all alone in their struggles. Our best advice to those who have limited resources is to visit an Open AA meeting or two, attend an Al-Anon or Nar-Anon meeting. There , you will find others with concerns, similar to yours. Many of these people offer gems of wisdom just like this—one of our favorites:

 

“Bring the body, the mind will follow.”
~ by Michael Z.

This is a quote I heard early on in my recovery, and it has served me well over the years. Over and over again, when I haven’t wanted to go to a meeting, I went anyway and once my body was there, my mind ended up being glad it went along, too. Like much of the wisdom in the program, I can apply the truth in this quote to many other areas of my life as well.

 

What I’ve learned is that taking action is almost always the gateway into feeling better. Rarely have I been able to think my way into different behavior or results, instead it’s only when I take action (especially when I don’t want to) that things begin to shift, and I begin feeling better.The program, like life, doesn’t work when I’m into thinking, only when I’m into action.

 

It’s interesting how, even with this knowledge and experience, my mind still tells me not to do the things that will make me feel better. Often I’d rather watch TV than go to a meeting, rest after work than go to the gym, procrastinate rather than take action. The good news, though, is that it always works out for the best when I go ahead and take action anyway.

 

“Whenever I bring my body, my mind always follows…”

Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume 4

 

Volume Four Now Available! Order Your Signed Copies Today!

Just $14.95 each!

Click Here
to Purchase

This beautiful, Fourth Volume will enrich your recovery for years to come!

 

 

Related Articles:
Drug Addiction: Moving Into Recovery

RESOURCES:
Addiction Recovery Resources for Families of Substance Abusers, Addicts and Alcoholics

Why Don't They Just Quit? by Joe Herzanek
Why Don’t They Just Quit? What families and friends need to know about addiction and recovery.

> Paperback

> Audio Book CD, MP3 (NEW!)

> Kindle

> Audible Audio Download  (LISTEN TO 4 MIN. SAMPLE)

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“I was pretending to go to Narcotics Anonymous meetings.”

January 20, 2011 in In the News, Real People, Real Stories by jherzanek | 2 comments

rockstaryoMy name is Jaimie and I’m an addict. I found “In The Rooms” when it was just starting out. I was sick in active addiction, and was pretending to go to Narcotics Anonymous meetings. I was really going and getting high, but saying I was going to meetings bought me time.

Read more: “Pretending to go to Narcotics Anonymous”

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Drug Addiction Phone Counseling and Intervention Services for Families Dealing with Substance Abuse

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The Flame

Joe and Judy Herzanek, Changing Lives Foundation

Joe and Judy Herzanek

Your Local Mission Dollars at Work
Joe Herzanek founder of Changing Lives Foundation

by Russ Teets

Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles describing the people and agencies in and around Boulder that First Pres supports through Local Missions.

First Pres’ relationship with Joe Herzanek started in 1999 when Local Missions began supporting him as the Chaplain at the Boulder County Jail. In that role, Joe leads Bible studies, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings in the jail, provides Bibles, conducts one-on-one Christian Studies and substance abuse counseling—along with coordinating all religious volunteer activities.

In his role as Addictions Counselor at the jail, Joe spends time counseling inmates and advising their family members and others in the community on effective ways to negotiate the often complex “world of addiction and recovery.” Approximately 90% of all inmates have an alcohol or drug problem. He often gets calls from family members asking for advice on what they can do to help the person quit.

Why Don't They Just Quit? Combo pack book & DVD

Why Don't They Just Quit? Combo pack book & DVD

Joe’s personal struggles earlier in life were preparation for working with offenders who also have addiction problems. From age 13 to 29, Joe battled his own drug and alcohol problem—finally receiving treatment. He now has over 30 years of abstinence from substances. Joe has a real passion for helping people caught up in substance abuse and also their family and friends. He is the founder of Changing Lives Foundation and author of the book Why Don’t They Just Quit? What families and friends need to know about addiction and recovery which won the Best Self-Help Book award in 2008.

Changing Lives Foundation is committed to bringing to the public clear and concise information on substance abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism and compulsive behaviors. Perhaps more importantly, they focus on how individuals and families recover from these problems. Although it is very challenging, many people recover and make dramatic changes in their lives.

In addition to the book Why Don’t They Just Quit? Joe has a number of other resources to help families:
• a DVD titled The 10 Toughest Questions, which seem to come up again and again during the counseling he does. These include such topics as: “How can I tell if a person is addicted or just a heavy user? How do I confront this person? How do I handle adolescent use and abuse? How do I show my love without enabling? How do I get my life back?”
•    a wealth of resources on the website www.ChangingLivesFoundation.org
•    seminars for the public, like the one he held at First Pres last April.
•    radio shows
•    family counseling.
Joe specializes in “crisis counseling” for those situations that seem hopeless or impossible. He’s especially gifted at helping families find their way “out” and partnering with them to formulate a plan. This counseling can be in person or by phone.

Joe is a quiet, calm man with a deep faith in Jesus Christ—important attributes for dealing with crisis situations. According to Keith Vandergrift, Missions Pastor at First Pres: “Joe strikes a fine balance—demonstrating religious values in his approach to recovery, but avoiding a preachy or pushy posture. He makes it clear he is a Christian, but speaks in a way that is comfortable to anyone who wants to learn more about how to help others in their struggle. That’s not an easy thing to do and Joe pulls it off as well as anyone I’ve seen.”

Joe’s wife Judy works behind the scenes. As the Director of Creative Development and Marketing for Changing Lives Foundation she manages all communications, graphic design, marketing, customer service, order fulfillment and creative implementation of content for printed and online resources, publicity and presentations.

Lewis & Clark

Lewis & Clark

Joe and Judy have three children—and are fairly new “empty-nesters.” They enjoy living in Colorado, playing with their two Cairn Terriers Lewis and Clark (yes, just like Toto), camping, and most of all—hiking above treeline in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

*NEED HELP NOW?
Drug Addiction Phone Counseling for Families Dealing with Substance Abuse

CLICK HERE to view a wonderful video of all the missions First Pres supports.

September 5, 2010 by jherzanek | No comments