You’re Not Alone…

The Hidden Addiction: Prescription Drugs

by Darla Isackson

Meridian Magazine, November 30, 2001

Prescription drug addiction can happen to anyone, but it happens to women much more frequently than to men. Women are twice as likely to receive prescriptions as men, and there is a direct correlation between number of prescriptions written and incidence of abuse. The majority of women drug addicts are white, do not use illegal drugs, and receive their drugs through a doctor’s prescription.

LDS (Latter-Day Saint) women seem to be particularly vulnerable. Utah leads the nation in per capita use of some prescription drugs. Most LDS women would never consider using alcohol or illicit drugs. Prescription drugs, however, are legitimate, sanctioned, even encouraged for many problems, yet can easily lead to a dependence not intended or invited. Once a woman is innocently ensnared, the guilt and feared stigma of judgment or disapproval can create barriers to treatment and increased reason for denial.

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Jan Jones [names have been changed to protect privacy]

For Jan Jones, it was through seeking help for nervous problems and depression. Jan was a dutiful LDS woman carrying a heavy load. Within a few years she experienced the death of two husbands, a child, her mother and two grandmothers. She then married a third time, but was struggling to adjust to a new location and heavy church responsibilities. A desire to be super mom and super wife caused great pressure to “do it all.”

She reached a breaking point, was hospitalized for depression, and was given several prescribed medications. She was released after three months, but was not cured. She was in and out of the hospital every two or three months, given more and more medication, yet getting worse. Looking back now, she can see how she came to the point of caring about nothing but more medication. At home, the big accomplishment of the day would be to make it from the bed to the couch with a blanket. Personal hygiene was completely forgotten. She was a total recluse, leaving the house only to get medication.

Jan said, “I could get 60-100 pills at a time as a refill without talking to the doctors. When I needed more, the pharmacist would call the doctor and he would okay it. The doctor only slightly monitored my dosage and gave me no cautions. I was told all along that most of my medications were not addictive, but now I know I was addicted to a nerve pill, a sedative, and a pain medication by the time I got home from the hospital the first time. The combination of medications turned me into a zombie, but I didn’t care at the time. I just wanted more and more. I learned later that addiction occurs when the body’s tolerance for a chemical increases and the body becomes dependent. As the tolerance increases, dosage must be increased to get anywhere near the same effect.

“My problems got worse when I added over-the-counter medications. I didn’t realize at the time the dangers of drug combinations. Soon I was using a bottle a day of cold medicines like Nyquil. They have stimulants in them similar to ingredients in my nerve pills, and satisfied that craving when I knew I shouldn’t be taking more pills. But they also contain alcohol. Soon I was close to being alcoholic as well. I began hiding my medication, hiding Nyquil, hiding bourbon and coke, and staying in a fog all the time. My family had no idea how many different things I was taking, but my health rapidly deteriorated. I became asthmatic and epileptic and put my family through hell.

Mary Smith [names have been changed to protect privacy]

Women are unknowingly drawn into prescription drug addiction in several different ways. For Mary it was through seeking relief from the intense headaches she had suffered since her youth.

“I was heavy into denial, but down deep in my heart I knew I was taking more than I should,” said Mary Smith. Mary had always been active in the Church and her husband of more than thirty years had served in bishoprics. “Both times I was addicted to pain medications I watched the clock, anxious for the hour I could have more. My husband monitored my medication, and as time went on, I would get angry and cry when he would not give me more than the prescribed amount. I needed more–my body needed more. My husband was wise enough to see what was happening. He did something about it because I couldn’t help myself.”

Mary Smith had two very different experiences relating to drug withdrawal. She was first addicted to Demerol. Her husband recognized the addiction and called the doctor and they agreed she must get off it. They simply quit giving it to her, and it was nearly a year before she was able to function somewhat normally. But she still had the headaches. The underlying problem was not solved. Another doctor suggested a new medication, which he assured her was not addictive. It really helped, and did not result in nonfunctional days as Demerol had. She felt it was her answer, but she began wanting more, watching the clock, wanting the medication even when she wasn’t in pain.

Finally her husband sadly recognized all the symptoms of addiction again and scheduled her for a physical. The doctor said she was taking too much and he was concerned that she hadn’t been able to sleep for months without medication.

Jan

“One day I saw how useless my life was and how helpless I felt to change it. But honestly, I didn’t see that drugs were the problem. I wrote a suicide note and overdosed. Then, panicked at what I had done, called the hospital and got help.

“This time I knew my body was about to give out. I was near death, and finally took a good look at my life. After four years on drugs, I considered the possibility that I had a serious addiction and that I might need treatment. Denial had been my worst enemy. I made on appointment with an excellent psychiatrist. During my first appointment she listened to my history and said, “You’re a drug addict.” I broke down and sobbed. Having a definite diagnosis and admitting to it was the turning point in my life.

Mary

“I feel better than I have in years. The most significant thing the [rehabilitation] classes taught me was how to get emotions out in a healthy way rather than building up pressures. There was a definite correlation between my headaches and my inability to admit negative feelings or handle the inner pressures I created with unrealistic expectations. With a large family and all I expected of myself as an active LDS woman, there was always more to do than I could handle. I’ve learned now to say no, to take care of me and talk openly about what makes me angry. Consequently, I rarely get headaches anymore. Headaches and medicine are not controlling me now. With God’s help I am controlling them!”

Jan

“ I spent five weeks in a rehabilitative hospital and their counseling and treatment gave me the building blocks for a new life. They got me off drugs and helped me solve the problems that had cause my depression in the first place. Instead of covering up the symptoms they helped me deal with the cause.”

Mary

“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I need help!’ It’s an erroneous notion that if we are living the gospel we won’t have problems and won’t need help. It takes courage and wisdom to go after the help we need, whether mental, physical, or with our families. But the help is there, and we need to be smart enough to take advantage of it. My motto now is, ‘take one day at a time and take care of me.’ If I do that, then I have the energy to reach out to others.”

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Prescription drug addiction is on the increase. One researcher postulates that there are more than a million Americans addicted to Valium-type drugs alone. As LDS women, we need to be educated, we need to practice prevention, and we need to have the humility and faith to reach out for help if we need it. Life is too short to put off really living.

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