Am i considered an addict?

Question

NO NEGATIVE OR STUPID ANSWERS!!!!

Im 15 yrs old.my dad died 2 yrs ago. i started to kinda abuse prescription pills. i started on muscle relaxers. then last yr it got worse hydros and other pain killers.this year i got into methadone (a rehab drug) i take at least 6 or 7 at a time. and i take 10 hydros at a time. i have done more painkillers. i have done DXM. and i take something- dont care wat- i take something to get me high at least once a week if i cant get anything. i feel extreme depression,mood swings, and loss of sleep and appitate. and i considered an addict? whats wrong with me? can a psychologist help. with out my mom finding out!

Answer 1

I'm sorry but you're definitely addicted to these pills. It does sound like something a psychologist or psychiatrist could help with. I'm not a professional but it seems like your trying to cope with your fathers death by numbing the pain with drugs and that's something that a doctor can help you with. Be up front with your mother and tell her that you want help from a professional about how your feeling and dealing with the pain. Good luck and don't wait any longer.

Answer 2

Yes, you do need to get some help before things get even worse, and they most likely will without help. Depending on the state you are in, you MAY be able to get outpatient treatment (at a drug abuse treatment facility) a limited number of times without notifying your parent. In your case, I do not recommend this because you could have some withdrawal issues if you just quit all mood altering drugs completely. This means you may have to be big enough to tell your mom. Besides, if you don't tell her, things will probably get to the point that she WILL eventually know. Please do not wait until you have an overdose, get arrested, or have other very negative things happen. I know that at 15, it is hard to believe anything bad will really happen, but YES it can.
It is likely that there are issues (like dad's death) that lead to your use of drugs. Some call this self-medicating. There are much better "drugs"/MEDICATIONS that can be used that could make you feel a whole lot better, with much less risk involved. They would also be monitorted by someone trained to make sure they are not harming you. And yes, a counselor CAN help you with these problems. I would look for a substance abuse clinic that can also deal with psychological/psychiatric issues. Be sure to tell them everything (as best as you can) you have taken, so they can be best able to help you.
I know it is not what you want to hear, but the longer you wait the worse things are likely to get. You have to tell your mom. Remind her that it was very hard for you to tell her, but that you are mature enough to make the hard choice and do something before things get worse. A month from now you could be feeling a whole lot better.
I applaud your bravery in comming out here and asking this question. By doing so, it shows you are pretty well aware of the fact that things are getting a bit carried away.
May God Bless you as you face this issue!

Much good advice above from SolaFide. Thumbs up.

Answer 3

well it would seem that you are abusing the drug. abuse is considered to be not taking a drug that is prescribed to you and taking more then the prescription states.
but being addicted nobody can tell you that but the fact that you asked the question maybe the first sign. if you feel like you can not do with out the drugs, that is an other sign.

If it were me doing this, I would say YES! i lost my day when i was your age and i was taking things that i never thought i would do. but the way i stated was small and moved on to other things. the thing is to try to go with out it and take to some one and is not that long ago with the lose of your dad.
see how long you can go with out it. and set goals for your self each time going longer. and talk to someone that does not do the drugs with you. pill popping can be one of the most dangerous habits to do. be your own role model.

Answer 4

You are at least a drug abuser, and you may have mental health issues that aren't directly related to the drug abuse. Maybe you started with the drug abuse to "self-medicate."

It must be very hard to lose a parent at such a young age. I hope you and your mother can get some kind of counseling, and I hope you can talk to a doctor about your drug use.

Maybe you can start by talking to a school counselor? Maybe there are some drug abuse hotlines that you can call?

It's not the end of the world if your mother knows about this. If the problem gets worse, she is going to know sooner or later anyway.

I hope you and your mother can find a way to be strong for each other. You need each other.

Answer 5

I'm sorry for your loss. You have several issues here. First, you sound like you are dependent on these drugs to get you by - that does mean you are an addict. It will only get worse if you don't get help. Your dad would want you to go to college, get married to the man of your dreams and have beautiful children of your own - you are destroying your dad's wishes for you by ignoring your health problem. Honor your dad's memory and get the help you need.

Second, do you have health insurance? Ask your mom. Have your mom take you to see your doctor - tell her you think you have a urinary tract infection and it hurts when you pee. When you see your doctor, tell him everything you have written above. Make sure you tell your mom that you do NOT want her in the examination room with your doctor. For some reason, some moms think it is okay to be in the examination room even when their children are in their teens (but it isn't proper).

If she insists on coming into the exam room, once she is in there with you, tell the doctor you don't want your mom there. He will make her leave.

Your doctor will help you figure all of this out. He can guide you.

Answer 6

Sorry, but yes you are an addict. If you want to prove to yourself that you aren't then quit - not for a day or a week, but do it for an entire month. If you can do that, then you're just a drug abuser.

If you need free anonymous help, you can always try a forum online like this one, or call into an 800 number on a pay phone somewhere.

Please find yourself some kind of help.

Answer 7

If you want to stop but you can't then you are an addict. There are degrees of addiction and the sooner you get help the better.

The primary help you need is not a psychologist, it's a recovery program. Psychological care can be helpful but any psychologist will tell you to go to recovery for your addiction.

Depending on how far physically addicted you are, you may need detox and rehab to start but your ongoing recovery will require you to work a 12 step program. Many people get clean and sober on 12 step programs alone.

The beauty of 12 step programs are they are free and completely anonymous. you don't need your parents permission.

Narcotics anonymous is the primary program for Drug Addiction and Alcholics Anonymous is also available and usually with more meetings.

You can find a number in your local phone book. The person answering the phone will not be a doctor or professional of any kind. They will be an addict themselves, a member of the program. They won't force you to tell them anything about yourself, not even your name or address. They will urge you to attend meetings but you can start just by talking to them over the phone. THey may ask if someone can call you back. The person who will call you back is a recovering addict as well.

Depending on the area where you live, AA might be a better option even though it's for alcoholics and not drug addicts. I urge you to try both.

You are a 15 year old girl. When you go to a meeting or talk with someone over the phone make sure it's a woman. Don't work your program with guys.

If you go to a meeting and there are lots of guys approaching you you need to find some female meetings. Look for an older guy who's been clean for several years and ask him if he can have any women call you or meet you at another meeting.

There are lots of young guys in NA and too many of them try to pick up girls. AA might be a good alternative for this reason but make sure you connect with the ladies. Find women with long term sobriety and stay close to them.

Look for the right people. Someone who isn't using the program for dating, someone who tells you to work the program and not date guys. Someone who recommends you talk to your mom but doesn't force you to. These are some of the signs you are with someone who has a solid program.

Call NA and AA as soon as possible. Talk to those people. You should be safe going to a meeting with a woman they have call you back. It's part of their recovery. they can tell you where meetings are close by and most likely they can have someone pick you up and drive you.

You should be able to trust your mom. Most likely she is struggling too and reaching out to each other can be a good thing.

Make that phone call. Don't rely on internet chat rooms and email. You don't have to go to a medical professional or rehab. people in recovery can help you deal with these questions as well.

I have 12 years sober. You can email me if you like to answer specific questions.

Answer 8

More than likely, because you are a minor, your mom is going to have to find out for you to get proper help. Which you definitely need. Talk to your mom. She will be shocked, and probably angry, but she will understand that you had a tough time losing your dad, and respect you for coming to her and admitting that you need the help. I went through something similar when my mom died when I was 17...but for me it was drinking. There was a point when I realized what I was doing was not healthy, and even though I was scared, I went to my dad. He was super pissed, but got me the help I needed. How is your mom? Is she usually pretty reasonable and understanding? If you absolutely feel like you cannot tell your mom, go to another adult you trust, like an aunt, or a school psychologist or something. But you need help sweetie, and good for you for being able to admit that.

Answer 9

I am sorry about your dad. Sorry to say, yes honey, you are an addict and need to get some help for your pain.

You obviously are suffering and need to talk to a counselor about grieving and coping. All of the symptoms you describe can be from the drugs and your emotional situation.

Please get some help so you won't feel you have to kill your emotional pain with pain killers any more. Take care sweetheart, I am sure your dad wouldn't want you to be destroying yourself. Make him proud of you and get help and do good with your life. I will pray for you. If you want to email me, feel free.

Answer 10

I would say you are addicted, but to call yourself an "addict" is something that only you can decide. I suggest that you try Narcotics Anonymous meetings. The meetings will give you a better idea of what an addiction is and what you can do to stop using, and how the group can help you. Narcotics Anonymous lists local meetings and times on their web page. The group is free and they will not contact your mom.