Recognize any of these?
Prescription drugs are killing people in record numbers, destroying families, children and adults.
Those who become "addicted" yet refuse to deal with that reality; those who say they have trouble sleeping, or want to sleep more and more yet refuse to accept the fact that millions also do not sleep well.
Prescription drugs are written by physcians without taking full histories or delving beneath the surface to find out why/how/
and should i prescribe ambien or xanax or refill prescriptions again and again. And now those same pills are being thrown in bowls along with oxycontin, meth, and all sorts of goodes like a bowl full of M&M's and offered at parties.
Don't get me wrong,
there are many who take these vital medications for pain, for conditions and needs that are more than appropriate, written by physicians who monitor and control usage
and many manage and function great while taking those medications.
BUT
there are so very many who get addicted, who die in their sleep as the body cannot tolerate the pills, the respiratory system shuts down,
and people just stop breathing.
Just like that.
In Florida, Pinellas County, the largest country in the state and each 31 hours someone dies of a prescription drug overdose.
...
Then there are those who are a bit different in their reactions in their brains to prescription drugs. Drugs that are prescriptions have an effect that is like poison at times for certain people; and it is fascinating *not in a good way*.
It is perhaps the most frightening aspect of seeing when you do not know what is happening but all of a sudden receive a phone call in the middle of the night, or hear stories of what could have been a tragic ending that ultimately your discover was the result of someone taking 2 Xanax in an effort to get a good nights sleep.
So I will now tell you a daytime story, that is akin to a dark night time mare.
The tale of the Addict who thinks they are NOT:
...
Once upon a time a call came in the night, and from a sleeping state a voice was heard on the other end. Thinking that she was hearing a foreign language the sleepy person was about to hang up, only to realize a loved one was slurring on the other end of the phone talking about a cruise and getting the whole fragmented family back together no matter the cost.
As she listened to the caller, she thought the person drunk and fears crept in on that cold winters' night, as she reached to turn the bedside lamp on.
The harder she tried to listen, the more the caller rambled on, making no sense what so ever.
At some point in the late night call, she asked, "are you drunk or out of your mind", only to be told in a slurred, talk in tongue sort of way, "aw no i was me am sleeping" and the phone went quiet.
RAther than call back she went to sleep and wondered had the caller had a slip in sobriety and tossed and turned through the rest of the dark night.
The next morning she awoke to texts blowing up the phone,
it sent like this.
>I am so sorry i messed up big time, i took 2 xanax and mom was here they said and had to look after my kids and said i was acting crazy all night. i have ever one upset. please don't be mad i just wanted to sleep, I don't remember anything after getting home from work,
Receiver of text>>> oh my god, that is what was wrong! Xanax? 2 only 2 and cannot remember anything? How did her mother get there? Why can't a person remember anything of their actions?
...
Moral to this story?
YES
some people with a history of addiction;
some people cannot tolerate alcohol
prescription drugs in their system
NOT 1, not 2.
Some people do things that are out of the realm of possibilities when a chemical is introduced to their systems, while others can function fine.
Those same people may have blackouts, may find themselves scaring others to death while in the grips of a pill or two with behaviors that are out of character and quite dangerous to the welfare of themselves and others.
And many can die by choking in their sleep or forgetting to breath.
It is tragic, and often stress will increase the desire to escape and common sense and history will go out the window quicker than a fly.
When dealing with or trying to talk to someone about things said or done under this state or condition, it is good to know they often do not take responsibility for their choices.
It will often be dumped on a "bad day, stress, feeling bad, needing to sleep".
They will deny being an addict, as their idea of being an addict is one who buys and seeks drugs from the streets, or a needle in the arm.
There will be those who justify their positions and their needs and apologize countless times, saying they will make it right,
or
"it's alright if you hate me, I don't blame you"
when nothing has been said about hate, only accountability.
It is difficult at best to address and confront the complexities of prescription drugs, the use and abuse in today's world of running and doing and those who want escape, peace, solitude and a brief respite from stress, money worries, kids, and chaos.
We also need to educate and remind physicians that it is ok to ask what is going on in our home, our lives, or history. To inquire if there is a history of drinking or using prescription drugs or self medicating pain/trauma/depression.
But fact is:
some folks just cannot tolerate drugs that are used to treat things,
their bodies reject the intervention
and then
an intervention is needed.
"According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), about 20 percent of Americans have misused prescription medications at some point in their life.These include stimulants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and opiate pain medications. Because of the addictive nature of some medications, abuse can become dependence. In addition, misuse of prescription drugs can lead reckless behavior, unintentional overdose and death."
Those interventions are rough, never pleasant and often harsh when real
the stakes are high.
The stakes are the life of someone you love.
hmmm
something to think about today isn't it?
Prescription drugs, sometimes those warning labels are enough to scare me well!
Other times?
I continually amazed at the brain and the choices people make.
Stand UP
for what is important
even if you find you are standing alone.
Walk in Beauty
DRSES
2 comments:
Hello Dr. Sherry, Thank you for keeping in real with your words. Such sad and devastating outcomes for so many families and friends. I wish this message could be read by many more and those that take part in such things would realize what the outcome could be before it is too late. Have a very nice day Dr. Sherry and friends. Hope everyone is doing well. /Sandy♥
Dr. SES the blog hit home today in my family. All of the things about a phone call and slurred voice has just happened here. Your heart is pumping hard as you want to find this family member and you must help them. Sometimes a little one is involved and is scared too death, you know you must hurry and help as you listen to the wrenching sobs of one so young. You know he will remember this the rest of his life. Do you think the person who is doing this will ever realize what they are doing to this child? Denying that they took any pills just tired and cant sleep. Coming down to the kitchen getting food and laying down in the bed and eating, they could choke too death. Putting food on a grill and walking away not remembering and the food is flaming and burning up and a child is crying and more afraid. Denial, no I am not a druggie, no I want go to counseling, I have been and I want go again. Family stepping in and saying yes you will go or you want like the after math of what is going to happen to you. Families I beg of you dont take NO I want go. Make sure they go to the doctor and to COUNSELING. YES you have a problem. Blessings and prayers go out to all.
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