UnStuck – Prescription Addiction – It’s Just for my Pain 1

Don’t think we have a prescription drug problem in America?  Here are some crazy stats from drugabuse.gov:

• 52 Million people in the US, over the age of 12, have used prescription drugs non-medically in their lifetime.
• 6.1 Million people have used them non-medically in the past month.
• 5 percent of the United States is the world’s population and consumes 75 percent of the the world’s prescription drugs.
• In 2010, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed to medicate every American adult every 4 hours for 1 month.
• The number of prescription medicine abusers in 2010 was 8.76 million.

Where are prescription drugs obtained?⁷

• 0.3%: Bought on the internet
• 1.9%: More than one doctor
• 2.2%: Other
• 3.9%: Drug dealer or stranger
• 16.6% Bought/took from friend or relative
• 18.1%: One doctor
• 54.2%: FREE from friend or relative

All drug abuse is dangerous, but what is particularly dangerous about prescription drug abuse is the justifiable nature of it.  It’s so easy to rationalize about why you need to keep popping those pills.  But the danger is real when you’re misusing medicine that was intended for someone else or for some other health concern.

Like other addictions it’s easy to tell yourself that you’ve got it under control.  If you find yourself hiding your meds, asking friends or family for their meds, or others close to you are saying they are concerned about you – you probably need to get some help.

 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.  Luke 21:34

Like most of the other problems we’ve been looking at during our series, prescription drug addiction is beatable.  Start by asking the Lord to help you with an honest inventory of your heart concerning the issues that are pushing you into addiction.  Then find someone with whom you can share your concerns.  If you don’t have someone like that, check out a good Bible study group at your church or find a local celebrate recovery group.  You don’t have to stay stuck in this anymore.  The Lord can set you free, but you have to take some steps toward recovery.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36

If any of this sounds familiar, you may want to find professional help. If you need help finding a counselor, please check out www.newlife.com or call 1-800-NEW-LIFE.

Come join us for our unStuck series on Sundays and Wednesdays in January and February as we work at moving forward again.