Many of us struggling with addiction find ourselves needing to seek out prescribed pain management after an injury or accident, and specific challenges arise because our prescribers want to avoid our developing a dependence on a new substance, one that is originally prescribed for pain but that we might still end up abusing. There are particular things to take into consideration in these kinds of situations, a major one being working with patients holistically to get a full and thorough history of any medical issues, including a history of addiction. We want to address all of our issues together, not just disparate symptoms since failing to consider our history of substance use can put us at increased risk for developing a dependence on new substances.
Doctors will often prescribe medications with less risk of causing dependence for those of us with a history of substance abuse. Sometimes, however, if we see multiple doctors over time, or if a doctor isn’t given access to our medical records, our history might be overlooked, or doctors might fail to know our full history. If we’re still caught in our cycles of addiction, we might conceal our history, since we often feel desperate for a new way to self-medicate, even once we’ve achieved sobriety. Given our tendency to abuse substances, being prescribed pain medications with a known risk of dependence can be especially dangerous. We want to not only get to the point where we’re able to be honest about our history but also to be treated by medical teams that take a full inventory of all our medical issues and pay attention to our medical pasts, not just the current symptoms we’re presenting.
Holistic pain management can work wonders for those of us with substance abuse issues. Meditation, yoga, acupuncture, acupressure, and energy healing practices such as Reiki and tapping are all known to help us cope with physical pain effectively, safely, and naturally. Because we are inclined to want addictive substances, transitioning to natural alternatives can be difficult. We can feel a great deal of resistance. Our addictive patterns are making us feel desperate to get high, to escape our mental, emotional and physical pain. Our inner demons are telling us nothing will ease our pain other than the strongest medications. We’ll have to undergo a process of inner reflection and self-exploration in order to summon our inner strength and find new and healthier ways to cope with pain management.
Riverside Recovery believes in the importance of holistic healing and education, mindfulness and mind-body-spirit wellness. Call (800) 871-5440 for more information on our treatment programs.