Quote:I can speak from experience on this. The stereotype of being a "pain killer addict" isn't a very fair one. Anyone who has been through a major surgery or trauma knows that those drugs are needed for pain management, and in many instances, will be given to a patient regardless. For instance, following surgery, it is routine to give an intravenous  pain killer such as dilaudid or morphine before the patient is even awakened. The gears are already in motion at that point.

 

For those who don't know, modern pain killers are essentially synthetic versions of heroin. They are incredibly addictive both physically and mentally. The withdrawal from them varies from person to person, but can be incredibly physically painful. I am among those who have a particularly hard time detoxing and withdrawing from pain killers. I just did that very thing a couple weeks ago. My best description of it is the flu on steroids, mixed with a healthy dose of schizophrenia. Your entire body aches horribly. Hot and cold spells. You want to kill everyone. It's tough. I am through 2 weeks of it, and am still suffering from severe insomnia. I am lucky to get 2 to 3 hours of sleep a day. I am up all night, and seem to sleep from 8 to 11 AM regularly. My body will not shake this, and nothing has helped.

 

It can be that bad.

 

So, comparing pain killer addiction to other addictions simply isn't a good comparison. They got into the addiction through legitimate medical treatment, and found that the withdrawal is too much to deal with. I completely understand how this can happen, and anyone who has been through an opiate withdrawal would likely agree with me.

 

These guys are a far cry from a crack addict or meth addict, and should not be stereotyped as such.

 

As far as marijuana goes, it's still ILLEGAL at the federal level. I would say that gives all teams and their executives good cause to not let their players use it. It is still against the law. Period. End of story. Whether it works as good or not is moot until it becomes legal.

 

Tough story for you.  It's good that people are able to share it so others can see the issues.

 

Just curious on how long it took you get the addiction to it.

 

I only ask because of a response after yours.  I've been given painkillers a handful of times or so in my life and I just never got the feeling that I needed it after the pain went away.  Sure they were sometimes fun to take after the pain went away.

 

I know there were guys out there taking 20, 30, 40, 50 or more painkillers a day because of the addiction and because over time they lost their effect.  It's crazy. 

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