Addiction help needed

[justasinner]

HI, everyone, I am Ed, and I am an addict. I have developed and addiction to pain killers. I had 2 cervical (neck) discectomies and one lumbar(lower back) operations. Beause it took almonst 8 months to properly diagnose the first one I have permanent spinal cord damage, not bad enough to keep me from working, but I have dealt with chronic pain for 14 years.

the pain is like a level 3 with 10 being the worst you have ever felt so I have learned, with the help of the Lord, to block that out of my miind, but the last 2 surgeries had me taking so many pain killers i got addicted, still am.

I have tried and tried to quit, may make it a few days, bening miserable, or even a few weeks but i always go back to them, for 2 years now. Off and on the whole time minght be counted as 10 but back then I could not use them, and then not use them when I didn;t really need them, not now, I am miserable when I don't have any, I have tried counseling, although it wasn't Christian based, and even group therapy, I know the supposed "techniques of man but I believe i have a demon influencing me and I can't shake him off.

I need prayer and advice, Biblical based advice, I have been a Christain since age 13 but not what I call a true Christian since 95 or so.

[livingwaters]

Just to let you know, our God can and will deliver you from them. I have attached my testimony, if you would like to read it. It got to the point in my life, when I had no where else to turn but to God. I knew there was a God, I knew HE had a Son named Jesus. I knew HE was crucified, died, and was buried. I knew HE was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven, cause that was one of the Catholic prayers. But, did I know or was I taught that without accepting Christ I would go to hell? No, that is not what I was taught. So, I never took any of it literal! I wasted so much of my life on foolishness. But, I am here to testify that God does not lie....in Romans 10:13 HE says, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.....and that's exactly how it happened for me.

:ppHE delivered me from all the stuff you'll see in my testimony, not just pain pills....but, that alone is alot! http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=137007

God Bless and you can pm me anytime you like if you need to chat. Don't forget, God always does HIS part, we have to do ours. REMOVE the stumbling blocks.:pray::pray:

[ConqueredbyLove]

Here is some help for you....Hope you see this :(

http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com


Moderator, this is a link to a website that helps people with addictions

[Gregg]

HI, everyone, I am Ed, and I am an addict. I have developed and addiction to pain killers. I had 2 cervical (neck) discectomies and one lumbar(lower back) operations. Beause it took almonst 8 months to properly diagnose the first one I have permanent spinal cord damage, not bad enough to keep me from working, but I have dealt with chronic pain for 14 years.

the pain is like a level 3 with 10 being the worst you have ever felt so I have learned, with the help of the Lord, to block that out of my miind, but the last 2 surgeries had me taking so many pain killers i got addicted, still am.

I have tried and tried to quit, may make it a few days, bening miserable, or even a few weeks but i always go back to them, for 2 years now. Off and on the whole time minght be counted as 10 but back then I could not use them, and then not use them when I didn;t really need them, not now, I am miserable when I don't have any, I have tried counseling, although it wasn't Christian based, and even group therapy, I know the supposed "techniques of man but I believe i have a demon influencing me and I can't shake him off.

I need prayer and advice, Biblical based advice, I have been a Christain since age 13 but not what I call a true Christian since 95 or so.

Thank you Ed for bringing this to the light. It is the first step in getting well. Our Lord has given us many tools to combat sin and addiction. With medication it is a little different than street drugs. You may need some type of meds for quality of life. It is the abuse of these meds that can keep us from a good walk with the Lord. You already know that you are abusing them, talk to your doctor and be up front with him as well as talk to a Christian counselor about your situation...and of course pray. Confess your abuse and ask for help in this matter. God Bless you and yours.

[lbeaty1981]

There was a guy in our church who shared a similar testimony to yours a few months back. If you haven't gotten family/friends involved, I think it would be a good place to start. Trying to overcome this on your own can be miserable. For this guy, it wasn't until he overdosed and wound up in the emergency room that his family got involved (he was very good at covering his tracks). The good news is, he's now been free from that addiction for over 6 months! :pp

[GFR1718]

Hello, just a sinner , check this out back in the 80's I had a bad sky-diving accident and for month's I laid inthe hospital . I was going home from a recovery meeting when the driver hit head on , I had surgery and laid back in the hospital a few months more the doctor ask me to take my brace off and soak my leg and I had gotten bit from a 5ft tiger shark and for nine long month's I had lived in hospital . I am a retire military veteran and for twelve years my teeth were in pain . I have spent five years living in recovery . And how did I acomplish this by doing the twelve steps and working my program through the veterans hospital .In three months I will have five years clean time . Just hand your addiction over to GOD in order for you to get off your addiction you must meet GOD half way and he will do the rest . GOD bless and stay clean one day at a time.:pray:

[MercyChild]

Maybe I can add a little. I use to do drugs not because I was in any accident, or needed anything for physical pain, but for emotional pain and the pure joy of doing it. Beating addiction can become a long process.

The thing is many of us just want to quite the drug of choice, but it goes further than just getting rid of the drug. This is an entire change that has to take place. First of all we need to acknowledge our powerlessness over our drugs, which you already did, and also acknowledged that you are in need of God. The important thing is we cannot beat this alone.

In your case, I would suggest that speaking to your doctor first will be a wise thing to do, as you may need some medication for the physical pain.

The other thing you have to deal with is low self esteem. Using drugs mostly makes us feel guilty. So the next step is to ask God for forgiveness, not only for what we have done, but also the way we see ourselves. We need God to forgive us, but so we also need to forgive ourselves.

Beating addiction is something like receiving a gift. Everyone can receive the gift of salvation, but what do we do with this gift. The gift has no meaning until we unwrap it. So what I am saying is that it is not only acknowledging that you have a problem, but now have to work on it. It is indeed difficult to beat addiction. How do we work on it, we go through cravings, we have drug dreams, we fall, we stand up, we deal with emotions, behvior. Sometimes it becomes a second to second, minute to minute, and hour to hour struggle to not take anything. But just live it for the minute by not using and the next minute will be easier. Ask God for strenght, pray, seek advice, do what ever you have to do, to not take the addictive meds. Opening the gift is sometimes a painful process, but once it is opened, the gift will have much more meaning than the unwrapped present.

It is indeed not an easy journey....Praying that God will help you on this journey.......:pray:

WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGHTENS US!:giveup:

[turtledove]

Hi justasinner, I do understand how this can happen with the pain you have gone through. It seems this means facing the pain itself without the medication which you say is now an addiction. And that means trusting God to sustain and give you strength.

I hear you saying that your medication has gone out of your control and with any addictive medication this can happen if used for a long period of time. God understands and knows your need and will meet it in helping you become healed, delivered, and free. A Christian counselor could help as well as a good doctor who will help you get off of these med's and onto something better..physical therapy..exercise...diet..whatever else may help short of addictive medications.

Pray, get into the reading and reflection of scriptures, and begin to trust the Holy Spirit to enter in and give you specific help and guidance in this.

Above all know that God loves you right now just as you are and that doesn't change despite this addiction to pain killing medications.

peace and prayers for you.

Sharing this scripture..(He is our strong tower)

"Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
...
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe." [Psalm 61: 1, 3, NIV]