My son just got out of a three day re-hab where he was detoxed. This time he says he is determined to beat it one day at a time. He has been abusing prescription meds for quite a while, and has a history of other drug use from marijuana to xanax etc. His mom and I have known about his problem and have always been there to try to help, but not enable. It's hard...... A question I have is about his expressions of anxiety..................He has been suffering from anxiety during periods of drug use, and I am unsure if the drug use has been a contributor to him abusing drugs...or if the drugs have caused him to experience more anxiety etc. He holds a full time job and will be graduating from college ...a go getter but has problems. I would like feedback from others who have addiction problems to let me know if the anxiety is common and if anxiety can be expected to decrease over time if he stays clean.....thanks and god bless
Anxiety is certainly common in the absence of drugs for an abuser. All the things that would have made us anxious, worried, stressed, etc. are numbed by the drugs. Without that self medication, we begin to feel feelings again and they are uncomfortable.
I'd suggest a visit to a psychiatrist for an evaluation. There may be a treatable disorder or a drug not subject to abuse that can help him deal with the anxiety.
Good for him and his determination. He could certainly post here himself and we'll give him lots of love and support!!
{{{{hugs}}}}
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The truth does not change based on my inability to stomach it - Flannery O'Connor
My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance and in inverse proportion to my expectations - Michael J. Fox
Hi...ditto to Jana's post. My 2-cents worth is to be sure that any practitioner your son sees is trained and experienced in co-occurring disorders. The last thing you want is some doc who knows nothing about addiction pushing the Xanax, or a substance abuse counselor who knows nothing about mental health/anxiety disorders telling him it'll just wear off (if it clearly isn't). Hazelden.org has some good books on the subject.
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From dying and surviving to living and thriving. LeeU
Speaking from the co-occuring disorder side of the fence...
The anxiety is something every addict getting clean goes through, I think. But for those who truly have anxiety or mental health issues, it's a bajillion times harder to deal with in my opinion...at least it was for me!
I'm going to agree whole heartedly with both Lee and Jana...Be sure that the practitioner is trained and experienced. And though it will be up to your son to disclose the information, that practitioner needs to be aware that his patient is an addict.
One of the hardest things I think I ever had to do, was to tell my physician that I'm an addict - but now she works along side me to ensure that any meds I might need are something I'll not be abusing...
