PERSONAL VIEWS ON RECOVERY

PERSONAL VIEWS ON RECOVERY Personal Views Page

(This page will carry from time to time the personal views of some of our members on issues which they believe are important in the recovery process. Our present policy is that these authors will remain anonymous and will be limited to members of the Washington, D.C. Area SMART groups. They do not necessarily reflect positions either of the Washington, D.C. Area SMART groups, nor its National Headquarters. Comments are welcomed.)

A complete list of all previous essays is given at the bottom of this page.

Painkillers, Anti-Depressants and Recovery

More than once I've heard stories of people who've attended 12-step meetings where they were advised on no uncertain terms to avoid medication (particularly prescription) at all costs. They were told that "cross-addiction" was practically inevitable. ("Cross-addiction" is the practice of substituting a new substance for your "substance of choice".)

I've even heard horror stories of "recovering addicts" undergoing major dental work without benefit of even a local anæsthetic. My personal opinion of such Spartan ordeals is that such an idea is ridiculous. And I certainly wouldn't want to have been the dentist working on a completely un-anæsthetized patient.

As usual, however, there's a grain of truth behind the legend. For example, I knew a registered nurse who decided to stop drinking (alcohol). She didn't really change her way of life at all - she merely substituted Valium for the booze. So such situations are not really unknown.

Most people who become "cross-addicted" substitute a substance that has a similar effect to their substance of choice. The nurse cited above is a good example. On the other hand, you don't find people replacing a heroin (big-time 'downer') addiction with crack cocaine (serious 'upper'). So bear that tendency in mind.

Next, as far as prescription medications, many people who would have been prescribed drugs like Valium fifteen years ago for depression are now prescribed relatively new drugs like Prozac. This new class of drugs is virtually impossible to mis-use - much less overdose on. At least it would be foolish to try, 'cause it's definitely NOT gonna make you higher.

There's also new awareness on the part of the 'prescribers' to be sure the patient is aware of possible drug interactions. These interactions can take many forms - sometimes the ingestion of (for example) alcohol and some of the prescription anti-depressants can simply nullify the desired effect of the medication. Even more often though, the ingestion of (again, for example) alcohol and prescription medications can magnify the intended effect, often with fatal results.

And, (and this is second-hand information) there's a third possibility. I knew some guys in prison who said that for them a good Saturday Night on the outside consisted of taking vast amounts of Valium or its equivalent, then "consuming mass quantities" of booze, and then going to some bar & picking fights. In this case the combination of chemicals not only negated the expected effect, it actually reversed it!

No, 'cross-addiction' is definitely not inevitable. I'm living proof of that. As a former crack cocaine addict, I still drink moderate (okay - LESS than moderate) amounts of alcoholic beverages, as the situation warrants. Not only does ingestion of booze NOT make me want to go out & score some rock, it probably discourages me from doing so - to a certain degree. (That is, alcohol's well-known ability to lower inhibitions could possibly lead some individuals to say "screw it" & relapse.)

Here is the key: Once you change your outlook (one of SMART's strong suits) as far as self-medication is concerned, you shouldn't feel it necessary to undergo root-canal work "unassisted". Much less open heart surgery.

One last point: I've heard from several attendees at SMART meetings that, before undergoing general anæsthesia in preparation for 'serious' operations, they were asked if they "drank a lot". I've heard it from both sides now - from deniers and admitters. This is the bottom line - Anæsthesiologists really hate situations where the patient 'wakes up' during difficult surgery. A person who lives a life of self-medication (alcohol) will require larger amounts of general anæsthetics in preparation for surgery. So whatever you do don't try to con the gas-passer. And remember - the less general anæsthesia the better. If you're a "regular" drinker, give it up for at least a week or two prior to (planned) surgery. Or you just might not wake up.

This is Essay No. 16, issued May, 2001.

Previous Essays

November, 2000--Recovery---Is It Brain Surgery or Bicycle-Riding?

April, 2000--New Booklet on Research-Based Treatment

February, 2000--How Do We Stop Drinking: A Group Discussion

December, 1999--The Myth of "Self-Esteem" and Recovery

September, 1999--Religion and Recovery

July, 1999--Can People Who Are Not Committed to Abstinence Attend SMART Meetings?

March, 1999--Recovery Is Not a Four-Day Course in Rational Recovery

January, 1999--SMART Recovery in a Nutshell

November, 1998--Other Roads to Recovery

September, 1998--How I Re-Thought My Beliefs on My "Alcoholism"

July, 1998--Why Do People Join SMART Recovery?

May, 1998--A Critique of PBS' Bill Moyers on Addiction

March, 1998--Should People With Gambling or Overeating Disorders Be Welcome At SMART Meetings?

January, 1998--Differences Between SMART and AA

November, 1997--Fifty Ways to Recover

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