denial

j.im not the best speller,so here i go...my mom ben takeing vicodin,then norco for arthriest the longer she on it the stronger the pills get...she take 2 to 6 a day per te doctor.now she follows te rules..but in a arguiement with my sister she tells her, mom ur a addict,ma replies no im not...i need someone to confirm that she a addict...let me give some examples.on one day she lock them in her safe,when she could not get it open BOY DID WE GET ATTITUDE,then stated i need them to fuction...her (DR) told her to loose weight and exercise more.nope she sits on the couch when she gets home,and smokes up a storm(cigs) i feel that if they take them away her attuide will be mean...im not dum i know she a addict,but you cant tell her that,she will find away to be correct...thank you all

[IBKleen]

Hi & Welcome,

It is hard for us to judge others so below I copied a list of questions from a NA pamphlet. The questions should be answered honestly by the person in question but you can use this as a guide. Try and answer the questions for your mother and if you see that any of these things are true for her, she may have a problem:


1.  Do you ever use alone?    [Yes] [ No]
  2.  Have you ever substituted one drug for another, thinking that one particular drug was the problem?  [Yes] [ No]
  3.  Have you ever manipulated or lied to a doctor to obtain prescription drugs?  [Yes] [ No]  
  4.  Have you ever stolen drugs or stolen to obtain drugs?  [Yes] [ No]
  5.  Do you regularly use a drug when you wake up or when you go to bed? [Yes] [ No]
  6.  Have you ever taken one drug to overcome the effects of another?       [Yes] [ No]
  7.  Do you avoid people or places that do not approve of you using drugs?   [Yes] [ No]
  8.  Have you ever used a drug without knowing what it was or what it would do to you?    [Yes] [ No]
  9.  Has your job or school performance ever suffered from the effects of your drug use?  [Yes] [ No]
10.  Have you ever been arrested as a result of using drugs?    [Yes] [ No]
11.  Have you ever lied about what or how much you use?      [Yes] [ No]
12.  Do you put the purchase of drugs ahead of your financial responsibilities?   [Yes] [ No]
13.  Have you ever tried to stop or control your using?    [Yes] [ No]
14.  Have you ever been in a jail, hospital or drug rehabilitation centre because of your using?    [Yes] [ No]
15.  Does using interfere with your sleeping or eating?   [Yes] [ No]
16.  Does the thought of running out of drugs terrify you?  [Yes] [ No]
17.  Do you feel it is impossible for you to live without drugs?  [Yes] [ No]
18.  Do you ever question your own sanity?   [Yes] [ No]
19.  Is your drug use making life at home unhappy?  [Yes] [ No]
20.  Have you ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time without drugs?     [Yes] [ No]
21.  Have you ever felt defensive, guilty or ashamed about your using?    [Yes] [ No]
22.  Do you think a lot about drugs?   [Yes] [ No]
23.  Have you had irrational or indefinable fears?  [Yes] [ No]
24.  Has using affected your sexual relationship?  [Yes] [ No]
25.  Have you ever taken drugs you didn’t prefer?   [Yes] [ No]
26.  Have you ever used drugs because of emotional pain or stress?   [Yes] [ No]
27.  Have you ever overdosed on any drugs?        [Yes] [ No]
28.  Do you continue to use despite negative consequences?  [Yes] [ No]
29.  Do you think that you have a drug problem?   [Yes] [ No]