is he addicted? is he not addicted?

My boyfriends extremely depressed & has been on lortabs & occasionally oxys. He's been avoiding me for past 2 months as to not bring me down too. So I haven't been sure how much he's using pills. Lately I've been trying to talk to him more--never seeing him & not knowing how he's doing is killing me.  He is broke, can't get a decent job, behind on rent, about to attempt to get foodstamps. He says the pills have nothing to do with the depression, so I don't bring it up any more till I have a better understanding of where he's at with them.  Talked to him last night & he voulenteired the info that he bought 10 tabs about a week ago. So then I start thinking (unless he's lying to me) maybe he's not so bad with them anymore. Or maybe he just hasn't felt like robbing anyone yet. I almost would rather the pills be the cause of depression, if it's not, I dont know where his utter lack of motivation comes from (he wasn't always like this). But just because he's not taking as many pills as he used to, does that mean he's not as addicted as I thought?  Or could he be going through some type of w/d from not having the ammounts he did when he had a decent job (about 2 months ago)?  What am I even trying to figure out here?  I guess just where is the depression comming from? And when I mentioned that the pills may be causing his depression, especially so that he hadn't had any for a few days (when I mentioned it to him). His response was, if it were the pills than wouldn't they be the cure-all when he did have them?  I said no. Was I wrong?

[AddictedLovers]

hi and welcome...you have come to the right place for those answers...i dot think i have them but i know someone else here does...but my opinion is if you love this guy confront him...and if he doesnt answer then conront him again...that is if you want to know...im sure you have thought about that answer, but it is what i consider to be your best option...

good luck...post again soon...

[vicaddict]

Hi hun...I would say you could very well be right about the w/d..and or not having what he is used to taking....I can't say exactly what it may be as I do not know the whole situation but if you think it is due to the meds please read the following, and see if any of this pertains to him/you...just thought maybe this would be of some help...I saved it for my own personal referance a while ago:

Opioid dependence is a disease in which there are biological or physical, psychological, and social changes. Some of the physical changes include the need for increasing amounts of opioid to produce the same effect, symptoms of withdrawal, feelings of craving, and changes in sleep patterns. Psychological components of opioid dependence include a reliance on heroin or other drugs to help you cope with everyday problems or inability to feel good or celebrate without using heroin or opioids. The social components of opioid dependence include less frequent contact with important people in your life, and an inability to participate in important events due to drug use. In extreme cases, there may even be criminal and legal implications.

The hallmarks of opioid dependence are the continued use of drugs despite their negative affect, the need for increasing amounts of opioids to have the same effect and the development of withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.

There are a variety of factors than can contribute to the continued use of opioids. Among these are the use of heroin to escape from or cope with problems, the need to use increasing amounts of heroin to achieve the same effect, and the need for a "high."

TREATMENT

Treatment for opioid dependence is best considered a long-term process.

Recovery from opioid dependence is not an easy or painless process, as it involves changes in drug use and lifestyle, such as adopting new coping skills. Recovery can involve hard work, commitment, discipline, and a willingness to examine the effects of opioid dependence on your life. At first, it isn't unusual to feel impatient, angry, or frustrated.

The changes you need to make will depend on how opioid dependence has specifically affected your life. The following are some of the common areas of change to think about when developing your specific recovery plan:

Physical - good nutrition, exercise, sleep and relaxation.

Emotional - learning to cope with feelings, problems, stresses and negative thinking without relying on opioids.

Social - developing relationships with sober people, learning to resist pressures from others to use or misuse substances, and developing healthy social and leisure interests to occupy your time and give you a sense of satisfaction and pleasure.

Family - examining the impact opioid dependence has had on your family, encouraging them to get involved in your treatment, mending relationships with family members, and working hard to have mutually satisfying relationships with family members.

Spiritual - learning to listen to your inner voice for support and strength, and using that voice to guide you in developing a renewed sense of purpose and meaning.

During the treatment process, SUBOXONE will help you avoid many or all of the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal. These typically include craving, restlessness, poor sleep, irritability, yawning, muscle cramps, runny nose, tearing, goose-flesh, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Your doctor may prescribe other medications for you as necessary to help relieve these symptoms.

You should be careful not to respond to these withdrawal symptoms by losing patience with the treatment process and thinking that the symptoms can only be corrected by using drugs. To help you deal with the symptoms of withdrawal, you should try to set small goals and work towards them.

[vicaddict]

I forgot to take out the suboxone part. I forgot that is where I found the above info and it helped ME personally to understand some more things....sorry if I confused anyone.