question for all the RN's in the community...

[joangy]

I have been noticing more and more nurses in the addiction forum/community and it intrigues me... I was an OB/GYN nurse for 4 years and now working as an ER nurse, I had an addiction to tyl/cod- I would only take a few per day... but it was still an addiction! What intrigues me is the fact that our profession has such a large number of addicts. Is it because our profession is so demanding, is it because we know the right things to say to the docs to get the rx, is it because we work around the stuff all day? I am just solely curious! I NEVER took anything from my work- but I never had to, I think I caught the addiction early enough, I suppose I probably would have if I let the addiction get any worse.  I think I took it more for the energy and euphoric feeling -- to "numb" myself @ work- so I guess I am just looking for other RN's personal experience.

Thanks!

[bubbles1096]

Hi there, I am an RN and ironically, I became addicted to all sorts of pills. I never took or stole, but I do know of many people in the medical field that do. I started out taking pills to either keep me from sleeping (that was during school, crunching for finals and mid terms and during my hard intern and rotations at an inter-city hospital).  When it got to the point when I could go 4-5 days without an ounce of sleep, I would take pills to make me sleep. My days consisted of taking something to wake me up and then take something to get me down to sleep. I lived that way for about 4 years and then I tapered down until I stopped, then started back up on and off for years. I also took other stuff, mostly pain killers, I guess because I had easy access to it. I would never take anything though just to ease an ailment, I hate how the pharmaceutical companies puch prescription drugs so much to the general public. The worse thing was, my husband was a medical doctor and he would take the sleeping pills and the uppers too, but he never practiced medicine while being on drugs, mostly when he had days off at a time. But I think that has changed because he started drinking and taking pain killers in the evening and as I was fighting my addiction, I wasnt' going to enable someone who did or bend my ethics for him.

What woke me up is when I realized that I lost sight of who I was and why I decided to go into the profession I have been told was a gift to me. I lost sight of that and have since cleaned my act up and am now practicing medicine and live my life with an amazing amount of clarity that I hadn't felt since my early 20s.

I see people who still take the meds; and I have told some of them about my addiction and me conquering it. I have helped people out and started a little support group; we have about 24 people from a few local hosiptals. We meet about once a month at someone's house or go out, have fun, drug and alcohol (and smoke free now!!!) free.

[joangy]

I think you are right on Katrina! I know I was also a nurse way before working as one! I actually had to take care of my mom (who has been an addict to meds for 11 years) as well as taking care of my two younger sisters at a young age.  I think the opiates made me feel that I could do anything- it made me feel energized (eventhough now that I am clean I have had more energy than ever before!) I guess most of it for me was the demand of the job and the need to feel that I could accomplish anything.

Thanks for replying!

[lady67]

Good post Katarina

[katarina777]

I think it has a lot to do with our personalities, as there is something about us nurses we share.  (and, yes, I realize we are all different. I just want to point out something many of us have in common)

many of us have been caretakers long before we became official nurses. I was born a nurse. We tend to feel comfortable and fulfilled by taking care of others, and we find it more difficult to be taken care off. Sometimes we give more than we can replenish for ourselves. I think the addiction to the drugs is a way of taking care of ourselves. (that is the intent) The energy, and the better mood, and the not feeling of pain so much is a form of nurturing. many also do it with food, but we have better access to medications, and they are just better than a food addiction, at least until they all lead to the same place. With me, aside from that, I also had a hard time with switching shifts.  My major addiction became to a drug that gave me everything I was lacking as well, and that made it so powerful. Mostly energy, and self esteem, and a creative outlet.
These are just some thoughts of my head. good subject. kat.

[lady67]

Isn't it ironic how things turn out?  I still remember this one guy who would call almost every other day.  We got to where we would make several copies of the message and just change the date each time he called.  I am sure there is one of those copies of mine floating around there somewhere.

I have learned from this experience not to judge anyone.  You know how older people have don't ever say , "My kid won't act like that...."

NOW i KNOW WHY!!!

[joangy]

I did the exact same thing!! I worked as a phcy tech during nursing school and I would get so mad at the people who would have stories of their pills being stolen or going on vacation, etc... Then, I became one of those seekers as well! It's crazy! I would always make jokes about the people coming in for their "fix"... it was funny until it was me :(

[lady67]

When I was in college I worked for a doctor as a receptionist, he never wanted us to miss work so he would always give us stuff.  Thank God the only thing he ever gave me was naprosyn for cramps.  However, once I became addicted to hydros 5 years later, I remembered all the things the "seekers" use to say to get the pills.  Funny thing, I used to complain about the seekers who would call every week for their fix and I became that seeker.