I wanted to step in and say everyone has a right to their own opinions and we do NOT all have to agree!!! Everyone has their own recovery and everyone has their own belief system. I agree with alot of what was said in this post and I disagree with some of it as well but at the end of the day, "you" don't have to like my recovery and I don't have to like "yours" and that's okay. (proverbial "you") There's no point in starting any kind of banter about this topic cuz there's too many different opinions with validity and everyone is very passionate about their point.
I'll just say this one thing and go back to keeping my mouth shut!! :) This is what I know: I'm no longer out on the streets selling and doing heroin, I haven't been in jail, there's no warrants out for my arrest, I have a place to live, I no longer lie, cheat, or steal, I'm bettering my life and yea, I'm on sub. I may still be physically dependent on a medication but the way I live my life is totally different than it used to be when I was out there hustling, and addiction is more than just being physically dependent on something so I consider myself 'clean'. I wouldn't recommend sub to everyone but for some people, like myself, it was the last chance before I died with a needle in my arm. I am alive today because sub gave me the opportunity of time away from my doc and the entire lifestyle I was trapped in. I personally have conflicting opinions about sub and the way it's handled but that's a whole different topic!!! :)
What’s in a Word? Addiction Versus Dependence:
The American Pain Society, The American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, have developed a consensus document with clear and useful definitions of opioid-related phenomena:
Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.
Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a drug-class specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist.
And from: Karen Lee Richards (ChronicPainConnection.com Expert)
Addiction is a neurobiological disease that has genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. It is characterized by one or more of the following behaviors:
1. Poor control over drug use
2. Compulsive drug use
3. Continued use of a drug despite physical, mental and/or social harm
4. A craving for the drug
Physical dependence is the body's adaptation to a particular drug. In other words, the individual's body gets used to receiving regular doses of a certain medication. When the medication is abruptly stopped or the dosage is reduced too quickly, the person will experience withdrawal symptoms. Although we tend to think of opioids when we talk about physical dependence and withdrawal, a number of other drugs not associated with addiction can also result in physical dependence (i.e., antidepressants, beta blockers, corticosteroids, etc.) and can trigger unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly.
Actually one definition of addiction is:
In medical terminology, an addiction is a state in which the body depends on a substance for normal functioning and may occur along with physical dependence, as in drug addiction. When the drug or substance on which someone is dependent is suddenly removed, it will cause withdrawal, a characteristic set of signs and symptoms.
Like I said... a very thin line between addiction and dependance.
If you take medication as prescribed (no more no less) and if they stop in have withdraw symptoms, then that person is dependent on the medication. If a person takes more than prescribed and craves more, then that person is addicted. Many people take various medications and cannot stop taking it abruptly because of withdraw symptoms but it does not made them addicts. And this is not an opinion, its just the definition of addiction and dependence.
I made it very clear that it is MY OPINION that waking up everyday and taking a schedule III narcotic so you dont get dope sick is, IMO, not clean. And yes there is a VERY thin line between addicted and dependant. I'm not in any way judging anyone. Do what you have to do. I take my DOC everyday as perscribed, no more no less. And consider myself addicted, because if I dont take I will be sick.
Basically, I say KUDOS to anyone getting there life together with the help of Suboxone!! But are they "clean"? IMO, I still say no. You absolutly do not have to agree. Thats what makes it MY OPINION.