Do addicts have feelings?

[Utility]

This may sound like a stupid question but do addicts have feelings of love and do they hurt after a breakup? My now ex was a 3-month heroin addict and after a brief rehab stint, she got cleaned but I discovered that while she dropped the needle and her heroin habit, she is back on another opiate (pills that she gets from a dealer that works at a drugstore). She uses the prescribed suboxone to temporarily stave off the withdrawals. I didn't end the relationship because of her drug use specifically but because she was adamant that she stopped while I have valid proofs that she still get pills from this guy.
As I am madly in love with her, I still secretely hope that someday, she'll clean up her acts, admit to everything and come back in my arms. I have reluctantly turned the page but her once a day texts to reminding me how much she loves me and misses me are making the situation alot tougher to discard and forget. (but I am hanging tough as I don't want to enable her). I have learned that the drug addict only has one love and it's the drug he/she is on. Does that mean her love you/miss you comments are another lie? While the drug may be one of her primary priorities, I know for a fact she is hoplessly in love with her baby daughter. Could anyone provide some insight on an addict's feelings for others. I do understand that I may never be back with this girl unless she magically changes but I am interested in knowing if there is any hope in the future.

[Utility]

Thank you for the responses. I have moved on and it's the hardest thing to do. I have been in several relationships in the past that didn't end well but a failed relationship with an addict is alot tougher to manage because you know someone you love isn't better without you and is destroying their lives. I just wish I could totally forget about her till she gets totally cleaned up and comes back to me (if that ever happens). But she is very clever and sends me calculated text messages to ensure I am still there. She told me she doesn't want me to fall away from her, which is why she finds every excuse in the book to contact me.
IF she ever decides to sober up, will she immediately regain her feelings for me or will she have to work on them all over again?

[IBKleen]

I hear your pain and I am sorry you are going through this. It is not easy to love an addict.

Yes, we do feel. We feel a lot of feelings and so often that is our problem. For whatever reason (and there are many), we don't have the tools to deal with our feelings and that is why we turn to drugs. When we are high we don't have to feel.

I am sure that she loves you but you know well enough you are not first in her life and will not be until she finds recovery. She not only needs to put the drugs down, she needs to get to the issues that are causing her to use in the first place.

I am not sure you are the one to try and help her do this. I will suggest that you find help for yourself at this point. Find an Al-Anon or Nar-Anon meeting in your area and go. Listen to the people who are going through the same thing that you are.

I wish you the best and hope you can get on with your life. Post any time you have questions. Take care of yourself.

[addicted32]

I agree with the above.  I think we have so many feelings and they are out of control so we numb them I did that with every fight with a boyfriend I took more to calm down and not feel the hurt and I did this for ten years with opiates.  

[avisg]

Not when were using we doesnt .It does mean she doesnt love you she just loves her drugs more .She is only going to stop when she is ready .I would move on putting your life on hold is not healthy for you ...You will have to see what happen but i would move on.

[LeaAnn807]

Hi there!

To answer your question about addicts having feelings...Yes...we have feelings, but they are numbed with the drugs.  Until she is off drugs, you can count on her numbing out any feelings with the pills.   Fear, love, affection, sadness etc are all numbed with opiates, in my opinion.  I have done it a lot.  Not even a death of someone VERY close to me a few years ago could touch me when I was using.  Thing is...when she DOES stop pills, those numbed feelings will come back!  She is capable of loving you right now, but the pain of the break up is being numbed, see?