In my personal injury practice, it is uncommon to encounter a survivor of a severe injury who becomes addicted to pain killers.
On the other hand, most clients are concerned that the medications prescribed for them will lead to addiction. The truth is that pain killers promote movement and healing. They should be taken as prescribed on a regular schedule to stay ahead of pain. Those who do not follow a regular schedule find themselves taking medication in an attempt to catch up to pain after the fact. My advice is to stay ahead of the pain, stay on a medication schedule and fully report your progress to your doctor. As healing progresses, pain medications are routinely modified to provide appropriate analgesia commensurate with declining discomfort. In short, do not worry about becoming addicted when treating pain. I have only seen it twice.
Two clients who were diagnosed as addicted were actually addicted before their injury and their injury exacerbated or trigger a more aggressive addiction.
In one case, I did not appreciate the extent of the disease until obtaining medical records and learning that the demand for medication or extended treatment was disproportionate to the injuries suffered. The net effect was to reduce the value of the client’s claim and in a second the client’s loss of credibility made it impossible for me to recover for a severe injury.
In the process I have learned that addiction is a complicated disease. It is a chronic dysfunction of the mind that involves reward, motivation, and memory. It can severely interfere with an individual’s daily life, making it challenging or even impossible to fulfill daily responsibilities. Addiction severely impacts relationships with family members as well as the lives of family members. And it interferes with building a relationship of trust between an attorney and client.
Whether behavioral (e.g., gambling or sex) or chemical addiction, both can be treated but first there must be a discussion that a concerned family member or close friend has to start.
A new resource, OnlineTherapy explains how to begin the discussion, how to talk about addiction, shows ways to assist your loved one how to find professional help, and how to offer support during and after treatment. This resource outlines how therapy is used in addiction treatment and how various therapies are utilized for different addictions. It helps people reclaim their lives and work to repair damage caused by addiction. I recommend it.
https://www.onlinetherapy.com/addiction-counseling/family-resource/
Please share this resource with families in need.
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