Neurologist Questions Neurologist

How do you stop your addiction to pills?

I am a 29 year old male. I want to know how do you stop your addiction to pills?

3 Answers

This is best accomplished with the help of a addiction provider
Psychiatrists or substance abuse counselors or therapists can help you with this condition.
"Addiction to pills" could mean almost anything, but generally refers to opiates, sedatives, or stimulants. (Few people are addicted to aspirin or vitamins.) Let's stick with those. When you say "addiction," do you mean your doctor prescribed these and you're taking them as prescribed, but are finding it hard to stop? That you're taking many more than were prescribed? You're seeing multiple physicians to get extra prescriptions? You're buying them on the street?

Sometimes people who are prescribed a sedative (like Valium or Ativan) or opiate like Norco or Percocet only use them as prescribed, but find they just can't quit. That's not "addiction," but can be distressing. Work with your prescribing physician to address this issue. If you can, it might help to taper these drugs slowly. Some physicians won't prescribe these medications at all, and some insist there's no problem and just to keep taking them indefinitely. One note: if you're on benzodiazepine like Klonopin, Valium, or Ativan, stopping suddenly can cause a flare-up in anxiety. This won't hurt you, but can be annoying. The solution is a very slow taper over many months.