Many people would love to enjoy such a life of freedom from addiction, but they may have found that their dependence on Dilaudid is too powerful for them to just walk away from it.  In cases like this, what can a person do, especially if they have chronic pain issues?

There are a few solutions that might be of use.

The first, and by far the most powerful and effective solution, is to simply check yourself into a drug rehab facility.  I know that this can carry a big stigma with it, and so many people will be reluctant to do so.  They don’t want to be put in a situation with “other common drug addicts and junkies” who they believe are beneath them.

photo credit: anolobb

This is an understandable concern.  There may be people in drug rehab who have been living on the streets, and so on.  But you have to be realistic about your addiction and where it is taking you.  If you have a serious problem with opiates or pain pills, then that is the same road you are heading down yourself.  You may not be homeless yet but if you keep using and abusing Dilaudid then eventually you will overdose or suffer major life consequences.  So do not fall into the trap of thinking that you are too good to go to rehab.  The drug addicts you will meet there are not bad people, they are sick people.  There is a huge difference there and it is a mistake to pass moral judgment on them.

Now if you do happen to call up some drug rehab centers, ask them what it would take for you to get in there and what it would cost.  Some people have insurance, some have Medicaid, and others have nothing but the shirt on their back.  If you do not have a way to pay for rehab then you still may qualify for special funding.  It all just depends on what your situation is, where you live, and what you may qualify for.  That is why it makes sense to call up local treatment centers and ask for help.  They can guide you to where you need to be or help you get the funding you need in order to attend treatment.

If you absolutely refuse to go to drug rehab in order to get help for your problem, then the next best step is to talk with a doctor who is knowledgeable about addiction and pain management.  This is a rare thing to find so you may need to hunt around for a doctor who can help you.  I would start by seeking out doctors who have experience in treating chronic pain with Suboxone.  This is a special medication that is not a full opiate, but instead is a partial opiate that can be very effective at controlling pain in recovering addicts.  The abuse potential is quite low and it will not get you high like Dilaudid does.

So if you have chronic pain and you are hooked on Dilaudid in order to treat that pain, I would seriously look at getting a doctor who can help taper you off of the pills and get you on a safer and lower abuse potential medicine such as Suboxone.  This can only improve the quality of your life and it can do a darn good job at managing your pain as well.