I am addicted to painkillers and tranquilisers. My own stupid fault and I blame no one but myself. I am only human and we all make some mist

[hookedandhelpless]

akes in our lives. I suffer from acute anxiety so I think it was only a matter of time before I succumbed to some form of chemical relief. I am desperate to come off these drugs which I buy off the internet. Why is there no one I can turn to for help. Every time I try to decrease the dosages my mind takes me to terrible places and very close to taking my own life. I often see heroin addicts picking up their daily dose of methadone at my local Boots Pharmacy. They drink it there and then and are off on their merry way again, benefiting from the slow release of this heroin substitute. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but sympathy for addicts of all descriptions. Painkillers are opiates from the same family as heroin so why is there no help for me? I feel lost and helpless which is hard to admit for a 56-year-old man. My GP would never agree to help me as he stereotypes me and just thinks that I am after something else to give me a high. All I want to do is lead a life that is not dominated by taking pills all the time. I have to take quite a few just to get out of bed in the mornings. The feelings are unbearable. I can't go out or face anyone until I am well-dosed up. I don't know who to turn to for help. Does anyone know of or heard of anyone in my situation who has received some genuine help? I would be so grateful to know. I am a good person and just want to feel well again and lead a normal life . . . Please can someone help me?

[scoobyd]

Hi I feel you're pain Its awful. After me having gone to the docs again yesterday he just smiledvand gave me setraline which I don't want to take so here I am panicking again because I won't take it I'm sick of anxiety hate winter and there should be more help its scandalous just throwing tablets at us with no backup hope you get help soon

[hookedandhelpless in reply to scoobyd]

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated. I hope you get your problems sorted.

[hookedandhelpless]

Sometimes I think that there is so little help and sympathy for pain-killer addicts that I am sorely tempted to start going down the heroin route where I will start to be taken seriously and maybe given some help. I'm not asking for much. Just a a controlled programme by my doctor so that I don't have to buy from the internet. The money is not a problem, it just feels such a lonely and impersonal existence. I have enough pills to last me for a year but would happily throw them down the toilet just to find an empathetic GP who would start me off on a controlled detox programme. There is definitely a gap in the market for want of a better analogy for us pain-killer addicts. We need help the same as heroin addicts. Where do we find it or do we just go out onto the street and join the unfortunate people who have got themselves hooked on heroin? I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me if there has ever been an instance where a doctor has helped someone wean themselves off of prescription opiates. If there is such a doctor, I will join his/her surgery no matter where they practice in the UK. I am that desperate. Does anyone no where I am coming from and think that they understand me enough to help me on the road to recovery? Thank you so much for reading.

[BRN873]

Hi Hookedandhelpless

I've just joined this forum and been going through all posts.

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

I've attached above a Daily Mail article from 2007, I'm sure you can relate to some of the stories in this but the reason I attach is that at the bottom there are a couple of websites and contacts that may be of some use for you.

I can't relate to your circumstances as I'm the complete reverse, I refuse to take any pills through fear of addiction, but I hope there may be something in here that helps you.

Good luck, I wish you well....