Guys, I cant tell you how often I hear that question. Why the heck is it so difficult to grasp the concept that addiction is NO different from ANY other disease out there???
–A hi blood pressure patient is NEVER cured, just controlled with 1)lifestyle changes &2) medications (only if needed of course)
–A Hi cholesterol patient is NEVER cured, just controlled with 1)lifestyle changes &2) medications (only if needed of course)
–A diabetic is NEVER cured, just controlled with 1)lifestyle changes &2) medications (only if needed of course)
–A person with addiction is NEVER cured, just controlled with 1)lifestyle changes &2) medications (only if needed of course)
Addiction is NO different from any other disease. Yes my diabetics would just like to “wish away” their problems and my addiction patients would also just love to “wish away” their problems but in the end we have bigger fish to fry guys!
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN LIFE???
please list your goals!. I dont care if you’re diabetic or addicted. I BET your goals will look something like this:
1) I want to have a good relationship with my family and loved ones
2) I want to hold a good job and be able to support my family
3) I want to be happy and content in my life.
4)…..
5)…..
6)…. so on and so on RIGHT?
NO one puts as their top 3 choices “i really want to get off insulin” or “I really want to get off suboxone”. These are only TOOLS so that you can accomplish your top goals in life.
The next time someone tells you “hey you arent really clean because you are taking suboxone” PLS remember the above !!! You are using a tool just like the diabetic to gain back your life.
If I said to you “hey I guarantee 100% that you will have a normal life, a great job, loving relationships with your family” and all you have to do is take suboxone (to stay off opiates) for the rest of your life I bet you would ALL say “yes thats a no brainer”
Keep in mind of your top goals!.
***Diabetics use insulin to achieve their goals (doesnt mean they never relapse on oreos !!!)
***Cholesterol patients use lipitor to achieve their goals (doesnt mean they dont slip with a cheeseburger)
***Addiction patients use suboxone to achieve their goals (doesnt mean they dont slip up either)
We all have our problems and we must all use the RIGHT TOOLS for the RIGHT JOB guys!!! DONT be fooled by negative talk and “know it alls” that we all run into in the streets- TRUST ME- The only person who knows what the important goals in your life are is YOU !!!!!
Andreas J. Edrich MD FASAM MRO
