15 Mar, 2010
Stereotypes Kill: Doctor Shopping and the new “Drug Dealer”
TweetPosted by: Sobriety Diva In: Drug Addiction
As we have discussed befor
e, stereotyping is killing the addict.
If you ask 100 people to describe the person that gives addicts their drugs, an overwhelming percent will describe a grizzly character, situated on a street corner or in a drug den. But as the recent death of Corey Haim shows the most prevalent “drug dealer” of prescription drugs is wearing a white coat, standing behind your local pharmacy counter.
When it comes to drugs like Percocet, Xanax or Valium, “doctor shopping” is one of the primary ways that addicts obtain their drugs. “Doctor shopping” refers to when an addict visits several different doctors to obtain prescriptions for the same medication, having those prescriptions filled at different pharmacies, sometimes within days or hours of each other.
Often times the addict does not see anything wrong with “doctor shopping” as they do not take prescription medication as seriously as street drugs. By believing the stereotypes about drug addiction, it makes it easier for addicts to deny there is a problem and that their behavior is dangerous. They are blind to the fact that pain medications are in the same exact class as heroin and morphine, and that they are addictive.
As this phenomenon continues it becomes more important to identify your or your loved one’s addiction in its early stages. If you don’t believe you are getting adequate pain control from your current prescription, then you need to tell your doctor. It is important to discuss your pain relief regimen with your doctor and not take it upon yourself to change. If you have found yourself in a cycle of “doctor shopping”, get help now. Detox and addiction treatment may become necessary for those that find themselves in the grips of withdrawal.
Have you or anyone you know ever “doctor shopped”? Please tell us about your experience.
