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This Deadly Addiction Goes Unnoticed!

5 Apr 2023 · 1 min

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Amber Hollingsworth explains why opiate (pain pill) addiction often goes unnoticed by families: intoxication on opiates is hard to detect (no smell, no staggering, no slurred speech), and many people function better during early years of addiction (improved grades, work recognition, more social/energetic). Financial problems—missing or stolen money, unexplained chronic shortage of funds, restricted access to joint accounts—are typically the earliest observable signs.

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Pain pill addiction usually goes on for years before the family catches on to what's happening. In fact, a lot of the families that come to see us wonder, how did they miss all the signs and symptoms? Well, the truth of it is, is that it's really hard to tell when someone's intoxicated on opiates. They don't smell funny, they don't stagger, they don't look funny, and they don't slur their words. And to top it all off, a lot of people function better for the first few years that they're addicted to opiates. For example, their grades may improve, they may get employee of the month. They seem more social, they have more energy, which is why it's so hard for to see it until it's really, really bad. Money problems is usually the first sign that you're going to see someone you care about has an opiate or pain pill addiction. Money missing, money stolen, stolen items. Maybe the person makes a lot of money, but they're always broke. If it's your spouse, maybe they just don't give you access to the checking account and you never can see what's going on financially. You'll see the money problems long before you see the signs that someone is intoxicated or having a problem.