We realize at this point your head might still be saying, “But I’m not an addict. What are they talking about? I only used drugs as prescribed by my doctor.” Frankly, it doesn’t really matter. Or you may think, “I would never have developed problems with the drugs if I didn’t have the pain.” Again, it doesn’t matter. As we have said, there is no more shame in being an addict than there is in having chronic pain. We aren’t concerned with labels, and we also aren’t concerned with your motivation or specific circumstances. We only care about what is happening in your life as a result of drug use and what you want to do about your situation. How you identify yourself—as addicted, drug-dependent, having problematic drug use, or simply a victim of circumstances—only matters if it prevents you from getting better.The purpose of this book is to help you discover solutions that work no matter which label you most identify with. To say “I am an addict” is a personal decision that only you can make. However, to effectively determine the truth will require work on your part. Denying that you are an addict without examining the possibility that you are will prevent you from growing and finding balance. The following exercise deals with some of the ways people deny the possibility that they have addiction. I’m Not an Addict Because…____________________________________ ____ I have a problem with medications but I have to take them for my chronic pain. ____ I use prescribed medication and not illegal drugs. ____ I don’t lie, cheat, steal, or live on skid row. ____ I’ve never snorted, smoked, or injected my pain medication. If you have used any of the above statements, place a check next to it. If you are undecided or don’t believe you are an addict, write your reasons here: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ This blog post is an excerpt from Pain Recovery – How to Find Balance and Reduce Suffering from Chronic Pain by Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, Frank Szabo, LADC, Daniel Shiode, PhD, Robert Hunter, PhD; Published by Central Recovery Press (CRP). photo credit: nicola.albertini via photopin cc