Hi
my husband has been addicted to nurofen plus for 7 years. he started taking it for anxiety while going through university only 6 a day. but 4 years ago it got bad and he was taking 120 tablets .
it now varies from 30-90.
he has gone cold turkey 5 times in last couple of years and tried tapering 3 times.
he has seen 3 different counsellors 3 psychiatrists. the most he has lasted clean has been 4 weeks one time.
his health is starting to be affected but that is not enough for him to stop.
when he is high he is aggrogant, rude and very distant. not all the man I met 10 years go...
but then I also see glimmers of the amazing man I married..it's so difficult..
i have tried so hard to understand what he is going through, reading articles, books and forums.
most of the time I feel I am putting more effort in helping get him clean then he is.
I am in my early 30tys and wanted to start having children by now. but that might not happen if I stay with him. how long do I put my life on hold?
do all addicts have to hit rock bottom before they can stop?
addicton is completely f...ed
I am not even the one with the addiction and it has taken over my whole life...
how do partners cope?
is there any hope? is this how my life will be if I stay and endless cycle of continues relapse?
I just don't know what to do anymore.
Hi Recovery 32
you are right about addiction, it damages everyone it touches, not just the addict themselves, unfortunately addicts like myself only come to realise that when we either get clean or it is to late. many relationships suffer and end due to a partners addiction, having said that some people do manage to salvage their relationships providing the addict is prepared to what is necessary to stay clean. recovery is not easy, but can be done, but the addict needs to want to get sober, really needs to want it more than anything else in their life. they must want it for themselves, if they try and achieve sobriety at the behest of somebody else or to try and please someone else, it very rarely works. your husband has to want to get clean for himself and unfortunately no matter how much you want to "fix" him you cannot- only he can take responsibility for his recovery. you need to do what is right for you, you might consider going to Naranon, it is for family's of addicts and there you will find people in similar circumstances, remember you are far from alone, addiction affects many family's in many ways, do seek out some help or support for yourself - you dont need to deal with this on your own - all the best, keep posting here for support and/or advice
you are right about addiction, it damages everyone it touches, not just the addict themselves, unfortunately addicts like myself only come to realise that when we either get clean or it is to late. many relationships suffer and end due to a partners addiction, having said that some people do manage to salvage their relationships providing the addict is prepared to what is necessary to stay clean. recovery is not easy, but can be done, but the addict needs to want to get sober, really needs to want it more than anything else in their life. they must want it for themselves, if they try and achieve sobriety at the behest of somebody else or to try and please someone else, it very rarely works. your husband has to want to get clean for himself and unfortunately no matter how much you want to "fix" him you cannot- only he can take responsibility for his recovery. you need to do what is right for you, you might consider going to Naranon, it is for family's of addicts and there you will find people in similar circumstances, remember you are far from alone, addiction affects many family's in many ways, do seek out some help or support for yourself - you dont need to deal with this on your own - all the best, keep posting here for support and/or advice
thanks so much for your response traveling man :) I think I should join a group as none of my family understand what we're going through.
it's so hard to know if he wants to stop with all his being.
he tells me that he has completely lost who he is and he hates the person he has become.
the issue now is that he has seen all these different counsellors/psychiatrists ect and feels none have helped him..so he dosent know what to do.
he tried again recently to go cold turkey as he was having endoscopy, but after 3 days he was in so much pain trembling, vomiting, crying, I gave him a small amount then he just started again.
did you reach rock bottom before you went into recovery? how do I know if he Completely wants to stop?
