My partner is in denial about being addicted to painkillers
DEAR DEIDRE: MY partner is addicted to codeine but she denies she has a problem.
She injured her back in an accident two years ago and, even though she’s healed now, she can’t stop taking the pills.
She claims she’s still in pain but I know she’s not.
I’m 38 and she’s 34. We’ve been together for five years and her personality has completely changed.
She started taking codeine after she got whiplash in a car accident. It helped her sleep and move around.
The GP stopped prescribing codeine to her, so now she gets it anyway she can – in cough medicines and high-strength headache tablets, making sure she goes to different pharmacies and stores so no one suspects.
Get in touch with the Dear Deidre team
Every problem gets a personal reply from one of our trained counsellors.
Fill out and submit our easy-to-use and and the Dear Deidre team will get back to you.
You can also send a private message on the Facebook page.
She takes far more than the safe dosage. I don’t know how to help her. She won’t go to the doctor or talk to anyone.
I love her, however I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with a drug addict. How can I help her?
READ MORE FROM DEAR DEIDRE
DEIDRE SAYS: Codeine is a painkiller derived from morphine and, like all opioids, it can be addictive.
It’s also very hard to detox from alone.
The doses available over the counter – usually mixed with paracetamol or ibuprofen – are much lower than prescription doses, which is why your partner is taking so much.
It’s hard to help someone who is in denial.
Find support through , which helps addicts and their families. They don’t have a helpline but their website will steer you to local support.
My support pack, Drug Worries, provides useful information.
