Think a friend has an addiction

[caringone]

I just met my neighbor and I have noticed very odd behavior from her and I'm worried because we are growing closer. Whenever I'm around her I notice in the middle of conversations or whatever else her eyes flutter and her head nods off. Her balance is apparently a little unsteady as well. I ask her if she is ok and she constantly tells me her anxiety med xanax, causes her to be that way. Her speech is also slurred and her voice is light sounding. She can still hold a converstation though oddly, in between her nodding off and eye fluttering.

I know for sure she takes hydrocodone, she says she was hurt badly from an accident. Anyway I'm suspicious she may be addicted. I have a hard time believing xanax causes her to slur, flutter her eyes almost all the time, she even drools when she nods off and causes her unsteadiness in balance, could she be addicted to the pain killer or both? I'm not trying to be in her business but I am concerned and would like to slowly tell her something may be wrong??

[DiEvano]

It sounds like she has a herion addiction. I myself had one, and worked hard during conversations not to do these very things. People would ask me all the time, and believe it or not... I told them the same thing she's telling you... Xanax. Are her eyes pin dots? Does she always wear long sleeves? Does she itch/scratch her body? There are other signs that would tell you if she uses herion... if she cancels plans, is always broke, says she'll be gone for a 1/2 hour and is gone for hours... I mean, she's definitely on something that she shouldn't be taking. You might want to be careful approaching her. I know that I always got so difensive when others would approach me. You might have to wait until she's ready to talk about it.

[Jade59]

Yes, sounds like Soma has been added to the mix.  A friend of mine takes vicoden and soma and acts exactly like this.  I did this combination myself years ago and I recognized myself immediatly upon reading your post.  There is nothing you can do until this woman is tired of this cycle.  She knows what she's doing and if you confront her she will only deny it.

[caringone]

I am definitely keeping my distance, I know better than that. But if she needs help I will be there for her and be smart about it. I am not going to explain all of her personal business but with a situation she is in she does need some guidance and I will offer it to her the best I can when she asks for it.

[tee1972]

Hello, First off let me tell you that you really should listen to what notmenow says, I came on this web site because I thought my roommate was an addict, I'm almost a month in this forum and everything  he toldme a month ago0 has come true.Everything that he told me would happen has happened ( unfortunetly )  My roomate is addicted to vicodin and he also takes soma he acts the same exact way. I guess the two medications combined act in your system the same way cocaine does. It is very hard to care about an addict,it really drains you , I'm not saying to not talk to her but my advice is to not become to close to her. You will get sucked in and it can be  a battle that cant be beat. If you need to talk I'm on yahoo under tee1972 look me up

[caringone]

She actually did tell me she was taking muscle relaxers as well. This all started when I told her I have TMJ and migranes caused by it and I need to see my medical doctor about taking muscle relaxers or pain killers because OTC pain killers are either not working or cause my stomach bleeding (I just had a colonoscopy and endoscopy and was told to lay off the advil and I believe excedrin is bad for you when taken more than 3 times a week? I dont normally tell people this off the back its just when I'm speaking to someone and if I'm in apparent pain I tell them whats wrong.
But anyway she told me about the medication she was taking and she told me well the xanax makes her act like that because I keep asking if she's ok. She tells me she uses xanax for her headache and the hydro for chronic pain from an accident. She's been over my place a few times and she has opened up to me about alot personal things to my surprise.

I know prescription drugs can be abused especially hydrocodone but I dont know her to well so maybe she is on something else. She is a sweet girl and being the nice girl I am all time if she wants to come over and talk to me about things I listen because thats who I am. Both my husband and I can be around her for only 5 min and she nods off, pauses in between talking to us with her eyes fluttering and if she is sitting down she will nod her head back or front with her mouth drooling. She actually comes over and hangs out and we  just vibed together just like that because I'm just the type to get along with anyone and we talked about going out but when I invited her along with my husband to dinner she was just out of it and from that point I was really concerned and realized I could only be there for her but going out with her would be a death wish or very odd.

I guess I can just be a friend because admitedly I don't want to be the one to tell her she may have an addiction or overdose, my husband is a veteran and he has friends I have heard about currrently and in the past who has abused prescription drugs and lost it. When I did tell her about my pain problems she told me about going to docs and how I can get any medicine from them (which to my naive self had no idea and was quite shocked by,,,thought this would have been better regulated). She actually told me how to get meds out of them and that they dont take insurance so I mean thats another flag dont you think???? She has to be abusing them....Is anything being done about this?  Like I said again I wont get involved but all I can and will do is be there for her and give advice when she wants it. Thanks for the info sop far

[dove3053]

I agree with notmenow. Sometimes it's best to keep your distance with people you just met that act strange.

Dove

[MICHAEL_777]

I've never seen anyone react that way with hydrocodone.  Xanax does mellow you out a bit, but not to the state you described.  If I had to take a guess, I would bet she is mixing the hydrocodone with Soma.  The two are often prescribed together for pain.  Hydrocodone during the day and the Soma at night.  Soma or carisoprodol, is a muscle relaxer and taken in high quantities will often cause what you mentioned.  How long have you know her and why are you getting so close?  Most sober people don't have much in common with nodding off addicts.  

[flmagi]

Yeah, this doesn't sound like pain killers or xanax.  And I'm not familiar with the effects of heroin etc.  Maybe alcohol? Or maybe she has some kind of illness (other than addiction). If you do become really good friends, maybe she'll open up to you about whats going on.

[DeezNuts]

both hydrocodone and xanax in high doses wouldn't cause someone to "nod" off or drool. That sounds more like heroin or something similar in strength.

[notmenow!]

If you just met this girl I would say for you not to say anything simply ignore her, Until she approaches you and then tell her that you think she is involved in something you would rather not deal with now with the holidays coming up. You cant make her sober just because you can save her, she has to ask for help before anything can be done, you are just not qualified to handle this. give her our web site and tell her to check it out. In the mean time if she drops buy hide all your medication (controlled) and dont leave your purse alone for a second with her, pills cost money!
And they will steal from MOMA given the chance,
Sorry if this sounds so  negative but welcome to the world of addiction

NOAH