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Tips To Help A Loved One Battling Pain Medication Addiction - Dr. Pohl (VIDEO)

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Tips To Help A Loved One Battling Pain Medication Addiction - Dr. Pohl (VIDEO)
Tips To Help A Loved One Battling Pain Medication Addiction - Dr. Pohl (VIDEO)
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Dr. Pohl shares three tips for women advocating for a loved one who is addicted to pain medication.

Dr. Pohl:
If you have a loved one who is addicted to pain medication, your responsibility or your opportunity, if you will, is to come as a witness to what’s really going on. If you are going with the person who you care about, whether it’s a spouse or a relative or a child, you need to be an accurate reporter of what’s going on, and it’s best to leave your emotional response, especially if it’s negative, outside the door.

So come with information. Come with the effect of that behaviors. Let’s say, “My husband is taking too much medication.” What’s the basis for that? “Well, you know, he seems stoned. He falls asleep in his chair. He is not as active as he used to be. He is not as involved with the kids.” Be as objective as you can, and don’t be afraid to tell the truth. I mean, you have the truth from your experience.

The last is don’t be judgmental about it, and don’t be accusatory. Be informative and talk about what’s happened for you as a response to the person’s behavior with response to drugs. If you do these three things, that puts you in charge of the visit. You become an advocate both for yourself and for the person that you are really there to talk about.

About Dr. Mel Pohl, M.D.:
Dr. Mel Pohl, M.D., is a Board Certified Family Practitioner. He is the Vice President of Medical Affairs and the Medical Director at the Las Vegas Recovery Center (LVRC), the only private, freestanding, medically managed inpatient detoxification and addiction treatment facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Visit Dr. Pohl at the Las Vegas Recovery Center

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