How do I approach a family member or friend who I believe may be over-using pain relievers with codeine?
Consider the following “DOs” and “DON’Ts” when approaching a family member or friend who you think may be misusing pain relievers.
"DOs"
- Do assume the person is suffering pain and this may affect the way they respond to you.
- Do take a non judgemental attitude to the conversation. Be open and patient.
- Do gently raise your concerns with the person, i.e. what they have been going through, their pain, their treatment and their progress.
- Do be open to listening to the person’s experiences; their feelings about their pain and their treatment. How the person thinks they are coping. Is the treatment helping them?
- Do ask them how much they know about taking pain relievers containing codeine.
- Do ask what they have been told about pain relievers containing codeine by their pharmacist or doctor.
- Do encourage them to seek further information or advice about pain relievers containing codeine from their pharmacist or doctor.
- Do offer to go with them to the pharmacist or doctor if they are uncertain.
"DON'T's"
- Don’t be judgemental.
- Don’t be blaming or accusatory.
- Don’t assume a severe problem such as addiction.
- Don’t become confronting or aggressive.
This advice is given by Malcolm Desland who is a Counselling Psychologist and has worked with many people with drug and alcohol problems in a range of contexts over the last 24 years. This has included individuals suffering from drug and alcohol problems and their family members, in the public and private health sectors and across inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.
Mr Desland is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), a registered psychologist in NSW and is a member of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Drugs (APSAD). He currently works in private practice in Sydney.
