There are a number of blogs out there written by women who are married to addicts, mothers of  junkies or otherwise connected (and deeply scarred by) someone else’s addiction. Among my favorites are The Junky’s Wife, Married to an Addict, Married to My Ex, and Mother to an Addict. Whether or not the writer is still married, suffering from codependency or her own addiction issues or living with multiple family members who are addicts and alcoholics, each of these blogs have one thing in common: they are honest. Each one expresses frustration, anger, betrayal, real love, confusion, the best intentions and the worst outcomes. In short, each one gives a very real portrayal of what it’s like to love someone who is married to addiction.

Even if the addict in your life is aware of their problem, open to treatment and even attempting treatment with methadone maintenance or a Suboxone detox, their troubles—and yours—are far from over. Relapses can and do still happen. These may be one-time slips or binges that last for days and they can be even more dangerous than maintaining a regular habit because the body’s tolerance is different than the addict remembers. Overdose in these situations is exceedingly common, especially for those who are addicted to opiates and prescription painkillers. Mixing drugs is always a dangerous thing in any context and for those who are on a maintenance or medical detox program, a relapse almost always means the introduction or re-introduction of a different drug or drugs into the system.

Feeling like a cop in your own home is never pleasant. Addiction usually comes with quite a bit of lying, even in the bold face of evidence supporting the opposite assertion and this can take quite a toll on any relationship. It’s difficult to rebuild trust, to constantly question whether or not someone is high when they say they’re tired or if that $20 you can’t find is merely lost in a jeans pocket somewhere or was stolen by your loved one. For the writers of these blogs, they handle these issues by blogging about it and find support through their readers, creating an online support group that’s available 24 hours a day.

Note: I’m aware of the fact that all of the blogs I picked out were written by women. I actually searched out similar blogs penned by men who love female addicts, but found none. Do they exist? Most likely. It certainly happens in life often enough. If anyone knows of any blogs in this category penned by men, by all means, let me know!

There are two excellent blogs out there run by a rad lady in recovery named Erin. One is What Winners Do and the other is her latest addition to the recovery blogging family, The Suboxone Help Spot.

Even though Erin does not take Suboxone personally as a part of her recovery process, she catalogues her personal experience with recovery in What Winners Do and has also started a support forum called a blog designed for anyone associated with Suboxone. She defines anyone associated with Suboxone as including “active addicts who are contemplating beginning Suboxone treatment, those recovering addicts who are currently in Suboxone treatment, Methadone patients who are trying to make the switch over to Suboxone treatment, and also those who have loved ones that are on a Suboxone treatment program.”

Erin further goes on to describe how she came to be a part of the online Suboxone support system. Relating how she had purchased Suboxone on the street when she was living the life of an addict and abused the drug, she wrote about the potential problems that those who take the drug to detox off of other opiates might experience. She got such a large response, that she decided to be a part of the solution instead of just defining the problem.

She says: “The Suboxone Help Spot is a place where those who have opted for a medically assisted recovery program can come and be completely open and honest about their recovery without the fear of being judged by those who do not agree with this type of recovery approach.”

If you are currently taking Suboxone to detox off of opiates or treat an prescription painkiller addiction or if someone you are close to is taking Suboxone, then check in with Erin from time to time or subscribe to her feeds. She’s raw, she’s honest and so much of what she has to say is relevant in the lives of those who are dealing with addiction and recovery on a day-to-day basis and through the forums, you might find the answers you’re looking for and a place to share your own experiences.

Now, I really mean it this time: this is the last I’m going to say about overdoses for awhile. I thought I’d pretty much gotten it out of my system with the urban myths about overdoses and the tips on how to avoid an overdose and how to know one when you see it. But yesterday, someone I know quite well overdosed unintentionally. They have had a lifetime methadone maintenance slot for years now, and if ever there was a success story to support methadone maintenance, he was it: after a lifetime of being a street junkie addicted to heroin and doing crimes to pay for his habit, he’s managed to hold onto the same job (even move up in the company), married a great gal and had a baby with her. Then yesterday, he had a migraine, happened to run into an associate from the old days who offered him a pill to wipe out the headache. He went home, had a couple of beers and woke up this morning in the hospital having suffered an overdose.

It’s that quick, and it’s that unexpected. Don’t think that because you have two, three, 10 or 20 years invested in a methadone maintenance program that you are immune to overdose. Sometimes all it takes is a one too many alcoholic drinks or one pill that unexpectedly mixes with your daily methadone dose to create an overdose situation. Maybe he hadn’t eaten very much that day or maybe he’d just come up or down a few milligrams on his methadone dose through the clinic. Maybe neither. Your body’s chemistry changes as you grow older and if you don’t get to the doctor for your regular checkups, you may not know when you’re developing a chronic issue that will affect how your body processes your methadone dose.

If your methadone dose is 30 milligrams or lower, you can switch to a Suboxone detox. Avoid the daily trip to the clinic, the liver damage associated with long-term methadone use and the possibility of overdose as you work your way toward a drug-free life. In the meantime, be aware of your body and if you are suddenly overwhelmingly tired, having difficulty breathing, have cold and clammy skin or muscle spasms. Any of these or a combination can indicate an overdose and it’s imperative that you get medical assistance while you still can or make sure that there is someone in the house with you who can watch over you and make sure that you’re okay.