A friend of mine who is no Rush Limbaugh fan told me about the time he was perscribed Oxycontin (sp?) for his back. He took it for 5 days according to the perscription and was addicted. He told me about a friend who asked him how long he had been taking the drug. When he told the friend the friend said, "It's too late, you're hooked." My friend managed to beat the addiction much faster than Rush did, but he is not the drug abuse type. This is simply a highly addictive drug.
Not to either condemn or acquit Rush, just to shed some light.
Shalom.
If most of us become aware that we are addicted we quickly seek help.
What he experienced was a bit of physical dependency, not really addiction.
If he used the drug past his need, or went to the Internet and bypassed the DR. to get more, it is a addiction.
The drug replaces natural endorphins, and when you stop the body craves it and the nerves get whacky. You fidgit, move constantly and sweat.....etc. (for about three day, in my case)
Hard to sleep too because of it.
It is a pain in the butt, but all chronic patients endure this. It is the price you pay for using the stuff, but there is really nothing else but morphine.