12 step fellowship for recovery from pill addiction. Pills Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from pill addiction. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using pills.
There are no dues or fees for PA membership; they are self supporting through their own contributions. PA is not affiliated with any religious group, politics, organization or institution. They do not wish to engage in any controversy and neither endorse nor oppose any cause. This is a program which works by regularly attending meetings and working the 12 Steps of Recovery with other pill addicts. Their primary purpose is to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. They work together to stay clean and help others achieve the same freedom.
Here are the 20 questions designed to help you determine if you are a pill addict:
1. Has your doctor, spouse or anyone else expressed concern about your use of medications?
2. Have you ever decided to stop taking pills only to find yourself taking them again contrary to your earlier decision?
3. Have you ever felt remorse or concern about taking pills?
4. Has your efficiency or ambition decreased since taking pills?
5. Have you established a supply for purse or pocket or to hide away in case of emergency?
6. Have you ever been treated by a physician or hospital for excessive use of pills (whether or not in combination with other substances)?
7. Have you changed doctors or pharmacies for the purpose of maintaining your supply?
8. Have you received the same medication from two or more physicians or pharmacists at approximately the same time?
9. Have you ever been turned down for a refill?
10. Have you ever taken other people’s pills with or without their permission or obtained them illegally?
11. Have you taken the same pain or sleep medication for a prolonged period of time only to find you still have the same symptoms?
12. Have you ever informed your physician as to which pill works best at which dosage and had them adjust the prescription to your recommendations?
13. Have you increased the dosage, strength or frequency of your pills over the past months or years?
14. Are your pills quite important to you; e.g., do you worry about refills long before running out?
15. Do you become annoyed or uncomfortable when others talk about your use of pills?
16. Have you or anyone else noticed a change of personality when you take your pills, or when you stop taking them?
17. Have you ever taken your medication before you had the associated symptom?
18. Have you ever been embarrassed by your behavior when under the influence of your pills?
19. Do you ever sneak or hide your pills?
20. Do you find it impossible to stop or to go for a prolonged period without your pills?
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, then their experience would indicate that you may be one of them.
PA’s beginnings are not fully known. The longest-running known group, which is located in New York City, dates back to 1972. Dr. Paul O., a well known AA speaker, has also talked about starting a meeting in the 1970s.
On October 1, 2008, Pills Anonymous World Service was incorporated as a 501(c)3 charitable organization in the state of Arizona, as a result of two conferences held earlier that year. One of the conferences was held in Las Vegas, Nevada in March, the other in Tempe, Arizona in September. During the Tempe Conference, the delegates voted to incorporate Pills Anonymous World Service. They also voted to accept, as the organization’s guide moving forward, the Pills Anonymous World Service Manual, which contains the Twelve Steps of Pills Anonymous, the Twelve Traditions of Pills Anonymous and many suggestions as how the group should be run.
In October 2011, in Mesa, Arizona, the conference approved the formation of the Pills Anonymous World Service Office Board of Directors to incorporate the WSO and shepherd production of the PA Book and key tags. In July 2012, the official PA logo received its trademark registration number. In August 2013, the PA Book, There is a Solution: The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Pills Anonymous, was published.