By Heidi Stevens

| Chicago Tribune

With close to 2 million Americans dependent on or abusing prescription painkillers, a growing number of families are redefining their notions of what a drug addict looks like.

"The person with the drug problem is not necessarily a teenager shooting up in a dark alley or snorting cocaine at an all-night party," writes Barbara Gordon in I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can (Beaufort Books), her newly re-released memoir of a life unraveled by addiction to prescription drugs. "It may be a woman turned out in an elegant suit and flawless makeup, who carries an attaché case as she clicks her way down an office hallway in stiletto heels to attend a meeting."

At a glance

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Support groups

The support of a professional group can play a critical role in helping family members survive a loved one’s addiction.

Al-Anon » A peer support group with meetings to help families primarily affected by alcohol addiction. Go to: al-anon.org

Nar-Anon » An offshoot of Al-Anon designed to help relatives and friends of addicts. Go to: nar-anon.org

Families Anonymous » A 12-step fellowship program for families of addicts. Go to: familiesanonymous.org

Children of Addicts » An online support group designed to help children discuss and deal with the challenges of an addicted parent. Go to: mdjunction.com/children-of-addicts

The Family Program at the Betty Ford Center » A five-day on-site educational program addressing various aspects of addiction. Go to: bettyfordcenter.org

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Indeed, painkiller overdoses now account for more than twice the deaths as cocaine and five times as many as heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health by Columbia University found that the proportion of Americans addicted to opioids — Oxycontin, Vicodin, Demerol — tripled from 1991 to 2001. (The same study determined the aforementioned 2 million figure.)

Even as the face of addiction changes, so does our understanding of how best to help treat it. That the drugs often originate in a doctor’s office or pharmacy makes them no less lethal. And when the addict is your spouse or partner, determining the best course of action takes on an added urgency.

If you’ve recently discovered that your partner is struggling with a prescription drug addiction, experts have a road map for you.

Step in immediately • "It’s no longer assumed you should let the person hit rock bottom and experience enough consequences to see what they’re doing," says Lisa Najavits, professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.

Adopt an active role • Psychologist Robert J. Meyers developed the CRAFT (Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training) approach to intervention, which posits that family members play a powerful role in persuading substance abusers to submit to treatment.

"One of the biggest myths around addiction is the old-school treatment, which is that someone has to be motivated on their own or they won’t get better," Najavits says. "We now know that any way an addicted person enters treatment can be a good way. Getting them in the door is what produces positive outcomes."

Find tailored help • A prescription-drug addiction shares many similarities with alcohol or other drug addictions. But there are some key differences. "With people who are misusing prescription drugs, there can be risks to withdrawing from them," says Sherry Knapp-Brown, staff psychologist at the Lindner Center of Hope, a Mason, Ohio, hospital specializing in the treatment of mental disorders and addictions. "That may have to be considered as part of the treatment, so you want to make sure that’s something you handle with a medical professional."

Don’t lose yourself • "Because the symptoms and problems may be so dramatic and visible, it can pull other family members to ignore their own needs," Najavits says. "It’s crucial for the family and each person within it not to get lost in an attempt to help. They need to focus on their own self-care and set their own boundaries and even seek professional counseling if they feel it’s needed."

If the addiction is fueling a cycle of abuse, seek protection.

But know that you can help. "With good treatment, many people do recover," Najavits says.