As someone who has been unwell, in and out of hospital, multiple surgeries etc, i ended up with an addiction to prescription painkillers, downers, sleeping pills, you name it, i took it. i have battled this addiction for years and dont think in all my time here at HW that i have mentioned this fully as i felt it was weak of me to let myself become emotionally and physically dependant on prescription painkillers, and i always justified it by saying "well the doc prescibed it for me, it must be ok." i doctor shopped and got a big variety of opiates and benzos and was taking them way too eaily and way too often and in the end Paulos, it made life SO much worse.
This is an issue i still struggle with, although i have regained control, but i would come clean with the doctor and get to the root of why you are really self medicating. for me, it was to numb the pain of reality. like Gail said, my painkillers often caused rebound pain, and so i would take more and more- vicious cycle. take it from me that getting help is NEVER TOO LATE.
all the best and dont beat yourself up about it-
Maz XX