Honestly I have to get down right hateful almost demanding with them. I am a meth addict and I am stereotyped for that alone. I am a ,or was ,a functioning addict. I worked hard, I didn't go around stealing to support my habit, and I don't go to walmarts at 4 a.m. and turn the carts upside down and take the wheels off of them for no apparent reason; I only take the wheels off of the ones that had an apparent reason, lol! I am educated, worked in a professional stage paid my bills and even went to church on Sunday. But no matter what I did or didn't do when I get sick and hurt I have to go phyco on doctors before they figure out I'm serious. I guess I'm just too passive / aggressive and I feel like I have a big sign pinned to my forehead that says I'm a junkie... Watch out, or something. So I'm probably not the person to ask that question of. I wish I could help but I just usually do what the doctors tell me to until I blow up. No good life handling skills, but for me it is usually affective. Maybe it's because I do try to try everything they recommend first and they see that,but sometimes I just ain't feeling very cooperative and I hurt and I want it to stop NOW!!!! Anyways, maybe just to be patient with your doctors we have enough on our plates we don't need to and they don't want to add addiction to our list. I promise when I was in second grade and my teacher asked what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was not a junkie. I was born with the desease. My dad was the town drunk and 90% of my family on both side were alcoholics as well. I got up on my high and mighty horse and told the world I wasn't going to be like my dad, and I'm not a drunk don't even drink but God showed me to climb off that horse and have some empathy for others you never know what you might become. Never say never and always say thank you