Overcoming addiction and chronic pain: 'You're going through hell.'
AUSTIN (KXAN) – “When I was on pain meds and in pain all the time, you’re going through hell, and you are really just trying to make it sometimes, one hour at a time,” said Eric Bumpus, a 43-year-old husband and father of two, reflecting on five years of living with an addiction to pain pills.
Today, Bumpus competes in ultramarathons and fitness competitions, like Hyrox, a functional fitness obstacle course race.
“These types of events, like a 50K ultramarathon, are controlled pain. You put yourself in pain purposefully. This chosen pain is valuable, and it really shapes who you are internally,” Bumpus said. “But none of that pain compares to the pain I went through in my past, not being able to move.”
The Cedar Park man explains that his back pain was so severe, he missed out on family time.
“They would go on hikes and do things I couldn’t join because I just couldn’t handle standing all day,” he said.
Bumpus describes the pain as feeling like there was a baseball lodged in his spine. His journey began in 2009 when his first child, Cael, was born. He wanted to be the best version of himself for his family.
Over the next two years, Bumpus struggled with the weight he gained, going from 140 to 210 pounds. Eventually, he lost 50 pounds and became a powerlifter. But in January 2015, everything changed.
“I had a horrible wisdom teeth removal that led to a massive infection in my face,” he said.
Later that year, Bumpus injured his back while competing in a California lifting competition, popping three discs — one herniated and two bulging. He pushed through the pain in 2016, but that’s when his addiction to pain pills began. He could barely walk, and doctors were uncertain about his condition, continuing to prescribe pain medication.
“I was on Percocet and fentanyl patches. I was in so much pain, the doctors were concerned. They told me my pain level was comparable to what cancer patients experience,” Bumpus said, reflecting on that dark period of his life. “I was in pain 24/7, and at that point, you kind of lose hope. I saw six different surgeons, and all of them rejected me as a candidate. I was very depressed and didn’t want to live.”
Every day felt like a battle for survival, but the following year marked the start of a slow journey to relief and hope. Bumpus got some clarity on the potential source of his pain.
“A doctor discovered that the infection from my wisdom teeth had spread to my degenerative disc, likely when I herniated it. I started a treatment of antibiotics,” he said. “What used to feel like a baseball in my spine started to dissipate.”
For Bumpus, 2021 was a turning point. That year, he was living without pain pills for the first time in years, and the following year he returned to the gym. In 2023, he found a community of runners at Squatch Frontier Fitness, an east Austin gym that hosts free biweekly meetups for men, aimed at normalizing vulnerability. Bumpus openly shares his past struggles with addiction and suicidal thoughts to give back to younger generations of men.
“When I was powerlifting, I had coaches in their 60s, 70s and 80s who made a big impact on my life. When you’re younger, you see older men and think they’re just old guys,” Bumpus said. “But when you get to know them and see them still lifting, still taking care of their bodies and their lives, it leaves an impact.”
Bumpus is using his experience to coach other dads, focusing on accountability, fitness, and positivity.
“It’s our responsibility as parents to show our kids what hard work looks like, and to teach them they can do it too," he said.
Family was Bumpus’ anchor through his years of addiction. He’s about to celebrate 16 years of marriage.
“My wife has been by my side this whole time. It was hard for her, and she could have given up, but she took care of me. She was a huge part of my recovery,” Bumpus said. “Having my kids see their dad go through such hardship, and then be there for them all the time — that’s invaluable.”