Spencer Reid’s drug addiction storyline made him more relatable, but it was abandoned quickly in Criminal Minds .
Criminal Minds is full of fan-favorite characters whose stories become more complicated and layered as the show dives deeper into the troubled minds of serial killers. While many viewers are instantly attracted to Spencer Reid’s intelligent and good look, his character really starts catching hearts when the character reveals a more vulnerable side of himself — Reid struggled with drug addictions and PTSD. As a profiler in the BAU, it’s almost impossible to not have a “bad moment” once for a while. However, Reid’s problem goes deeper than that.
His addiction opens the door to the character’s past and gives viewers a more personal look at what lies beyond his excellency and likable personality. It makes Spencer Reid more relatable. However, the storyline is very soon abandoned by the show never to be revisited again.
How Does Spencer Reid’s Addiction Begin?
In Season 2 of Criminal Minds, Reid is captured when A.J. Cook’s character, Jennifer Jaraue, are investigating a crime. Reid and JJ split up during their investigation, which eventually leaves Reid stranded in a cornfield with their suspect, Tobias Hankel. Hankel suffers from multiple personality disorder, which causes him to switch between three personas: Tobias, Charles (Tobias’s father), and Raphael (the one who kills in the name of God). Eventually, Hankel captures Reid and keeps him alive, waiting for Spencer to commit a sin that would give Rafael a reason to kill him.
Charles tries to torture Spencer Reid for a confession, and when Tobias comes back, he injects Reid with Dilaudid to help him cope with the pain. Dilaudid is a derivative of morphine, and even without misuse, regular use of the drug can cause dependency, addiction, overdose and even death. In the episode, Hankel repeatedly gave Reid pain medication within a short amount of time. As a result, Reid nearly overdosed and subsequently became dependent on it.
Reid witnessed Hankel killing his next pair of victims on the screen and blamed himself for it. He also suffered from PTSD from the traumatic experience. Despite Gideon trying to convince Reid that he was not responsible for the crime committed by Hankel, it took a toll on him emotionally.
When Tobias came back with the drug, Reid tried to play Tobias to help him escape. Reid initially rejected the drug given to him, but he admitted to Hankel that it did help him escape from what he was going through and agreed to the injection. Dilaudid allowed Reid to escape from the torture, but it also opened up the guilt and emotional wounds he had developed during his childhood in a broken home.
Spencer Reid’s Drug Addiction Story Is Never Resolved
Spencer Reid ends up killing Tobias Hankel in self-defense, and without the team knowing, he also steals all Hankel’s drugs. Reid not only becomes physically dependent on drugs but also emotionally and mentally. His addiction goes hand in hand with trauma and unresolved emotional wounds, which caused it to become his most effective coping mechanism.
Reid goes back to work in the next episode, seemingly recovered from his abduction on the outside. However, his symptoms progressed over the next couple of episodes. He was distracted and struggling internally, hiding the addiction from the rest of the team.
