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Dependence on medication for pain and addiction are two very different things...
I have been seeing alot of post lately about members being concerned about becoming addicted to their pain medicine and I want to make certain that everyone who suffers from chronic pain understands that addiction and depending on your medicine for pain control are very different issues.
Here is an execellent article of several different ones on this.
http://www.rsdhope.org/Showpage.asp?PAGE_ID=162&PGCT_ID=4509
Myth number one....
Addiction is inevitable if opioids are taken long-term or in high doses—and the risk of addiction is very high for short term use.
"This myth stems from confusion about the nature of addiction. Many people believe that addiction is simply needing a substance to function—but if this were the case, everyone would have to be considered addicted to food, air and water.
“The reality is that addiction appears to be distinctly uncommon in patients without a prior history of addiction or a family history of addiction,” Portenoy says. In his own research on more than 200 patients treated with OxyContin for chronic pain over three years, no new cases of addiction were reported.
“Over 30 years, I’ve seen a few thousand patients with cancer and sickle cell [disease] and other [conditions], and less than five that I’m aware of became addicted,” Payne says."
Myth number two...:
Most people who get addicted to painkillers are “accidental” addicts who sought pain treatment and had no prior history of drug problems.
"More than three-fourths of the patients who had misused OxyContin in this national sample of addicts in treatment had never received a prescription for it.
Even having chronic medical problems—which includes chronic pain—did not increase risk for OxyContin addiction.
If you do not have a personal or family history of addiction—especially if you have never suffered psychiatric problems like depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and especially if you are middle-aged or older—your risk for developing addiction during pain treatment is “vanishingly low,” says Portenoy.
Patients taking narcotics for pain control very rarely become addicted. It is important to understand the difference between becoming dependent on the medication that gives you relief and being addicted.
Chronic pain is a disease that needs to be treated aggressively just as you would any other diease. If you had say diabetes and needed insulin you would not hesitate and the same goes for chronic pain.
It is true that chronic pain is treated with narcotics mostly but this should make no difference as the medication is needed for relief and to have a better quality of life.
We only have one life after all and we should be able to live as pain free as possible and have a quality of life that we can enjoy instead of living with pain.
Pain affects every single aspect of our lives, Our relationships, our children and even how we feel and how others see us. We just can't function and enjoy life if were in pain 24/7 with no help.
I was hesitant about using narcotics in the beginning but quickly realized that I can't be the wife and Mom and daughter and friend I want with being in pain with no help.
Everyone here will say I do not like taking these medications but they will also say I can't live without them either.
Here is an execellent article of several different ones on this.
http://www.rsdhope.org/Showpage.asp?PAGE_ID=162&PGCT_ID=4509
Myth number one....
Addiction is inevitable if opioids are taken long-term or in high doses—and the risk of addiction is very high for short term use.
"This myth stems from confusion about the nature of addiction. Many people believe that addiction is simply needing a substance to function—but if this were the case, everyone would have to be considered addicted to food, air and water.
“The reality is that addiction appears to be distinctly uncommon in patients without a prior history of addiction or a family history of addiction,” Portenoy says. In his own research on more than 200 patients treated with OxyContin for chronic pain over three years, no new cases of addiction were reported.
“Over 30 years, I’ve seen a few thousand patients with cancer and sickle cell [disease] and other [conditions], and less than five that I’m aware of became addicted,” Payne says."
Myth number two...:
Most people who get addicted to painkillers are “accidental” addicts who sought pain treatment and had no prior history of drug problems.
"More than three-fourths of the patients who had misused OxyContin in this national sample of addicts in treatment had never received a prescription for it.
Even having chronic medical problems—which includes chronic pain—did not increase risk for OxyContin addiction.
If you do not have a personal or family history of addiction—especially if you have never suffered psychiatric problems like depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and especially if you are middle-aged or older—your risk for developing addiction during pain treatment is “vanishingly low,” says Portenoy.
Patients taking narcotics for pain control very rarely become addicted. It is important to understand the difference between becoming dependent on the medication that gives you relief and being addicted.
Chronic pain is a disease that needs to be treated aggressively just as you would any other diease. If you had say diabetes and needed insulin you would not hesitate and the same goes for chronic pain.
It is true that chronic pain is treated with narcotics mostly but this should make no difference as the medication is needed for relief and to have a better quality of life.
We only have one life after all and we should be able to live as pain free as possible and have a quality of life that we can enjoy instead of living with pain.
Pain affects every single aspect of our lives, Our relationships, our children and even how we feel and how others see us. We just can't function and enjoy life if were in pain 24/7 with no help.
I was hesitant about using narcotics in the beginning but quickly realized that I can't be the wife and Mom and daughter and friend I want with being in pain with no help.
Everyone here will say I do not like taking these medications but they will also say I can't live without them either.
Good post Sandee. So may ppl are confused with these facts. The media does not help and it breeds a lot of unnecessary concern for CP patients and their families.
The stigma of being dependent on narcotic just to tolerate the pain and function is unreal. You see it every where, including this forum.
So thank you for the rerunning this excellent information.
Tuck
The stigma of being dependent on narcotic just to tolerate the pain and function is unreal. You see it every where, including this forum.
So thank you for the rerunning this excellent information.
Tuck
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