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It’s Not Your Fault: Study Links Pain to Opioid Addiction

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study-links-pain-to-opioid-addictionOpioid addiction is a very serious issue today. This fact hardly comes as a surprise, but now there is scientific proof that many people who are addicted to opioids have this problem because they are in pain.[1] This research marked the first time researchers ever set out to determine whether there is a direct link between pain and opioid addiction.

Many people who seek treatment for opioid addiction have explained that it all started with a painkiller prescription after an accident or surgery. For these individuals, the word “addiction” may be hard to grasp and accept. Not only is this term highly stigmatized, but also by no means did this group of people use opioid drugs for fun.

This study shows that as the pain gets worse, a person is more likely to become addicted to opiates. Those with co-occurring mood and anxiety conditions—or with a family history of substance abuse—are at even greater risk.

People with moderate to severe pain have a 41 percent higher risk of becoming addicted to opioids than those with milder pain, regardless of demographic differences and other factors, the study found.

Once Addicted, Pain Often No Longer in the Equation

This study revealed that most people with a diagnosis of prescription opioid use disorder and who still were addicted three years later, did not report an association between their addiction and pain at follow-up. This implies that the ongoing use of opioids at that point no longer was directly linked to pain. Rather, the addiction is closely connected to opioid dependency.

effects-of-prescription-opioids-and-heroin-addiction-brain-effectsDr. Mark Olfson at Columbia University Mental Center says that when evaluating patients in pain, physicians should be attentive to addiction risk factors. Some of these factors include age, sex and personal or family history of drug abuse. If opioids are prescribed, it is important for clinicians to monitor their patients carefully for warning signs of opioid addiction.[1]

Opioid substitution therapy is available to help people get off of prescription painkillers without sending them into painful withdrawal symptoms. These medications can also help someone who has progressed to injection drug use of opioids or heroin and may even prevent the disease of opioid addiction from progressing to that point.

Along with group therapy, counseling, and other scientifically proven methods of helping people recover from drug and/or alcohol dependency, the medications can help people in recovery live healthy, manageable lives despite their drug dependency.

The Takeaway

People who suffer from opioid addiction can find support in these findings. Do not feel stigmatized about seeking help. Feel free to reach out to one of our admissions counselors today. They will answer all of your questions and be able to provide you with information about how you can get clean. You can live a life without substance abuse. Give us a call at 760.548.4032.


[1] http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2016/07/22/significant-pain-increases-the-risk-of-opioid-addiction-by-41-percent Significant Pain Increases the Risk of Opioid Addiction by 41 Percent.

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