Not every person taking an opioid will become addicted.
Addiction is not the same as Dependency.
Someone who is dependent on opioids can also become addicted.
Someone who is addicted to opioids can become dependent.
Someone who is addicted to opioids may not ever become dependent.
Someone who is dependent on opioids understands that they will not die without opioids, that they will simply suffer.
Someone who is addicted to opioids feels as though they will die without their next dosage.
Someone dependent on opioids may never become addicted.
Chronic Pain patients on opioids are not necessarily addicted.
Chronic Pain patients can become addicted.
Anyone can be dependent on any medication or substance. Dependency does not equal Addiction. Diabetes patients are dependent on insulin. Too much insulin can become fatal. People with Thyroid disorders are dependent on Synthroid. Too much Synthroid could become fatal. Dependency does not equal addiction, but they CAN go hand-in-hand in some cases.
Not all addicts started out with addiction issues.
Some addicts experience chronic pain.
Someone does not have to suffer from mental illness to become an addict.
Someone does not need to suffer chronic pain to become an addict.
Marijuana does not relieve all pain.
Marijuana can help addicts wean off of opioids.
Marijuana will not necessarily help those whose illnesses depend on opioids for functionality.
Chronic pain patients are often also taking medical marijuana to combat their illnesses.
Not everyone can take marijuana, not everyone experiences relief with marijuana.
Increased pain off of opioids is not necessarily a symptom of 'withdrawal'.
Increased pain off of opioids CAN be a symptom of 'withdrawal'.
It can be dangerous to discontinue opioids without weaning off of them, but not necessarily because it will 'cause' addiction, but that the withdrawal symptoms themselves can be dangerous.
If removed off of opioids, there are other avenues than going and searching for illicit pain pills on the street.
Chronic pain patient programs are short-term.
A person who needs opioids to function at all (to walk, to work, to be able to get dressed, to have a relatively normal existence) are not necessarily addicted.
A patient may need pain relief in order to walk and also not be addicted.
The mental state of a patient who is an addict is completely different from a patient who is dependent. Thought processes are different, behaviours are different, general day-to-day motivations are different.
Addiction can stem from dependency and chronic pain.
Addiction does not always stem from dependency or any pain at all.
Addiction is more about the mental and physical sensation while on a substance. Dependency is solely about the pain relief in order to function normally.
Many chronic pain patients only take enough medication to reduce pain to a manageable level (approx 6/10 for most chronically ill patients).
Many addicts take enough medication to be entirely without organized thought.
If a dependent patient is abruptly removed off of opioids, that patient may not necessarily seek out other sources.
If an addicted patient is abruptly removed off of opioids, that patient will most likely seek out other sources.
For a dependent patient, opioids were most likely a last resort.
If a doctor were to offer a new medication that would eliminate the need for opioids, a dependent patient would likely not even hesitate, because of the risks.
If a doctor were to offer a new medication that would eliminate the need for opioids, an addicted patient would likely hesitate/fight to remain on opioids, despite the risks.
Dependent patients, though requiring pain medication, would do anything to get off of the medication, especially if there are such high risks. If dependent patients are told that there is a high risk of DEATH, they would easily refuse the medication. If they found something that improves their function and is not an opioid, they would have no issue removing themselves off of opioids.
Addicted patients, though WANTING to get off of opioids, would do anything for their next hit, regardless of other options, regardless of risk of death. If addicted patients are warned of a HIGH risk of DEATH from the substances they take, those patients are still unable to remove themselves off of opioids.
The addiction crisis has hit hard and it has affected people from all walks of life.
Unfortunately, the war to battle the addiction crisis is also negatively affecting those people who are not addicted. There are various false equivalencies being made every single day because of the seriousness of the crisis and the lack of understanding when it comes to the various (yet sometimes subtle) differences. All of these subtle nuances within terminology can be confusing to anyone.
Unfortunately, chronically ill patients whose illnesses cause severe and intense pain, are being dragged in with this crisis. Please remember that these illnesses often have no cure and are degenerative in many cases. The more medication we remove from our arsenals to fight these illnesses, the more we will see an increase in suicides, medically-assisted deaths, patients seeking pain pills on the street, and an increase in addicts. Forcing chronically ill patients to suffer 10/10 pain each day instead of ~6/10 pain, for example, will only result in more tragedy and more addiction.
If you are suffering with addiction, please call the Addiction Helpline:
1-866-332-2322
