[Harmless Teddy Bear]

If you are taking pain killers for terrible pain, you are not addicted.

When you are taking pain killers and you are not in pain, you might be addicted or you might be afraid of the pain returning.

But the idea of someone who is in horrible pain being addicted because he wants the pain to stop is BS.

I know it is the story they want to tell you but it rarely happens in real life. People do not like being in pain. It is easier to write them off as "addicts" then face the fact that we are not giving them pain meds in high enough doses.

[Bob434]

Exactly, see my previous post. Less than 1% become dependent on opioid when they take them as prescribed.. and note, the <1% is “dep3ndent”, and not “addicted”. They become dependent on it for the reasons you mentioned- fear of pain returning, or fear of having to face and overcome their dep3ndence.