>>Some got on the binge because of football or work-place injuries, and found that it was the only way to control the pain.
So, while we are doing our hand-wringing over this crisis, how do we help these people who have legitimate pain? Do we insist that they take liver and kidney destroying levels of NSAIDS just so we can feel good about how they die? Do we make them suffer until they become a suicide statistic?
These articles on opioids never address that. They just demonize the doctors and the victims.
From what I gather, that might be happening - the pendulum might be swinging back too far. Also, as I understand, the problem now is with drugs like fentanyl, and less with prescription medications.
https://www.aei.org/publication/some-people-still-need-opioids/
Chronic pain can and will drive you insane.
Effin Zactly...
Why did this pop up all of a sudden? What did we do 30 years ago? What changed in pain management where people drift to heroin to deal with it?
The people overdosing aren’t all in so much pain that options are the only option. We had a gal where I used to work who had a prescription for oxy, but sold it on the street. She had “ unmanageable pain”, and we had to let her fail drug test after test, while she bought heroin and sold oxy. It ended when she crashed.
but we prescribe the narcs like blinking an eye...
I've seen a guy with a prescription of 320mg of oxycodone a day, and he still was an unhappy person and needing more..
Of course not. It's just the same old Prohibitionist hysteria.
The government doesn't belong anywhere near the doctor-patient relationshhip, and the vast bulk of the problems emerge because of that interference.
The same old nanny-state Tyrannical mentality is all that anyone can ever think of.
You know why so many people turn to heroin? Because the DEA intimidates doctors, pharmacies, and patients to the point where they can't even receive legal pain management.
The fact that there will always be fools who abuse their "medicine" or "escape" doesn't mean that others shouldn't be left the f-ck alone.
Many people are driven to suicide by their inability to manage pain, and many more die because they've turned to street drugs as an alternative.
Those who can't handle their meds should go in to rehab—not prison...