Addiction Vs Dependency In Chronic Pain Patients

 

Can Dependency Turn Into Addiction for Chronic Pain Patients?

The most viewed blog post I ever did was about how easy it is to become addicted to opiods, when one suffers from a chronic pain illness.  How my friend Brenda, who I met due to this blog of mine, was an addict and didn't reach out for help.  Unfortunately, Brenda's son walked into her home one day, to find her dead from an accidental overdose.  All Brenda was trying to do, was to find a little relief from the pain she suffered from 24/7, just like I do. Just like a whole lot of us do.  As a person who is in pain daily, I get the want for pain relief.  Even if it isn't totally gone, just a reduction in pain would be very welcomed most days.  Brenda wasn't trying to feel high, nor did she want to die.  She just wanted to live.  Which it's hard to truly live when you're faced with chronic pain 24hrs a day, 7 days a week.  Chronic pain can affect every aspect of life, from how you sleep to how you interact with people. For many people, managing this pain involves taking some form of medication. But, as with any medication, there’s the potential for dependency and even addiction. So what does this mean for chronic pain patients?  I'm not going super indepth with this blog post, but I want to make people aware of what the difference is, between dependency and addiction.  With chronic pain patients, it's a real thin line sometimes.

What is Dependency?

Dependency is when a person relies too heavily on a medication. They may need higher and higher doses to get the same effect or may develop a tolerance to the drug. Dependency can lead to addiction, but it’s important to note that the two are not the same. Addiction is more than just a reliance on a drug, it’s a compulsive behavior that can be hard to break.

Dependency is a serious concern for chronic pain patients. Many of the medications used to manage pain are highly addictive, and it’s easy to develop a dependency on them. Over time, this can lead to an addiction if the person is not careful.  This right here, is what happened to my beautiful Brenda and to many other chronic pain patients.

Risk Factors for Addiction in Chronic Pain Patients

There are certain risk factors for addiction in people with chronic pain. These include depression, anxiety, family history of addiction, a history of substance abuse, and a lack of support. People who are struggling with addiction are also more likely to develop a dependency on pain medications.

It’s important for chronic pain patients to be aware of these risk factors and talk to their doctor about them. Being open and honest about any concerns can help to prevent the development of an addiction. 

Signs of Addiction in Chronic Pain Patients

Chronic pain patients should be aware of the signs of addiction. These include cravings for the drug, an inability to stop taking it, and withdrawal symptoms when not taking it. Other signs include an increase in dosage or frequency of use, as well as an inability to control the amount taken. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

It’s also important to be aware of the signs of addiction in friends and family members. If someone you know is struggling with addiction, it’s important to get them help as soon as possible.  They may not even realize themselves that they've crossed that line from dependency to addiction so if you point out to them, their first reaction may not be accepting.  Please though, if you recognize concerning behaviors in someone you know or love, even if they're not receptive to you speaking up please speak up anyway and don't stop until they've been evaluated by a professional.  Their life very well may depend on this!

Preventing Addiction in Chronic Pain Patients

The best way to prevent addiction in chronic pain patients is to be aware of the risk factors and signs of addiction. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about any concerns and to follow their advice. If you’re prescribed a pain medication, be sure to take it as prescribed and to not increase the dosage without consulting your doctor. I know first hand how easy it is once you've built up tolerance to a drug to think "Oh I'll just take one more.  Just one more, will give me a little relief and let me get through this day".  Please, understand it doesn't work that way. Please don't ever take "just one more" without talking to your physician first.  

It’s also important to have a strong support system. Having friends and family to talk to can help to prevent addiction and to manage pain. Exercise and other activities can also help to manage pain in a healthy way.  There really are so many other things you can add into your daily routine, that by themselves alone or in conjunction with prescription meds, can help you cope with your daily pain and help to give you a quality of life back again.  Some of these things I had read about when I was newly diagnosed and thought "no way in HE!!" would that make my pain go away or help me at all.  Whelp, I truly was just uneducated.  I wanted that one magic little pill that I could swallow and it would cure me or at least make my life tolerable again.  I was looking at this stuff all wrong.  I had no idea how powerful of a tool, the mind truly is.  Once I finally stopped being a stubborn mule and gave alternative therapies a try, I knew this was the path I was supposed to take. Not only to help myself, but to be able to help others as well!  My entire life, I've always been that friend everyone would go to with their problems. I was always that friend, that would give the shirt off their back, to help someone else.  Obviously it should've been a no-brainer for me, that helping others with chronic illness is what I was supposed to do with my life.  I believe there's a "why' for everything.  I believe this is the answser to the "why me" question I asked a million times after my diagnosis.  I had to live it and experience it, so that I could help others.  

Dependency and addiction are serious concerns for chronic pain patients. It’s important for patients to be aware of the risk factors and signs of addiction, and to talk to their doctor about any concerns. If you're timid about talking to your doctor straight off, talk to a friend.  If you're timid about talking to a friend about your concerns, call a hotline where they don't know you.  Just make sure you reach out to someone! -Anyone!  Taking the medication as prescribed and having a strong support system can help to prevent addiction and manage pain in a healthy way.

This is a photo of my beautiful Brenda.  Oh how my heart still hurts, losing her.

I'm going to leave you all with the link to my original post about the dangers of taking prescription pain killers.  The story of my poor friend, Brendam, and how she didn't want to die.  You can access that original post by CLICKING HERE

No matter what you're going through, or whatever you're facing what's the  motto here?  Never Give Up HOPE.  Because without HOPE, you don't have anything!  I'm sending gentle butterfly hugs to all of you! -Remember you can reach out to ME via a comment on this blog, On IG, Twitter, this blog's FB Page, Pinterest, or on my Professional FB Page

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