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Accidental prescription overdoses are the 2nd leading cause of accidental death. Make sure you know how to reduce the chances that your house will be the next. Read More
Articles like this always
Articles like this always fall short because their overwhelming message is highly dismissive of the reason people take painkillers to begin with. They are in pain. And then a bunch of people who don't have pain issues read it and it only adds to their impression of the negative effects of painkiller use.
What I wouldn't give to see an article speaking up for people with pain conditions instead of chiding us like kids who've gotten into the liquor cabinet.
Think about it. How would you feel if a lifesaving medication you took was constantly in the media about its negative effects.
There are millions and millions of people who successfully use painkillers. And in case you didn't know, most of them still don't get pain relief, they just get as much relief as it'll give them.
Stories like these are the reason I barely disclose to anyone I know that I have chronic pain and take medication for it. I don't need a lecture or an educational smackdown, I need sympathy.
true
Thanks for writing anonymous - I completely get your point and if you check out a recent interview I did on Good Morning America I give that exact answer when the host asks me who is to blame for these overdoses. The vast majority of people who take pain medication do it for pain and are properly managed. That doesn't take away the 12,000 accidental deaths from this stuff every year. I think people need to be aware of both angles and I'm sorry if I didn't give equal coverage to both. I was trying to cover a recent piece and probably focused more on its message.
Staying Safe
I think it's hard to stay safe when many will become addicted to opioids the minute they start taking them. The best way to stay safe is to avoid these drugs all together and look for other safer alternatives that won't lead to dependence and addiction.
Opiate Addiction
I really enjoyed this article and it has excellent advice to avoid addiction. I only have one concern; do we know for sure that some people are predisposed to addiction such that like alcohol they are addicted at first use?
I also wonder how much the drug companies know about addiction that they aren't sharing but instead exploiting for their own purposes. Much as cigarette companies do as it relates to nicotine.
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