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Monday, August 21. 2017

Opiode abuse and addiction


Sally Satel: Taking On the Scourge of Opioids:



 Much of the conventional wisdom surrounding the opioid crisis holds that virtually anyone is at risk for opioid abuse or addiction — say, the average dental patient who receives some Vicodin for a root canal. This is inaccurate, but unsurprising. Exaggerating risk is a common strategy in public-health messaging: The idea is to garner attention and funding by democratizing affliction and universalizing vulnerability. But this kind of glossing is misleading at best, counterproductive at worst. To prevent and ameliorate problems, we need to know who is truly at risk to target resources where they are most needed.


In truth, the vast majority of people prescribed medication for pain do not misuse it, even those given high doses. 


Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 18:27 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

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Exaggerating risk is common in all politicized efforts. Scare tactics work. Government gives you money.
#1 Bird Dog on 2017-08-21 18:49 (Reply)
doctors who prescribe opioids over 5 milligrams are contacted by the Feds. Makes opioids non-effective for most. Advis is better.

Along same lines, while being wheeled out of operating room DR asks me if I smoke. Said "yes" (occasional Cigar) Told me that was a big factor in the blocking of my carotted artery. seemed unlikely. checked with nurse who told me they are instructed to tell patients that no matter what disease..."If 1 person quits smoking...." scientist becomes propagandist for my own good.
#1.1 damian mcglynn on 2017-08-22 09:59 (Reply)
This hysteria is harming patients with serious pain. I'm glad I'm not a pain specialist.
#2 Mike K (Link) on 2017-08-21 20:52 (Reply)
Thinking more about this. I have had plenty of opiates for dental fixes. Had zero interest in using more. Some people like this stuff more than others, like some people crave sweets and some do not.

Pain relief is one of the blessings of modern medicine.
#2.1 Bird Dog on 2017-08-22 07:59 (Reply)
Have had lower back, gall bladder, hernia, and pacemaker surgery over the years. Don't know what they gave me in the hospital, but all those painkiller prescriptions they gave me went straight to the shredder as soon as I got home. I'm one of those lucky people who don't seem to have much pain, or can bear it, or whatever. May run into something that causes unbearable pain, but so far it's never bothered me much.
#3 BillH on 2017-08-22 10:18 (Reply)
I had a hydrocodone prescription last year when I was fighting shingles. (Side note, if you're 50+, get the shingles vaccine! That was the most miserable, long lasting pain I've ever experienced).

I took the pills on days when the pain was otherwise unbearable, but that stuff scared the crap out of me. I was in the middle of a personal project to sort out an old baseball card collection, and most of the work and decisions I made during that time have had to be undone later, when I could think clearly.

Totally different feel than the buzz from a couple of drinks. Alcohol takes my introverted inhibitions down a couple of notches, but I'm still me just with super analytical part of my brain screaming from the sidelines rather than in the driver's seat. Hydros made me feel weird, stupid, and incapable of critical thought. My analytical component wasn't shouting from the sidelines, he was bound, gagged, and stuffed into a closet until the hydros wore off.

I took them as sparingly as possible. I don't enjoy not being me.
#4 Aaron (Link) on 2017-08-22 11:57 (Reply)

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