Addiction VS physical dependence of narcotics

[NurseTracy]

I have been reading a lot of posts by people claiming to be addicted to their pain meds because they have withdrawl symptoms if they don't take them. PEOPLE, addiction is a psychological behavior where people consume the narcotic after the illness/injury has healed and pain has subsided. Addicts take these meds for the euphoria they produce and not for the control of acute or chronic pain. NOW, narcotic dependence, meaning someone takes the narcotic for pain in order to live some semblance of a normal life with limited pain, will cause withdrawl symptoms if the narcotic is either drastically reduced at one time or stopped all together. Dependence does not usually require any form of treatment or withdrawl program, in a hospital or at home, unless that dependence is bordering addiction.

Please, people, understand your medical conditions and your use of medications. There is no need to suffer because you depend on a medication to live.......after all, if you had to depend on insulin shots ( for diabetes) to live you would take those shots, right?

I'm not trying to sound condescending or like ya'all are idiots, etc.......you are very smart people but many times people, doctors included, don't explain the difference between dependence and addiction and will even use these words interchangeably. Learn the difference.......you don't need to suffer needlessly!

From one chronic pain patient to another.

[vicki595]

I've got to tell you Tracy...to address the forum "PEOPLE" sets a tone that, to me, sounds like a lecture...thanks for thinking about this though...

[kyle505]

I agree, and have suggested just that to people who have legit pain issues and need meds to either maintain a good quality of life or need to work a PT program in order to recover. But, there is a very slim line between abuse/dependance and addiction, and no one can tell when someone has stepped over that line. Thus it's very important to stop meds when the pain is gone, or at least when it is manageable with OTC meds.
Thanks for the post.
K

[vicki595]

Thank you for the tutorial-  it was a reminder of what we often talk about here...