Not only is chronic pain real, but it can be debilitating. When it gets to be too much, you may visit your doctor for help. However, far too many physicians quickly reach for the prescription pad to provide you with opioid painkillers. You’re now only a step away from possibly falling victim to prescription drug abuse.
Understanding the Connection between Pain Management and Prescription Drug Abuse
Research suggests that one in four patients using opioid painkillers will develop an addiction. Inadequate pain management is the primary reason. The pills don’t stop the pain, and instead trick the brain into believing that you’re feeling well. In the process, the drugs gradually rewrite some of your brain’s chemistry.
Not only that, but your body builds a tolerance to the medication as well. You may suddenly realize that you don’t get as much relief from your standard dose. A doctor’s most typical course of action is to increase the dose. In the process, he or she also increases your risk of forming a dependence.
What’s missing from the treatment is teaching individuals how to manage varying degrees of pain. While the pills take the edge off, they don’t address the true cause of the problem. They also don’t help you explore other pain management options.
Accounting for Addictive Tendencies
Following this thought process, you might wonder why more people don’t fall victim to prescription drug abuse. Scientists have yet to find the actual addiction gene. However, they do suggest that it’s possible to predict with some accuracy who might develop a dependence. Examples of potential factors include a family history of substance abuse and prior personal drug misuse.
Another risk factor is the possibility of an underlying mental health problem. When working with program participants at a rehab facility, the presence of a possible mental illness creates a dual diagnosis. In order to give individuals the best chance of recovery, therapists must work with both conditions rather than just focusing on the addiction alone. One may cause or worsen the other—and it’s not always clear which one was there first.
Getting Help for the Pain and a Prescription Drug Addiction
Many addiction treatment programs fail to present a comprehensive pain recovery program to participants. Although these facilities may succeed in short-term detoxification, they don’t help in the long run. What happens when patients returns to the doctor who prescribes opioid drugs again? How can he or she effectively deal with the pain?
At Ashley Addiction Treatment, we offer programs that provide individuals with real freedom from the condition. Our approaches include:
- Customized conditioning plans that factor your current state of health, strength and physical needs
- Specialized pain management approaches to assist you in reaching a pain-free or pain-controlled state of being
- Holistic care that includes physical therapy, reflexology, yoga and massage
- Workshops that help participants understand pain and their options
- Medical care, including onsite detoxification, that helps you overcome your dependence on opioid painkillers
If you or a loved one struggle with painkiller addiction, there’s hope in the form of help. Don’t lose another day of life because of a treatable medical condition. Call Ashley Addiction Treatment at 866-313-6307 today and start your journey on the road to recovery!