[circa9870]

I have noticed that people on this site seem to not make a differentiation between dependence and addiction. Just about anyone who takes a medication like opiates or benzos for an extended period of time will develop a dependence to that medication meaning that if you stop or lower the dose to quickly withdrawal symptoms will occur. Lots of meds cause dependence, antidepressants (SSRIs), lyrica and many others, not just narcotics.THIS IS NORMAL! THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT NECESSARILY ADDICTED! Addiction occurs when a patient begins to raise their dose without first consulting their doctor, they find multiple sources for the drug without their primary doctors knowledge (doctor shopping), they lie about their usage, and they will not stop using the medication when the doctor stops the treatment. Addiction is psychological whereas dependence is physical. Dependence is an unavoidable consequence of opioid therapy.

So when people are afraid that their loved one is 'addicted' to their pain medicine, it is vital that they make sure that they are not mistaking dependence for addiction. So it is absolutely vital that someone makes sure that their loved one is actually ADDICTED before they become very worried and stage an intervention or tell the person's doctor that they are addicted (this can have terrible consequence for the person, like them not being able to recieve adequate pain treatment again). Making this distinction is vital.

I hope that everyone can understand the difference here because it is very important to see that not everyone who is dependent is addicted, and in fact, very few are, a large study I read said around 4% of chronic pain patients on opiates.

I hope everybody has a wonderful day,
Circa

[mpvt]

Good point Circa and "Yes" it is mentioned from time to time but your right.
Alot of people don't realize that most chronic pain patients are dependent on their narcotic pain killers.
The difference between dependence and addiction is usually detectable by behaviour.
There is a distinct difference though in that a addict usually doesnt go through the dependence period if you know what I mean.You don't normally see a chronic pain patient whose been taking narcotic pain killers for years suddenly turn to addiction.In my opinion the addiction is there at birth and it's just a matter of turning the switch on(for lack of a better term or way to put it).......Dave

[jscottb]

My biggest problem is that I am addicted to a medicine I need--opioids. I became addicted to them before I developed chronic lumbar spine pain. I had used just about everything, and never became addicted to anything. I could take it or leave it. Hydrocodone, prescribed to me for wisdom tooth surgery, was an absolutely beautiful high. I was not addicted immediately, though. It was just that over the next few years I became somewhat comsumed with pain killers. Long story, short--I went way overboard and called in false prescriptions on my late father's DEA Number (He was an internist). Several years, and arrests, later, I am still struggling with the pain medicine I now NEED. I get my monthly script of 120 Percocet 10/325's and they last two weeks. I still love getting the high, but I'm doing myself a disservice. Now that I'm in chronic pain, I can live with the dependence, but need to eliminate the addictive and drug-seeking behavior that occurs when I go through my script two weeks early. Addiction, for me, came first. And now I'm cursed because of no self-control. Opioids for me are pure Love/Hate.

[mpvt]

Methadone would likely serve your needs Jscottb!! If you are a chronic pain patient then you know that percocets alone aren't very good and the longer you take them the less usefull they become(tolerence).So you know your going to need a opiate for the rest of your life and you know that you're likey going to abuse every perscription and\or pills you buy.
This is were methadone comes in.It eliminates that destructive behaviour and lets you get on with the important things in life.It is also a very powerful pain killer.
Thyere are other methods of narcotic pain control such as the fentanyl patch,morphine pump,sustained release opiates like ms contin,kadian and oxycontin.All of these have there good and bad points as does methdone.
One being that methadone is tough to come off once you've been on it awhile but if your a chronic pain patient that really doesn't apply.
You're already addicted and since you've been addicted for multiple years makes you a good canidate for methadone.Good luck on whatever you decide!!!!Chronic pain is tough to live with for sure but for me after 23 years of taking handfuls of opiates these last 5+ years on methadone half been the best years of my life.My pain is under control and the dysphoria I had from years of abuse is totally gone....Dave

[Rossee]

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Normally people will get addicted due to many distress like if some thing they except and that doesn't happen as they think of, or because of hatred and so on. These things can be easily corrected or get well by doing meditation, yogas or true caring, and by giving the exact treatment to get out of that evil habits.

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