Thread by @ravensspirit68

"Drug Seeker" Part II

Things became untenable for me in 2014 and I opted out after an appointment where thinly veiled accusations were levied at me by my doctor.

She told me if I was doing nothing wrong, I shouldn’t have a problem with drug testing to ‘prove’ I wasn’t one of ‘THOSE’ people. Well, I did have a problem with it.

I began writing articles about my experiences, submitting formal complaints, speaking out online, opening up friends & family, & contacting elected officials. Ironically, I received very negative responses for my efforts, even by some of my own family members

I was confronted by derision from fellow pain patients who accused me of doing something wrong because I refused to go along with the program. I faced direct accusations that maybe I WAS an ‘addict’ since I was against drug testing in order to receive needed medicines.

The insults and attacks on my character have been relentless. People seemed to have swallowed what I call the GREAT OPIOID LIE hook, line, and sinker.

BECOMING AN ADVOCATE

As I’ve fought for myself & the pain community to try to regain access to the medicines we need to function, I’ve also been doing my best to help raise awareness about addiction as I have several family members who are battling addiction.

My advocacy on that front has added a new layer of perspective and judgement by others in both the pain community and the addiction community, as many in the pain community blame people with addiction for what is happening to them; another dangerous and misguided notion.

From real life experience as someone who worked in the medical field, as a patient who took prescribed opioids for pain, and as someone who loves people struggling with addiction, drug addiction is not about the drug per se. Prescriptions medicines don’t ‘cause addiction’.

And the notion that ‘over prescribing’ caused the ‘crisis’ should be stopped immediately. Addiction is far more nuanced than mere access to substances.

With regard to prescribing, it’s also important to understand that pain and anxiety can’t be measured in the same ways that other symptoms can. There is no definitive objective clinical test to evaluate the severity of someone’s pain.

In fact, pain and pain response is incredibly subjective from person to person. In the past a doctor usually relied on the patient’s explanation of pain to decide whether opioids were indicated.

The blaming and persecution of doctors for the fact that a small percentage of people become addicted MUST STOP. It has done harm to doctors’ ability to treat pain patients & has done nothing to reduce stigma toward people who use drugs nor foster real help those in recovery.

Bottom line, we need to TREAT PAIN. If a person is treated for pain and is the small percent of those who develop addiction issues, treat their addiction.

I’m also going to add this, & it may upset a few folks. If someone comes in & games the system by saying they have severe pain or anxiety in order to get opioids or benzodiazepines to get high or to obtain drugs in their addiction process, that’s not on the doctor.

In regard to obtaining a prescription to get high, at least it’s a safe supply. One could say a form of harm reduction.
In regard to addiction, blaming helps no one, it’s deflection & avoidance of a necessary part of self-examination & evaluation where recovery is concerned.

Without some measure of personal accountability, from what I’ve seen, recovery is difficult if not impossible. Just my two cents on the subject for what it’s worth.

‘DRUG SEEKERS’ BEWARE
Tomorrow, part III

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