Managing your emotional well-being can help improve your pain, though it can be challenging. Finding the right care team is imperative in order to have effective pain management, it is important to treat both conditions to improve quality of life.
Chronic Pain Syndrome
Chronic Pain Syndrome
Chronic pain and mental health conditions often occur together. In fact, research suggests that chronic pain and mental health problems can contribute to and/or exacerbate the other.
People living with chronic pain are at a higher risk for mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. It is estimated 35%-45% of people with chronic pain experience depression. Pain can also be a common symptom among people with anxiety disorder, particularly generalized anxiety disorder. When chronic pain and mental health disorders occur together it is important to address both. Individuals who experience chronic pain may find it difficult to function at home or work. We are here to help and provide the necessary resources to restore hope.
Opioid
Opioid use disorder refers to a condition where individuals become dependent on opioids, leading to significant distress and impairment. Many individuals initially start using opioids for pain management but gradually increase their dosage to achieve the same level of pain relief, eventually becoming reliant on high and destructive doses within a short period of 1 to 8 weeks. Misuse of opioids can quickly result in physical and mental disability, as well as death, depending on the potency of the opioid involved.
Opioids primarily target pain receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as the gastrointestinal tract. These receptors play a role in both the mind-altering and physical effects of opioids.
Opioids are commonly prescribed for pain relief and may also be used to treat diarrhea or suppress coughing. However, they are frequently misused for their euphoric effects. Opioids can be taken orally, injected, or snorted. Examples of opioids include fentanyl, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Common side effects of opioids include itchiness, sedation, nausea, respiratory depression, constipation, and a profound sense of happiness.
Prevalence
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were approximately 47,000 deaths related to prescription or opioid overdose in the United States in 2018. This number was 194% higher than deaths resulting from heroin use and 213% higher than deaths caused by prescription painkillers. The opioid crisis was declared a nationwide public health emergency in late 2017.
Around 4% of individuals develop long-term opioid use following trauma, surgery-related pain, or cancer treatment. Onset of opioid use disorder often occurs during young adulthood, and males are affected more frequently than females.
Preventive measures in the United States to address the opioid crisis include monitoring prescriptions through insurance claims, pharmacy records, and licensed healthcare practices, as well as educating healthcare providers, patients, and the general public about the risks associated with the misuse of prescribed opioids.
Diagnosis of Opioid Dependency:
OUD is a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to distress, with at least two of the following occurring within a 12-month period:
- Taking higher doses to get the desired effect
- Wanting to quit or to control amount used / frequency of use but never succeeding
- Spending a lot of time each day to get, use, or recover from using the opioid
- Strongly craving opioids
- Difficulty fulfilling responsibilities at work, school, or home
- Continuing to use opioids in spite of the social and relational consequences
- Giving up previously enjoyed activities in order to spend more time using opioids
- Putting others in danger by performing life-endangering activities while high — driving, operating heavy machinery, etc.
- Continuing to use opioids despite the obvious physical or mental problems caused by using them
- Tolerance – need for increased amounts to get the same “high”
- Experiencing withdrawal – opioid withdrawal syndrome
- Taking opioids or a similar substance to lessen or avoid withdrawal symptoms
Opioid withdrawal syndrome is characterized by:
- Nausea, vomiting
- Muscle aches, chills, cramps
- Diarrhea
- Trouble sleeping, yawning, restlessness
- Runny nose
- Dilated pupils
- Agitation, irritability, low mood, anxiety, goosebumps
- Severe cravings
Alcohol
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses both dependence on and abuse of alcohol, leading to various mental and physical health issues. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 14.4 million adults aged 18 and above, as well as 401,000 adolescents aged 12-17, were affected by AUD.
Determining the threshold for excessive alcohol consumption:
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines a standard drink as one 12-ounce bottle of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. Men may be at risk of developing AUD if they consume more than 14 standard alcoholic drinks per week, while women may be at risk if they exceed seven drinks.
Prevalence
In the United States, approximately 7% of adults and 3% of individuals aged 12 to 17 are affected by AUD, with a higher prevalence among males compared to females.
The Positive Outlook
Recovery from AUD is possible. Around 33% of individuals treated for AUD experience no further symptoms, and many have successfully reduced their alcohol consumption to healthier levels, even if they experienced occasional relapses on their journey towards recovery.
Symptoms
AUD is often used interchangeably with alcoholism. AUD is now seen as one disorder consisting of alcohol abuse and/or alcohol dependence, with mild, moderate, and severe subclasses.
- Alcohol abuse = repeated alcohol use despite recurrent adverse consequences.
- Alcohol dependence = alcohol abuse + at least three of the following over a one-year period:
- Tolerance – increasingly more amounts of alcohol needed to have the “hit”
- Physiological withdrawal symptoms – excessive sweating, nausea and vomiting, generalized aches and pains, shaking, and sleep disturbances
- Drinking greater amounts of alcohol or over a longer period of time than originally intended
- Unproductive efforts to reduce the amount of alcohol taken or an inability to control use — an intense or strong craving to drink alcohol
- A lot of the day/night spent getting, drinking, or recovering from alcohol use
- Social-, work-, or leisure-related activities ended or lessened – to the extent that one is unable to fulfill one’s responsibilities
- Continued drinking despite awareness of harmful physical, relational, or psychological consequences such as depression or gastrointestinal issues
- Alcohol usage that compromises safety such as when driving, swimming, walking in unsafe areas, operating machines or power tools, or spending time with unknown people