Painkillers and addiction

stickywicket

Horizon: Addicted to Painkillers? Britain's Opioid Crisis is on BBC Two on Thursday, 16 January, at 21:00 and then available on BBC iPlayer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51108696

mig

Going to have a look at it Sticky.

Airwave!

My mother was addicted to strong painkillers, not a pleasant period in our lives but it did pass by after some years, there is hope.

Many GP’s still haven’t done the Pain courses and had the most recent information on how we the patient is affected by long term use of painkillers. The dosage is not very accurate either for our body sizes.

daffy2

I only saw the last 15 mins or so, but there was some interesting stuff. As always these days there was the problem of online supplies of drugs which, even if the GP etc support was up to strength, will always create problems.
The other thing was the research being done about how mood/emotional state affects perception of, and reaction to, pain. The brain scans of the difference in activity between positive/negative when pain was inflicted(topical hot chilli paste I think they said!) was striking, and didn't have to be depression/euphoria to have an effect; listening to gloomy music and depressing phrases was enough. It won't come as a new idea to us forumites but, as was pointed out, up to now it's been anecdotal rather than scientific trials.
The GP who achieved a dramatic reduction/cessation rate in patients taking excessive opioids was heartening - except for the ongoing issue of lack of resources to implement simple strategies across the NHS for patients needing such interventions. So frustrating as always since progress in the opioid problem would have significant cost benefits, quite apart from the (arguably more important, but not a priority these days it seems) quality of life aspect.
So in some respects nothing new to many of us, but good to have it 'out there', with proof.