The Opiate Epidemic, How Did We Get Here?

WHY ARE WE STILL HERE? –

Oct. 18, 2022 – As a person that has gone through a serious addiction to opioid medication, I can say that at first, it is not as bad as some people make it out to be at first. In fact, I controlled it successfully for many years but then something changed. Yes, there are risks associated with taking them, but there are also risks with not taking them. For example, if a person has chronic pain and is not put on opioid medication, they may end up in more pain than they were before. Additionally, opioids have been shown to help improve a person’s mood and overall quality of life. So, while there are great risks associated with taking opioids, there are also risks with not taking them in certain situations.

Ultimately, it is up to the individual and their doctor to decide whether or not an opioid medication is right for them. I remember when my doctor prescribed me Oxycontin to help me with my pain after surgery. I was skeptical at first, but I was assured that it wasn’t addictive and that it would help me get through the healing process. Boy, was I wrong falling for their BS? Not only was the drug addictive, but it also didn’t even help relieve the pain as promised, in retrospect, it caused so much more pain in my life. It has been years since I’ve taken Oxycontin, but the memories of how terrible it made me feel still linger. Apparently, I’m not alone in this experience – many doctors now know that Oxycontin is not non-addictive as Purdue Pharma claimed. So why did they continue to prescribe it to patients? That’s a question that we need to ask as we head into the election season who is beholding to big pharma and why?