“How can you avoid addiction to painkillers or another relapse?”
“What if you’re struggling with pain issues in early recovery?”
“What are your options and how do you approach this?”
“Who’s on your side?
“Who do you trust?”
“Do you trust yourself?”
“How do you bring it up?”
Chronic Pain, Addiction & Mental Health--How Are They Related? Let's Discuss Common Crossroads
While we all have different tolerance levels for pain, the use of narcotic pain killers is not your only option for relieving pain. It’s important to remember that if addressing pain successfully, it’s crucial to find the root cause. Is pain being caused by a neurological, metabolic, or inflammatory process? Your healthcare provider can help you figure this out.
There are different types of pain given any number of root causes. Its also important to remember people can have acute pain or chronic pain. Acute pain can also turn into chronic pain, based on how your body processes this over time.
Sometimes, depending on the root cause, opioid pain medications may be considered to address pain issues. It’s important to remember opioid pain medications may not be effective for treating all types of pain. Long-term these medications can also have serious side effects. Opioid pain medications can also be misused, if not taken as directed or end up in the wrong hands. There is also an increased addiction risk when taking these medications if you have a family history or a personal history of addiction. If your doctor is considering prescribing you opioids, be vigilant and proactive. It’s important to have open communication and dialogue.
Tips & Strategies
How to Avoid Relapse & Still Get Appropriate Treatment for Pain
- You need to be informed of what to expect during the evaluation process, and your health care team needs to be in the loop about your entire medical and mental health/addiction history. The more forthcoming you are about your mental health or addiction history with your healthcare provider, the better they can appropriately assess which pain medications or interventions may work best for you. Don’t get stuck behind the stigma, be open with your healthcare provider about your medical and mental health history, so they can best help you!
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Pick Your Team Wisely. Not every healthcare provider understands mental health and addiction issues. Work with a team you feel comfortable with, and who will partner with you on treating the whole person, addressing both mental health and physical health together. Treating the whole person holistically leads to much better health outcomes. Work with a health care team who takes the time to listen to your concerns, remains non-judgmental, and takes a careful history and screens for possible risk factors that may increase the chance of misusing or becoming addicted to painkillers.
- Look at ALL your treatment options. Regardless of which procedure, intervention or medication is being considered to address the pain, make sure your healthcare team explains all the risks, benefits, alternatives to treatment, and risks associated with not having any treatment at all. Make sure you understand the side effects of any medications discussed or proposed. You should leave the discussion feeling like you have options. Why? Because everybody should have options! Safe and effective treatments for pain are available and should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
- Build Your Resilience. Invest more time and resources towards your mental health and recovery. Perhaps you have become complacent in your program or recovery recently? Or haven’t seen your psychiatrist in a few months? Stopped therapy? It doesn’t hurt to reschedule another appointment with your mental health professionals, and if in a self-help program, perhaps attending more meetings, talking with your sponsor or getting more involved in fellowship can also help. This way, you remain focused, centered, your thoughts and feelings remain checked, and you are not making decisions based on resentments, fears, or excessive catastrophizing. Do some good mental health housekeeping to keep those negative thoughts and fears away!
- Always Prioritize Self-Care. It’s important to embrace a healthy mind, body and spirit. Do what makes you feel happy to be alive! Regular exercise, eating a healthy diet loaded with anti-inflammatory foods, meditate when you can—all these things can help re-center your mind and body. Consider going outside your comfort zone, perhaps join a new yoga class, go on a long walk, or cook from a new recipe online. Doing what you enjoy and keeping up with self-care, reduces stress and can have a huge impact on alleviating depression, anxiety, and sleep issues.
