“I wound up in the hospital. I had everything happening – my body completely fell apart.”
The NHS explains that opioids are “very good” for dealing with acute pain, but there is very little evidence to suggest that they are helpful for long-term chronic pain. Despite this, they are widely prescribed for this reason. In fact, opioid prescribing more than doubled in the period between 1998 to 2018. This has been referred to as an opioid epidemic in the UK.
Since then, the government and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have become aware of the harm that can occur as a result of prescribing the drug, and now ensures that packs of opioid medication carry clear warnings about the risks of addiction and dependence.
Medical professionals are also advised to discuss with the patient the risks and features of tolerance, dependence, and addiction, and agree together a treatment strategy and plan for end of treatment.
