Health

it's not just overuse. I mean, I still can't see how this can be a party drug or why anyone would want to take more of them. Just taking what I need for pain makes me fight sleepiness and inertia. I still contend that those in chronic pain, when denied the meds that help them cope with that pain for a long enough period of time, will seek other avenues just to put a damper on the pain. Real chronic pain is not something that comes and goes. And, when left untreated, the pain levels can get out of control. When faced with the reality of unremitting pain day after day, night after sleepless night, the mind will turn to other ways to alleviate it.

I can see an overdose happening to a CPP if one "forgets" but my goddess, it's not like one swallows a handful, unless you intend to do that. And then you have other problems that started long before ever ingesting a pain pill. And yes, those individuals need help beyond a pain pill; but I'm getting militant enough about this to say it should *not* be at the expense of those of us who suffer from debilitating pain. Yet, -that- is what is happening today. Ask any of us if we were ready to be booted out of our jobs and careers. I ended up leaving a job I really enjoyed because of my disease, simply because they wouldn't accommodate my disability. And yes, I could have fought it and I may have won the case, but limited means to pursue it and with the stress of the situation throwing me into the constant flares meant they finally wore me down enough to just say "shove it" and take early retirement. At least I was old enough to do that. There are many more out there in the same boat who can't. And attempting to get disability without lawyers is less than useless, I'm convinced. There are too many people who are being turned away as druggies who only want to function, yet our voice is not heard. We don't have a large presence at these discussions, tho I think there may be one group who attempts it. I'm saying don't throw us away and treat us like we don't matter - or worse - simply because we don't fit neatly in a regulated box.