Dopesick is killing people with chronic pain.
In the last six months, things have spiraled out of control with regards to the opioid crisis hysteria. The release of “Dopesick” has created armchair addiction and pain experts. They believe Dopesick is a documentary even though it’s an entertainment show. Don’t you dare tell them that though, they’ll accuse you of being an addict or being a shill for big pharma (however that works). With the opioid crisis, the line between fiction and reality is blurred, and that means that people in pain are suffering even more.
No one is listening to people with chronic pain, thanks to Dopesick
No one is listening to the people in pain crying out. Our voices are yelling louder and louder, and in stronger numbers than ever before, but they pretend we don’t exist. They listen and believe nothing but a TV show. The data never matters (it’s made up), people’s experiences never matter (either made up or irrelevant), but they’re convinced that Hollywood is the one telling the truth. Meanwhile, pain patients die as the misinformation from Dopesick spreads despite the evidence.
I’ve written a million blog posts disproving Dopesick’s claim that “Less than 1% of people in pain experience addiction” is a Sackler family lie. It’s not. Peer-reviewed studies continue to find this to be true. Dr. Nora Volkow and Dr.Thomas McLellan of the National Institute on Drug Abuse wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016 that:
But that doesn’t help sell a Television show.
No one is listening to the people in pain crying out. Our voices are yelling louder and louder, and in stronger numbers than ever before, but people pretend we don't exist. Click To TweetMore about the opioid crisis
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Dopesick further demonizes the medication chronic pain patients need to survive
My favorite Dopesick addiction experts on social media are touting the “pain medication should never be used in any circumstances ever,” school of thought. It doesn’t matter to these people how many pain patients are dying of suicide due to pain. It doesn’t matter how many people face long and difficult recoveries from surgery due to pain torture. It doesn’t even matter that cancer patients are suffering with no treatment for their pain. In the name of saving people with addiction, the twitter experts are willing to kill pain patients along the way (this is directly from their mouths). Still, it’s not even about people with addiction any more. If it was we’d develop resources to actually help people with addictions instead of throwing them in jail. Meanwhile,
According to the American Council on Science and Health:
Prescriptions of opioids per 100 persons have dropped nearly 50 percent since 2012. Almost simultaneously the overdose rate has surged from roughly 40,000 in 2012 to 93,000 in 2020. Meanwhile, pain patients suffer from pain and mental anguish—especially veterans—as doctors abruptly taper or deny opioids to treat their pain.
Things are incredibly bleak for the pain community right now. There were some glimmers of progress before Dopesick, but those glimmers have faded away into the night, and it’s a dark one.
Dopesick’s narrative also contributes to the deaths of people experiencing addiction
I often wonder if thirty years from now children will learn in history class what a disaster the “opioid crisis” was and how the media perpetrated it. Will anyone ever bother to collect the statistics of how many pain patients die of suicide, and how many people with addiction die of tainted supply? Because in the name of “saving” people with addiction, they’re actually killing them. Removing safe drugs from the market creates poor quality replacements significantly likely to kill. We learned this lesson in the prohibition era when distilleries poisoned customers. As prescription levels drop, overdose deaths go up because of dangerous illegal Fentanyl laced drugs produced in China or Mexico on the cheap.
The media is accountable for the damage they are perpetuating by their moral panicking and misinformation.
Do chronic pain patients have any hope left?
Despite the current bleakness, there is always hope. When I started blogging about the opioid crisis in 2015, I couldn’t find hardly any chronic illness bloggers like me covering it. On social media, most people had no idea about the pain medication crackdown, but thanks to the efforts of many pain advocates the word is getting out. Sometimes I’ll even find an article in the media about our suffering, though it never stops them from sensationalizing the crisis of opioids’ mere existence.
My hope is that one day the moral hysteria will pass and people will move on to another manufactured crisis. That day may not come soon, but I know I’ll keep fighting until it does.
I have not seen Dopesick, but you are correct that it is nearly impossible to get safe pain medication today. 11 years ago I was able to get Vicodin for my C-section, and also to help my husband who was stuck on his back on the floor in pain (I called an ambulance and they were not going to be able to make it to the third floor of our apartment). Since then, it has never been an option again.
You are also correct that noone listens to people with chronic pain. My husband and daughter have both been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia/Amplified Pain Syndrome. They have been to so many specialists and no-one has helped them. Most doctors don’t listen and take the pain seriously. The most help we had for my daughter was from a Pediatric Physical Therapist that had worked for a pain clinic prior, and a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. Unfortunately the pandemic happened, and then we moved, so she is no longer receiving that wonderful care.
Our saltwater pool heated to 90 or above has been the most help (chlorine pools bother her). I tried 3 different dogs since small lap dogs can be good for those with pain, and unfortunately she had an allergy problem with them all. I’ve also read laughter and adrenaline are good for the pain, which is probably why my husband loves riding motorcycles. Thank you for your articles which have educated me. It is so painful for me to see them in pain and so frustrating when most people don’t believe it is real. I am always trying to read and find ways for them to cope. I am so sorry to you and the millions of others that live with this chronic pain daily and I am praying for a cure every day.
I was able to get pain meds for my c-section 11 years ago as well. My little sister was recently offered only Tylenol for hers, and I couldn’t believe it!
I’m so sorry your husband and daughter are having to deal with this. Moving always throws everything in the air since you have to start all over again to find the right doctors. I hope they’re able to get some assistance soon.
I saw a trailer for Dopesick a few weeks ago and immediately said that the show would do even more damage by hurting people who genuinely need medication. People who don’t live with pain see shows like that and think it’s good that they are tackling the addiction crisis. They have no idea that people with severe chronic pain are being refused medication. They see only the addiction side and presume everyone who takes pain meds must be addicted. Hopefully, one day common sense and humanity will prevail.
Things were starting to get better awareness wise before Dopesick, but I think it’s done considerable damage to the way people in pain are perceived. I’m anxiously awaiting the day that the tide turns back in the other direction!
Since 2007 I have been suffering with Chronic Fatigue (along with a prior diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 90s) but before that I had not really needed medical care or treatment. I occasionally would take an excedrin migraine for my migraines but for the most part I was considered healthy. I had No real feel for Doctors, Medical Staff, Treatment etc or Patients Rights and a Physicians Oath. I had always believed if you needed a Doctor then you go, you follow what you are told, you accept what the Doctor deems acceptable, you listen they speak, and you did not question anything along the way. The Doctor, Staff, and Office or Hospital or Pharmacy are the professionals afterall.
Now I am here to say after years of experience, experiences that have Not been the best in many many cases, I could smack myself for being so ignorant & compliant to the abusive nature & treatment i have received! Being Dismissed, Being Berated, Being Humiliated, Being Passed Off, Being Ignored, Being Subjected to hurdles to jump leaps & bounds for very minimal care and no compassion or understanding…all in an effort to feel any relief from the painful misery that was my life, to replace some kind of quality to my life, to try to be something similar to the person I was before! For over 3+ years I was very much bedridden, a relcuse (which was Not me), suffering alone while trying to hide my shame & painfully excruciating state of being through a “happy face” mask! I felt like a burden for all (tbh “all” made sure i was made aware of it, an inconvenience, a hysterical woman, a less than nothing of importance, a useless blob who had no reason for being other than to suffer & suck up air! I became an even more broken person not only physically but mentally due to lack of care and caring I received. Abused & Neglected is what comes to mind when I think of that time period
As of 2007- present I suffer daily with not only Physical Chronic Pain but the mental fog/anxiety/depression (not a fan of this term but it is what it is)/etc, and emotional anguish brought on by my degenerative health, situation, society, medical “professionals”, family & friends (yes even the people who are suppose to love me unconditionally have judged or dismissed me without any information or knowledge health status…yet why not because as you see listed previously the medical community who should be working with me has had a negative impact smh), and ofc our unethical, invasive unnecessarily influencimg Government has deemed fit to offer interference in medical care/treatment of Chronic Pain Patients! *sorry my frustration is showing again* Over the years, the care/treatment has fluctuated, I compare it to a Rollercoaster ride you can’t get off of, periods of good care, to better care, to less care, to wanting to reduce care/treatment (not because my condition has improved-actually it has progressed & is not a condition that improves only worsens) but due to fear, outside opinions, insurance, guidelines, patience, etc…
When will it ever be safe to be a Chronic Pain Patient?
When will CPP care/treatment be at a humane level?
When will “they” be held accountable for Pain caused?
When will CPP assumptions & abuse stop? Etc Etc Etc
….sadly idk but I do know finding advocates (like here), correct information, CPP testimonials, a supportive community, a voice to be heard, and a place to come together as a powerful collective group for change gives me something to hold on to on my bad days-Hope!