Pain Killers: A Deadly Addiction
Prescription pain killers help millions of people manage chronic pain due to illness and disease every day. These medications make it possible for people with chronic diseases, injuries or cancer to continue doing the things they enjoy instead of cringing from horrible pain. They also allow comfort for those close to passing and help others heal after surgery. Despite the benefits, millions of prescription pain medications are being over prescribed and misused, creating an epidemic of addicted individuals and causing thousands of deaths each year.
There are two types of painkillers: narcotic opioid drugs and over the counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Aspirin works by going to the site of the pain and blocking pain signals from being sent to the brain. Although we may still have an injury, our body isn't letting our brain know it. Opioids work in a similar manner by blocking pain signals to the brain; however, they also alter the way the pain feels to the brain. This can translate to a feeling of euphoria, reduced inhibitions and a feeling of wellbeing. It is these feelings that drive people to misuse opioids. According to a 2010 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 7 million people in the United States -- or 2.7 percent of the population -- annually abuse prescription drugs (SCIUTO, 2013).
Prescription painkiller overdoses killed nearly 15,000 people in the US in 2008. This is more than 3 times the 4,000 people killed by these drugs in 1999 (Injury Prevention & Control, 2011). Whether the medication is taken for a legitimate illness or illegitimately by someone who is using it for non-medicinal purposes, these drugs are highly addictive and causing deaths.
Some experts state that this epidemic is in fact being blown out of proportion and these medications are in fact not as addictive as we are lead to believe. They believe that most people prescribed the medications do not become addicted. Research does show that if a patient is on a clear plan monitored by a physician, there is a lesser likelihood a patient will form an addiction. The problem lies in the fact that our bodies adjust to opioid use and requires higher doses over time. As a person takes the medication, it naturally forms a dependency. If the opioids are not ingested, the body will go through withdrawal. Withdrawal can cause severe flu like symptoms as well as death. This happens even with physician monitoring. Science has proven that opioid use creates dependency, and dependency turns into addiction
The other overwhelming concern is that many people take the medication without a prescription or seek a prescription when it’s not really needed. More than 12 million people reported using prescription painkillers non-medically in 2010, that is, using them without a prescription or for the feeling they cause (Injury Prevention & Control, 2011). That is an overwhelmingly large number. It is extremely easy to walk into a family practice office and walk out with a prescription for Vicodin or Oxycodone for supposed back pain or codeine cough syrup for a supposed bad cough. Many pain management clinics are taking precautions to weed out possible drug seekers however according to the CDC, Most prescription painkillers are prescribed by primary care and internal medicine doctors and dentists, not specialists. Roughly 20% of prescribers prescribe 80% of all prescription painkillers (Injury Prevention & Control, 2011). Physicians often times are quick to address the risk of dependency; however they are just as quick to write out a prescription. In fact, some physicians even get payout from drug companies to prescribe their medications. All of this makes it much easier to obtain pain medication, even when not medically needed.
Bottom line, prescription pain killers are highly addictive and habit forming whether used by someone who has a legitimate chronic pain issue, or someone seeking the drug for party use. Thousands die each year because of the misuse of a class of drugs intended to do good. The numbers and science can no longer be ignored. When this is realized by all, stricter measures can be put in place to control the misuse and only prescribe to those in absolute need.

Works Cited
Injury Prevention & Control. (2011, December 19th). Retrieved July 22nd, 2013, from Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/
Pain Management Health Center. (2011, August 10th). Retrieved July 21st, 2013, from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/prescription-painkiller-addiction-7-myths?page=4
Painkillers fuel growth in drug addiction. (2011, January). Retrieved July 22nd, 2013, from Harvard Health Publications: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2011/January/painkillers-fuel-growth-in-drug-addiction
Gupta, D. S. (2012, November 12th). Gupta: Let's end the prescription drug death epidemic. Retrieved July 22nd, 2013, from CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/14/health/gupta-accidental-overdose
Kritz, F. (2013, February 15th). Is Your Doctor Getting Paid by Big Pharma? Retrieved July 21st, 2013, from Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/doctor-getting-paid-big-pharma-223900645.html
SCIUTO, L. (2013, April 30th). PBS Newshour. Retrieved July 21st, 2013, from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/04/which-prescription-drugs-do-americans-abuse-most.html