Patients
Eyes Open. Head on.
Did you know 1 in 4 people who take opioids long-term become addicted? How about that more than 46 people die every day (over 16,700 a year) from overdoses involving prescription opioids?
Those are scary numbers, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
The fact of the matter is if you have chronic pain from an injury, back pain, arthritis, or other non-cancer illness, then opioids are most likely not the best option for you. That’s because:
- They don’t help what’s causing your pain.
- They stop working well if you use them every day.
- They are addictive.
- They have serious side effects.
- They are expensive.
Of course, there are times when it makes sense to use an opioid. If you have been prescribed an opioid, understand that you’ve entered into a partnership with your prescriber and have a role to play in keeping yourself, your family, and your community safe. Make sure you and those close to you keep Naloxone on hand. Educate yourself by visiting the pages on Overdose Risk, the Role of the PMP, and the other pages on this site.