LibraryScenariosWhen pain medication changes someone you love and they can't see it
Scenario

When pain medication changes someone you love and they can't see it

My husband has been on opioids for chronic back pain for two years and I'm watching him disappear — he's not the same person, but he says it's the only thing that helps and gets defensive when I bring up my concerns about his dependence.

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More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

The line between managing pain and losing oneself can blur so gradually that love becomes complicity in suffering.

Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Pain — acute and chronic management?”

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.