[maxheadroom]

>A perfect storm of prescription opioids, government prohibition, and cheap/plentiful Chinese and Mexican fentanyl.

I think it's actually the fact that the war on opioids has translated into a war on prescription pain drugs, in general.

So, when you're a chronic pain sufferer and have gone without and you get ahold of something - anything - to remediate the pain, you're far more likely to take a little extra just to get the pain to STFU for a while so you can do things like sleep through the night for the first time in seemingly forever.

I've heard tales of American veterans (through the VA) being referred to things like yoga to manage their chronic pain, when it's entirely due to neurological damage and things like yoga will do fuck-all to help with that.

Is it any wonder then that people might be more liable to OD when they obtain something to try to manage the pain that otherwise never ceases?

I'd say it is a fundamental issue in American society (the war on opioids translating into no pain management medications whatsoever) with callous indifference - rather than anything else.

[pkaye]

I think it is also the lack of sick leave for many Americans so they take a quick pill to recover. Sometimes your body can recover by itself if only given time and physical therapy.

I had some excruciating peroneal tendonitis that made it hard for me to walk on rough surfaces. Foot doctor said the best treatment was a walking cast, rest and daily exercise. Fortunately my employer allows me to work from home as needed so I could give my foot a rest for a few weeks. But not everyone has access to that. Imagine if you are a server at a restaurant on your foot all day.

[maxerickson]

I used self guided physical therapy to improve a chronic nerve pain issue. I'm glad I had very moderate pain and a moderate accompanying physical issue, and I wouldn't want it to be the only option in a more severe situation, but it's not useless either.