Chronic Pain – The war on narcotics / abuse – stigma go hand in hand
See the below article.
Post (1 of 2)
Which I take pause with in part re: psychologically related in all cases and also take pause as with a comment made in the APA (american pain society) [see next post]
Because of the futility of explaining chronic pain both due to language and to minds, almost without exception* I ceased to speak of my chronic pain.
Despite societies adapting – 1000+ words for snow to ennuis or waves/ water to native Hawaiians – so pain should now have grown in the number and specificity of meaning.
Stigma follows ignorance. I suffer daily from sensations which hurt me, move, change, vary in severity. Sometimes I suffer invisibly and sometimes I cannot hide it. Yet discriminated or stigmatized at least once as everyone w chronic pain has suffered. So much suffering and unwillingness, apathy, closed minds, power, and lack of understanding/misunderstanding are walls in the way of equality and freedom and rights to x and y.
Monthly at the pharmacy I leave angry and admittedly ashamed for being a drug user in the eyes of 1+ pharmacy member. Upon seeing this Rx for “that” drug, I immediately feel or see the gaze on me. Some sly but usually a point to be made or said – 50/50 indirectly and directly. Shamed status of drug abuser. As if I or any want pain to get street drugs w a script.
This feel like a hurdle in the way of even an open discussion on pain, as society so melts these two together- pain + abuse + drugs/narcotics.No matter which pharmacy, I am looked at by some pharmacy staff who looks or maybe says and I certainly feel culturally or medically.
I try to express to those who ask and care. I am also not singular but a pool of people increasingly considered overlapping if not concentric by many (mds included) – 1) chronic pain sufferer & 2) narcotics user and abuser.
I hate nothing save two things and one is this tragedy and what it represents about this culture. It sucks. Really. But, I do believe I would have give up or given in to the pain I so vividly remember. These meds I, too, struggle taking save my QOL and allow me these last 8 years which – while hard, are filled with love and joy and I cannot imagine anything else. I don’t want to.
Stigmatization sucks. Awareness breeds acceptance breeds willingness to be open and learn. I try to do this to keep me in check, if it helps. Thanks for reading
*Exceptions = doctor appointments and pharmacies. I finally refused or am balking the 0-10 scale. I try to say I refuse to answer which is accepted with a scared gaze at me along with it or kicked back at me as if I simply cannot proceed past the nurse to the doctor until a number is given. So, I say I’m in a good amount of pain and my answer is 0. You pick. I hate that I’m this jaded now.
At the still point of the turning world 
THE FIRST MULTISPECIALTY AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER IN DAVAO CITY CENTER FOR AMBULATORY SURGERY AND TOTAL MEDICAL CARE OF DAVAO, INC. | FARMACIA NI DOK BAJADA
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THE FIRST MULTISPECIALTY AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER IN DAVAO CITY CENTER FOR AMBULATORY SURGERY AND TOTAL MEDICAL CARE OF DAVAO, INC. | FARMACIA NI DOK BAJADA
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