Elizabeth Chiarello emphasizes that pain should be the central focus in discussions about the opioid crisis, bridging the narratives of those with chronic pain and substance use disorders.
Chiarello argues, 'Pain is the throughline that connects these two groups. Whether we're talking about pain from mental health disorders or the pain of trauma, substance use disorders are often a mechanism of self-medication or avoiding pain.'
She points out that our understanding of pain and drug dependency is simplified, stating, 'We act as if these are two different groups of people who have little in common, with the implication that people with pain have a legitimate claim on opioids and those with substance use disorders do not.'
Chiarello highlights a critical societal perspective, noting, 'The boundaries we're willing to set around other people's bodies are very different than the boundaries we're willing to set around our own.'
Collection
[
|
...
]