According to a 2006 study, 90 percent of all people in the US receiving treatment for pain management receive prescriptions for opioid medication. These medications carry with them a risk of dependency and addiction. For those with chronic pain who become addicted when they take opioids for pain relief, the two conditions exacerbate each other, making . . . → Read More: Chronic Pain & Addiction: Double Trouble

Why are the words “addiction” and “addict” so problematic for so many people? Much of this difficulty can be attributed to the stigma that is assigned to them. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of shame or discredit.”* It is often attached to social judgment and cultural norms. The stigma attached to “addiction” and . . . → Read More: The Stigma of Addiction