Lance M. Dodes, M.D.

I have just recently finished your book "Breaking Addiction." It has really given me a new perspective on how I work with clients and their substance abuse issues. I am a therapist and work a lot with people who become physically addicted to pain medication and then start abusing it. Many of these folks also have other issues, such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. How do you walk that line with people needing medication for pain and addressing their underlying issues of helplessness?

Thank you for your note. I would not deprive patients of needed pain medication regardless of addiction history, though there are some drugs that are less liable to overuse than others. Usually, the issue is addressed by having prescriptions limited in the number of pills and requiring renewal for each new prescription, and not resupplying it if patients run out early because of overuse.