True pain of addiction

DISTRESS and pain are the most common reasons for opioid prescription abuse, a new study has found.

The research — from Monash University and Ambulance Victoria — looked at paramedic records for abuse of oxycodone and tapentadol.

But despite the two drugs being prescribed for different reasons, the study found their overuse was commonly for the same or similar issues. This included illness, stress and family problems, rather than people who wanted to get high.