Opiates can also be a cause of pain. Physical pain and psychological pain are indistinguishable in the brain. Introducing a highly addictive drug may help with

Opiates can also be a cause of pain. Physical pain and psychological pain are indistinguishable in the brain. Introducing a highly addictive drug may help with short term pain, but may also introduce a chronic pain condition. I think the response of younger doctors in regards to cutting down prescriptions to opiates has more to do with avoiding the moral and legal entanglements with prescribing something that will long term cause chronic pain than it does an unwillingness to prescribe. Western medicine has long been accused of being too focused on acute conditions. The pendulum is swinging in the other direction. There will continue to be doctors that find and understand balancing these risks to optimize a life, not just a body. There will also continue to be clinics that find and understand balancing malpractice insurance, not just patient throughput.