Video

Dr. Barbara Wright
More From This Member

Expert Bio

VIDEO: Dr. Wright - Pain Medications, What Are The Risk Factors?

Listen, as Dr. Wright recalls the risk factors for women taking pain medications.

Dr. Wright:
The first risk factor with pain medication obviously is addiction because the body is a magnificent organ and it adapts brilliantly to whatever you do to it for good or bad. So, a little bit of medication can very often be metabolized and just be taken in as a part of the daily menu.

So, being very mindful of how medication is being managed. One, is you don’t chase pain. That’s how you get addicted. People need to know that. You have to take enough medication to keep the pain down so that you can function at your most optimum level that you can at that point. If you are always seven degrees behind it, then you are always in pain, trying to bring it down. So, learning how to manage your medication skillfully is very important.

The other consequences, of course, with pain medication is that they tend to be, they slow you down, they dull your responsivity, you are not as present, you are not as mentally alert very often with pain medication when you are over-medicated, and that can cause alienation from the family.

About. Dr. Wright, Ph.D.:
Barbara Wright, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist based in Laguna Beach, California. She has been in private practice for over 30 year. During this time she has developed a method and system of compassionate communication for skillful conflict resolution, be it intrapersonal or interpersonal for individuals, couples, families, as well as schools and corporative situations. This method Metta4All, is the culmination of her life’s work as a speech therapist and clinical psychologist.

Visit Dr. Wright at her website

CONNECT with other women who have the same health interests as you

Alison Beaver

Brain Conditions Guide