There are countless medical conditions that could potentially cause chronic pain. Some people heal improperly after breaking a bone. They developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a nerve condition that slowly worsens over time.
Others might have musculoskeletal disorders that become quite painful. Autoimmune conditions, improperly-healed physical injuries and a variety of unusual medical challenges can cause chronic or recurring pain symptoms. Despite the ready availability of narcotic pain relievers, modern medical professionals still struggle to properly treat those with chronic pain conditions.
In some cases, patients may turn to self-medicating, which could put them at risk of criminal prosecution.
What is self-medicating?
Self-medicating occurs when people with problematic medical symptoms choose their own course of treatment. Instead of seeing a doctor to diagnose the condition and recommend an appropriate type of care, they try to manage everything on their own. Self-medicating is relatively common, and it is dangerous from both a medical and legal perspective.
People may start with over-the-counter medication and may then start buying excess prescription medication from coworkers or neighbors when they develop a tolerance to over-the-counter remedies. Others may have received prescriptions for pain relief from their doctors and may seek out alternate sources when their prescriptions end.
Self-medicating involves the unmonitored use of prescription, over-the-counter or prohibited drugs as a means of controlling the symptoms of a medical condition. People often increase the doses they take, combine medications and even use illegal drugs to suppress their pain symptoms.
A prior prescription doesn’t prevent prosecution
What many people with chronic pain do not understand is that a doctor’s diagnosis does not protect them from prosecution for possessing controlled substances. In fact, even prior or current prescriptions for medication do not allow a person to take as much as they want as frequently as they want.
People caught with medication for which they do not have a current, valid prescription are at risk of prosecution. So are those with a valid prescription who consume more than they should and source the extra medication from unregulated sources. People who simply want to minimize their pain may unintentionally put themselves at serious risk of criminal prosecution.
Those facing drug charges related to prescription medications may need help finding ways to address their legal issue. Reviewing medical records and the state’s evidence with a skilled legal team can help provide insight into a pending drug charge and may lead to a more effective defense strategy.