Dr. John Rosa Archives - Dr. John Rosa

Dr. John Rosa and We’re All a Little “Crazy” Podcast

An image for the We're All a Little "Crazy" podcast; a rainbow thumbs up against a green background with "#samehere" on top.

I’m proud to be Chair of the Board of Same Here Global; an incredible nonprofit dedicated to normalizing the conversation around mental health and addiction. This is our podcast which I highly recommend and this week I added my 2 cents. Enjoy and share!

LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST HERE

This Episode’s Description, from We’re All a Little “Crazy”:

“Calvin Ridley, drafted by the Falcons in the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama had an incredibly promising start to his career. However in October of 2021 he chose to take a leave of absence from the game he loves, for mental health reasons. Later in 2022, the NFL announced Ridley would be suspended for betting on his team – in a parlay – on a popular phone betting app. The incident came well after his leave of absence for mental health, when he describes the dark space he was in, but that didn’t stop the media and fans from chastising him, claiming he “used mental health” as an excuse to try to wash over his “gambling habits.” This week, over a year later, Ridley published a piece in The Players’ Tribune, to talk about his traumatic past, the therapy he’s been through, and to try to explain why he’d even press the button to bet on his own game & team. The background gave Theo & Eric a chance to talk with addiction expert, Surrogate to the White House, Dr. John Rosa about the brain’s reward system, and why we often cope with emotional pain in maladaptive ways – even when it’s momentary. Theo dove into his own problem gambling to compare his situation to Ridley’s. Darren was in SXSW for this episode but his role as a reporter in the space of sports gambling was referenced often.”

LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST HERE

Check out the original documentary I helped produce; “It’s Happening Right Here”

By Dr. John Rosa

An advertisement for RaeLynn's song, "It's Happening Right Here" featuring a photograph of RaeLynn kneeling in a white gown.

Working with DNA Films, Abundance Studios, and Operation Underground Railroad, “It’s Happening Right Here” takes a nice long look into the world of modern day sex trafficking. The reality and horror of this world and the role social media plays in putting our children at risk for abuse deserves awareness. This problem isn’t far away. It’s happening in any room with a device that can access the internet.

Watch the trailer right here:

https://youtu.be/dtwRysEyMOw

My work in addiction and mental health brought this project to my attention. As you can imagine, it is common for traffickers to expose their victims to addictive drugs which keeps them in need of the supply. It is also critical to grasp the mental health effects of being trafficked can be permanent and deadly. Please, be aware and let’s bring addiction, mental health, and human trafficking into open discussion. We have to be able to mention it before we can even hope to manage it.

With original music by RaeLynn and from Nick Nanton, the Emmy Award Winning director of “Operation Toussaint”, this documentary digs deeply into the surface of today’s sex trafficking issue.

National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa

Talks About His Recently Published Peer Reviewed Study That May Change Opioid Therapy.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker writes about his peer reviewed study co-authored with Dr. Jeanmarie Burke which describes how opioid-therapy prescription rates changed after a family medicine practice included on-site chiropractic services.

ROCKVILLE, MD. May 21, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crises expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new blog on his website entitled, “Providing An Integrative Approach To Pain Treatment May Reduce Opioid Use,” in which Dr. Rosa encourages integrative medicine providers to make use of the study as a tool to curb opioid prescription and use.

Dr. Rosa states, “Treating pain with highly addictive drugs is not my idea of conscientious healthcare.” He continues, “As a chiropractor, I am a proponent of pill-free and non-surgical pain management. Integrating a traditional medical practice with chiropractic care is not yet widely accepted. However, strides are being made in that direction.”

“I have been working tirelessly to make this kind of teamwork more mainstream,” Dr. Rosa writes adding, “which is why I have been working together with Dr. Jeanmarie Burke writing, Changes in Opioid Therapy Use by an Interprofessional Primary Care Team: A Descriptive Study of Opioid Prescription Data, which was recently published in The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT).” He further explains, “The JMPT is an international and interdisciplinary journal dedicated to the advancement of conservative health care principles and practices. As the premier biomedical publication in the chiropractic profession, the JMPTpublishes peer-reviewed, research articles and the Journal’s editorial board includes leading researchers from around the world.”

Read the entire blog at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/providing-an-integrative-approach-to-pain-treatment-may-reduce-opioid-use/

About John P. Rosa

Dr. John Rosa owns and supervises Accessible Beltway Clinics, which is comprised of 17 clinics in Maryland and Virginia that sees over 60,000 patient visits per year. ABC Clinics combine medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture and behavioral medicine to give a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to pain syndromes and musculoskeletal disorders. Active in sports medicine with consulting/treating athletes in several universities, NBA, MLB, NHL and USA Olympic Basketball. Creator of 24/7 RnR an FDA approved analgesic cream; a proprietary blend of the most potent materials resulting in the most effective product on the market for pain Relief and aiding Recovery. Founder of Accessible Wellness Solutions – an onsite corporate wellness program offering consulting, lectures and management of onsite clinics.

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board and given the honor or Board Emeritus post service. Awarded the highest recognitions in Chiropractic Medicine as Fellow of the American Chiropractic Colleges and Fellow of the International Chiropractic Colleges.

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c which uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

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National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker, And Author, Dr. John Rosa Reminds Readers That While Forgotten, The Opioid Epidemic Is Still Very Much Alive.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author, and dynamic speaker attempts to return the focus of legislators and health agencies back to the opioid epidemic which has been lost in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet which experts confirm is deadlier than ever.

ROCKVILLE, MD. April 28, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crisis expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new blog on his website entitled, “The Opioid Epidemic Is Still Alive And Killing.” Dr. Rosa explains that the pandemic has taken the focus away from and contributed to the worsening of the opioid epidemic.

Dr. Rosa writes, “With everyone’s attention in the U.S. fully turned for the past year and a half toward the pandemic and vaccines and what one can and cannot do, there is one issue that once was in the spotlight as well as the hearts and minds of legislators and public health agencies that have completely fallen off the radar.” He states, “I’m talking about the opioid epidemic.”

As Dr. Rosa points out, “With this thought front and center, I was not surprised to come across an article at Harvard.edu, in which Michael Barnett, assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health talked about why 2020 is likely to be the deadliest year on record for opioid overdoses.” He continues, “He echoes my own thoughts when he says, “The pandemic is in many ways a perfect storm for anyone who is struggling with substance use disorder. People have lost their jobs. Social and family interactions have been limited. And the pandemic itself is depressing and anxiety provoking. These are all stimuli that can stress the psyche and the finances of someone who has an addiction. In some cases, it could push a person who was getting their addiction under control back toward substance use. In other cases, the pandemic might be the trigger that actually makes someone consider initiating drug use, which could end up becoming an addiction and being harmful.” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/a-crisis-on-top-of-a-crisis-covid-19-and-the-opioid-epidemic/

Read the entire blog at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/the-opioid-epidemic-is-still-alive-and-killing/

About John P. Rosa
Dr. John Rosa owns and supervises Accessible Beltway Clinics, which is comprised of 17 clinics in Maryland and Virginia that sees over 60,000 patient visits per year. ABC Clinics combine medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture and behavioral medicine to give a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to pain syndromes and musculoskeletal disorders. Active in sports medicine with consulting/treating athletes in several universities, NBA, MLB, NHL and USA Olympic Basketball. Creator of 24/7 RnR an FDA approved analgesic cream; a proprietary blend of the most potent materials resulting in the most effective product on the market for pain Relief and aiding Recovery. Founder of Accessible Wellness Solutions – an onsite corporate wellness program offering consulting, lectures and management of onsite clinics.

Leader in Chiropractic

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c that uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

###

The Opioid Epidemic Is Still Alive And Killing

With everyone’s attention in the U.S. fully turned for the past year and a half toward the pandemic and vaccines and what one can and cannot do, there is one issue that once was in the spotlight as well as the hearts and minds of legislators and public health agencies that has completely fallen off the radar. I’m talking about the opioid epidemic.

With this thought front and center, I was not surprised to come across an article at Harvard.edu, in which Michael Barnett, assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health talked about why 2020 is likely to be the deadliest year on record for opioid overdoses. He echoes my own thoughts when he says, “The pandemic is in many ways a perfect storm for anyone who is struggling with substance use disorder. People have lost their jobs. Social and family interactions have been limited. And the pandemic itself is depressing and anxiety provoking. These are all stimuli that can stress the psyche and the finances of someone who has an addiction. In some cases, it could push a person who was getting their addiction under control back toward substance use. In other cases, the pandemic might be the trigger that actually makes someone consider initiating drug use, which could end up becoming an addiction and being harmful.” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/a-crisis-on-top-of-a-crisis-covid-19-and-the-opioid-epidemic/

We were making such good headway and had momentum building on the opioid crisis prior to COVID-19. Now, all the attention that has been taken away has many who have been focused on the opioid crisis feeling like we have to start from ground zero again. We have to remind people about the devastation being caused by opioids and convince them about the toll opioids are taking on millions of lives. The pandemic has increased anxiety in everyone. Mental health issues lead people to experiment with drugs to ease the tension. We must refocus our attention as healthcare providers on this deadly epidemic. Let me remind you in no uncertain terms that the death toll is rising every day.

National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Encourages Parents And Healthcare Professionals To Be Alert To Symptoms Of Drug Use And Mental Illness In Children After Pandemic Is Over.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author, and dynamic speaker alerts readers to the dangers that may await our youngest children who are living through the pandemic and unable to voice or understand their anxieties once it is long forgotten.

ROCKVILLE, MD. April 21, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crisis expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new article on his website entitled, Today’s Young Ones May Exhibit Negative Effects Of Pandemic Years From Now.” Dr. Rosa is fully aware that once the pandemic comes to an end it may just be the beginning of a new set of problems for today’s children.

“In coming years,” Dr. Rosa writes, “the pandemic will be long forgotten, yet, it may have a profoundly negative effect on many children who are experiencing anxiety caused by the pandemic today.” He continues elaborating, “Fear is not something that many children know how to deal with. In fact, most people have a difficult time expressing, understanding, and eliminating the emotional feelings of fear in the physical body. This is one reason parents and those in health care must be hyper-vigilant to the signs that the pandemic may be having subtle emotional effects on the mental health of children.”

As Dr. Rosa points out, “Even during normal times, adolescence is when most mental illnesses begin to show up.” He adds, “According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 1 in 6 children in the U.S. aged 6 -17 experience a mental health disorder each year. Adolescents don’t understand their depression or anxiety, which makes it compelling to reach out for whatever makes them feel better. It’s safe to say that the fear of catching a deadly virus, which has made some children afraid to be around other people can be deeply anxiety provoking.”

According to Dr. Rosa, “Mental illness is very often a contributing factor to the tendency toward drug use. NAMI confirms that “substance use disorders, defined as the repeated misuse of alcohol and/or drugs, often occur simultaneously in individuals with mental illness, usually to cope with overwhelming symptoms.” NAMI further notes that 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.” https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions

Dr. Rosa also states that, “To further complicate matters, very often the things that make them feel better are in the medicine and liquor cabinets in their own homes.”

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/todays-young-ones-may-exhibit-negative-effects-of-pandemic-years-from-now/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c which uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

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National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Writes How Tiger Wood’s History Of Accidents, Injuries And Conflicts Could Be The Result Of Mental Stress.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker considers how Tiger Woods, whom he considers the GOAT (greatest of all time) in the game of golf, might have avoided the repetitive injuries, accidents and personal conflicts if his mental health needs had been a priority.

ROCKVILLE, MD. March 15, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crises expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new article on his website entitled, “Mental Stressors Could Contribute To Tiger Wood’s History Of Accidents And Conflict,” in which Dr. Rosa clarifies right away that Tiger may have rejected any sort of alternative or psychological help.

Dr. Rosa writes, “Let me state clearly and firmly before I get too deep into this that I understand Tiger Woods is an adult who may have rejected any number of “alternative” treatments for his litany of injuries. He may not be a victim at all, however, his medical care could have been very different and might have contributed to a different, pain-free life

Dr. Rosa goes on to write, “I tend to share the view of the founder of the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory, author and Licensed Clinical Social Worker and chronic pain survivor, Cindy Perlin, who posted a recent article about Tiger Wood’s recent automobile accident. She suggests that Tiger’s pain treatment may have been incorrect or inappropriate.”

He shares, “Perlin writes, “Professional golfer Tiger Woods, at age 45, is one of the most famous and successful athletes in the world. He started playing golf when he was 3 years old, and by the age of 7 was winning golf tournaments. As of 2017, Forbes listed him as the second highest-earning athlete of modern times, at $1.7 billion. However, being rich and famous does not shield someone from getting bad medical care, and Wood’s history of physical injuries and medical interventions leads me to suspect that his pain care was not optimal.” https://www.paintreatmentdirectory.com/posts/is-tiger-woods-a-victim-of-poor-pain-treatment

Dr. Rosa notes that, “Perlin acknowledges that she has no “insider knowledge” of Tiger Woods’ medical condition or treatment. But she, as do I, sees the following as clear red flags:

“Five back surgeries

Three single car accidents

Multiple tendon, ligament and joint injuries

History of addiction treatment”

“As a chiropractor,” Dr. Rosa says, “I can tell you that back surgery is almost never the solution patients think it’s going to be. But it is a pretty solid way to get opioid pain killers. And post-surgery pain pill prescriptions are how the majority of people become addicted to opioids.” He goes on to add, “Research has shown that the more surgeries a patient has, the less likely an operation is to successfully relieve pain. In one study, the success rate for initial surgeries was over 50%; success of second surgeries was 30%; third surgeries 15%; and fourth surgeries 5%. Research has also shown that people in psychological distress also have poorer spine surgery outcomes.”

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/mental-stressors-could-contribute-to-tiger-woods-history-of-accidents-and-conflict/

Leader in Chiropractic

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c which uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

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National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Gives An Overview Of How The Medical Industry Has Been Manipulated Through The Ages.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker reveals a very unpleasant truth about the ongoing suppression of healing modalities that work with the natural healing capacity of the human body in favor of “treatments” such as pills and surgeries that reap monetary benefits for the medical industrial complex.

ROCKVILLE, MD. February 26, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crisis expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new article on his website entitled, “Keeping People Sick And In Pain Is A Multi-Trillion Dollar Business.” Dr. Rosa presents an overview of manipulation that has prevented real healing modalities to grow and prosper.

“First,” Dr. Rosa writes, “in 2017, global expenditures for healthcare exceeded $7.8 trillion, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Secondly,” he continues, “you are probably very aware that there are people in this world who are willing to kill other human beings whether during a robbery among strangers or very often a spouse, ‘friend’, or relative for a few dollars. So, it doesn’t take a leap of imagination to conclude that there are many people who will do anything, especially when they never have to come face-to-face with their victims, for a big piece of a multi-trillion-dollar pie.” He acknowledges, “You may be able to more clearly understand now that keeping people healthy is not quite as lucrative as keeping them unhealthy.”Dr. Rosa states, “Our so-called “health system” is actually a misnomer. In fact,” he adds, “the mainstream medical industry is alive, well and thriving by keeping people sick and in pain.” He offers to elaborate, “Let me paint the picture for you by starting with a few well-known facts.”

Dr. Rosa goes on to add, “Now, let me present a little history for you from an article at PainTreatment.com. Way back when – I’m talking the 1600’s – the Salem Witch Trials were the first effort at suppressing health practices in the U.S. It’s a fairly well known and documented fact, which is stated in a recent article I came across in Alternative Pain Treatment Directory, that, “The women who were tried and executed were herbalists who were accused of practicing “the Devil’s magic.” https://www.paintreatmentdirectory.com/posts/suppression-of-alternative-medicine-is-killing-us

As Dr. Rosa points out, “A couple hundred years later, homeopathy was developed in Germany. As the aforementioned article explains, “Homeopathy is based on extreme dilutions of natural substances that trigger the body’s healing response and it became wildly popular because it worked and because it was so much gentler than common treatments of the time, which included bloodletting, chloroform and mercury. Homeopathy proved much more effective than conventional treatment during the cholera epidemics of 1832 and 1849. By the end of the 19th century there were 44 homeopathic medical schools and more than 100 homeopath-supervised hospitals in the U.S. In the deadly flu epidemic of 1918, 25-50 million people died, while deaths of people treated with homeopathy were rare.”

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/keeping-people-sick-and-in-pain-is-a-multi-trillion-dollar-business/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c which uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

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National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Shares Recent Research Showing That Opioids Create Pain Rather Than Make It Go Away.

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker reveals the devastating and painful effects of long-term opioid use based on recent research.

ROCKVILLE, MD. January 19, 2021: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crises expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new article on his website entitled, “Long-term Use Of Opioids Has Been Found To Make Chronic Pain Worse.” Dr. Rosa brings to attention the role the brain plays in pain.

Dr. Rosa is of the opinion that the “reward of opioid addiction is more pain. He bases his conclusion on research. As he explains, “According to researchers in a recent article, “New evidence suggests that the body’s reward system may be more important than tissue damage in the transition from acute to chronic pain.” Dr. Rosa continues, “The article explains, “By reward system, they (the researchers) are referring, in part, to the endogenous opioid system, a complicated system connected to several areas of the brain. The system includes the natural release of endorphins from pleasurable activities.” https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-chronic-emotion-pain-17507/Dr. Rosa writes, “If I were to tell you that your chronic pain is a result of something that is going on in your brain, you might want to “brain me.” But,” he adds, “in fact, this is something that researchers are discovering and bringing to light as the opioid crisis continues to spiral out of control.”

As Dr. Rosa points out, “Endorphins are natural opioids produced in the brain. They are part of the brain’s pleasure and reward system.” He continues adding, “According to researchers, “When this reward system is damaged by manufactured opioids, it perpetuates isolation and chronic illness and is a strong risk factor for depression. Rather than helping the pain for which the opioid was originally sought, persistent opioid use may be chasing the pain in a circular manner, diminishing natural rewards from normal sources of pleasure, and increasing social isolation,” and ultimately increasing chronic pain. https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-chronic-emotion-pain-17507/

According to Dr. Rosa, “The research suggests emotional pain activates many of the same limbic brain centers as physical pain. This appears to be especially true for the most common chronic pain syndromes – back pain, headaches, and fibromyalgia.”

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/long-term-use-of-opioids-has-been-found-to-make-chronic-pain-worse/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Current Vice Chair of the Board to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – Educating medical community on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Best selling author

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Founder of “Overdose Free America” a nonprofit 501c which uses the power of celebrity and entertainment to bring the Opioid Crisis the visibility and support it deserves
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

###

Long-term Use Of Opioids Has Been Found To Make Chronic Pain Worse

By Dr. John Rosa

If I were to tell you that your chronic pain is a result of something that is going on in your brain, you might want to “brain me.” But, in fact, this is something that researchers are discovering and bringing to light as the opioid crisis continues to spiral out of control.

The Reward Of Opioid Addiction Is More Pain

According to researchers in a recent article, “New evidence suggests that the body’s reward system may be more important than tissue damage in the transition from acute to chronic pain.” The article explains, “By reward system, they (the researchers) are referring, in part, to the endogenous opioid system, a complicated system connected to several areas of the brain. The system includes the natural release of endorphins from pleasurable activities.” https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-chronic-emotion-pain-17507/

It turns out that emotional and chronic physical pain are “bidirectional” meaning they function in two directions. Endorphins are natural opioids produced in the brain. They are part of the brain’s pleasure and reward system. According to researchers, “When this reward system is damaged by manufactured opioids, it perpetuates isolation and chronic illness and is a strong risk factor for depression. Rather than helping the pain for which the opioid was originally sought, persistent opioid use may be chasing the pain in a circular manner, diminishing natural rewards from normal sources of pleasure, and increasing social isolation,” and ultimately increasing chronic pain. https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-chronic-emotion-pain-17507/

Use Your Brain Instead Of Letting It Use You

Recent research suggests emotional pain activates many of the same limbic brain centers as physical pain. This appears to be especially true for the most common chronic pain syndromes – back pain, headaches, and fibromyalgia.

According to this article, the authors state, “Physical injury and social rejection activate similar brain centers. Many of the patients who use opioid medications long term for the treatment of chronic pain have both physical and social pain, but these medications may produce a state of persistent opioid dependence that suppresses the endogenous opioid system that is essential for human socialization and reward processing.” Importantly they state that, “Recognition of the social aspects of chronic pain and opioid action can improve our treatment of chronic pain and our use of opioid medications.”

https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-chronic-emotion-pain-17507/

This leads me to the mind-body connection and those who have been beating the drum for decades to little or no avail. It’s about time for the mainstream medical industry to catch up with the mind and its role in pain. One of the most prolific and profound proponents of helping people overcome chronic pain without drugs or dangerous surgeries was Dr. John Sarno. He was professor of Clinical Rehabilitation medicine at the New York University School of Medicine and author of numerous books on the mind-body connection. His most popular book is called Healing Back Pain, The Mind-Body Connection. Dr. Sarno is no longer alive, but his work is being continued. I recommend Dr. Sarno’s work to anyone in chronic pain.

Stop The Pain Stop The Drugs

Opioids may trick the brain into forgetting the pain better early on, but over long-term use, opioids wreak havoc on the physical body as well as psychological well-being. It turns out that the only way to stop the pain is to stop the drugs. In the meantime, there are other methods that provide real relief: chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and more. Awareness is the first step. Give something other than opioids a chance.