Articles & letters.
Long-form writing on prescription painkiller dependence and recovery. Published slowly, one piece at a time, since 2009.
Understanding Prescription Painkiller Dependence
Dependence isn't a moral failure. It's a predictable physiological response to a powerful class of medication. Here's what's actually happening in the body.
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What a Medical Taper Actually Looks Like
Cold-turkey almost never works. A slow, supervised taper does. Here's the framework most clinicians use and what to expect week by week.
Rebuilding Sleep After Opioid Dependence
Insomnia is the most common reason people relapse. Here is a slow, boring, deeply effective protocol for getting sleep back.
What Family Members Should (and Should Not) Do
Loving someone through a taper is not the same as managing it for them. A short guide for parents, partners and adult children.
The First Ninety Days Without Painkillers
What changes, what doesn't, and the unglamorous habits that make the difference between staying off and starting over.
Non-Opioid Tools for Real Pain
Pain that started this story usually does not disappear when the pills do. Here are the modalities with the strongest evidence behind them.
Small Comforts That Help in Acute Withdrawal
Hot showers, weighted blankets, electrolytes and a bowl of plain rice. The unsexy list of things that get people through the worst week.
When to Go to the ER (And When Not To)
Opioid withdrawal is rarely medically dangerous, but a few warning signs absolutely warrant emergency care. Know which.