Pain Catastrophizing and Prescription Opioid Craving

Adherence to prescription opioid and opioid tapering as indicated are critical for safe chronic opioid therapy for chronic pain, but this can be difficult for patients experiencing prescription opioid craving. Because pain catastrophizing is proposed as a possible treatment target by our and others' preliminary results, the proposed study aims to determine whether pain catastrophizing is a treatment target to reduce prescription opioid craving and to investigate whether negative affect and stress hormones are potential mediators. The findings from the current study will inform whether a psychology intervention to lower pain catastrophizing will reduce opioid craving, and whether psychological and physical distress as well as cognitive function will be potential mediators of the treatment effect.

Stanford is currently accepting patients for this trial.

Stanford Investigator(s):

Intervention(s):

  • behavioral: Coping Statement

Eligibility


Inclusion Criteria:

   - At least 18 years

   - Chronic pain ( > 3months)

   - Prescription opioid use (>3 months)

Exclusion Criteria:

   - Current diagnosis of cancer

   - Concurrent psychological therapy

   - Other severe psychiatric conditions (schizophrenia, delusional disorder, psychotic
   disorder, dissociative disorder, and active suicidality)

   - Any skin conditions on the hand (pain testing site)

   - Non-English speaker

   - No access to email or smart phone

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years - N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Now accepting new patients

Contact Information

Stanford University
School of Medicine
300 Pasteur Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
SNAPL lab
650-723-8346
I'm interested

Our research team includes physicians, residents, medical students, research assistants, and volunteers. Our research topics include medical imaging, device validation,  mobile application development, and pharmaceutical trials.  

Some of the Neuro-Opthalmic concerns we investigate include Multiple Sclerosis, Optic Neuritis, IIH, and ICP.