make education about chronic pain and mental illness a must for those entering the helping professio

Many times, those with both mental illness and chronic physical pain don't recieve adequate treatment. Chronic physical pain makes mental illness, especially major depression, worse. MDs are often reluctant to prescribe meds that provide adequate relief. They do NOT have to prescribe opiates for many of us, there are better NSAIDS than ibuprofen and naproxen, such as Celebrex, Toradol, and ketoprofen, when taken properly, they do work. Caseworkers that aren't knoledgeable about chronic pain issues tend to dismiss it, think of it as an 'excuse' or minimize the issue. Chronic physical pain makes it harder to do even the most basic things like housecleaning and taking care of yourself or your family. And alternative/complimentary therapies like physical therapy, acupuncture, relaxation and support groups sometimes aren't mentioned. A knowledgeable patient is an EMPOWERED patient.