DOI: 10.56367/oag-052-12745 ISSN: 2516-3817

Substance use behavior in teens living with chronic pain

Joe Kossowsky

Substance use behavior in teens living with chronic pain

Dr. Joe Kossowsky’s lab at Boston Children’s Hospital examines when and why teens with chronic pain turn to substances. Globally, chronic pain, or pain lasting more than three months, affects approximately 20% of adolescents. (1) For teens living with chronic pain, challenges go beyond physical discomfort. Pediatric chronic pain is associated with more mental health difficulties, including anxiety and depression, and social, academic, and sleep disturbances.

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