“Cake” Brings Pain Issues to the Forefront

January 26, 2015

by Amanda Conschafter, blog editor

“Cake,” released in theaters nationwide Friday, has generated more than acting kudos for Jennifer Aniston. Depicting a woman’s painful recovery from a recent car accident that also caused the death of her young son, the film has moviegoers, critics and celebrities talking about chronic pain. And that’s a good thing, says the Alliance for Balanced Pain Management (AfBPM).

cake

The organization, of which the Alliance for Patient Access is a member, posted a Q&A on its website to address the issues that “Cake” introduces. AfBPM “commends the team behind this movie for bringing greater awareness to the significant problem of pain and the challenges of managing it safely and effectively.” As AfBPM noted on its website, “Cake affirms a common theme for anyone who may experience pain – pain is real, pain is unique to the individual and it can be complicated to treat.”

The film depicts the main character’s multi-faceted approach to treating her pain, including group counseling, pain management medications and aquatic physical therapy. Physicians and patients are increasingly recognizing the value of an integrative approach, like this one, to addressing pain.

Jennifer Aniston’s character does, however, struggle to appropriately use pain management therapies. She’s depicted taking prescription pain medication from a friend’s home, obtaining medication illegally from Mexico and overdosing on her own medications, resulting in a hospital visit.

AfBPM acknowledges these behaviors as an opportunity to discuss misuse, abuse, diversion and the proper role of pain management medications. “AfBPM believes it is critical to responsibly dispense, use, store and dispose of medication to reduce potential abuse, misuse and diversion,” the organization notes.

Read AfBPM’s Q&As on “Cake” or watch the Alliance for Patient Access’ video, “Prescription Pain Medication: Preserving Patient Access While Curbing Abuse” to learn more about proper pain management.

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