How Your Pain Reliever May Be Diminishing Your Joy

Last Updated on September 19, 2026 by Carol Gillette

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by ATMC Clinical Review Team

The overprescription and overuse of prescription pain medication have created a health crisis that continues to make headlines. Drugs like fentanyl cause tens of thousands of often deadly overdoses every year. The focus on those addictive and potent drugs may lead some to believe that less addictive prescription medications do not pose a health risk.

The use of any pain medications, including over-the-counter medications, can not only affect your health but also impact the way you feel about life itself. Pain medication can diminish your joy by chemically altering your brain and creating pain reliever side effects. The good news is that anyone can benefit from gradually reducing their dependence on pain relievers.

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How Pain Relievers Affect Your Mood

Prescription pain relievers and over-the-counter pain relievers are not only commonly prescribed but overprescribed in the US. Just over 22% of American adults reported using a prescription pain reliever within the past three months. ² But you don’t need to have opioid use disorder to experience negative effects on your mood from a pain reliever. In fact, a pain reliever you can buy at any big box store can also cause issues.

Millions of American adults use a medication containing acetaminophen at least on a weekly basis. ³ Research finds that people who regularly use acetaminophen experience a narrowing of their emotional state, meaning they are less able to experience significant levels of emotions like joy. When shown photos that were intended to induce a strong emotional response, the group that regularly took acetaminophen reported lower levels of emotional reactions than the control group. The effects were described as a “blunting” of emotional processing. ⁴

Another study published in Nature raises even further concerns about the impact of painkiller use. Pain reliever side effects may also include negative impacts on empathy and social behavior. Research from the study indicates that even a single dose of certain pain relievers can reduce empathy in experimental settings.⁵

The research has yet to establish whether the changes are short-term or long-lasting. People who struggle with recognizing emotions and also use pain relievers might also suffer from impaired social functioning. Reduced pain sensitivity may decrease prosocial behavior, such as the willingness to help others. Ongoing research seeks to determine whether empathy and reduced prosocial actions also result from the use of prescription pain medications.

Research published by the National Institutes of Health also found that acetaminophen reduces empathy by dulling brain areas associated with emotional awareness. This includes the anterior insula and anterior cingulate. People who regularly used the pain reliever experienced a reduction in their ability to share in other people’s happiness. Participants who were given 1,000 mg of the pain reliever per day reported having less empathy and less personal pleasure when reading about topics that were intended to be uplifting in nature. ⁶
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The Link Between Opioid Use and Depression

Of course, much of the discussion surrounding pain reliever use revolves around opioid medications. Regular opioid use can lead to depression and anxiety that can diminish the happiness and contentment in your life. Research published by Saint Louis University found that new daily users of opioids were 40% more likely to experience new-onset depression.⁷

New onset depression refers to the first occurrence of a depressive episode in an individual who has not previously experienced clinical depression.

The study included research into the most commonly used prescription pain reliever medications on the market.

Other pain reliever side effects include symptoms of anxiety, which can also greatly reduce the joy people are able to experience. One study found that prescription opioid use can increase symptoms of anxiety. The analysis evaluated how different levels of opioid use affected the incidence and prevalence of anxiety. ⁸

Anxiety can significantly diminish the enjoyment in life by creating a persistent sense of worry and dread that overshadows everyday experiences. The constant state of alertness and fear can make it difficult to appreciate activities once found pleasurable, disrupt relationships, and erode overall well-being. Holistic treatments for anxiety include sleep management, dietary changes, peer support, acupuncture, and other effective and natural remedies.

Other Common Side Effects of Pain Reliever Medications

The negative physical effects of pain relief medications can also reduce your ability to experience pleasure and well-being. It is important to understand that this is true for both prescription and non-prescription pain relievers. Pain reliever side effects can include:

Gastrointestinal Problems

Regular opioid use can lead to GI problems that can be very uncomfortable and potentially unsafe. While the worst symptoms often end after a few days, GI problems could include constipation and uncomfortable bowel movements. In severe cases, constipation may require medical interventions. ⁹

Cognitive Issues

Many people who use opioid-based medications report pain reliever side effects that include a “foggy” brain. Slower reflexes can also result. People who use potent painkillers are often advised to avoid operating machinery and driving for these very reasons. ¹⁰

Unpleasant Drug Interactions

Opioids can have dangerous interactions with drugs that you are currently taking. Before taking any prescription medications, it is critical to fully disclose which medications you are on to your primary care physician or pharmacist. Even herbal supplements should be disclosed to prevent unpleasant or potentially unhealthy drug interactions. ¹¹

Respiratory Depression

Opioids can slow breathing and lower blood oxygen levels. This symptom is one of the most dangerous side effects of opioid painkiller use. Around 80,000 people die each year due to opioid-induced respiratory depression.¹²

Hormonal Effects

Long-term opioid use may cause hormonal imbalances, particularly in sex hormones, leading to missed periods, reduced sex drive, and reproductive problems. Opioids can also affect the production of other hormones, which may cause fatigue, GI issues, and high blood pressure. Other potential side effects from opioid use include nausea, vomiting, itching, and low blood pressure. ¹³

Reducing Reliance on Pain Relief Medications

The team at Alternative to Meds Center provides a wide range of holistic treatments that can help reduce dependency on pain relief meds. One common treatment for people who are on prescription medication is medication tapering. This process is completed under the close supervision of a medical professional who gradually and slowly reduces the patient’s intake of prescription medications.

Medication Tapering

Medication tapering is more successful when combined with complementary treatments like neurotoxin removal, targeted neurotransmitter repair, counseling, and nutritional correction. The treatments are always conducted in a supportive environment that addresses the underlying physiological and medical issues, which is crucial for achieving and maintaining an unmedicated state.

Neurotoxin Removal

Reducing dependency on pain relief medications is greatly supported by neurotoxin removal. This important type of detox can help you begin to experience the full breadth of emotions that have been dulled through the use of pain relievers.

The process often begins with a lab test that helps our team better understand the body burden of toxic chemicals including drug residues and other pollutants that have accumulated over a lifetime. Exercise, proper hydration, and sauna treatments can facilitate the detox process.

Acupuncture

Ancient treatments like acupuncture can aid in the reduction of dependency on pain relievers. Acupuncture’s impact on the nervous system has been studied through brain imaging and measurements of emotional and behavioral responses before and after acupuncture treatment. ¹⁵

There are also potential benefits for the body’s connective tissues, particularly through the peripheral sensory nervous system. Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins, which may facilitate the stimulation of the brain’s emotional centers. ¹⁶ Acupuncture treatments can be customized to address your mental health needs.

Holistic Pain Management

Holistic pain management refers to the incorporation of complementary and natural treatments for the purpose of reducing our patients’ use of pain relief medications. Treatment options could incorporate acupuncture, exercise, massage therapy, nutrition therapy, and other options that we offer at Alternative to Meds Center. Treatments are fully customized. Our medical professionals always keep your comfort in mind when treating pain.

Residential Treatment

Pain relief medications can create dependencies that may require the use of inpatient (residential) treatments. Some patients can benefit from outpatient services that allow them to continue going to work and living at home.

Residential treatment allows our staff to be nearby 24/7, so you always have access to important medical services.

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class=”white”>Pain Reliever FAQs

Pain relief medication can provide important relief following surgery. Recent research is uncovering the negative side effects of pain-relieving medications, including the impact those medications have on our ability to experience pleasurable emotions.

At Alternative to Meds Center, we believe that accurate knowledge about pain reliever medications empowers people to make informed decisions about their use or non-use of medications.

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Schedule Your Alternative to Meds Center Consultation

At Alternative to Meds, we provide supportive services to people who wish to reduce and eventually eliminate their use of medications. While some medications, such as meds for heart conditions, provide life-saving benefits and should be used as directed, other medications can be gradually and safely replaced with holistic pain reliever medications.

The benefits of using our program include health benefits as well as increases in feelings of enjoyment of life and well-being. If you are ready to live free from dependency on prescription drugs, we can guide you through that journey. Our skilled team has been carefully chosen to support the treatment of addiction and all medication withdrawals.

Take the first step toward being free from pain reliever side effects. Schedule your consultation by contacting our office online. One of our Admission Representatives will respond as soon as possible.

for Pain Reliever Side Effects

References:

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