In 2001, the Joint Commission rolled out its Pain Management Standards, which helped grow the idea of pain as a "fifth vital sign." ... "Pain is a symptom, not a vital sign," the letter states, noting that vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature can be measured objectively.

This is when it started. This set the pace for where we are today. When pain started being jumped on as the "5th" vital sign, that is what started sending people over the edge. I think that Hydrocodone vs Codeine has something to do with it as well. As a kid growing up in the 80's, I remember breaking a few bones here and there and you always got Tylenol 3 or Tylenol 4. Codeine pain killers are not the go to, that they used to be. Hydrocodone is a synthetic substance made to mimic Codeine, a natural substance. I think that plays a larger role than people think.


Several other factors play into this. Certain people have addictive behavior that sends them over the edge. The "euphoria" that addicts receive, is essentially the same release of endorphins that a gambling addict gets at the craps table, or a serial killer gets with his next victim. All the same stuff going on in the brain, just different modes of releasing that.