Abstract
Introduction: The rising issue of dependence to prescribed pain medication for patients with chronic pain has been highlighted in the literature ; however, there is a dearth of research exploring the patient perspective of this dependence in the United Kingdom (UK). This exploratory qualitative study aimed to investigate experiences of prescribed analgesic dependence in patients with chronic pain in the UK. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine UK-based participants (eight females, one male) with a mean age of 44, who experienced chronic pain and identified as dependent to their prescribed pain medication. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and the data analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged, including perceptions of dependence, interactions with others, and interactions with medical professionals. The findings revealed how the