Dr. Frank Lawlis Explains How Opioid Dependency Changes The Brain

Lisa’s family says she’s been hospitalized multiple times for alcohol-related accidents, injuries, and health issues; and was recently arrested and charged with her third DUI. They claim her drinking has disrupted the family for years.

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Lisa admits she developed a dependency on painkillers after an injury 20 years ago and switched to alcohol after the pills became too difficult to get. But she says she’s not an alcoholic.

“It takes an enormous amount of alcohol to equal the kind of sedative effects that those pain medications do, and you go into a spiral that will eventually end up in death,” says Dr. Frank Lawlis, co-founder of the Lawlis-Peavey PNP Center, and chairman of the Dr. Phil Advisory Board. On Friday’s episode, he explains how opioid dependency changes the brain.

“As your brain slows down, you become cognitively inefficient. And as I witnessed Lisa today – she’s obviously not catching on.”

Does Lisa realize the gravity of her situation? Tune in to Friday’s Dr. Phil.

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