Hey there, I agree: Chronic pain is hard. I have very bad pain from TMJ and dental issues, never have had enough money at once to 'fix' it, as it would cost thousands, even with insurance, so I've taken meds, had acupuncture, physical therapy/stretching and still, it is hard.
What makes me sad and angry is when people act like you're making it up, or you are somehow weak, like you should or must man up, and just suffer.
This is huge drinking trigger for me: I just want to be free from pain for a while, and even if it messes up my life, it;'s somehow like I don't even care, I just want to feel free, for a while.
I wish I had a better solution, such as the means to seek treatment for the causes, as opposed to just treating symptoms.