Sufferers of CNCP are adversely affected by the media portrayal of the "opioid epidemic". More than one in ten American doctors have stopped prescribing opioids and, as such, it is now much harder for sufferers of CNCP to receive strong pain killing medicine that may make their pain more manageable. Major pharmacies have implemented stricter guidelines on filling opioid prescriptions, exacerbating this issue. Many CNCP sufferers report feeling judged or disrespected for seeking pain killers.