While nations across the globe coordinate intensive efforts on multiple fronts to combat illicit drugs, another, quieter threat is making its way into the lives of millions of ordinary families, people with no connection to drugs nor the criminal world. This danger is not smuggled across borders or sold in back alleys, but prescribed, purchased openly, and often taken under medical supervision: Sedatives ranging from painkillers and sleep aids to anti-anxiety medication.These drugs were originally developed to alleviate specific symptoms when needed, yet for millions, they have become a daily habit and a routine that feels impossible to abandon. In essence, the behavior begins to mirror the patterns of addiction.

 

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 60 million people worldwide are addicted to opioids, sedative drugs commonly used for pain relief, while tens of millions more overuse other types of sedatives without yet meeting the clinical threshold for addiction, though many are heading in that direction. Jordan, like other countries, is not immune to this rising trend as it has become increasingly easy for any observer to notice the growing reliance on sedatives among Jordanians, cutting across age, gender, and income levels.

 

This behavioral pattern can be understood through what is known as the self-medication hypothesis, introduced in the 1980s by psychiatrist Edward Khantzian and suggesting that some individuals turn to sedatives or other substances not to seek euphoria, but to manage distress when healthier coping tools feel out of reach. In such moments, medications become a way to ease stress, calm anxiety, or simply function through the day which leads to what behavioral scientists call negative reinforcement: when a behavior is repeated because it reduces something unpleasant, such as pain. Over time, reaching for a pill becomes an automatic reaction to any sign of discomfort, and people begin to believe they have no other way to cope, and the underlying causes remain unresolved, but the cycle persists.

 

In Jordan, this cycle is further reinforced by cultural norms that equate expressing pain with weakness, and that often regard acknowledging emotional or psychological strain as a flaw or burden and something to be hidden rather than shared. For many, especially parents, caregivers, and working adults, turning to sedatives is not seen as escaping responsibility but as a way to uphold it, and in a culture where strength is measured by how much one can endure silently, the pill becomes a tool for perseverance regardless of the true source of pain.

 

While the health and financial costs of excessive sedative use are widely recognized, the social consequences can be deeper and far less visible. Over time, emotional absence replaces presence, conversations shrink, and the warmth of relationships begins to fade, and in a society built on the values of strong social bonds, this quiet withdrawal erodes the very fabric of connection and what begins as a medical matter gradually evolves into a social and humanitarian crisis.

 

Legislation and procedural reforms alone are not enough to address this challenge. Tackling the rising dependence on sedatives and painkillers requires a shift in how we view and respond to pain, at both the individual and healthcare system levels. Jordan needs a comprehensive national approach that recognizes pain, in many cases, not as a temporary symptom but as a condition requiring multi-dimensional treatment and ongoing support. This vision should begin with awareness campaigns that redefine pain as a shared human experience that should not evoke shame or denialand and encourage people to seek help without fear of stigma. Healthcare providers must also be equipped with knowledge, skills, and incentives that go beyond traditional practices to incorporate counseling, behavioral interventions, physiotherapy, and other evidence-based methods for managing and treating different forms of pain.

 

Real change begins with our own perception of pain and how we respond to it, both the pain we see in others and the pain we carry ourselves, understanding the behavioral patterns that draw so many of our loved ones into reliance on sedatives is essential. Pain is one of the most universal human experiences, transcending social class, age, and gender, and by building on this shared understanding, we can transform it into empathy and support, taking the first steps toward breaking the cycle at its roots.