[iSnow]

I think you are spot on but many people haven't experienced opiate (or benzo) addiction or talked to ex-addicts. It's really something else.

[matheusmoreira]

Indeed. I have experience at a neurology practice, I suppose it has skewed what "severe" addiction means to me.

Benzodiazepines addiction is severe as well. Not as bad as opioids but still pretty bad. I've seen patients get violent because a doctor didn't want to renew their prescription for their own good.