People who use opioids for 30 days or more in an effort to treat pain could be increasing their risk of developing depression, according to a new study.

As reported by the Pain News Network (“Long Term Opioid Use May Cause Depression” – January 14, 2016), a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine analyzed data from more than 100,000 patients, who had not been diagnosed with depression prior to being prescribed opioid treatment. “About 10% of them developed depression after using opioids for more than 30 days.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the United States is in the midst of a “prescription painkiller overdose epidemic” and recommends safe alternatives like physical therapy for most pain management.