Study shows increased risk of overdose and mental health crisis following opioid dose tapering Opioid therapy is complex. In recent years, a rise in opioid-related deaths and changing prescribing guidelines and regulatory policies have led many physicians to reduce daily doses for patients prescribed stable opioid therapy for chronic pain. Some patients have reported that this dose reduction process – called tapering –has been difficult, sometimes involving worsened pain, symptoms of opioid withdrawal and depressed mood. In a study published Aug. 3 in JAMA, a team of UC Davis Health researchers examined the potential risks of opioid dose tapering. Their study found that patients on stable opioid therapy who had their doses tapered had significantly higher rates of overdose and mental health crisis, compared to patients without dose reductions.