So what was wrong with Nina ?

Nina was also suffering from chronic pain, though the cause of it was never explained. She had also lost the ability to do some of the most basic types of maternal tasks for her son. One of the most haunting things about this movie, though, is that we don't have any way of knowing for sure what was happening in Nina's head. Some people might be able to deal with chronic pain like Nina's plus whatever else might have been depressing her, while other people might not be able to. Everybody's neurochemistry is different.

She was suicidal

As someone with fibromyalgia, I can tell you that most of us at least contemplate suicide. The number one killer of fibromites is suicide. Living with chronic pain and fatigue is extremely difficult. Things that most people take for granted - waking up without pain, sitting down, getting out of a chair, walking from one room to another, being able to bake a cake from scratch, making meals, going out to run errands, going to work, playing with your kids, etc., are often impossible for us. We make plans with friends, but then can't keep them, because the pain we're in is too much. We are always in need of a place to sit, because standing is so draining.

Add all sorts of other stressors that inevitably happen in life - money problems, fights with spouses, demands of kids, car trouble, job-related stress, etc., and you feel lucky if you can get out of bed, get dressed and walk to another room in the house.

Suicide from chronic pain is on the rise in the US. Probably from the strict laws aimed at abusers that hurt users more often. But it's also from the continued spread of lies that taking pain medication is somehow evil and only used by the weak. Granted Claire misused her meds but any sensible pain specialist would've had her medicated and followed properly. Especially for the long term effects of what she went through. Also, a great example, though faux, of why pain specialist should have a background in psychology not anesthesia. I'm frankly tired of pain meds being portrayed in this light. I was Nina and lucky for me methadone gave me my life back and since taking it I have never once considered taking my life in hopes of ending my physical pain. Something I could not say previously. And that should outrage people! We have the means and knowledge to help ease the pain but make it so difficult to get it that suicide becomes a viable option!! Shame on us!! This movie ended foolishly, imo, because it never once suggested how she might handle her pain in other ways. You cannot just grin and bear it. I t wears you down physically and mentally. I realize it was written by a man who has every right to think meds are evil http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2962358/The-true-story-Jennifer-Aniston-s-Cake-movie-s-scriptwriter-inspired-brutal-murder-brother-s-wife-baby-daughter-mother-law.html

but what happened in his family is rare. My husband had an awful, life threatening reaction to a prescription once but it caused us to be cautious not deem all prescription drugs as evil and by extension the users evil doers. Until one lives in chronic pain you can't even think to empathize or understand. There is nothing comparable. It is not like the flu or having someone sit on your chest or even labor pains because all of those things are surmountable and most importantly, have an ending. Sadly, like the poster who asked about sex, those living in chronic pain live under constant scrutiny and judgement. It's crazy. Do not think you know someone's pain, do not think you understand their life and never, ever compare my pain to yours. Those are the Golden Rules. But I sure would appreciate it if just one person would do justice to the lives saved and restored by pain medication and stop this endless cycle of hate, misinformation and demonization by writing about how pain meds transformed and saved their life! Without pain meds there would be so many more suicides!! So many more! Can you imagine what pain, endless, intolerable, night into day back into night again pain Nina must have felt to choose such a painful and absolutely successful way to end her pain instead of living out her days, however miserable, with her beautiful son and loving husband? Yet this goes on all the time in the real world. Sadly, the movie missed out on making a great point in that growing failure of our country to help and support those in chronic pain and focused on Claire's abuse instead. Perhaps that's why so many found the movie to be lacking. It's only purpose was to once again decry the evils of prescription drugs and like those before it fail to offer alternatives to how she was now going to live a better, more upright life while still in unimaginable pain.

because she was living in constant pain. suicide (and attempts) among people living with constant chronic pain are not unusual.

Her suicide note said "Positive MS" which I believe means that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Correct me if I'm wrong--I had to reverse the dvd and play in slow motion to be able to read the note.