I wouldn't worry about the pain meds too much - pain is a way of telling you there's something wrong, and by god you know there's something wrong and you're doing what you can about it! So why suffer needlessly?

Also, while pain meds can (not always!) dull the mind, pain dulls it more. When I'm at that point, I'm more productive and happier and clearer in the head on pain meds than off them and in a lot of pain.

Re people and energy levels - isn't the definition of an introvert someone who feels drained by contact with people, and extrovert is someone who's vitalised by it?

But of course people are a combination of both to varying extents.