Painkillers are pain-reducing drugs that many of us will use in a variety of different contexts and situations. Some painkillers include the likes of illegal painkillers such as heroin as well as prescription painkillers including the likes of codeine, paracetamol, and fentanyl.

While some people can start taking painkillers as they are prescribed to do so by their doctor, while some other people will start taking painkillers due to peer pressure or by self-medicating for a variety of issues.

Regardless of how you have managed to find yourself addicted to painkillers, Addiction Advocates will be able to help. Furthermore, if you are unsure as to whether you have actually developed an addiction then the information below should hopefully be able to let you figure out if you need professional addiction treatment.

 

Why Are Painkillers So Addictive?

Painkillers can both be taken to treat pain or they can be abused for their euphoric effects. The fact that painkillers can cause people to feel pleasure, relaxed, and a general sense of euphoria is what makes them so addictive.

As someone becomes progressively more dependent upon painkillers, they can also find themselves trying to get their hands on, and consuming more and more, painkillers. With this escalation of a person’s painkiller consumption comes increasingly more severe personal and physiological ramifications. Another issue is that many people are unsure if painkillers are addictive. Before consuming a painkiller you should research and speak to a doctor about the potential of painkiller addiction developing, and ask questions such as ‘is co-codamol addictive and how do I avoid it?’

 

What Are The Signs Of Painkiller Addiction?

A lot of people suffering from painkiller addiction can be unsure as to how to talk about painkiller addiction. However, if you feel as though you are experiencing any of the following symptoms of painkiller addiction then you may need to consider reaching out for professional support for painkiller addiction:

  • Have you been trying to purchase excessive amounts of painkillers on the internet?
  • Have you been visiting several different doctors so that you can get extra prescriptions filled?
  • Have you found yourself trying to steal drugs and/or borrow drugs from friends, family, or acquaintances?
  • Have you continued to take prescription painkillers even after your ailments have disappeared?
  • Do you feel as though consuming and acquiring painkillers have started to dominate your life?
  • Are you spending more and more time recovering from the effects of taking excessive amounts of painkillers?
  • Are you experiencing more severe mood swings as a result of your painkiller use?
  • Do you keep finding yourself wanting to stop taking painkillers, but you cannot bring yourself to do so?
  • Are you taking painkillers even in situations where it may be dangerous to do so, such as before driving?
  • Do you have increased feelings of shame or guilt in relation to your substance abuse?
  • Are you continuing to use painkillers even in spite of the negative influences that it is having on your day-to-day life?
  • Are you lying to your friends and/or loved ones about how many painkillers that you are taking?
  • Have you been associating a lot more with other drug addicts and/or people with addiction to prescription painkiller use?
  • Have you been suffering from increased social withdrawal?
  • Are you experiencing withdrawal symptoms after not having taken painkillers for a few days?
  • Are your cravings for taking painkillers getting more severe and harder to ignore?
  • Have you been suffering from fluctuations in your weight and/or are you suffering from financial woes as a result of your painkiller addiction?

 

Treatment Options For Painkiller Addiction

If you think that you are having issues with painkiller addiction and need professional treatment for it then there are a lot of treatment options that you can look into. Regardless of what kind of treatment you wish to opt for, Addiction Advocates will be able to refer you to a treatment centre that is best suited for your needs.

One of the first things is that you need to talk to someone about your issue. This is easier said than done, but only you can take the first step in admitting that you have a problem. While you should hopefully feel confident in reaching out to those closest to you, the helpline staff at Addiction Advocates will also be here to listen and help you through your issues if you would like someone else to talk to.

Our helpline staff are trained to listen and help people suffering from all manner of substance abuse issues as well as mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Once we have spoken to you, our helpline staff will also be able to work out what sort of treatment option is best for you. Most commonly, we will recommend for people to go through a course of treatment at a rehabilitation centre. Drug rehab provides one of the best possible recovery rates of all forms of addiction treatment, hence why we recommend most people are advantaged of this treatment avenue.

 

How Does Rehab Treat Painkiller Addiction?

When you arrive at a rehabilitation centre for painkiller addiction treatment, the most common thing that people will go through is drug detox. The detoxification process will rid your body of any negative toxins that are still in your system, while it will also get your body ready to exist without the presence of painkillers in your system.

The detoxification process is an incredibly important grounding point for when someone is experiencing prescription drug treatment. The types of medication you are prescribed during the detox period will also be dependent upon your addiction — for instance, someone experiencing tramadol addiction treatment and rehab may experience different treatment to someone going through benzodiazepine addiction treatment and rehab.

Once you have been through detoxification, you will experience a whole host of professional support for painkiller addiction in the form of physical and psychological treatments. Some of the most common treatments may include the likes of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy), group therapy, massage therapy, family drug support counselling, and much more.

If you are ready to start seeking out professional addiction treatment for painkiller addiction, then contact Addiction Advocates today.