Signs of Addiction to Painkillers

Painkillers are very important when you feel unbearable pain and interfere with your activities. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can help relieve headaches, lumbago and muscle aches.

However, be careful with addiction to painkillers, because it can damage health in the process of treatment. So what if we are addicted to painkillers?

A person is categorized as addicted when he or she becomes physically and psychologically dependent on a substance and feels they cannot do without painkillers. A person becomes desperate to drink it when he cannot get it for a while. Credentialing in Addiction Psychology

The problem is that many over-the-counter painkillers have the active ingredient codeine and it is this that has significant potential for addiction if used excessively or even regularly over a long period of time.

The difference between addiction and dependence

There is a small difference between addiction and drug dependence. Drug dependence means that your body has built a tolerance for its effects and that a larger dose of the same drug is needed to get the same effect.

Many people who use over-the-counter painkillers experience this dependence from time to time. However, when you are addicted to a drug, it is more than just physical because you keep taking it. 

Here are some signs that someone is addicted to painkillers, both over-the-counter and prescription.

1. Always have pain relievers on hand

You always make sure to buy and store painkillers at home or on the go

2. Irritability and mood swings

If you feel defensive or annoyed when asked why, you may have a problem. In addition, if your sleeping patterns change or are less interested in his personal appearance, this could also be a worrying sign of addiction to painkillers.

3. Headache

This could be a sign of a condition called painkillers, in which painkillers are slowly taken in large amounts over time because of the headache. However, the headache was actually caused by the codeine withdrawal and so continued wanting the drug.

It is estimated that up to 10 percent of people with headaches may have it due to use of their headache painkillers. Surprisingly, the headache condition would only be a problem for people taking painkillers to treat headaches. This condition does not occur in people who take painkillers to treat arthritis and back pain.