Painkiller Addiction Symptoms

Thousands of individuals and their loved ones suffer from painkiller addiction that is difficult to treat, dangerous to cope with and potentially deadly to endure.  Painkiller addiction is often the result of being prescribed a prescription medication for a completely legitimate reason but there are also an alarming number of cases of individuals becoming addicted to painkillers as a result of recreational use.  Ask yourself the following questions to determine if you or if someone you love might be suffering from painkiller addiction:

(If you answer yes to any of these questions then you are at risk or may already be addicted to painkillers.)

1.  Do you take more of the painkiller medication than you were prescribed to take or do you take extra doses of the medication despite the dangers that come with taking too much?

2.  Do you take the medication in a way that it was not prescribed to be taken such as by injecting it, snorting it or chewing it?

3.  Do you purchase medication or have medication given to you by others even though the painkiller is not prescribed to you or even though you already ran out of your own prescription for the medication?

4.  Do you doctor shop or get more prescriptions from other doctors in an effort to have more of a painkiller?  Or, do you get other painkillers from another doctor without disclosing this information to both doctors?

5.  Do you spend your time worrying about your painkiller, finding more, getting more, using more or when you can take your next dose?

6.  Do you drink alcohol or use other drugs or medications when taking the painkiller despite the pharmacist’s warning not to do this?

7.  Do you take the medication for reasons other than pain such as when you have an anxiety attack, when you have a bad mood or when you feel sick?

8.  Do you drive a car or operate other equipment that could pose a potential danger to yourself or others when you are under the influence of the painkiller?

9.  Do you take the painkiller to get high or do you feel a high from the painkiller and refrain from telling your doctor about this?

10. Do you get so impaired from the painkiller (either physically, psychologically or both) that you cannot function or perform normal routines or as you normally would?

Treatment for Painkiller Addiction Symptoms

If you or someone you know is showing any of the above signs of being addicted to painkillers then it’s time to seek help.  There are many forms of treatment available to assist you with overcoming addiction to painkillers.  The most common methods of treatment include inpatient counseling, outpatient counseling, detox and aftercare.  Talk with your local rehab center or health care provider about these addiction symptoms and how treatment can benefit you.