Last updated : December 23, 2024
Whether you have dealt with chronic pain or you are recovering from a painful injury, it is very likely that you will be prescribed painkillers that allow you to be comfortable and to function with ease.
Painkillers are an important method of pain therapy, but because many of them are very addictive, it is not unusual to find yourself in a situation where you may be dependent or even addicted to them.
If you or someone you love is taking painkillers, it is often a good idea to consider the signs of addiction.
Introversion
There are of course always people who need more time to themselves and people who do not enjoy being in crowds, but a painkiller addiction can turn people who were once social and excited about going out into homebodies. These people might withdraw from contact with their friends and family, and they might shy away from people who are likely to notice their addiction.
Panic at the Thought of Loss
If the thought of cutting back or getting rid of the painkillers that you are taking fills you with a panic, there is a good chance that you are dealing with at least a dependence, if not an addiction. If you panic at the thought of being denied your painkiller, think very carefully about what the cause might be. Fear, anger and shame are all common emotional responses during the course of an addiction, and any one of the tree can fuel a panic reaction.
Steadily Increased Dosage
Getting an increased dosage of your medicine is not necessarily a bad thing. When you are first dealing with a condition that involves pain, it can take a while to figure out what the right dose should be. However, if you are taking steadily more medicine and if you are looking to increase your dose on a regular basis, this is a bad sign. Talk with your doctor about whether your steadily increased dosage is a cause for concern.
Change In Personality
While someone who is addicted to drugs is still the same person, the drugs that they are taking along with the general stress of addiction can cause changes in their personality. They may be more short-tempered, they may seem very angry and upset all of the time, or they may be very disinterested in the things that once interested them a great deal. This can be a difficult thing to deal with, but in general, a change in personality especially for the worse, is always an indication that something is is going on.
Forgetfulness
When you are taking painkillers, you are typically ingesting a kind of opiate, a drug that renders you a little foggy and mentally unaware in most cases. Prolonged use and dependence can create a state where you end up being very forgetful. If your memory is usually very good but you find that you cannot remember basic things, this can be a sign of addiction. Over time, this forgetfulness might turn into blackouts where there are whole chunks of your memory missing.
Drug Chasing Behavior
The problem with an addiction to painkillers is that over time, they become less effective. The dose that you were on will afford less in the way of pain relief. If you find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about how to get more drugs or how to convince your doctor to raise your dose, this is a sign that you are addicted.
Take some time to consider what your options are when it comes to painkiller addiction. This is a common issue, so instead of being ashamed or angry, seek help!
