Hearing stories about how “gabapentin ruined my life” can be disturbing, particularly if you have a prescription for this medication or had planned to take it to improve your life in some capacity.
What can begin as a desire to curb anxiety or nerve pain can evolve into problematic territory. It can be genuinely terrifying to experience side effects from a medication. Feeling like the medication radically impacted your quality of life, even temporarily, is valid and worth investigating. Or perhaps you or a loved one developed an addiction to gabapentin after using it for medical purposes.
Read on to learn about gabapentin. You’ll learn how to spot addiction in yourself and others and how you can move forward with your life.
What is Gabapentin?
Gabapentin is a widely used medication that is designed to provide relief for people who have seizures or nerve pain from the shingles virus. A common brand name for this medication is Neurontin.
Even when used therapeutically at prescribed dosages, gabapentin is known to have uncomfortable side effects. Also, when individuals misuse Neurontin, there’s potential abuse. In particular, people have used this medication combined with opioids and other substances, further increasing the addiction potential and health risks.
Gabapentin Use
In addition to its widely-known medical use for treating seizures and nerve pain, gabapentin is administered for a range of off-label conditions.
Gabapentin may be prescribed for:
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
- Hormonal hot flashes
- Anxiety disorder treatment
- Migraine prevention
Even when Neurontin is taken appropriately, side effects can occur. Side effects can occur with any medication and can vary in severity. Commonly reported side effects of gabapentin include:
- Fatigue
- Lack of physical coordination
- Dizziness or issues with balance
- Stomach issues (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
- Unusual eye movement issues
How Do Prescription Drugs Like Gabapentin Become Abused?
There are many cases where gabapentin is prescribed for a health concern, taken appropriately, and the addressed symptoms are alleviated. However, this is not always the case, and gabapentin can end up being a hindrance to your health.
Someone may begin taking their gabapentin prescription in higher doses than prescribed. Some individuals may misuse gabapentin for its calming and euphoric effects, especially when combined with other substances like opioids or alcohol.
Over time, regular gabapentin use can lead to the development of tolerance and physical dependence. Abruptly stopping gabapentin use causes withdrawal symptoms. Many individuals will continue taking the medication to avoid adverse effects.
Signs of Gabapentin Addiction
Maybe you’ve taken gabapentin and have noticed a pattern in your use. Or perhaps a loved one has been taking this medication, and you’ve observed a shift in behavior. Without jumping to conclusions, it’s wise to determine if you or a loved one has an addiction.
Here are the common signs and symptoms of gabapentin addiction:
- You’ve been using gabapentin in higher doses than prescribed
- You have cravings to take gabapentin
- Your obligations feel less important than making sure you have enough gabapentin
- You are isolating from other people
- You notice your anxiety or depression has increased in severity
- Your mood is up and down, or you’re more easily irritated or on edge
Dangers of Gabapentin Use
While gabapentin is generally considered safe when used as prescribed, it does carry some risks when used. The risks increase when use becomes inappropriate, as well as for people with pre-existing health conditions contraindicated from taking gabapentin, like kidney disease.
Some potential risks to a person’s health include:
- Excessive drowsiness and sedation can impair the ability to perform tasks that require alertness, such as driving.
- When taken in high doses or combined with other depressants (e.g., opioids, alcohol), gabapentin can depress the respiratory system, potentially leading to respiratory failure.
- Overdose is possible if too much of the medication is taken, causing severe drowsiness, slurred speech, lethargy, and unresponsiveness. In extreme cases, it can lead to coma and death.
- Some individuals may experience allergic reactions, such as rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, or difficulty breathing.
- Gabapentin is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some individuals. Monitoring by a healthcare provider is important, especially during the initial treatment period or when doses are adjusted.
- Long-term misuse may potentially lead to cardiovascular problems.
Self-Assessment: Am I Addicted?
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Gabapentin and Opioids
Neurontin is often seen as a safe but effective alternative to opioids. However, its impact on the nervous system, similar to that of opioids, raises concern about how and when this medication is utilized in medical treatments.
There is a growing number of opioid overdose deaths. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of fatal overdoses involving gabapentin increased to about 10% of total fatal overdoses. Officials ruled that gabapentin was the actual cause of death in nearly 3000 of these cases. The number of these deaths that involved opioids was 85-90%, suggesting a strong correlation between opioid misuse and gabapentin misuse.
Can Gabapentin Make Anxiety Worse?
While it is often used to treat anxiety and related conditions, gabapentin has been known to worsen anxiety occasionally. This effect is known as a paradoxical reaction, where instead of alleviating symptoms, it can increase anxiety or nervousness.
Additionally, abruptly stopping gabapentin after prolonged use can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including increased anxiety.
At the start of treating a medical issue with gabapentin or when doses are adjusted, users are particularly vulnerable to anxiety as a side effect.
As with any medication, gabapentin is not an ideal fit for everyone. Individuals with preexisting anxiety disorders might not respond well to gabapentin, and in some cases, their anxiety could worsen.
Treatment for Gabapentin Addiction
Has gabapentin ruined your life? If you or someone you know is struggling with gabapentin addiction, a tailored treatment plan can help. Treating gabapentin addiction involves a few common steps that a reputable addiction treatment center will address.
Typical treatment steps include:
Medical Detox
A medically supervised detox can ensure a person is safe and as comfortable as possible while gabapentin is processed out of the body. This process can last a few days to weeks. Withdrawal symptoms are reduced, and the risk of severe reactions to stopping the medication is decreased.
Comprehensive Treatment Programs
Residential treatment or IOP and PHP programs offer medical, therapeutic, and supportive services. After detox, people are better equipped to engage in treatment programs.
Treatment programs have a behavioral therapy focus, where participants can benefit from CBT and other forms of counseling to address triggers and develop coping strategies.
Some individuals benefit from holistic treatments such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, or nutritional therapy to support overall well-being during recovery.
Aftercare
Program participants meet with their treatment team before graduating from a treatment program to determine appropriate aftercare plans. Aftercare involves ongoing outpatient therapy and support groups, like Narcotics Anonymous, to support long-term recovery.
The goal of treatment is to build support networks and provide encouragement as clients prepare to re-enter a life without reaching for drugs.
Get Treatment for Gabapentin Addiction at Vogue
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction to gabapentin, there’s hope. If you feel like gabapentin ruined your life, it’s possible to regain your mental health and overall well-being. Here at Vogue Recovery Centers, we can help determine the best path toward recovery.
With locations in Las Vegas and Phoenix, Vogue is available to walk you through the steps of detox, treatment, and relapse prevention. Let’s put gabapentin misuse in the past together.
Questions about treatment options?
Our admissions team is available 24/7 to listen to your story and help you get started with the next steps.
References
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/gabapentin-uses-side-effects-and-what-you-should-know-if-youve-been-prescribed-this-medication
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2796287
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5308580/
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40265-020-01432-7
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31678138/
Evan Gove
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