Why These Drugs Are Often Addictive
What is the most important information I should know about painkillers?
One of the most common reasons Americans visit their doctors is to get help with pain relief.
Pain causes distress and can even be debilitating.
Verywell / JR Bee
Doctors sometimes prescribe opioid pain relievers to their patients who are in pain.
While these drugs can provide much-needed relief, they also have the potential for misuse and addiction.
How Addictive Are Pain Relievers?
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
There are different medications that can ease short-term or chronic pain.
Many of these drugs fall into the opioid category.
It is important to be cautious when taking medication for pain.
Image Source / Stockbyte / Getty Images
In some cases, the treatment can pose more risk than the underlying cause of the pain.
Still, many of these medications produce a high that can become addictive for some patients.
Some people become psychologically dependent on this feeling of euphoria.
There is also the risk of physical dependence on highly addictive pain relievers.
One of the reasons is that addictive pain medications are sometimes over-prescribed.
The Opioid Crisis
Prescription opioid addiction has risen substantially over the last few decades.
In response, multiple government agencies have created initiatives to curb the epidemic.
This initiative involves working with physicians and pharmacies to ensure that they use powerful painkillers only when absolutely necessary.
There are certain signs that therapeutic use of opioids has crossed into the territory of addiction.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
Note that this is not a complete list.
There are other painkillers and prescription medications that can be addictive.
Fentanyl is available as a lozenge, injectable solution, or skin patch.
While it can be legally prescribed by a doctor, this highly addictive drug might also be obtained illegally.
Naloxone is a medication that canreverse an opioid overdoseif administered quickly enough.
OxyContin
OxyContinis a brand name for extended-release oxycodone.
Demerol
Demerol is a brand name for meperidine.
This addictive painkiller is often used with anesthesia.
Morphine
Morphine is a natural opiate sold under the brand names Duramorph and MS Contin.
Percocet
Percocet is similar to OxyContin.
It is available as a capsule, tablet, and oral solution.
Codeine
Codeine is a natural opiate and commonly prescribed pain reliever.
Codeine is available as a tablet, capsule, or liquid.
Methadone
Methadone is most often associated with people who are trying tosafely quit heroin.
Methadone can be taken in tablet or liquid form and is sold under the brand names Dolophine and Methadose.
Dilaudid
Dilaudid is a brand name for hydromorphone.
Oxymorphone
Oxymorphone is sold under the brand names Opana, Numorphan, and Numorphone.
It is prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain.
This addictive painkiller comes in both immediate- and extended-release tablets.The pill is blue and has an octagon shape.
If you are concerned about any medication that you have been prescribed, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you think you might be addicted to painkillers, treatments are available that can help.
The punch in of treatment that is best depends on the individual, their symptoms, and their needs.
In many cases, treatment may involve therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are prescription opioids?
2015;156(4):569-576. doi: 10.1097/01.j.pain.0000460357.01998.f1.
2016;160:127-34. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.12.026
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prescription opioid overdose death maps.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding the epidemic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Improve opioid prescribing.
2017;19(3):259-269. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.3/tcicero
National Institute on Drug Abuse.Commonly used drugs charts.
Aquina CT, Marques-Baptista A, Bridgeman P, Merlin MA.OxyContin abuse and overdose.Postgrad Med.
Molina DK, Hargrove VM.What is the lethal concentration of hydrocodone?
Petry NM.Contingency management: what it is and why psychiatrists should want to use it.Psychiatrist.
2011;35(5):161-163. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.110.031831
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Methadone.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Opioid data analysis and resources.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.What classes of prescription drugs are commonly misused?.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.Commonly abused drugs.
