Pregabalin Addiction: Signs, Help & Therapy
If you know anyone suffering from epilepsy or anxiety, Pregabalin could be a familiar topic. At the Executive Rehab Guide, we are aware of just how dangerous and addictive this common prescription drug can be.
As with all drugs that adjust the brain’s reward system, Pregabalin can become addictive.
Unfortunately, Pregabalin, being a Gabapentinoid, is both chemically and psychologically addictive, meaning that there is both a mental and physical element to the addiction that makes this drug especially hard to quit.
Pregabalin addiction overview
The prescription-only drug is used to treat nerve pain, reduce anxiety and reduce abnormal electrical activity involved in epilepsy.
Pregabalin is widely prescribed by GPs across the UK as a treatment for nerve pain, epilepsy and anxiety and the rate of prescription has increased hugely in recent years.
However, the drug now has a street value of at least £1 per tablet, meaning that it is available outside of the narrow channels of a GP prescription. This easy availability is driving addiction.
The warning signs
If you are concerned that a loved one is addicted to Pregabalin, you may wish to stage an intervention to address the issue.
There are several key warning signs to look out for that point to chemical dependency on the drug. Use the
- Track marks – puncture marks from needles on the inside of the elbow are a certain sign that a person has been injecting themselves
- Miosis – The pupils of the eyes looking very small and contracted (miosis) is a regular sign of opiate drug use
- Trouble staying focused – For hours after taking Pregabalin, a user may appear to regularly fall asleep or ‘nod out’ during conversations
- Withdrawal symptoms – If a Pregabalin addict doesn’t use for even a short period of time they can develop physical symptoms of withdrawal, including heavy sweating, nausea, vomiting, irritability and diarrhoea
A final warning sign is not a physical manifestation of the use of the drug, but a by-product of addiction.
Pregabalin is a relatively cheap drug (cheaper than prescription opiates because it is cut with dangerous additives). 56 25mg capsules of Pregabalin can cost as little as £7.50 on the streets of a UK city.
However, addicted individuals will burn through cash quickly and do almost anything to pay for the drugs they need, including stealing, taking out loans from disreputable lenders and selling any assets they have. What’s more, Pregabalin addiction is so all-consuming that holding down a regular paying job is difficult for those with a drug dependency.
Common side effects (supplied by the NHS)
- headaches
- feeling sleepy, tired or dizzy
- diarrhoea
- mood changes
- feeling sick
- swollen hands, arms, legs and feet
- blurred vision
- for men, difficulties with getting an erection
- weight gain – because pregabalin can make you feel hungry
- memory problems
As with any case of physical dependency on a prescription drug, there are a series of symptoms associated with the Pregabalin addiction withdrawal process.
These symptoms will be particularly pronounced if you are to stop taking the drug suddenly once addicted.
- Insomnia
- Nausea and dizziness
- Diarrhoea
- Anxiety, nervousness and depression
- Convulsions
- Excessive sweating
- Suicidal thoughts
How to spot a Pregabalin addiction?
- Using alone without other people knowing
- Hiding your usage
- Memory loss
- Lying about the amount you take
- Using it to shut out negative thoughts
- Trying to forget memories or traumas
- Trying to numb any pain – physical or psychological
- Using it to turn down thoughts of guilt and shame
- Others being concerned about your behaviour
- Turning into a different person
Treatment: Pregabalin rehab
- Treatment programmes that last from 28-90 days
- 1-3 week detoxes
- Identifies any co-occurring mental health conditions
- Outpatient sessions
- Inpatient “life-changing” programmes
Like any addiction, dependency on Pregabalin is treatable, but the devastating effects of the drug mean that it is one of the most difficult substances to successfully withdraw from and stay off permanently.
If you are addicted to Pregabalin and struggling to give it up, or you’re concerned about a friend or loved one, don’t delay and take the first step towards effective treatment and recovery as soon as possible.
Explore the options of treatment for Pregabalin addiction at a residential rehab, with medical staff on hand to help you every step of the way.
Some rehab choices in the UK
- From £3,750
- West Linton EH46 7DH
- HIS Rated Exceptional
- 0808 159 6220
Types of therapy for Pregabalin addiction
Like addiction to any substance, the long-term treatment pathway involves physical detox and withdrawal, followed by a recovery that can include group therapy and psychological treatments undertaken in a residential rehab facility, like Castle Craig, for example.
The journey will require patience, effort, understanding and vulnerability.
Therapy is going to aim at helping you build a better, stronger relationship with yourself so that you can cope with whatever life throws at you reasonably.
Detox and therapy benefits
- Be in a secure and safe environment
- Medically managed detoxes with round the clock, 24/7 care and support
- Opens you up to a life-changing diagnosis that ensures you receive the correct help
- Experienced team of doctors, nurses and therapists (note, not all facilities will have onsite medical staff – ask us to see who does)
- Personalised rehabilitation and aftercare programmes (some facilities)
- Work on strategies to prevent relapse
Getting professional help
Treating addiction to any substance is a complex process that takes time and is always best done under the guidance of medical experts.
Because of the physical symptoms of withdrawal, as well as the physical and psychological conditions of dependency, treatment for Pregabalin addiction is always best in a residential setting, under the careful supervision of medical experts.
At the Executive Rehab Guide, we use our years of experience in understanding prescription drug addiction to help you find the right place to recover.
Call 0808 1150 446 today to speak to one of our experts to discuss your path to health and life beyond Pregabalin addiction.
Danger of death
In recent years, the UK government has reclassified Pregabalin as a controlled substance because of the increased use of it as an illicit street drug, beyond the relative safety of a doctor’s prescription.
In Northern Ireland, for example, the danger is especially visible, with a skyrocketing increase in the number of deaths associated with the drug of 980% in just four years.
The long-term impact
The good and bad news regarding the long-term effects of Pregabalin abuse is that so far, not enough is known about the effects over an extended period of time.
Unlike many other addictive prescription drugs, there is not sufficient evidence at this stage to suggest there are any long-term serious neurological consequences to being addicted to Pregabalin.
However, this does not mean that addiction is without some serious negative effects, or that overcoming addiction to Pregabalin will be easy.
Call 0808 1150 446 today to speak to one of our experts to discuss your path to health and life beyond Pregabalin addiction.
"I knew in my heart that this would be a place of hope, for people and families whose lives are ravaged by addiction who are hopeless and helpless, even though they don't realise it sometimes, and that this place would be a sanctuary for them to find the help and healing that they needed."
