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Studies found that gabapentinoids are abused and misused and that individuals with a history of psychiatric disorders or substance use disorder seem to be at high risk. Moreover, some evidence supports the notion that patients with opioid use disorders may be at an increased risk of abusing gabapentinoids. Signs of Gabapentin Abuse in Someone You Know. Addiction is far more common than most people realize. It’s important to know what to look for. If you think someone is abusing Neurontin, be informed. Recognizing the signs could make all the difference. Recreational drug users start to show personality changes. People abuse gabapentin at varying doses, including at therapeutic doses (900-3600mg per day) to supra-therapeutic doses. One study found that 40% of people prescribed gabapentin take higher doses than are prescribed to them. 2 Long considered safe and non-addictive, gabapentin is increasingly showing up in the bodies of people who overdose on heroin and prescription opioids. Researchers are now finding that the alternative painkiller has become a drug of abuse. Jeff Chu/AP Doctors who are cutting back on prescribing opioids increasingly are opting for gabapentin, a safer, non-narcotic drug [] Gabapentin is widely prescribed. Gabapentin is a commonly prescribed medication, with about 3.9 million prescriptions filled in Canada in 2015. 1 Gabapentin is approved by Health Canada as adjunctive therapy in the management of epilepsy. 1 However, the most common recommendations and prescribing internationally are for off-label conditions, including anxiety, alcohol use disorder and chronic An increasing number of people abuse gabapentin to get high and are at risk of overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently studied gabapentin overdoses. Of the 58,362 overdose deaths with toxicology results in 2019 and 2020, 5,687 (9.7%) showed positive results for gabapentin. Despite their inherent abuse potential, gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) may be safer than presumed and offer prescribers an effective opioid-alternative treatment for certain types of neuropathic pain. The most popular way to abuse gabapentin is by mixing it with alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines to increase the effects of the other intoxicant. Some people abuse the drug by taking a high dose of it, crushing and snorting it, or injecting it. As with most medication, high doses of gabapentin can be dangerous and potentially fatal. Gabapentin has known CNS (central nervous system) depressant effects and large doses could induce coma or respiratory depression. Safe Use Of Gabapentin It should be noted that the studied medicinal dose range of gabapentin is quite large. When taken as prescribed for an intended medical condition, gabapentin is well-tolerated and not considered addictive. However, addiction can occur or worsen when misused illicitly, at higher doses, or combined with opioids. Spotting Gabapentin Abuse. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that Neurontin (one of the brand-name formulations of gabapentin) may cause suicidal thoughts and behaviors in those taking the drug licitly. When someone abuses it, this risk may increase. Gabapentin Abuse – Approved and Off-Label Uses. Gabapentin is only approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an anticonvulsant drug for people with epilepsy and for nerve pain associated with shingles. Because the drug is thought to be relatively safe, though, physicians prescribe gabapentin for a number of off-label uses. Gabapentin has been shown to lead to dependence, addiction and withdrawal in some people, although when it was first approved in 1993 this risk was thought to be minimal. . Gabapentin has been increasingly associated with drug abuse, particularly in people who mix it with opioids, alcohol or other substanc When gabapentin is taken alone and as prescribed, there is little potential for abuse or addiction. However, when a person takes gabapentin with other medications—such as muscle relaxants, opioids, or anxiety medications—it can produce a high. Here are the possible reasons that people abuse and become addicted to gabapentin: Euphoric High. Some people abuse prescribed gabapentin to get high. This controlled substance can cause a feeling of euphoria, which is similar to the feeling that some people experience when they take opioids. The difference is that gabapentin isn’t as potent Gabapentin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy and pain related to nerve damage, called neuropathy. Also known by its brand name, Neurontin, the drug acts as a sedative. Gabapentin was primarily misused for recreational purposes, self-medication, or intentional self-harm and was misused alone or in combination with other substances, especially opioids, benzodiazepines, and/or alcohol. Individuals with histories of drug abuse were most often involved in its misuse. Additionally, gabapentin has been prescribed to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms (which may include pain), or for co-occurring mental health disorders in people with opioid use disorder. 9. These, along with other potential applications, highlight the promising role of gabapentin in substance use disorder treatment. Individuals describe varying experiences with gabapentin abuse, including: euphoria, improved sociability, a marijuana-like ‘high’, relaxation, and sense of calm, although not all reports are positive (for example, ‘zombie-like’ effects). Drug Rehabs · Alcohol Treatment Centers | Rehab Directory
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