Suffering from Tramadol addiction or know a loved one who is? Here we go into detail about Tramadol addiction, various treatments available for you and how you can benefit from going to treatment for your Tramadol addiction.
- Home /
- Opiates /
- Tramadol Addiction
Tramadol is classified as an opioid analgesic and it is completely synthetic. The drug was not created with a natural substance and doesn’t appear in nature as it was made by German scientists all the way back in 1962 who created the substance to help patients relieve the pain that they were feeling in doses.
The drug had to undergo fifteen years of testing before it was allowed to be sold and it was approved for use in the United Kingdom in the nineties. Not only is it an opioid drug but it has SNRI (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor) properties inside the drug which are often found in antidepressants.
It was mostly considered to be a lot safer and less prone to people becoming addicted to it than other opioids on the market but over the years there have been more people suffering from tramadol addiction. It can be dangerous when misused as it has both properties & characteristics of an opioid and an antidepressant which can pose a high risk to a person’s mental state.
The common forms of tramadol that you could come across are either tablets or capsules that are made for instant release. You can also find tramadol in the form of drops or sublingual tablets which are placed under the user’s tongue to dissolve. The doses can range from 50 to 300mg.
What Is Tramadol Used For?
Tradamol is used to help patients who are suffering from mild to severe pain when non-opioid medications aren’t relieving the pain effectively. The time schedule you are told to take tramadol in is every four to six hours to help ease the pain.
Tradamol is often started in very small doses and will be slowly increased to find the minimum dosage it will take to relieve the pain the patient is feeling and most importantly help avoid any unwanted side effects from a high dosage.
Need Help With Your Addiction?
How Does A Tramadol Addiction Happen?
Tramadol addiction is not the same as tramadol dependency. A dependency happens with an opioid drug when a user has taken a lot of the substance over a longer period of time, the time it takes to become dependent on a drug is based on a number of things such as amount, the individual and many more.
Tramadol addiction is when the user starts to feel the need to take the drug for other reasons than trying to manage pain. It is hard for people to look at themselves and admit they have become addicted to a certain drug such as tramadol. Many addicts will build a defensive wall with reasons why they need to take drugs and won’t see it as an addiction. If you are starting to suspect you are using the drug out of its intended purpose then you may be overcome with an addiction and it’s best to reach out for rehabilitation treatment to allow you to start the road of recovery today.
Why Is Tramadol Addictive?
Amongst all the opioids, tramadol is considered to be one of the low risky medications for people becoming addicted and misusing the drug. This does not mean people aren’t prone to becoming addicted to the drug over time. The opioid-like effects when taken orally cause people to start misusing the drug due to the ‘euphoria’ effects.
It also has a similar effect to those as an antidepressant which is why people are drawn to use the drug but it will take a while for your body to become physically dependent on antidepressants.
People who become addicted to tramadol are often people who already suffer from an opioid addiction and have been found to hold off and suppress mild withdrawal symptoms in some cases but it is not as powerful to fully suppress withdrawal symptoms.
Book Your Free Addiction Assessment
Signs Of Tramadol Addiction
Tramadol addiction causes a vast range of physical effects on the body not only short-term but long-term as well. Discovering these signs early can help you or a loved one realise that they are misusing the drug and can make them start the road to recovery through rehabilitation today.
Like any drug, signs can vary depending on the person but there are most common signs of a tramadol addiction that most addicts will show in their everyday behaviour such as –
- Trying to illegally source tramadol.
- Performance in work and school declining.
- Small pupils.
- Slurred speech.
- Shaking.
- Poor co-ordiation.
- Change in physical appearance.
- Slow breathing.
- Impaired judgement.
- Paranoid.
- Depression.
- Moodswings.
Tramadol Addiction Treatment
The first step in beating any addiction is realising that you need help, reaching out to a rehabilitation centre to treat your addiction is the best and most effective way that you can not only detox the drug out your system but learn ways to battle against any signs of potential relapse.
We have a support addiction team on hand 24 hours of the day that can assess your current situation and help you find the correct treatment for your addiction whether that’d be a inpatient rehabilitation facility or an outpatient one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tramadol is a prescription-only painkiller and it can be addictive. The addiction can happen to anyone, but there are some factors which may increase your risk of addiction. These include: Being prescribed Tramadol for more than three months, taking doses that are higher than the recommended dose and stopping or reducing the dosage without consulting your doctor first.