Pregabalin Addiction Treatment Rehab

A prescription drug, Pregabalin, is commonly used to treat neuropathic pain and seizures or epilepsy. It can also be prescribed to adults for anxiety, with positive effects showing within just a few weeks of starting the course of medication. Pregabalin is known to produce feelings of euphoria, calmness, and relaxation, which is highly effective when treating neuropathic pain. Pregabalin reduces anxiety’s overwhelming psychological and physical symptoms, meaning it’s effective in lessening feelings of depression and sleep disturbance.

However, like many prescription drugs, Pregabalin has the potential to cause drug addiction. Because of the associated ‘high’ that Pregabalin produces, it’s become a popular drug to abuse recreationally, particularly in high doses, to achieve a much stronger sedative effect. If you’re exposed to a prolonged period of substance abuse, your body will build up a tolerance to Pregabalin’s effects on you. This leads many people to increase their dosage to feel the desired effects as their bodies become used to the results.

In 2019, Pregabalin was reclassified as a class C controlled substance in the UK with warnings that it has a higher potential for abuse because of its rapid absorption and higher potency. Many people have abused Pregabalin by consuming it alongside other depressants to cause a stronger feeling of relaxation and sedation; however, it can also commonly cause vision changes and hallucinations.

What are the Risks of Abusing Pregabalin?

Like so many other drugs, if you abuse Pregabalin continuously, you’re highly likely to develop a dependency. Once you’ve developed a physical dependency on the drug, it’s extremely difficult to stop consuming Pregabalin. Even with the support of a professional drug rehab centre, overcoming a drug addiction is a challenging and often painful experience. Still, it can beat your battle with addiction with the right treatment.

If you take the prescribed amount of Pregabalin, it’s a safe drug to use as needed. However, there are still side effects and the possibility of becoming addicted to the substance. Pregabalin’s most common side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Constipation
• Trouble concentrating
• Dizziness
• Swelling of the arms and legs
• Weight gain
• Muscle pain
• Blurry vision
• Fever
• Bleeding
• Confusion

Consuming more Pregabalin than prescribed can be incredibly risky to your physical and psychological health. You should never abuse any drug that’s prescribed to you. If you begin to experience any of the above side effects when taking the correct dosage, we highly recommend that you seek out the advice of your GP immediately.

Signs of Pregabalin Addiction

Abusing Pregabalin can pose severe physical and psychological risks; if you suspect that a friend or family member could be abusing prescription drugs, then it’s vital that you seek out professional support right away. There are some common signs to look out for if you’re concerned that a loved one could be suffering from an addiction to Pregabalin, including:

• Crushing or breaking Pregabalin tablets
• Frequently requesting to refill your Pregabalin prescription
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Continuously taking more Pregabalin than intended
• Neglecting work and family responsibilities
• Stealing or borrowing other Pregabalin prescriptions
• Increased irritability when you don’t have access to Pregabalin
• Noticeable mood swings
• Multiple failed attempts at trying to quit Pregabalin
• Visiting numerous doctors in an attempt to source more Pregabalin

Prolonged use of Pregabalin can result in dependence or addiction to the drug, exposing you to many other health risks such as high or low blood pressure, irritability, poor coordination, fatigue, tremors, rashes, vomiting, impaired memory, pancreatitis, and even suicidal thoughts.

Addiction Treatment for Pregabalin

Like many other addiction treatments, when treating Pregabalin addiction, you typically begin with medical drug detoxification. This is certainly the most effective way to cleanse your body of the toxins due to excessive drug abuse. Detoxification is also the best way to gradually reduce your consumption of Pregabalin in a safe environment with 24/7 supervision from a team of addiction specialists.

We strongly advise against any attempts of detoxing at home without the proper medical support. We’ve seen many failed detox attempts which are not only ineffective in rehabilitating from the drug, but they’re also highly dangerous with the potential to be life-threatening.

Having a team of medical experts supervising your detoxification is crucial as you’ll likely encounter withdrawal symptoms which can be very risky when they’re not managed properly. Withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Seizures
• Insomnia
• Delirium tremens (the DT’s)

Withdrawal symptoms reemphasise the importance of having medical supervision to keep you safe and administer prescription medication where necessary. To overcome your addiction to Pregabalin, you must undergo professional private drug and alcohol rehabilitation. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever be able to fully address your physical and psychological connection to Pregabalin without addiction specialists’ expert advice and guidance.

After completing your medical detox, you’ll begin a treatment programme which includes psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (also known as CBT), individual, group, or family counselling, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), stress management, relapse prevention, and mediation therapy.

In addition to these therapies that focus on breaking your physical and psychological connections to the substance, we also highly recommend receiving well-being therapies to help care for your general well-being throughout this challenging rehabilitation process. Some of the most recommended well-being therapies include relaxation and sleep management, low-level laser therapy, music therapy, nutritional support therapy, fitness therapy, art therapy, yoga, and mindfulness.

Receiving a well-rounded treatment programme consisting of a medical detox alongside psychological and well-being therapies will give you the best chance of achieving long-term recovery from Pregabalin addiction.

How We Can Help

If you’re ready to turn your life around and create a healthier and happier future to look forward to, take the first step; contact our rehab centre to help you overcome your battle with addiction.
Alternatively, you can call on 0800 880 7596.