It is important to follow the instructions on the package or your doctor’s instructions when taking ibuprofen. There are many alternatives to ibuprofen, including acetaminophen, naproxen, and aspirin. It is important to discuss any new medication with your doctor before taking it to ensure it is safe for you.
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By blocking their production, ibuprofen is able to reduce inflammation and provide pain relief. Since ibuprofen is so accessible, it is important to understand if it can be addictive. Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and is used to reduce pain and inflammation. It works by blocking the production of certain natural substances that cause inflammation. There are a number of side effects that can arise (as with many prescription medications). These will vary per person because factors such as age, size, weight and general health play a part as well as the amounts taken and possible interaction with other drugs.
- Forums like Narcotics Anonymous provide an environment where people working towards recovery from ibuprofen dependence and addiction can come together, exchange stories of their journey, and bolster each other’s efforts in overcoming the habit.
- There are no official statistics documenting the extent of dependence on legal non-prescription drugs.
- By comparison, the average pain score among all 250 participants enrolled in the study was 5.3.
- Ibuprofen is available in tablets, capsules, chewable tablets, and liquid medication.
- Recognising Ibuprofen addiction involves understanding behavioural, physical, and psychological indicators.
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People who get used to taking it in this way may be more likely to develop an addiction over time as it becomes part of their daily habits. Rather, steroids are stronger medicines that help your body fight off stress after or during an illness. However, they can provide powerful relief, especially for general pains and body aches. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Over 11% of ibuprofen users take over the prescribed dosage and have the potential to become dependent on the medication, says Angeleena Francis, LMHC, Vice President of Operations at AMFM Healthcare.
- Such dependence can lead them into a destructive loop where the individual feels compelled to keep taking the medication even after there’s no longer any need for its pain-relief properties.
- Thus, it becomes imperative to monitor for these particular indications when frequent usage or long-term reliance on ibuprofen for managing pain has occurred.
- Often, these changes in behaviour develop slowly, which makes them challenging to identify during the initial stages of dependence on the drug.
- No other pain medications (e.g. opioids or other analgesics), or medications known to have addictive potential, were identified in the medical record.
Can Ibuprofen be addictive, and what are the signs of Ibuprofen addiction?
To our knowledge, only one case report exists in the literature describing DSM-5 NSAID use disorder (Etcheverrigaray et al., 2014). Other notable mental health-related case reports related to NSAID use describe patients with psychiatric disorders resulting in mania or psychosis that were exacerbated by NSAID use (Jiang and Chang, 1999). OTC addiction applies to any drug sold without a prescription that someone is taking to change can you get addicted to ibuprofen how they feel or get relief from a physical health issue. An underlying condition may be forcing them to overtake Ibuprofen to feel physically better. Addiction is a disease of the mind and emotions that can occur with drugs, alcohol, behaviors (gambling, shopping, sex, money, etc.). The most important way to help anyone addicted to anything is to offer them professional treatment at a drug or behavior-specific treatment center.
Ibuprofen and hypertension medications?
- People take ibuprofen for fevers, aches and pains, headaches, stiffness, and swelling.
- However, it’s important to acknowledge the distinction between addiction and a pattern of misuse or over-reliance on ibuprofen for pain management, which can pose significant health risks if not addressed responsibly.
- Reputable addiction treatment centers like Evoke Wellness offer personalized programs to address co-occurring disorders through evidence-based therapies.
There are no official statistics documenting the extent of dependence on legal non-prescription drugs. Although addiction to codeine combined in OTC painkillers has been recognised for many years, anecdotal reports suggest this problem is increasing, and we need large scale research to assess and monitor the extent of the problem. The development of dependency on over the counter (OTC) drugs is often forgotten.1 In the past three months we have seen three patients with addictions to Nurofen plus (ibuprofen and codeine phosphate). All three had started using the product for its approved indications, but their use had escalated as they became tolerant to the codeine element.
Attempting to abuse ibuprofen by taking excessive doses will not lead to any sort of euphoric “high.” Instead, it drastically increases the risk of serious medical complications and potentially fatal overdose symptoms. While taking ibuprofen as directed is generally safe, abusing it by consuming excessive amounts can lead to serious health consequences. Potential side effects include gastrointestinal bleeding, heart problems, liver damage, and kidney issues. However, as stated on the Evoke Wellness blog, one cannot get “high” on ibuprofen, regardless of the dosage consumed.
