Gabapentin Ruined My Life: What You Need to Know

Across our many drug rehabilitation centers, we hear a common story from clients: “Gabapentin ruined my life.” Tragically, experiencing life devastation due to a drug addiction is a recurring problem. Substance use can lead to catastrophe —personal, financial, relational, physical, mental, and professional. When it comes to gabapentin specifically, it can be highly addictive and brain-altering. No person should have to see their life ruined because of substances. The good news is no matter how much drug addiction has taken from you, you can remove its power. Treatment in a drug rehabilitation center will bring healing, self-resilience, and tools to pick yourself up to create lasting change in your life. It is never too late to recover from a substance disorder like gabapentin abuse.

What Is Gabapentin?

Gabapentin is a prescription drug in the class of gabapentinoids, which are psychotropic substances. They mimic the neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to send new messages to the central nervous system. Essentially, gabapentin balances abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Some studies indicate that it even leads the brain to produce more of the GABA chemical to still overactive neurons. Thus, gabapentin’s effect on the body is calming and relaxing. When abused, it can create a high. Additionally, it is often used in combination with other substances to produce a longer-lasting high.

Gabapentin’s brand name is Neurontin. Gabapentin and pregabalin (the other gabapentinoids) are often a first line of defense for epilepsy and nerve pain. In some people, gabapentin causes tiredness. In fact, sometimes it is confused for a narcotic drug because it is quite effective at improving sleep quality. Thus, another common misuse of gabapentin is individuals taking it to achieve sleepiness.

What Does Gabapentin Treat?

There are multiple gabapentin uses, both on-label and off-label. Gabapentin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain conditions, including postherpetic neuralgia, restless leg syndrome, and partial seizures. Each illness causes discomfort and pain and may be caused by imbalances in the brain. Regardless, the way gabapentin modifies brain messaging means it can reduce abnormal neuron activity that causes symptoms. Doctors can also prescribe it off-label to treat conditions where gabapentin is medically applicable. These include various nerve pain types, menopausal symptoms, sleep disorders, and anxiety.

Gabapentin for Anxiety

As mentioned, there are off-label treatments of gabapentin for anxiety. Because the substance calms overexcited and imbalanced chemicals in the brain, it can effectively reduce anxiety symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental disorder where the individual experiences a consistent symptom cycle of worry, stress, fear, and discomfort. GAD can be debilitating when severe and reduce one’s quality of life. Consequently, gabapentin as a treatment may offer hope when prescribed and monitored by a professional. However, individuals may try to self-medicate their anxiety with gabapentin, which is extremely dangerous. Not only can they cause permanent damage to their brain and body, but they can develop an addiction. They put themselves at risk of overdose and polysubstance mixing. The best treatment for GAD is mental health rehab through a recovery center.

How Can Gabapentin Ruin Your Life?

As mentioned, there are many risks associated with gabapentin misuse because this strong medical drug has potent effects. Is gabapentin addictive? Yes, it is highly addictive and can happen quickly. Notably, you can become dependent within a few weeks, depending on your risk factors and the dosage you take. Gabapentin abuse is dangerous, yet reports of misuse show the drug is becoming popular. This is likely because it produces similar effects to opioids, which are the leading cause of overdose.

In fact, there is an increasing number of individuals who mix opioids and gabapentinoids to experience a more potent high. The depressant effect on the central nervous system can lead to hypoventilation, confusion, and death. Mixing opioids and a moderate to high dose of gabapentin has a 60% increased risk of an overdose death compared to opioids alone. Chiefly, gabapentin can ruin your life by ending it.

Signs and Symptoms of Gabapentin Abuse

There are particular signs and symptoms that may indicate someone is abusing drugs. Additionally, gabapentin has its own indicators that someone is addicted to the medication. Keep an eye out for these side effects of gabapentin abuse:

• Constant sleepiness
• Trouble balancing
• Disorientation
• Flulike symptoms
• Lightheadedness
• Slow speech
• Tremors
• Mood swings, including periods of depression or anxiety
• Cravings for gabapentin
• Skipping events and activities
• Doctor shopping
• Suicidal thoughts