Many men and women experience drug addiction to due prescription pain medications or illicit use. If you are wondering, “how do you get addicted to Tramadol,” it may be because you are finding it hard to stop using this pain relief medication. It is not uncommon. You are not alone in this, either. Yet, there is help available to you at Northern Illinois Recovery Center.
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Is It Possible to Develop an Addiction to Tramadol?
At our Tramadol addiction rehab center in Northern IL, we help men and women with this type of dependency on a very frequent basis. Unfortunately, it is possible to become addicted, and it does not take much for this to happen. Tramadol, which is also sold under the brand name of Ultram, is a type of opioid pain medication. It is prescribed by doctors to treat pain conditions, such as after surgeries or severe injuries. However, it is also purchased and sold illegally. In all forms, it is an addictive-forming drug.
Generally speaking, taking it as prescribed by a doctor will reduce the risk of dependency. It can help in situations of both acute and chronic pain situations. It is not uncommon for doctors to prescribe the drug to those who need to use it long-term, but because it is an opioid, the shortest use possible is necessary. Tramadol is thought to be a safer option than some other types of opioid medications, but it still carries the risk of addiction.
What Makes Tramadol So Addictive?
How do you get addicted to Tramadol when you are taking it as you should based on what your doctor has told you? This is a key question because many men and women who do follow their doctor’s orders find themselves unable to skip a dose and having a hard time coming off using it. Tramadol addiction occurs even in these situations because of the way it changes the brain.
Tramadol works to change the chemistry of the brain. That means that over a period of routine and generally consistent use, the brain becomes dependent on the drug. It cannot function normally without it. This makes you want to use more of it and do so more often. Yet, if you are finding yourself in need of using the drug more often than prescribed, that is an indication of Tramadol addiction-forming.
Signs of Tramadol Overuse
To learn how do you get addicted to tramadol as a routine user following prescriptions, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you find yourself in need of the drug more often than what your doctor prescribes?
- If you fail to take a dose, do you find yourself unable to function and suffering significant pain?
- Do you seek out other resources for the drug outside your prescription?
- Have you have other drug or alcohol abuse concerns?
- Do you struggle with managing the quality of your life if you don’t get access to it?
In these situations, it is time to seek help for a potential Tramadol addiction. We can help you.
The first step is to seek a full evaluation to determine if you are at risk of opioid addiction. If your dependency is significant, you may benefit from a drug detox program. You may also want to choose a partial hospitalization program if your addiction is severe.
Most people will find that with medication therapy management program support along with outpatient drug rehab, it is possible to stop using this drug for good.
Facing Addiction? Help Is Available to You Today
If you are asking, “how do you get addicted to Tramadol,” you probably already have an addiction and need help. You may have a loved one using the drug, and you’re worried about helping them to find help and support. At Northern Illinois Recovery Center, we offer comprehensive drug addiction treatment programs that can help.
That help is available with just a phone call to our counselors. Call us at 855.786.1978 to find the support you need today.
Licensed Physician and Surgeon
Dr. Beth Dunlap, a board-certified addiction medicine and family medicine physician, and is the medical director at Northern Illinois Recovery Center. She is responsible for overseeing all the integrated medical services at both campuses. Beth completed medical school, residency, and fellowship at Northwestern University, where she continues to serve on the faculty as a member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has extensive experience in addiction medicine at all levels of care, and her clinical interests include integrated primary care and addiction medicine, harm reduction, and medication-assisted treatment.
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