Muscle relaxers are commonly prescribed to relieve pain, but their potential for misuse is often overlooked. Avenues Recovery delves into the risks and side effects of these medications, exploring how easy it is to develop an addiction.
Are muscle relaxers addictive? In this article, you’ll find out the signs of a developing addiction, the dangers of combining muscle relaxers with alcohol, and effective treatment options for those struggling with abuse.
What Are Muscle Relaxers?
Muscle relaxers, also known as muscle relaxants or skeletal muscle relaxants, are medications used to relieve muscle pain, spasms, and tension. These drugs target the central nervous system or the muscle fibers themselves to reduce muscle contractions and promote relaxation. They are typically prescribed for conditions that involve muscle spasms or tightness, such as muscle strains, sprains, or certain musculoskeletal disorders.
It's important to note that muscle relaxers are typically prescribed for short-term use because they can have sedative effects and may lead to dependence if used for extended periods. They are often part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes rest, physical therapy, and addressing the underlying cause of the muscle pain or spasms.
Muscle relaxers should only be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional, and it's essential to follow their instructions carefully, including dosage and duration of use, to avoid potential side effects and complications. Additionally, they should not be used without a prescription or for recreational purposes due to their potential for misuse and addiction.
Are Muscle Relaxers Addictive?
Yes, muscle relaxers can be addictive, and their potential for misuse is high.
While muscle relaxers are generally prescribed to relieve muscle pain, spasms, and tension, some people misuse them for their sedative effects, which can induce a feeling of euphoria or dissociation. Due to the high possibility of muscle relaxant addiction, most medical professionals will prescribe these medications for no more than two to three weeks.
Additionally, using muscle relaxers long-term can lead to tolerance and dependence, especially with Soma. They should not be used without a prescription or for recreational purposes due to their potential for misuse and addiction.
Commonly Abused Muscle Relaxers
Muscle relaxers are classified into two types based on their function: antispastic and antispasmodic. Both types can be misused, with some being more commonly abused due to their sedative or euphoric effects.
Antispastic Muscle Relaxers
These medications are used to treat muscle stiffness and spasms caused by conditions like multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries. They work by targeting muscle fibers directly.
Antispastic muscle relaxers include:
- Baclofen (Lioresal)
- Dantrolene (Dantrium)
Antispasmodic Muscle Relaxers
These drugs target the central nervous system to relieve acute muscle pain and spasms. They are more commonly abused due to their sedative properties.
Antispasmodic muscle relaxers include:
- Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
- Carisoprodol (Soma)
- Methocarbamol (Robaxin)
- Tizanidine (Zanaflex)
The Prevalence of Muscle Relaxer Addiction:
Many people take muscle relaxers without a prescription to get a feeling of euphoria, sedation, and dissociation. The most addictive muscle relaxers in the United States are Soma and Flexeril. These are the ones that are the most commonly prescribed and abused.
According to a 2016 study at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania:
- Nearly 70% of patients prescribed muscle relaxants were also prescribed an opioid, a combination with potentially dangerous interactions.
- From 2005 to 2016, office visits resulting in new muscle relaxant prescriptions remained steady at approximately 6 million per year.
- Over the same period, visits for continued muscle relaxant therapy tripled, increasing from 8.5 million in 2005 to 24.7 million in 2016.
Am I Struggling With Muscle Relaxer Addiction?
Some physical symptoms of a muscle relaxer addiction are:
- Constant drowsiness or sedation
- Decreased blood pressure
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Dry mouth
- Depression
If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it may be a sign of a muscle relaxant addiction.
Behavioral Signs of a Muscle Relaxer Addiction
A person who is struggling with muscle relaxant addiction may display all or some of these signs:
- Taking the muscle relaxer longer than prescribed by one’s physician
- Faking back pain in order to get a prescription for muscle relaxers
- Spending a lot of time thinking about muscle relaxers
- Finishing a bottle of muscle relaxers early so to get a new prescription
- Inability to stop using muscle relaxers long after they were meant to stop
Can You Take Muscle Relaxers With Alcohol?
Mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol is particularly dangerous since they are both central nervous system depressants. Combining alcohol and other depressants can lead to several frightening side effects, including:
- Slurred speech
- Nausea
- Seizures
- Memory lapses
- Confusion
- Slowed breathing
- Overdose
Muscle relaxers and alcohol together have powerful sedative effects and can cause extreme drowsiness, making driving and operating heavy machinery especially dangerous.
What Are the Side Effects of Muscle Relaxers?
Some muscle relaxer side effects include:
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headaches
Muscle relaxer side effects can be more serious, such as fainting and blurred vision. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these side effects.
Can Muscle Relaxers Get You High?
Using muscle relaxers as prescribed has little chance of making you high, but when these medications are misused, they have a chance of creating a high. Examples of muscle relaxer abuse to create a high are crushing or chewing the pill rather than swallowing, taking too much, or using it without a prescription.
A muscle relaxer high causes feelings of euphoria and sedation. Those symptoms are heightened when muscle relaxers are taken with other drugs, especially other central nervous system depressants like alcohol, benzos, and barbiturates.
How Long Do Muscle Relaxers Stay In Your System?
The length of time that muscle relaxers stay in your system can vary depending on several factors, including the specific medication, your individual metabolism, and your overall health. However, here is a general guideline for some commonly prescribed muscle relaxants:
Short-acting muscle relaxants (e.g., Flexeril/Cyclobenzaprine): These medications typically have a half-life of around 18 hours. It can take two to eight days for the drug to be mostly eliminated from your system.
Intermediate-acting muscle relaxants (e.g., Robaxin/Methocarbamol): Robaxin has a relatively short half-life. It is usually excreted in the urine within five hours of ingesting the drug.
Long-acting muscle relaxants (e.g., Valium/Diazepam): These medications have a longer half-life, ranging from thirty to one hundred hours, depending on the specific drug. It can take longer for these drugs to be eliminated from your system, possibly up to a week or more.
Can You Overdose On Muscle Relaxers?
One can definitely overdose on muscle relaxers. A muscle relaxer overdose can occur if a person takes a higher dose than prescribed.
Another factor that can lead to an overdose is increased tolerance to muscle relaxants. Tolerance to muscle relaxers occurs when one keeps increasing the dose, without medical guidance, in order to experience the same relief as before.
Another factor that can lead to an overdose of muscle relaxers is age. Elderly individuals are more likely to overdose on muscle relaxants due to a slowed metabolism. For this reason, it will take less of a muscle relaxant for them to overdose than a younger person. Other factors contributing to overdose are gender, recreational use, and polysubstance abuse (taking more than one drug with the muscle relaxant.)
Muscle Relaxant Overdose Symptoms
A muscle relaxer overdose can cause serious and potentially life-threatening symptoms, including:
- Extreme drowsiness or sedation
- Dizziness and confusion
- Slurred speech
- Nausea and vomiting
- Slowed or difficult breathing
- Seizures
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
- Weakness or muscle flaccidity
If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms after taking muscle relaxers, it's crucial to seek immediate medical help, as an overdose can lead to severe complications or even be fatal.
Treatment for Muscle Relaxer Abuse
These are some of the treatments for dealing with muscle relaxer abuse that a professional rehab facility like Avenues Recovery can provide:
Medical Assessment and Detoxification
The first step is often a medical assessment to evaluate the individual's physical and psychological health and the extent of their muscle relaxer abuse.
In some cases, if the individual is physically dependent on muscle relaxers, a medically supervised drug detoxification may be necessary to manage withdrawal symptoms safely.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
In some instances, healthcare providers may use medications to help manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings. For muscle relaxant abuse, these medications may include benzodiazepine tapering or substitution therapies.
Psychotherapy and Counseling
Behavioral therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can be effective in treating substance abuse, including muscle relaxer abuse.
Individual or group counseling sessions can help individuals address the underlying issues contributing to their substance abuse.
Support Groups
Support groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can provide a sense of community and support for individuals in recovery.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Many individuals with substance abuse disorders also have co-occurring mental health conditions. Addressing these underlying mental health issues through therapy, and medication if necessary, is crucial.
Lifestyle Changes
Encouraging the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep, can help improve overall well-being and reduce the risk of relapse.
Family and Social Support
Involving the individual's family and close friends in the treatment process can be beneficial. Family therapy and education can improve communication and support the recovery journey.
Relapse Prevention
Developing strategies to prevent relapse is a crucial component of treatment. This may involve identifying triggers, learning coping skills, and creating a relapse prevention plan.
Get Support for Muscle Relaxer Addiction
If you or a loved one struggle with muscle relaxant addiction, please reach out to us so we can help you on your path to recovery. We have helped thousands of individuals free themselves from the manacles of addiction, through residential addiction treatment and outpatient programs, and you deserve that freedom too! Sobriety is entirely possible with the right help, support and treatment plan. Contact Avenues Recovery today to take your first step toward sobriety and a brighter future.