Every day, people take medication that they have been prescribed or can easily buy over the counter at a supermarket or pharmacy. When people develop drug addiction, they don’t think of these types of medications or that they can be dangerous.
One common medication that can be misused, resulting in addiction, is codeine. In England and Wales, the number of codeine-related deaths has risen from 24 in 1993 to 246 in 2024. This illustrates the growing risk of codeine misuse in the country, and that perhaps people are still unaware of the dangers of the drug.
If you are worried about yourself or someone you know, it’s important to know the signs of addiction to codeine and what your next steps should be.
What Is Codeine?
Codeine is a widely available opioid that is used to treat pain. Pure codeine and higher-strength products are prescription medications, only available if you are legally prescribed it by a doctor. It is also available over the counter at pharmacies in lower-strength forms, combined with other painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Unlike other opioids, codeine is highly available, making misuse of it more common as it is fairly easy to obtain and legal to take.
8 Common Signs of Codeine Addiction
It’s important to know the common signs of addiction to codeine. If you recognise them, then you can act on them and get help before the problem worsens.
You should remember that these are the most common signs. Addiction is highly individual, and how it affects you can be different from someone else, depending on many factors such as length of codeine use, your physical health and how much you use.
Taking More Than the Prescribed Dose
When you start taking more than prescribed by a doctor or on the packaging, your tolerance builds. As it builds, you need more to feel the same effects as before, which increases the risk of addiction developing.
If you find yourself running out more often, then it’s a sign you are taking more than you should.
Doctor Shopping
Doctor shopping is the act of going to different medical professionals/pharmacies to pick up the same medication. Doing this is not following medical advice, as what you are prescribed is the only legal amount you are allowed.
Doctor shopping indicates lying and secretive behaviour, a clear indication of someone misusing a substance.
Withdrawal Signs of Addiction to Codeine Between Doses
If you take a substance regularly, your body adapts to its presence. When these higher amounts of codeine are no longer in your body, it reacts, and you go into withdrawal as your body struggles to find some balance.
Withdrawal is a clear sign that you have become physically dependent on a substance, which is not good and implies a developing codeine addiction.
Symptoms of codeine withdrawal include:
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Depression
- Cravings
Cravings
Cravings are an intense urge to use a substance, even if you don’t want to. When cravings develop, your codeine use has moved on from a conscious decision to a compulsion. This compulsion is caused by how your codeine use has essentially rewired your brain, making the taking of it an ingrained behaviour that requires professional help to overcome.
Neglecting Responsibilities
Addiction can take over your life. If you find yourself spending more time using and getting codeine, prioritising it over your work/school, spending time with family and doing things you enjoyed, that is a sign your thinking has skewed.
Continued Use Despite Health Problems
Misusing codeine can bring up a lot of health problems, physically and mentally. If you are aware of this but continue to use codeine, then it’s a sign that your use has become dangerous and possibly you have lost control over it.
Mixing Codeine With Other Substances
Mixing codeine with substances has become more popular. Many people use codeine and alcohol together because it produces an intense high and can increase intoxication. In social settings, on a night out or at a party, this might be what you are after.
This is an abuse of codeine. It might have become a compulsive behaviour to take codeine recreationally with other substances, leading to an increased risk of addiction.
Secrecy Around Use
Secrecy can be at the core of addiction. If you are finding yourself lying about your codeine use or hiding it altogether, this indicates a problem.
It demonstrates that you know what you are doing is a problem, or that others may view it that way. The lies can go beyond denying codeine use to making up excuses for why you’re late for work or missed a social engagement when it was because of codeine.
If you have become more secretive, drawing away from people to hide your codeine use, it shows that you know it’s a problem.
Risks of Long-Term Codeine Misuse
Long-term use of codeine can impact your health and life in many ways.
Physical risks include:
- Liver/kidney strain from combination products containing paracetamol or ibuprofen
- Low blood pressure
- Respiratory depression when high doses are taken
- Seizures
Psychological risks include:
- Codeine addiction
- Depression
- Anxiety
Social risks include:
- Loss of job
- Financial and legal issues
- Breakdown in relationships
Getting Help for Codeine Addiction
If you recognise signs of addiction to codeine, you should consider getting professional help. Codeine dependence, even from over-the-counter products, is common and treatable, so take the step to ask for help, as you are not alone in your struggle.
In professional rehabilitation, you may go through a structured programme that will help end your physical dependence by going through detox. This gets the harmful, addictive toxins out of your body and allows you to begin physically healing.
The most important aspect of treatment is the psychological side. Through a combination of individual and group therapies, you can begin to understand your addiction, work on healthy coping mechanisms and uncover triggers and stressors to help avoid future relapses.
Recognise the Signs? Reach Out to Rehab Clinics Group Today
If any of these signs feel familiar to you or someone you care about, you’re not alone. Professional help is available for those suffering from codeine addiction.
Get in touch with the Rehab Clinics Group today for a confidential chat about our services, your treatment options and the best next step.
