How many of us have sat there wondering after a doctor’s visit thinking after hearing about all those prescriptions and recommended medications, “could any of these become addictive?” Maybe you’ve never wondered or questioned, and such moments are best left to be answered by your health care profession and prescribing physician, but one question that has come up across the country, “is ibuprofen addictive?” Today, we will explore this over-the-counter medication that many of us have used in a time of need to see if ibuprofen is actually addictive, and what you can do to prepare yourself in the future
Ibuprofen is one of the most widely used over-the-counter medications in the world. Ibuprofen is a medication classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which people use to ease headaches, muscle pains, inflammation, fevers, and everyday aches. It provides relief by inhibiting the production of substances within the human body that cause pain, inflammations and fevers.
The most popular branded versions of ibuprofen included Motrin, Midol, and Advil but there are several generic medication which include ibuprofen as a primary ingredient.
Now that we know what ibuprofen is and how it works in our bodies to alleviate pain, we can provide an answer to the question, is ibuprofen addictive? The short and easy answer is no. There is no chemical dependency that would cause a person to become addictive and no amount of consumption would get a person “high” off of ibuprofen. However, with that said, any substance has the potential to become addictive and there signs that have pointed to people forming an addiction to ibuprofen. In a 2018 study, it was reported that over 11% of ibuprofen users take over the prescribed dosage, leading them to potentially become dependent upon the medication.
In a quote from Angeleena Francis, LMHC VP at AMFM Healthcare, she stated, “Most people think of addiction as either abusing prescription medications, excessive alcohol use, or substances one may obtain in a dark alley, not an over-the-counter medication that is thought to be safe and effective for people as young as 3 months old. However, ibuprofen addiction is real and there can be serious side effects.” The potential for addiction is real, but as we look to discover the reason why an addiction might form, the answer is found somewhere in Angeleena Francis’ answer. Below is a list containing a few likely reasons why an ibuprofen addiction may form:
That’s right, it is very possible and individuals have overdosed on ibuprofen. While this is not the typical life-threatening overdose experienced by other abusive substances, there are still symptoms associated with someone who consistently takes a higher than recommended dosage of ibuprofen which include but are not limited to the following:
Before seeking any treatment, individuals who feel they might have dependency to ibuprofen, or any other addictive substance should discuss with their primary care physician. If it’s been determined that there is a substance use disorder associated with an individual’s ibuprofen addiction, a treatment facility such as Long Island Center for Recovery would have the resources and programs available to best support a healthy and constructive recovery.
Treatment associated with an ibuprofen addiction wouldn’t likely require any detox as the withdrawal symptoms should be minimal, but support groups, individual, and cognitive behavior therapy would be best in order to begin a path to sobriety.
We hope you learned more about ibuprofen and the possibility for addiction. If you or a loved one needs any additional assistance with addiction treatment services, please reach out to Long Island Center for Recovery at 1-800-344-5427, and we’d be happy to assist you or your loved ones in any way possible.
References:
Very Well Mind: Is Ibuprofen Addictive?
https://www.verywellmind.com/ibuprofen-addiction-symptoms-causes-and-treatment-5215000
Wiley Online Library: Exceeding the daily dosing limit of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among ibuprofen users
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pds.4391
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