Side Effects of Tramadol Abuse
Tramadol is considered one of the least potent opiates on the market, but it can still be habit-forming. Whether used for a legitimate purpose, like the treatment of moderate pain, or for recreational use, tramadol has the potential to cause a substance abuse disorder. Anyone abusing tramadol may experience a variety of symptoms, including impacts on their mental health.
If you or someone you love is suffering from a tramadol addiction, you don’t have to overcome it alone. Contact Zinnia Health today by calling (855) 430-9439 or visiting our website.
What Are Common Side Effects of Tramadol?
Tramadol is part of a group known as opioid analgesics. In the body, tramadol impacts the central nervous system (CNS) to alter how pain is perceived. As a result, tramadol, sold under the brand names ConZip and Ultram, is effective for the relief of moderate pain. However, any drug that relieves pain has a potential for misuse.
Even when taken as prescribed, tramadol can lead to a number of side effects, including:
- Sleepiness
- Headache
- Shaking
- Nervousness
- Changes in mood
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Dry mouth
- Muscle tightness
These side effects are expected after taking tramadol even once. It is the ongoing consumption of tramadol that can lead to more alarming side effects.
What Are the Short-Term Side Effects of Tramadol Abuse?
The short-term side effects of tramadol can be uncomfortable and may impact behavioral health. The longer you use the drug, the more intense these side effects may become. They include:
- Very small “pinned” pupils
- Nausea or vomiting
- Changes in appetite
- Slurred speech
- Drowsiness
- Impaired coordination
Tramadol users will often go unnoticed by loved ones since the side effects can mimic the appearance of drunkenness or alcohol consumption. However, over a period of time, drug use will become more apparent as an individual begins to suffer from tolerance, dependence, and eventual withdrawal symptoms.
What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Tramadol Abuse?
Because painkillers give a person a sense of relief, continued use of tramadol can lead to drug tolerance and cravings. Once your body becomes tolerant of a drug, you will begin to take more of it in order to feel the same effects. This can cause physical dependence, which can happen rapidly even with a few uses, depending on the dose you are taking.
This is the cycle that leads to drug abuse, and it often occurs without you realizing it because you will increase the dose incrementally.
The more a person takes tramadol, the worse the side effects become. Long-term side effects of tramadol abuse include:
- Changes in mood and behavior, including agitation
- Confusion, drowsiness, and impaired coordination
- Jerky or rigid muscles
- Serotonin syndrome, which can lead to seizures or coma
By the time side effects like these become noticeable to those around a person, an individual might already be suffering from severe addiction. This puts them at an increased risk of tramadol overdose, which makes it harder to achieve recovery due to tramadol withdrawal symptoms.
Does Tramadol Abuse Affect Your Personality?
Tramadol is an opioid analgesic, which means it increases activity at the brain’s opioid receptors. Any drug that interacts with opioid receptors can affect a person’s personality, especially with long-term use.
Over time, tramadol may lead to increased agitation, mood swings, and loss of interest in daily activities. Addiction to any substance can also lead to personality changes, such as:
- Becoming more secretive and acting suspicious, distant, or as if they’re hiding something
- Increased anxiety and depression, which tends to worsen as a person with addiction withdraws from their social circles and experiences trouble at work and school
- Emotional volatility resulting in mood swings, intense anger, and loss of control over how one speaks to or treats others
- Increased risk-taking behavior, which is often motivated by drug cravings that push a person to get ahold of more drugs by whatever means necessary
The personality changes that accompany a tramadol addiction are not usually permanent. However, the sooner an individual seeks treatment, the sooner they can find their happiest, most confident self.
Healing from tramadol addiction requires a caring team of knowledgeable professionals who can guide you through the process. Contact Zinnia Health today by calling (855) 430-9439 or visiting our website.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact With Tramadol?
Whether someone is taking tramadol for medical purposes or recreationally, some substances and supplements should be avoided due to known interactions. These include:
- Alcohol
- Ambien
- Lyrica
- Norco
- Xanax
- Zoloft
- Zyrtec
Intentionally mixing tramadol with substances, especially alcohol, is a common sign of substance use disorder.
Signs and Symptoms of Tramadol Abuse
Long-term abuse of tramadol causes unavoidable withdrawal symptoms, which can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening.
Because tramadol interacts with the brain’s opioid receptors, addiction is marked by changes in the brain’s chemistry, which makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to overcome addiction on your own.
Longer periods of tramadol use equate to more severe withdrawal symptoms, which may include:
- Intense drug cravings
- Severe pain
- Fast heart rate
- Agitation and aggressive behavior
- Constipation, nausea, and vomiting
- Headaches
- Muscle tightness, weakness, and shakiness
Because of how difficult withdrawal symptoms can be to manage, it’s essential that anyone suffering from tramadol addiction get help from a substance abuse treatment center. These rehab centers are staffed by caring professionals who have experience helping people with a history of substance abuse navigate the recovery process.
Get Help With a Substance Use Disorder
Understanding your treatment options is one of the first steps to getting help. Addiction centers offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment designed around your needs, helping you work through tramadol dependence with as little discomfort as possible. This takes a customized treatment path guided by healthcare professionals who can monitor you for changes in mood and behavior and support you accordingly.
At Zinnia Health, we’re experts in the prescription opioid recovery process. If you or a family member is suffering from a tramadol addiction, contact Zinnia Health today by calling (855) 430-9439 or visiting our website.
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