4 Tips To Help You Prevent An Addiction To Painkillers

Taking painkillers to treat chronic pain is very common; however, there is a risk you take when you begin taking these pills for pain relief. Addiction to painkillers is extremely common today, and a lot of people that become addicted are just regular people. These individuals often receive the painkillers from their doctors, and they take them as directed for pain relief. The problem is that many painkillers are addictive, and breaking an addiction to painkillers is not easy. If you recently started taking painkillers for pain you have, here are four tips to help you prevent becoming addicted to these pills.

Only take them as directed

One of the best ways to avoid becoming addicted to painkillers is by following the rule that you will only take them as directed. If you are instructed to take one pill every six to eight hours for pain, do not take more than this. Stick with what you are told, and talk to your doctor if this is not offering enough relief.

Understand the signs of tolerance to painkillers

Another way to avoid an addiction is by understanding that you can become tolerant to painkillers. Building a tolerance to painkillers is normal if you take these types of pills often, and what this means is that your body may no longer respond to the medication after a while. If your body gets accustomed to living with the painkillers, they may begin to lose their effectiveness.

This is what a tolerance to painkillers is, but this does not mean you are addicted to them. It simply means that they will no longer provide relief like they once did. If this happens, you should talk to your doctor about it instead of taking more pills to kill the pain.

Know your risks

A third thought to keep in mind involves the risks you have before you even start taking the pills. If you have ever had any type of substance abuse addiction in the past, you may be at a higher risk for developing an addiction to painkillers. If this is the case, it might be better to look for other ways to relieve the pain you are experiencing.

Investigate other forms of pain relief

There are many ways to find relief from pain, and here are some of the options you could consider trying:

• Physical therapy
• Chiropractic care
• Massage therapy
• Exercising and stretching
• Natural supplements

An addiction to painkillers can be extremely hard to break and may even require professional help. If you feel you are addicted to the pills you take, you should consider calling a substance abuse treatment facility, like Bridgeway Recovery Services Inc, to learn more about how you can break this addiction.