Tramadol is an analgesic drug that works much like morphine to control pain. It is habit forming, and the body can develop tolerance to the drug with prolonged use. As the body becomes tolerant to the drug, it takes more of the drug to achieve the same level of pain relief. Tramadol is best used as a short-term solution, and chronic pain conditions must be carefully managed to reduce the risk of tolerance and addiction. It is important to be aware of the signs of tramadol tolerance, before it leads to abuse and addiction.

Tramadol and Chronic Pain

Chronic pain conditions can be frustrating and debilitating, so, if a person responds well to tramadol after trying many other drugs, the temptation to use it for too long or in higher than recommended doses can be overwhelming. Patients who deal with chronic pain want relief, and, although tramadol provides that relief, use can also lead to tolerance and dependency. Tolerance means a user needs more of the drug to get the same level of relief. When a user becomes tolerant to tramadol, he or she may feel the need to take the next dose sooner that prescribed. The user may be tempted to take more than the prescribed dose. When either of these forms of abuse starts to happen, it is important to talk to a doctor or addiction professional. You or your loved one may be developing a dangerous dependence on the drug. Your doctor can determine whether a change in dosage is necessary, or it may be time to try a new drug to manage your pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Tramadol Dependence

Dependence is closely related to tolerance, and the signs of tramadol dependence indicate a need for help. The most obvious dependence indicator is the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms when drug use is discontinued. These symptoms may include the following:

• Anxiety
• Breathing problems
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Trouble sleeping

Other signs that a person has a dependence on tramadol are increased use of the drug, a preoccupation with getting the drug and extreme agitation that is only relieved when taking the drug.

Preventing Tramadol Abuse

The best way to prevent tramadol abuse is to take the drug exactly as prescribed and only for the length of time determined by your doctor. When your pain no longer responds to the prescribed dose at the prescribed time, it is time to make a call. Never take more than the correct dosage or take a second dose earlier than you should without talking to your doctor first. Describe the symptoms to your doctor, and he or she can help you determine whether you need a different drug or if other actions should be taken. This will protect you or your loved one from abusing tramadol.

Learn More about Tramadol Tolerance and Abuse

If you take tramadol and think you might have a tolerance, abuse or addiction problem, we are here to help. Call our toll-free helpline to learn more about tramadol and what actions you should take next. We are here 24 hours a day, so please call any time.

There are many reasons that college students abuse drugs including prescription drugs like tramadol. Often students choose drugs based on their availability and cost. Because tramadol and other prescription pain relievers are widely available and less costly than many other drugs of abuse, they are often popular choices. The abuse rate of tramadol is rising.

Tramadol Abuse Risk Factors

Although no one is immune from the risk of addiction, there are certain factors that make students more likely to engage in substance abuse. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) reported the following risk factors in a 2003 literature review:

• • Students in the Greek system of sororities and fraternities are more likely to use substances than other students are. They are more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs such as tramadol.
• • Students who began using substances in high school are more likely to use them in college than those who did not.
• • Students who have a high degree of religious faith as measured by hours spent in prayer and Bible study and attendance at religious services have much lower rates of substance abuse.
• • Students who grew up in a home where a parent suffered from depression are more likely to use drugs.
• • Students who grew up with a parent who abused substances are more likely to use substances themselves.
• • The number of negative life events experienced by students correlates with their risk of substance use.
• • Student athletes are at increased risk for drug and alcohol use.
• • Students who live with their parents during college have lower rates of abuse of some substances.
• • Perceived norms (the amount of substance use that students believe is occurring on their campus) are related to substance abuse. For example, the strongest predictor of whether students would abuse alcohol was their perception of the rates of drinking on campus. It has been found that students often greatly overestimate the true rates of substance use at their colleges or universities.

Consequences of Tramadol Abuse

Abuse of prescription drugs like tramadol can have serious consequences physically, emotionally and socially. The CASA report notes that substance abuse in college students is linked to a greater risk of suicide and risky sexual behaviors. Substance abuse is also likely to affect academic performance, and it correlates with a lower grade point average. Some college students believe that they can abuse drugs like tramadol in college and then give them up when they enter the “real world.” This is difficult to do, and drug habits begun in college are likely to worsen and persist long into adulthood. As soon as a tramadol addiction has begun, it should be treated.

Answers to Questions about Tramadol Abuse and College Students

If you or someone you care about has developed a tramadol addiction, give us a call and let us answer your questions and discuss your options. The call is toll-free, and we are available 24 hours a day. Learn how you can help yourself or your college student. Call now.

Tramadol is prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. Use can lead to addiction, and the rate of addiction is increased if users take the drug more frequently than prescribed, in higher than recommended doses or without a prescription. It is important to understand the risks associated with using tramadol. If you are worried about your tramadol use, help is only a phone call away.

Tramadol Detoxification

Many people who find that they are addicted to tramadol are ashamed or embarrassed and may avoid finding professional help from a rehab center. These individuals may try to treat themselves privately in their own home. Because addiction recovery begins with painful and potentially dangerous detox and withdrawal symptoms, this should not be attempted. Detox is the process of removing tramadol entirely from your system immediately and permanently. Detox is difficult and should never be attempted alone. Attempting detoxification on your own leaves you vulnerable to serious withdrawal symptoms and relapse. Solo recovery attempts can be damaging to your motivation, body and spirit.

Tramadol Rehabilitation

If you want to change your life and end your addiction to tramadol, it is important that you do it the right way. Rehab centers offer you the best environment for recovery, as they can make detox safe and as comfortable as possible and provide a secure location to recover emotionally and mentally. Good rehab centers will provide therapy and counseling sessions to help you work through any psychological issues that may be accompanying your physical addiction to tramadol. These sessions are designed to help you learn about yourself and help equip you with the tools necessary to stay sober outside of the rehab center. Recovering tramadol users who undergo treatment at a rehab center are more likely to maintain their recovery than someone who attempts to recover on their own or who only participates in detox.

Need More Information about Tramadol Addiction Recovery?

If you are worried about your or a loved one’s tramadol use, help is only a phone call away. Our toll-free helpline is open 24 hours a day with addiction and abuse counselors waiting to talk to you. They can help you find the right treatment center that will meet your needs. Our counselors can help answer any questions you may have about treatment. They can even help you find out if your insurance will help cover the expense of treatment. Don’t hesitate to make this next step in recovery. Call us now.

Tramadol is an opioid analgesic (pain reliever) developed in the late 1970s. Tramadol is classified as an opiate agonist. Such medications work by changing the way the body senses pain. As a narcotic pain reliever, tramadol is associated with a high risk of tolerance and dependence. When patients are dealing with particularly severe pain, the prospect of giving up the drug that is managing that pain can be a source of great anxiety. Drugs like tramadol come to represent a solution to problems, and they may provide superficial relief that is temporary and artificial. Tramadol use is accompanied by a host of serious physical, psychological and social consequences. In many cases, tramadol addiction can transform a person into someone that friends, family and workplace acquaintances hardly recognize.

What Tramadol Does to a Person Physically

Tramadol is typically prescribed for the treatment for severe and/or chronic back pain. In some cases, the anxiety brought on by the thought of returning pain can drive an individual to abuse tramadol, taking it in higher doses than recommended by doctors. The eventual result is the need for increasingly higher doses of the drug in order to treat pain. This is known as tolerance and even if the user’s main goal is to prevent pain, it actually works against that end.

Additionally, using tramadol in excessively high doses or with excessive frequency can lead to hallucinations, seizures, nausea and vomiting. It can make a person feel as if he can hardly make it through the day. The lie of addiction is that a regular dose will allow one to function normally. On the contrary, individuals under the influence of drugs like tramadol are terribly impaired when it comes to everyday functions. This can affect work performance and make the addicts a danger to themselves and others.

What Tramadol Does to a Person Psychologically

Tramadol addiction can have profound psychological effects on a person as well. Addiction can make a person feel isolated and alone, resulting in anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. In addition, there is often a paranoia that arises as addicts become increasingly fearful of being caught or found out – meaning that they would be without tramadol, which they have come to see as the only solution to their problems. This results in addicts retreating into themselves, where there are only inner demons to cast them deeper into the hole of addiction.

What Tramadol Does to a Person Socially

As a person’s addiction to tramadol becomes stronger, relationships that were once important begin to fade. This is primarily because tramadol becomes the top priority in an addict’s life. Obtaining it by any means necessary and continuing to use it begins to take precedent over everything else, be it friendships, a marriage or a job.

Get Help for Tramadol Addiction

If you or someone close to you struggles with tramadol addiction, getting help is the best decision you’ll ever make. Tramadol addiction has profound effects on a person. Rehab and therapy are the safest and most successful ways to recover. Call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline today to speak with a trained addiction counselor who can help you find the treatment you need. Tramadol addiction can turn a person into someone even she wouldn’t recognize. Call today and take advantage of a second chance.

Tramadol is an analgesic used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. It acts much like morphine, and if used as prescribed is taken every 4-6 hours as needed. There is also an extended release form of tramadol for patients who need medication to consistently relieve pain for a long period of time. Some indicators that you may be addicted to tramadol are an escalation of use, the compulsion to seek out and consume the drug and a strong craving for the drug that can only be soothed by taking it.

About Isolation and Self-Image

Have you ever felt alone in the middle of a crowd of people? Have you ever felt that no one really knows you? Have you ever felt invisible? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are at risk for becoming isolated. People who have limited healthy social interactions often have no point of reference by which they can understand themselves and others. Without this point of reference many people make assumptions about themselves and believe such statements as the following:

• I am not pretty enough
• I am not friendly enough
• I am not smart enough
• I am not enough of a person to encourage normal social interactions

These thoughts are related to isolation but quickly have a negative impact on feelings of self-worth. This is a cyclical pattern, as isolation leads to negative feelings about the self which then leads to increased isolation.

Isolation and Tramadol Abuse

Your emotional health impacts your physical health and can present in many physical ways such as restless leg syndrome, acid reflux and fibromyalgia. All of these conditions are often treated with tramadol. When drug abuse is added to isolation and negative self-image issues, the cycle can quickly become uncontrollable. Drug use may seem like a quick fix, but it does not end isolation and only makes it worse. It is important for you to get help as soon as possible. You can approach any of the following for help or advice:

• Family members
• Close friends
• A school counselor
• A spiritual advisor
• Medical professional
• Addiction recovery specialist
• Call center counselor

Start a dialogue with someone that you trust so you can explore your feelings of isolation and break free from your drug abuse.

Get Help for Tramadol Addiction

Breaking out of the cycle of isolation is often frightening, especially if it is coupled with feelings of self-worthlessness and a tramadol addiction struggle. Let us help you with the fear, negative feelings and isolation that may have contributed to your addiction to tramadol. Call our toll-free helpline today to learn about the treatment options that are available to you. We are available 24 hours a day and want to help, so please call now.

Cravings are part of the withdrawal symptoms for tramadol. Whether you have been discharged from primary treatment or have never been through rehab, cravings are a troubling side effect of stopping tramadol consumption.

Prescription Tramadol Cravings

If you have been prescribed tramadol and are experiencing cravings, do not take more than you were originally prescribed. Cravings are among the first signs of tolerance and physical dependence – dependence is when the body becomes accustomed to the amount of tramadol regularly coming in and develops withdrawal symptoms when the usual chemicals are no longer present. Talk to your doctor about switching medications or making a Gradual Detox plan. Gradual Detox will slowly take you off tramadol, dose by dose, until withdrawal symptoms – cravings included – are manageable or nonexistent.

Tramadol Cravings after Rehabilitation

Going through rehab and dealing with the physical effects of tramadol addiction is a temporary fix because battling the psychological addiction will be an ongoing process. Most rehab facilities encourage you to stay in touch with support groups and therapist. Aftercare is a big part of rehab and can help you deal with tramadol cravings. One of the most important things you can do is continue treatment and follow it through to the end. Don’t hesitate to contact a call center agent for support and encouragement or even readmission to relapse prevention rehab treatments.

Tramadol Addiction Cravings

Don’t go through addiction alone. If you have never had treatment and are still using tramadol it is very likely that you are addicted and your addiction is getting worse, more uncontrollable. Often, the intensity of tramadol cravings is directly in proportion to the dosage amount. As your addiction progress so will the tramadol cravings. Please seek help.

Tips for Dealing with Cravings

The following are tips for dealing with tramadol cravings:

• • While under professional medical help a medication called buprenorphine may be used to help ease withdrawal symptoms.
• • Call someone you can trust as soon as possible – a call center agent, a support group member, family or friends, a rehab therapist.
• • Get physically active. Letting the pent up energy you are focusing on cravings come out through exercise can help you avoid relapse.
• • Change your environment. This may be a long term change because people, places or activities you associated with while using could be triggering strong, psychological cravings.
• • Remember the consequences. Keep in mind what a negative impact turning back to addiction will have on your life.
• • Set small goals in little chunks. Tell yourself you can go through a few more minutes without tramadol, and then a few more, and then a few more until the cravings alleviate.
• • Don’t forget to utilize the skills you learned in rehab treatments to deal with relapse-triggers like tramadol cravings. Feel free to contact your rehab center for other tips to deal with cravings.

Let Us Help You Overcome Tramadol Cravings

If you are feeling the pressure of tramadol withdrawal symptoms and need someone to talk to, please call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline. No matter when you need help, we are ready to answer your call. Remember, if you need rehab, insurance may be able to cover your treatment costs.

Many drugs are first introduced on the market with claims that they are non-addicting (or less-addicting) alternatives to other drugs available. Tramadol is not an exception, as in 2009 the United States Food and Drug Administration warned that the manufacturers of tramadol had minimized the addictive nature of the medication, and in 2010 the Physicians Desk Reference added new warnings about the drug and its addiction potential. Since tramadol was first introduced on the market, the “Drug Abuse and Dependence” section of the information which must accompany any prescription has been modified three times.

Variables Affecting the Development of Tramadol Addiction

There is no one answer to the question of how long it takes to become addicted to tramadol. There are many variables that affect addiction. It is possible to even be addicted to tramadol at birth if a mother used tramadol during pregnancy. However, the majority of people who become addicted to tramadol become addicted due to a personal choice to use the drug for medical or recreational purposes. Factors that influence the addiction timeframe include the following:

• Differences in how bodies metabolize the drug
• Drug dosage
• Personal history of substance abuse
• Family history of substance abuse

For those who use the medication for pain relief purposes, development of physical dependence on the drug may take about three months. For those who abuse the drug, the process typically takes less time. Tramadol can be both physically and psychologically addictive, and the psychological part of the equation is dependent on personal variables.

How Do I Know If I Am Addicted to Tramadol?

Tramadol users may be unsure if they have become addicted to a drug. One hallmark of physical dependence on tramadol is that users experience withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not regularly consumed. As with addiction the timeframe for withdrawal symptoms to develop is dependent on many factors, but symptoms typically begin 12 to 24 hours after the last dose. Serious tramadol withdrawal symptoms may last a week or more. Full addiction includes not only physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms but also drug cravings and a loss of control over the habit which includes taking the drug despite negative consequences.

Learn More about Tramadol Addiction and Recovery

If you or a loved one struggles with tramadol addiction, give us a call. Our toll-free helpline is available 24 hours a day, and we can answer your questions about addiction or help you find an addiction treatment program that meets your needs. We can discuss your options with you and check your insurance coverage if you wish. No matter how long you have been addicted or how long it took your addiction to develop, help is available. Call now.

Mood disorder describes the disruption of normal emotional feelings. This can be an elevated or depressed state, or abnormal swings between states. This is caused by imbalances among the chemicals in the brain that trigger and activate emotions. If extreme, these imbalances can be a cause for a mood disorder, the most common two being depression and bipolar disorder.

Treatment for Mood Disorders

Treatment for mood disorders can include a variety of methods including the following:

• Counseling
• Drug treatment
• A combination of counseling and drug treatment

Tramadol is an effective treatment for mood disorders, although its most common use is as a pain reliever.

Abuse of and Addiction to Tramadol

Abuse, self-medication or addiction will lead to higher dosages that can be dangerous and potentially lead to seizures. Unless taken to treat a legitimate medical condition under the supervision of a medical doctor, tramadol can exacerbate mood disorders as well as cause serious physical damage or even death. The abuse of or addiction to tramadol is a serious health issue. If you feel you are addicted or know someone who is addicted, it is important to seek help. The drug has its benefits and rightful place in proper treatment of pain or mood disorder, but outside a carefully monitored prescription, it is very dangerous.

Treatment for Tramadol Addiction and Mood Disorders

There are several avenues of clinical treatment for drug dependencies and addictions. Dual Diagnosis treatment method is a successful method that involves direct medical attention to physical issues as well as direct attention to underlying mental health issues. Dual Diagnosis treatment seeks to diagnose and treat any mental illness that occurs along with the drug addiction.

Get Help for Tramadol Addiction and a Mood Disorder

If you have difficulty controlling your drug use, and if you are misusing your prescriptions or obtaining extra prescriptions online or through more than one doctor, you may be addicted to tramadol. This addiction can drastically reduce your ability to live a normal life. Returning to a productive life is possible when you recognize your addiction and get help.

Call now to find your way out from under drug addiction. Our 24 hour, toll-free helpline is staffed by caring counselors who can listen, answer your questions and guide you into the recovery process. Call now to get the help you deserve.

Tramadol is a painkiller that is frequently used by physicians to treat moderate to severe pain. It has been preferred in recent years due to its lower risk of addiction as compared to other drugs like hydrocodone. With its increased use, however, there have been increased reports of dependency and addiction. There are many misunderstandings and much misinformation about tramadol.

Tramadol Is an Opiate

Tramadol is a synthetic opiate, or opioid. Its effects are similar to morphine or hydrocodone, as it binds to opiate receptors in the brain and blocks pain signals in the central nervous system. The synthetic nature of the drug does reduce the addictive properties of the drug, but it does not eliminate them.

Tramadol Is Addictive

Many physicians prefer tramadol to other opiates because of its less addictive nature. Because of this, though, it seems many patients believe they can take as much of the medicine as they want. As a result reports of dependency continue to rise. Physicians should watch carefully for excessive consumption, doctor-shopping and prescription manipulation. Signs of tramadol addiction include the following:

• Fear of withdrawal or anxiety regarding quitting
• Taking more than prescribed or taking for a longer time than prescribed
• Physical discomfort or anxiety when not taking the drug
• Noticeable mood swings
• Preoccupation with obtaining and consuming the drug
• Continued use despite negative legal, relational or physical effects

Tramadol Can Serve As a Gateway to Harder Opiates

Because of its relative accessibility both via common prescription and on the street, tramadol is increasingly abused as a recreational drug. It can be pulverized and snorted, injected or taken in large quantities orally. Because the body develops a tolerance to opioids very quickly, users seeking a high will plateau and may seek other opiates to keep the high going. Again, the myth that tramadol is safe leads some people to experiment with it as well.

Tramadol Addiction Treatment Is Available

Specialized treatment centers have a very good track record in helping people get clean from tramadol. The most effective programs include medically supervised detox that can alleviate the most difficult symptoms of withdrawal. Dual Diagnosis Treatment identifies any co-occurring psychological conditions that may be contributing to the addiction, or making recovery more difficult than it needs to be.

The final and most challenging aspect of these programs is thorough rehab of the psychological aspects of addiction. This is accomplished through group and individual counseling, twelve step programs, healthy new habits and diversions and various customized techniques. This process can be done in an outpatient format, but the most successful results are usually found though intensive, residential treatment plans followed by individual counseling and group support meetings.

Get Tramadol Addiction Help Today

If you are concerned about your use of or dependency on tramadol, we can help. Our toll-free helpline is available 24 hours a day. Our specially trained counselors can answer any questions you may have – even the ones you’ve been afraid to ask your doctor. There is no shame in asking for help. Don’t waste another day trapped in tramadol addiction. Make the call today.

What were you before you started taking tramadol? Were you a creative, a professional, a scientist, a writer, someone in customer service or the trades, a student, a mother or a husband? Has tramadol interrupted your life? You don’t have to let it. There are addiction specialists and professionals who can help you get free from tramadol. You can get your life back. You can decide to do the right thing now and get help for your addiction today.

How to Break Free from Tramadol

It can be scary to try to break free from something that has held you in its grip for so long, but it can be done. There are others who have been able to detox from tramadol and work towards recovery. As with any addiction recovery process you will have to find a group of peers who can support you as you go through the steps of recovery. A 12-step group, group counseling and other avenues of help are available. You will have to find the inner strength to make it through to sobriety, but you don’t have to go it alone.

SAMHSA Treatment for Tramadol Addiction

Medically supervised detox is the recommended approach to withdrawing from tramadol. A treatment center accredited by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the best place to go due to their comprehensive and holistic approach to addiction treatment. Tramadol has affected every part of your being including the mental, emotional, physical and psychological aspects of life. Tramadol addiction treatment offers a variety of approaches to help you rediscover your life. Tramadol addiction treatment may include the following:

• Individual and group therapy
• Aftercare for programs based in rehab treatment centers
• Family programs
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Programs for specific needs
• Financial, vocational and occupational counseling
• Alternative therapy options

Get Clean from Tramadol Addiction

Are you sick of being dependent on tramadol? Are you tired of watching a loved one suffer with addiction? Call our toll-free helpline today to find the treatment solutions that will meet your individual needs. We are here 24 hours a day, so there is no wrong time to call and rediscover a life free from tramadol.