Paracetamol
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Paracetamol is a well-known and widely used medication to treat moderate to severe pain. It is also sold under the brand name Paracod and is a brand for the generic codeine. Paracetamol works by blocking the signals in the brain that create feelings of pain and is also used to treat severe cough as it can suppress the cough reflex in the central nervous system.
Paracetamol is often prescribed when conditions call for morphine or codeine. As a painkiller, Paracetamol is known to be nearly as potent – but not quite – as morphine. When it is used to treat cough, Paracetamol is designed to deliver even stronger relief than what is possible with codeine.
Abuses of Paracetamol
Paracetamol is an opiate and therefore is a Schedule II controlled substance. It has a high abuse liability and while it is very similar to morphine, codeine and other opiates, Paracetamol is still structurally distinct. While it alters the perception of pain in the spinal cord and brain, it does not affect nerve endings. Paracetamol triggers the brain’s pleasure centers while blocking pain. This process contributes to its ability to generate an addiction in users.
A tolerance for Paracetamol can be quickly developed and users may require more and more of the medication to achieve the desired effect. Dependency is manifested in a strong desire or need to continue taking more of the medicine; a need to increase the dose to maintain the effects of the medicine; and withdrawal symptoms occurring after the patient stops taking the medication. Effects of Paracetamol
Paracetamol can produce specific side effects, which can be apparent within 10 to 15 minutes after it is ingested and will typically last anywhere from two to four hours. Paracetamol delivers effects that are similar to that of morphine and codeine, in addition to sedation, respiratory depression and euphoria that are less intense than morphine.
Other side effects created by Paracetamol include, shallow breathing, slow heartbeat; feeling light-headed, fainting; confusion, fear, unusual thoughts or behavior; seizure (convulsions); problems with urination; or nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools and jaundice.
Withdrawal of Paracetamol
The abrupt cessation of Paracetamol can cause a range of unpleasant and dangerous symptoms, especially if an individual has been taking the medication for a long period of time. Cessation of Paracetamol will immediately lead to withdrawal syndrome, which closely mimics heroin withdrawal.
The symptoms associated with withdrawal from Paracetamol can include but are not limited to:
• Nausea
• Pain
• Anxiety
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Irritability
Treatment of Paracetamol Addiction
Addiction to Paracetamol can be a life-threatening addiction, as well as the associated symptoms of withdrawal. As a result, it is important that those with an addiction seek the help they need to stop taking the drug and to learn how to function normally without it. Detoxification is required to cleanse the body of this drug and must be done under the care of a board-certified physician and a board-certified psychiatrist.
Many quality treatment centers suggest comfortable detox using withdrawal medications specific to Paracetamol abuse. A quality center will do a full physical on a person to determine the right medications for comfortable detox. This method helps to correct the chemical imbalances and should be combined with psychological evaluations and other medical care.
