Such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen?
If so, what are the symptoms of addiction?
It is possible to become addicted to any substance. Addictions can have a psychological component so it isn’t necessary for the substance itself to be physically addictive.
Do a google search on otc addiction and you’ll get several hits.
http://www.solpadeinehelp.org.uk/topsante.php is one such page.
The first example that I can think of offhand is that people can get physiologically dependent on decongestant nosedrops in that they get very congested without them. People also get rebound headaches after OTC painkillers wear off, causing them to take more and more painkillers.
I am physically addicted to caffeine (seriously - I get massive and crippling headaches after I’ve been cafeeine-free for about 48 hours), and that’s about as OTC as you can get. One of my brother-in-laws has the same problem.
(We both currently use the “solution” of having a cup of caffeinated coffee first thing in the morning. That keeps the tank full enough to avoid the headaches.)
No-Doz, Nasil sprays and chapstic come to mind
Common drugs of abuse which are available over the counter include dextromethorphan (a common cough suppressant), pseudoephedrine (decongestant), diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine (both antihistamines), and caffiene. The common thread with these substances is that they cause primary mood alteration. Their use to achieve a change in mental state is quite common.
While some individuals may develop a psychological compulsion to take certain medications like ibuprofen or APAP, they are not generally considered to be primarily mood-altering, nor is their use to achieve a change in mental state anywhere near as common as the above-cited meds.
breaknrun, that site you cite refers to codiene abuse for the most part. It may be OTC in the UK, but it’s a controlled substance here in the states.
There’s a better solution. Quit drinking caffeine. I’m serious. I get headaches when I quit drinking caffeine, too, but they eventually go away (It usually takes about a day). After I’ve been caffeine-free for a few days, drinking an occasional caffinated softdrink does not cause the headaches to return.
egiac
I certainly hope you are not taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen regularly. Read the label. You are not suppose to take them every day. Bad for your innards. Way bad.
My father was very addicted to Privene nose drops, he always had a bottle in his pocket, and later the spray bottle, for at least the last 40 years of his life.
I take ibuprofen nearly every day. I have a low-grade headache most days, and much more severe ones occasionally. I generally switch back and forth between acetaminophen and ibuprofen but ibuprofen seems to work better. My mother thinks I am addicted to them, but I can’t believe either one would be addictive. I am genuinely in pain when I take them.
By the way, I have no definitive answer on why I have the headaches. I have some odd eye problems, that is probably why.
I’m sure my liver is rotting, but I find it difficult to care.
If you’re taking less than 2 grams of acetaminophen a day, I’m sure your liver is fine, unless you’re mixing a lot of alcohol with it. If you’re taking less than 2.5 grams of ibuprofen a day, your kidneys are probably dealing with the med ok too. But you should really talk to your doctor about this.
You cannot get physiologically dependent on those two meds.
QtM, MD
Thanks, Qadgop. I had an MRI a few years ago that turned out fine, so I doubt it’s anything life-threatening. Have told many doctors about it, but none of them have an answer for me.
Glad to hear the meds aren’t too damaging.
Relevant article here on analgesic overuse - Confessions of a ten-a-day man. There is some evidence that chronic use of analgesics leads to long-term alteration of the pain-signalling neurotransmitter levels - giving ‘rebound headaches’ if you stop taking the drug.
I went through rehab with a guy who was addicted to OTC cough medicine. Poor guy drank the stuff like water.