The drug starts working within a few hours after entering the body as a pill or solution, and blood levels of the drug peak within 2 to 3 hours following use. This is because the FDA requires the drug to pass several tests before it reaches the market. The journey from invention to market typically takes more than a decade. Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox. Most studies have shown that it has something to do with the way in which baclofen interacts with the GABA receptors in the brain. In just 2 minutes, you can speak with an admissions specialist, verify your insurance, and explore treatment options that work for you.

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People who are recovering from baclofen addiction may find aftercare to be particularly helpful in warding off relapse and coping with high-risk situations or triggers in early recovery. Chronic misuse of baclofen can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Baclofen withdrawal can be deadly if a person suddenly stops taking it after taking it regularly for a period of time. People who abuse baclofen may also consume it with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol to enhance the high. Taking a high dose of baclofen on its own may also cause overdose, which may result in coma or death.

The risk of overdose is especially high if you are combining baclofen with other drugs or alcohol. Baclofen can interact poorly with other medications that are central nervous system depressants. You are more likely to overdose if you take baclofen alongside alcohol, other painkillers, or antidepressants. Even if the amount of baclofen or other drugs you take would not cause an overdose on their own, combining them can lead to overdose symptoms. If you experience trouble breathing, mental confusion, hallucinations, or seizures, it is important to seek emergency medical care.

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If your loved one appears unconscious and unresponsive, they could be suffering from a baclofen-induced coma. Severe and persistent drowsiness is a direct result of central nervous system depression. As the body is sedated by excessive baclofen, it can become harder to stay awake. Otherwise known as low blood pressure, this can cause a person to become dizzy and faint. If your loved one seems slow to respond, their central nervous system may be so depressed from the drug’s effects that they can’t react. Their reflexes and reaction times may be severely diminished, or they may fail to react entirely.

• Baclofen is a prescription medicine mainly used as a muscle relaxant to treat neurological illnesses, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis-related spasticity.
• Drugs with the highest abuse potential are included in Schedule I. Examples of Schedule I controlled substances include heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.
• However, because they are recovering from addictions, these people are at a higher risk of misusing baclofen, which is why it needs to be closely monitored.
• There is also a risk that someone would recreationally use baclofen either by using it in massive doses to get baclofen high or combining it with other specific drugs to enhance the impact.
• The seriousness of the symptoms will determine if quick treatment – including respiratory assistance or activated charcoal – is needed.
• However, prolonged use of baclofen can cause physical dependence, which may lead to withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it suddenly.

If you or someone you know is misusing baclofen, it’s important to understand the side effects, dangers, and treatment options for baclofen use disorder. Baclofen is the generic name for a muscle relaxant that is prescribed under the brand names Gablofen® and Lioresal®. Baclofen can alleviate discomfort but can not cure muscle-related conditions. Once detox is complete, a high-quality treatment program helps address the underlying causes of addiction.

You’ll be in a home-like setting with specialists and like-minded people, and it’s often a better environment for your mental health. This is especially true for those who don’t have a strong support system at home. Without it, individuals risk severe and possibly permanent side effects. In the case of baclofen, kidney damage, liver disease, and memory impairment are just some outcomes that could permanently impact your quality of life with baclofen misuse. If treatment for baclofen overdoses is administered immediately then full recovery is often possible within 72 hours.

How Common Is Baclofen Abuse?

As a depressant, it causes euphoric effects, reduces stress, and can reduce pain sensations. Baclofen may be prescribed for a variety of conditions that result in muscle stiffness and tightness, including spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis. If you or someone you know has developed an addiction to baclofen then contact a rehab center near you today to begin treatment. Addiction treatment specialists in an inpatient or outpatient facility can provide the care, therapy, and support needed to get free of addiction. Baclofen has pain-relieving and muscle-relaxing qualities that make it susceptible to abuse. When someone abuses baclofen in high doses, it is possible that they will build a tolerance to the drug’s effects and eventually develop a physical dependence on it.

How can baclofen abuse be treated?

• After detox, continued baclofen treatment can help you maintain your sobriety.
• People may become easily confused, lose touch with reality, and exhibit poor judgment.
• Withdrawal is common, and you may need to take other prescription drugs to stabilize your condition.
• This means those using the medication to treat withdrawal symptoms should only do so under strict medical supervision.
• Those with a baclofen addiction often find themselves constantly thinking about and focusing on baclofen usage.

While baclofen isn’t particularly addictive when taken as prescribed, any drug that produces a high can become addictive when abused. It does produce tolerance, which is a sign of developing dependence. Tolerance occurs when the brain alters its neurotransmitter activity in an attempt to normalize brain function with the presence of the extra chemicals in the brain. As a result, increasingly larger doses are needed to get the previous effects. When using baclofen, someone could feel similar effects as narcotics but only if they take a high dose of it.

The drug may require close monitoring, so knowledge about a patient’s health and history may help physicians and healthcare providers protect them from a potential overdose. Baclofen, as a muscle relaxer, when overdosed, has no known antidote. Although it has less potential for abuse than more conventional addictive medications, physical addiction can result in persistent usage.

Coma

Every day, opioid-related drug overdoses kill over 130 people in the US.1 Addiction treatment in a rehab facility can help with recovery from substance use disorders. While baclofen is used to ease muscle pain during addiction treatment (particularly for alcohol and opioid withdrawal) it also has the potential to be dependence and addiction-forming on its own. This means those using the medication to treat withdrawal symptoms should only do so under strict medical supervision. The drug should only be used under close medical supervision, even if it could help with addiction therapy. Baclofen’s habit-forming potential suggests that incorrect use may result in a different kind of dependence.

In fact, 92 out of 100 people in the study stopped having cravings for alcohol after being treated with baclofen. There is also a risk that someone would recreationally use baclofen either by using it in massive doses to get baclofen high or combining it with other specific drugs to enhance the impact. Baclofen is dangerously mixed with other substances, including opioids, sleeping aids, alcohol, muscle relaxers, or certain vitamins that affect the central nervous system.

For this reason, it’s highly recommended that anyone experiencing misuse of baclofen undergo medication-assisted treatment, starting with medical detox. Although baclofen abuse is far less prevalent than that can baclofen be abused of other pharmaceutical drugs, including opioids and benzodiazepines, it’s often abused along with these and other drugs, including alcohol. Using it with other substances increases its toxicity and the risk of overdose. The woman was found unconscious alongside three recently prescribed empty bottles of Lioresal and an empty wine bottle.

In some cases, patients can even end up losing consciousness and going into a coma. If a patient does not get prompt care, they may stop breathing and die. Baclofen abuse is common among those with mental health conditions. Since the drug can have a relaxing, anti-anxiety effect, some people might try to self-medicate by taking baclofen regularly.

Although baclofen is less likely to be abused than more conventional addictive medications, regular usage can cause addiction. Long-term use alters brain chemistry, thereby influencing the appropriate functioning of the human body. This raises the likelihood of cognitive dysfunction,  withdrawal symptoms and overdose.

Our team does their best for our readers to help them stay informed about vital healthcare decisions. Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Baclofen (brand name Lioresal among others) is used as a muscle relaxer to control muscular rigidity and clonus caused by injuries and other medical conditions.

Once the body has been stabilized, you are ready to move to the next phase of treatment. An inpatient program is an intensive treatment that aims to achieve long-lasting sobriety. During treatment at an inpatient facility, addiction specialists will also check if you have other co-occurring mental illness. Inpatient programs are ideal for those who have used high doses of a drug for long periods. This is because it’s commonly used to treat an existing addiction to alcohol or other substances.

His hostel mate disclosed that he was taking more than the prescribed dose of baclofen. After initial denial, “X” accepted the increased intake to be three tablets instead of one. He was advised to adhere to the prescription and return for review after 2 weeks. Before his next appointment, his hostel mate came to us and complained about the daily abuse of drugs. Interview with “X” revealed abusive intake of 20 tablets of 30 mg making a total dose of 600 mg baclofen every day. He described the sense of wellbeing and pleasure without apparent reason after baclofen ingestion and also craving for the drug.