There is a distinct relationship between painkiller abuse and insomnia. People who use painkillers over a long period often become dependent on them. Whether they are still using or they are trying to stop, insomnia can occur.
Painkillers which come from opium or synthetic opium are among the most frequently abused. Acetaminophen combined with codeine is a very popular prescription for doctors to hand out. Vicodin or hydrocodone can also be used for pain management. However, when the person develops a need to take the pain medication continually, it becomes a problem.
People begin by taking the medication that has been prescribed to them. Next, they clean out the medicine cabinet of any similar medications that have been prescribed to family members. Finally, they will shop around for painkillers. They will do this by convincing each of their individual doctors, dentists, and specialists that they need a prescription for the painkillers.
The result is painkiller abuse, and insomnia is a part of the package. When the person first begins to take the painkillers, the initial effect is sleepiness or grogginess. This is a pleasant feeling to many people, especially to those in pain. They want to experience it again and again. They may even combine their painkillers with other drugs or with alcohol to increase the sedative effect.
The problem is that, over time, the body begins to get used to the painkiller. It takes more to get the desired effect. This means that sleeplessness is likely any time the person who is addicted cannot increase or at least maintain the dose usually taken. The addict wants more than anything to relax and often to go to sleep. This becomes increasingly difficult.
Even when people who abuse painkillers do go to bed, their sleep cycles are not normal. They are not able to go into the various stages of light to deep to REM sleep the way most people do. This leads to more sleep disturbances, and eventually to more insomnia.
Another reason painkiller abuse and insomnia go hand in hand is because of withdrawal. When a person does decide to get off of painkillers, a period of insomnia is almost certain to take place. The body is craving its accustomed fix of medications. It will not let one sleep unless they are given, or until long after physical withdrawal is complete.
Rebound headaches are a different source of painkiller abuse that can lead to insomnia. The painkillers may simply be over-the-counter preparations such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. They could be migraine medications or opiates as well. When one takes them indiscriminately, it is a recipe for problems.
People begin by taking too much medication, or by taking it in anticipation of needing it. The body becomes used to having the medication. When a day of medication is missed, the headache comes back worse than before. Insomnia is one of the problems associated with this syndrome.
