Does Neurontin Cause Euphoria? - Garden State Treatment Center

Throughout the years, doctors have been coming up with drugs to treat many illnesses from the common headache to seizures to anxiety and many more. Medical professionals also, at the same time, try to consider the chances of those drugs being addictive but this can’t always be foreseen.

One such prescription drug that is fairly new and is not considered as a drug that is commonly abused is called Neurontin, the brand name for the medication gabapentin. This drug is used to treat epilepsy, restless leg syndrome, hot flashes, and neuropathic pain. Neurontin acts as a sedative in very high and dangerous doses, sometimes leading to a euphoric feeling similar to marijuana or a low-dose of opiates. This makes the drug addictive and sought after by those struggling with substance use disorders.

Gabapentin is made as either white, yellow, or orange capsules and tablets. They are usually taken orally but are also known to be crushed up to powder form to snort into your nasal passages.

On the street, it can go by the names morontin and gabbies, and it is most commonly used by people who mix it with other substances to increase the effects of the gabapentin or other intoxicant. It has also been known to be used to aid withdrawal symptoms from opiates and alcohol.

Does Neurontin Cause Euphoria?

Is Neutontin Addictive?

Although Neurontin is considered to be a low addictive drug it can produce withdrawal symptoms when taken over long periods. The withdrawal symptoms may resemble some of the symptoms of alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal. Just like any other substance that is abused factors such as age, dose, length of use, medical or mental health problems, and use of other drugs or alcohol, can affect withdrawal.

The primary withdrawal symptoms associated with gabapentin abuse include:

  • Anxiety
  • Agitation
  • Insomnia
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sweating
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Nausea

Withdrawal usually occurs within 12 hours to 7 days after quitting the medication. Though a withdrawal timeline hasn’t been documented, some studies have noted symptoms that last up to 10 days.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NCBI), A recent police report indicates the increasing tendency to use gabapentin as a ‘cutting agent’ in street heroin (and to recover gabapentin on the street and in prisons), further adding to the abuse and danger potential. Like opiates, gabapentin is fatal in overdose; unlike opiates, there is no antidote and the long half-life instills the need for prolonged, intensive management of overdose.

Treatment for Neurontin Addiction

If you or a loved one may think they have an addiction to Neurontin (gabapentin), know there is help at Garden State Treatment Center. There are always telltale signs of an addiction.

Signs of Neurontin (Gabapentin) Addiction Often Include:

  • Lying about or exaggerating symptoms to doctors
  • Seeking out multiple doctors to get extra doses
  • Switching doctors after the original doctor refuses to continue prescribing the medication
  • Changes in social habits and/or circles
  • Changes in personal hygiene and grooming habits
  • Constant preoccupation with the drug
  • Unease at the thought of the drug being unavailable
  • Refusal to quit despite social, financial, or legal consequences
  • Failed attempts to quit

Located in the heart of Northern New Jersey, Garden State Treatment Center is an outpatient and partial care addiction treatment facility that offers nuanced levels of care for individuals struggling with the horrors of substance abuse. It is our explicit goal to help addicted clients rebuild their lives from the inside out and reintegrate themselves back into society.


Published on: 2020-06-30
Updated on: 2024-02-16