{"id":3197,"date":"2023-07-26T05:33:53","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T05:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.floridarehab.com\/?page_id=3197"},"modified":"2025-02-07T12:21:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T12:21:37","slug":"addiction","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.floridarehab.com\/drugs\/codeine\/addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Codeine Addiction and Side Effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learn about the ways codeine affects people and find out what to do if you or a loved one develop a codeine addiction.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Codeine is an opioid medication<\/a> that is used to treat<\/a> moderate to severe pain or cough symptoms. Codeine<\/a> works by stimulating opioid receptors in the brain, slowing certain nerve signals that can create pain or a need to cough. The side effects that codeine can cause are almost always a result of the slowing of nerve signals that occurs when codeine interacts with opioid receptors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When codeine interacts with opioid receptors in the brain, it also causes the release of chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals cause a sensation of pleasure when they are released into the brain and can lead to a euphoric sensation called a high. Because of the high that codeine can create, some people may use codeine to obtain a high, rather than to treat the medical problem for which it was prescribed. This use can lead to cravings for codeine and create a codeine addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Addictive is Codeine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Codeine is an opioid<\/a>, and opioids are known to be highly addictive. Someone who takes codeine for more than three days<\/a> is at risk of developing an addiction to the drug. It is recommended that doctors avoid prescribing more than a seven-day supply<\/a> of codeine to help reduce the risk of addiction for their patients. The longer that someone takes codeine, and the more that they take, the higher the risk of addiction. While three days is the recommended maximum, it is still possible that codeine that is taken in smaller doses for less than three days may create an addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short-Term Codeine Side Effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several side effects of codeine that may develop after a single dose of codeine. Codeine can cause physical and behavioral side effects as it slows nerve signals in the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Side Effects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The short-term physical side effects of codeine<\/a> occur because of the changes in the neurological system that codeine causes. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n