While Robaxin (methocarbamol) addiction is rare, the dependency behaviors it creates can make a person vulnerable to future substance misuse and abuse.
Dependency on this muscle relaxant often occurs because the prescribed dose no longer feels effective for the person taking it. To counter this, risky behaviors, such as taking more than the prescribed dose, often develop.
If you or someone you know is taking Robaxin and you think there might be a possibility of developing a dependency problem, read the information below to find out what can be done to help.
What Is Robaxin?
Robaxin is the brand name for the generic drug, methocarbamol. It’s a muscle relaxant often prescribed for pain relief after a muscle injury. It’s also prescribed for lockjaw and other conditions that cause muscle spasms.
The drug works by disrupting the pain receptors in the brain, which can also reduce muscle spasms. Pain is reduced due to fewer or less severe muscle spasms, and also by blocking the pain signals that are normally sent to the brain.
Dependency rates to Robaxin are typically low, especially compared to similar drugs such as lorazepam. However, addiction is possible, and if it occurs, it usually requires specialized treatment. For this reason, it is always recommended to only take this medication as prescribed by a doctor and to never increase the dosage or use it recreationally.
5 Signs a Person Might Have a Robaxin (Methocarbamol) Addiction
If you or somebody you know is taking Robaxin and shows these signs of addiction, it’s probably time to speak to a treatment center about beginning rehab treatment.
- You’re Dependent on Another Substance, Too
Addiction to methocarbamol is more likely if you already have an ongoing dependency with another substance, either medically or recreationally.
The addiction cycle in the case of Robaxin is driven more by dependent behaviors than the addictive qualities of the drug itself. If you already have, or have previously had, substance misuse tendencies, the behavior patterns can create a dependency to methocarbamol despite its low addiction risk.
- You Take More Than Your Physician Prescribes
If you feel like your current dose doesn’t control your pain or muscle spasms, but your physician doesn’t increase your prescribed dose, do you take more pills anyway?
Robaxin misuse often happens when a person feels they need to take more of the drug than prescribed to maintain a level of control over their pain or muscle spasms.
- You Obsess About Your Next Dose
Do you plan your day around your medication times? Are you already thinking of when to have the next dose when you’ve just taken one?
You may feel like you’re not able to focus on your day until you’ve taken your dose, or that you experience anxiety if you can’t take methocarbamol at the exact time you planned to.
Obsessing over any medication and letting it control your daily routine is a sign of dependency.
- You No Longer Enjoy Activities or Hobbies
If you choose to reject activities, such as seeing friends, in favor of finding and taking Robaxin, this is a strong sign of dependency.
No longer having an interest in things you used to enjoy, and putting your need to have methocarbamol above other things, are both significant signs of dependency.
- Your Emotions Depend on Taking Methocarbamol
A common sign of dependency is relating your feelings to whether you’ve been able to take your chosen drug.
When you’re taking a higher dose than you’ve been prescribed, you’ll run out of your medication sooner than you should. When you need to get hold of more Robaxin, does that make you feel anxious?
Do you consider risky behaviors, such as buying an unseen drug online, to satisfy your need for it?
Taking risks, or feeling depressed when you have no access to methocarbamol, are both signs of dependency.
Is Addiction to Methocarbamol Dangerous?
The side effects of methocarbamol dependency are short-lived and will pass once the drug is out of the system.
However, the side effects that misuse of the drug can cause, such as tachycardia (a racing heart), may cause more serious conditions as a result. That’s why it’s so important to seek medical help if you think you have a Robaxin dependency.
If you think you have a dependency problem with your Robaxin prescription, it’s vital that you don’t stop taking it on your own.
You must seek medical help to phase out the drug from your system. Not doing so risks serious side effects such as heart problems and uncontrollable nausea or vomiting.
Plan your withdrawal timeline with a medical professional to avoid the worst side effects and minimize risks associated with stopping the drug.
What to Expect from Robaxin Addiction Treatment
When you’re ready to seek help for your dependency, you’ll have two options for your rehab treatment: inpatient and outpatient.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment involves a residential stay at an addiction treatment facility designed to help people with addictive behaviors.
Medically qualified staff will help to detox from the Robaxin first. After the body has detoxed the drug and there are no further side effects, the next step is to address the reasons for the addictive behaviors.
Therapists and counselors are there to guide their patients through the behavior patterns and help develop coping strategies that can be uses after completing the treatment program. These strategies will help to avoid relapse and also avoid switching from one dependency to another.
Outpatient Treatment
If an inpatient program isn’t a good fit for a variety of reasons, it might be possible to consider an outpatient rehab program instead, if advised by an addiction doctor.
The doctor will first assess the need for the initial detox stage and decide if it is appropriate to do inpatient or outpatient detox. After detox has been completed, outpatient treatment can begin and it will be necessary to attend therapy sessions with a counselor at agreed times, usually 3 or 5 days a week over the required period to work on behavior patterns and coping strategies to avoid relapse.
As Robaxin (methocarbamol) addiction is unusual, not all rehab centers will be equipped to help detox and overcome a dependency.
There are however, some treatment centers that are able to help those in need to overcome their dependency or addiction to Robaxin.
We are available to find the right Robaxin treatment for a successful recovery for those who have a difficulty finding the best fit. Our contact page has more information and our insurance verification page is a quick and easy way to check benefits.
