An Overview of Lyrica Abuse
Lyrica® (
pregabalin) is a prescription medication used to treat
fibromyalgia and certain types of nerve pain and
seizures. Studies have also shown that Lyrica is effective as an
anxiety treatment -- though it is not approved for this use. Lyrica is a controlled substance. As with other controlled substances, there is the possibility of becoming addicted to Lyrica. Addiction or "dependence" is when a person feels like he or she needs to continue to take a medicine, even when no medical need is present.
Lyrica addiction is more likely if the medicine has been taken daily for a longer period of time or at higher doses. It is also more likely in people with a history of alcohol or drug addiction.
Before new medications can be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they usually must go through studies to assess their potential to be abused. In such studies for Lyrica, drug abusers who were given a dose of Lyrica reported feeling a "good drug effect" or "high" from the medication. They rated Lyrica as being similar to
diazepam (
Valium®) in terms of its ability to produce a high.
It is not known how Lyrica can produce a high. It does not act in the parts or receptors of the brain that are usually associated with drug abuse. Because it is a fairly new medication, it is not known if it will become a popular drug of abuse.
