Remeron High: Addiction Abuse

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Remeron Addiction Abuse

Mirtazapine is the generic form of a tetracyclic antidepressant Remeron, and when abused, it is known to produce a “Remeron high.” When prescribed, Remeron is used to treat nausea, major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and can also be used as an appetite stimulant.

Although the way mirtazapine works is not entirely understood, it is thought that it affects communication between nerve cells in the central nervous system and that it can restore chemical balance in the brain.

The problem arises if you begin abusing this substance and taking more than the recommended dose (the starting dose for Remeron tablets is 15 mg/day). If you are using this medication in large doses, not prescribed by a professional, you are entering into a situation where you might be abusing it.

Is Remeron Addictive?

Similar to other antidepressants, this medication is usually considered to be non-addictive; despite this, it does cause a high, meaning the drug can cause physical dependence.

If you have been using Remeron, either as a prescription or through abuse, and begin to discontinue use, you will experience terrible withdrawal symptoms. This can lead you to continue taking the drug to avoid these feelings.

Another problem with this medication is that your tolerance builds up so quickly. Through abuse and obtaining a Remeron high, it means that you will be up to a very high dose only after months of abuse.

You may keep taking this medication simply to prevent the effects of withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms include depression, feeling irritable, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and even paresthesia (a prickling/tingling sensation on your skin). Without proper guidance from a medical detox center, these withdrawal symptoms can too much to manage, and the cycle of addiction will continue.

Signs of Remeron Addiction

Although these signs may be hard to diagnose, if someone you love is taking this medication, they are something to look out for. Alternatively, if you use it and are noticing you may be searching for that “high,” you might be abusing it without even knowing. This can be dangerous, so it is important to look out for the signs.

For example, if you or someone you love is exhibiting signs of:

• Taking it after it is no longer prescribed
• Continually needing more of it to feel the same effects as before
• Spending most of the day thinking about when you will take your next dose
• Thinking about how to get more of the drug, its effects, or when to use it
• Not being able to stop using it
• Lying about symptoms to get another prescription
• Sudden changes in physical appearance as well as hygiene and behavior

Remeron Side Effects

Although Remeron can help improve your mood, general feelings of well-being, sleep, and help decrease nervousness, there are harmful effects.

Mild to Severe Side Effects

• Weight gain
• Feeling drowsiness
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms including body aches
• Problems with concentrating
• Strange dreams
• Increase anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Irritability

Serious Side Effects

Serious side effects can include increased suicide risk, extreme changes in behaviors, and an increase in depression. Although Remeron is typically prescribed to individuals with depression, those with major depressive disorder (MDD) might experience worsening depression symptoms.

Serotonin Syndrome

Additionally, in rare cases, you might develop a condition called serotonin syndrome. This is because Remeron increases serotonin, and if you are taking too high of a dose, you can develop this disorder.

Abuse Risks of Obtaining a Remeron High

Negative side effects specifically increase when the drug is abused. Remeron is considered “abused” when taken without a prescription, higher doses are taken than prescribed, or the drug is mixed with alcohol.

It is good to note that although Remeron does not create a “euphoric” high similar to drugs such as opiates, it is still often improperly used; especially taking more of the drug than prescribed to feel the effects of other drugs quicker.

Many abusers of Remeron use it to come down from stimulant drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine. Mixing Remeron with a stimulant can cause sideeffects such as abdominal cramping, convulsions, and problems with cognitive function.

If you are abusing Remeron, you should never take it with other antidepressants, specifically monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Taking these two medications together increases the effects and can cause dangerous reactions.

Remeron Overdose

One potentially deadly side effect of obtaining Remeron is an overdose. An overdose occurs when you take too much of the drug. As a result of a Remeron overdose, you can experience severe health problems, including cardiac arrest, extremely low blood pressure, and even seizures. Extreme cases have even been reported of respiratory depression and death.

The risk of a Mirtazapine overdose grows immensely when this drug is combined with other drugs or alcohol. Specific drugs that cause adverse reactions are nervous system depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines.

The combination of these drugs results in extreme drowsiness and respiratory depression. Unfortunately, if you are abusing Remeron, you may mix these to increase the intoxication experienced as a result of your addiction. This is extremely dangerous and a sign of a problem.

Signs of Overdose:

• Chest pain
• Hallucinations
• Vomiting
• Very fast heartbeat
• Slurred speech or inability to speak
• Problems with breathing
• Extreme drowsiness

Remeron and Its Role With Mental Illness

This drug is prescribed explicitly in conjunction with treating mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even decrease nausea. It has a role with mental illness because it can help decrease these symptoms and even aid in reducing the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD).

Unfortunately, although Remeron has been proven to do a lot of good, its use can also backfire. Remeron is known to create more mental illness problems by stimulating feelings of suicide.

Remeron and Its Role With Schizophrenia

Despite this risk of increased suicide, there has been one finding concerning mental illness, schizophrenia. If you have schizophrenia, then you may exhibit odd social behavior and also not be able to distinguish what is real from what is imagined.

Many people diagnosed with schizophrenia may think they hear voices or have fixed false beliefs (known as delusions). This can cause withdrawal from being social and a lack of motivation for life.

Antipsychotic medications are the main treatment for schizophrenia, with Remeron being one of them. This drug can be effective in treating some of the symptoms of schizophrenia but should not be a replacement for psychological treatment.

Treatment Options

If you are addicted to Remeron, then you are not alone. Common treatment options for Remeron (Mirtazapine) addiction include both outpatient and inpatient rehab.

Both of these forms of treatment are focused on recovery and incredibly effective. Regardless of your addiction situation, you have options.

At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we offer inpatient and outpatient services, as well as partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (such as CBT), and much more.

Contact us today to get started on your road to recovery.