Can You Get Addicted to Muscle Relaxers?

They were only supposed to last a few days. Just long enough to get through a pulled back muscle or the soreness after surgery. At first the relief is a welcome break: easier sleep at night, easier movement during the day. But somewhere along the way the line can blur. One pill becomes two. You start reaching for them to wind down after work or to get through a stressful day.

So it is a fair question to ask: can you get addicted to muscle relaxers? The short answer is that some of them can be habit-forming, and the risk rises sharply when they are misused or mixed with other substances. Here is what to watch for, which medications carry the most risk, and how treatment works if use has gotten out of hand.

What are muscle relaxers?

Muscle relaxers are prescription medications used to relieve muscle spasms and muscle pain. They are usually prescribed for short-term use, often alongside rest and physical therapy.

Most work by acting on the central nervous system. They reduce the nerve and brain activity that produces muscle tension and spasm, which is why they can also leave you feeling drowsy, foggy, or sedated. The kind people usually mean by "muscle relaxer" act on the skeletal muscles you use to move, rather than the smooth muscle in your stomach or blood vessels that you do not consciously control.

That sedating, central-nervous-system effect is exactly what makes a handful of these drugs habit-forming for some people.

What are the different kinds of muscle relaxers?

"Muscle relaxer" is an umbrella term covering several different medications. Their addiction potential varies a lot from one to the next:

• Carisoprodol (brand name Soma): A short-term muscle relaxant that the U.S. National Library of Medicine warns can be habit-forming and is a federally controlled substance (Schedule IV). It carries one of the higher misuse risks in this group.
• Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, and others): Sometimes used for muscle spasm and anxiety, benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants with a well-documented potential for dependence and overdose. They are also federally controlled.
• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, Amrix): A widely prescribed muscle relaxer that is not a controlled substance and is meant for short-term use, generally no longer than three weeks. Its addiction potential is considered lower.
• Metaxalone (Skelaxin): Used for short-term muscle and bone pain. It is generally regarded as having a lower abuse profile than carisoprodol or benzodiazepines.
• Baclofen (Lioresal, Gablofen): Often prescribed for spasticity from conditions like multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury. It is not classified as a controlled substance, but it should never be stopped abruptly: sudden withdrawal can cause seizures, confusion, fever, or hallucinations.
• Tizanidine (Zanaflex): A short-acting muscle relaxer that temporarily reduces muscle tone. It is not a scheduled drug, though misuse can still occur.

If you are not sure which category your prescription falls into, the safest move is to ask the prescribing doctor or pharmacist directly.

Can you get addicted to muscle relaxers?

Yes, some muscle relaxers can lead to dependence. For certain people, particularly with carisoprodol or benzodiazepines, these drugs can produce a feeling of calm or euphoria that goes beyond pain relief. Over time, the body can adapt, so it takes more of the drug to get the same effect, and stopping becomes uncomfortable. That combination of tolerance and withdrawal is the core of physical dependence.

The most dangerous pattern is combining muscle relaxers with other central nervous system depressants, especially alcohol or opioids. Stacking depressants can slow breathing and heart rate to the point of overdose. Benzodiazepines alone were involved in 10,870 overdose deaths in 2023 in the United States, and nearly 70% of those deaths also involved illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. That is why misuse of any muscle relaxer is worth taking seriously.

If muscle relaxer use has become hard to control, our prescription drug rehab program is built to treat exactly this, and benzodiazepine addiction treatment is available for the benzo end of this category.

Can you get addicted if you only take them short-term?

Yes. Addiction risk has more to do with how a drug makes you feel than with how long you have been taking it. Even a short course can trigger a substance use disorder in someone who is prone to addiction.

This is why your medical history matters. If you or a close family member has a history of substance use disorder, tell your doctor before starting any new medication. They can often choose a non-habit-forming alternative, like cyclobenzaprine instead of carisoprodol, to lower the risk from the start.

Why are some muscle relaxers more addictive than others?

The clearest driver is the rewarding feeling a drug produces. Medications that cause euphoria or deep relaxation, rather than just dulling pain, tend to carry the higher risk, which is part of why carisoprodol and benzodiazepines stand out in this group. Individual biology, including genetics and any co-occurring mental health conditions, also shapes how likely a given person is to develop dependence. None of that means a person is weak or to blame; it means the medication and the person interact in ways that are worth respecting.

What are the signs of muscle relaxer addiction?

Worried about yourself or someone close to you? Dependence usually shows up as a mix of physical and behavioral changes. Common signs include:

• Needing higher or more frequent doses to get the same effect (tolerance)
• Cravings or feeling unable to get through the day without the drug
• Taking it to feel relaxed or "high" rather than for the pain it was prescribed for
• Drowsiness, slurred speech, unsteadiness, or shallow breathing
• Running out of prescriptions early, "doctor shopping," or buying pills from others
• Mood changes, irritability, secrecy, or withdrawing from people and activities
• Continuing to use even after it causes problems at home, work, or with health

No single sign confirms addiction, but a cluster of them is a strong reason to talk with a professional.

What are muscle relaxer withdrawal symptoms?

When the body has adapted to a muscle relaxer, stopping can bring on withdrawal. With drugs like carisoprodol, that can include rebound muscle spasms and pain, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, headache, and dizziness. With baclofen specifically, abrupt discontinuation can be dangerous and cause seizures, confusion, fever, or hallucinations, as MedlinePlus warns, which is why these medications should always be tapered under medical supervision rather than stopped cold.

This is the main reason not to quit on your own. A supervised medical detox and medication-assisted treatment plan can manage withdrawal safely and keep you comfortable, while addressing the cravings and the reasons behind the use.

How is muscle relaxer addiction treated?

Treatment for muscle relaxer dependence follows the same evidence-based path as other prescription drug use disorders. It usually starts with a medically supervised taper or detox to handle withdrawal safely, then moves into therapy that gets at the patterns and stressors behind the use. Counseling, group support, and, where appropriate, medication work together inside one personalized plan.

Because relapse risk is highest right after a program ends, ongoing support matters just as much as the early phase. Our aftercare program keeps that support going with check-ins, counseling, and community connection. For people misusing more than one substance, or muscle relaxers alongside alcohol or opioids, our broader drug rehab program treats the whole picture rather than one drug in isolation.

You do not need to have hit a crisis point to reach out. Asking questions early is one of the smartest things you can do, and prescription drug misuse is far more common than most people realize. In 2023, about 14.4 million people aged 12 or older in the U.S. misused prescription psychotherapeutic drugs in the past year, according to SAMHSA's national survey. You are not alone in this, and help works.

A clear path forward

So, can you get addicted to muscle relaxers? For some of them, yes, and the danger climbs when they are misused or mixed with alcohol or opioids. The good news is that dependence on muscle relaxers is treatable, and stopping safely is very doable with the right medical support.

If you or someone you love is leaning on muscle relaxers in a way that worries you, our team can help you figure out the next step. We treat prescription drug use disorders with the medical and emotional support needed to detox safely and build a steadier life, confidentially and without judgment, across New Hampshire and Massachusetts.