Health - Diphenhydramine addicting?

[Orchid_Suspiria]

Now while it might not be physically addictive..this substance is far more addicting than some might reallize.For one it has sedative effects and that alone gives it a potential for addiction.Swim for about one whole year mainly abused nothing but diphenhydramine and would get headaches and not be able to sleep when use was discontinued.For the past three months,swim has often had his opiate supply cut off and has used huge amounts of diphenhydramine and has found he is now unable to sleep without it again.

It takes a huge amount for swim to actually trip with it now.He just has that sort of odd buzz,is forgetful and thinks odd thoughts,and feels somewhat drowsy.The high is short lasting and swim feels depressed afterwards.He will often take rather high doses of it atleast three times a day.Has anyone else got a diphenhydramine habit to this extent?

[chrisn]

SWIM hasn't used DPH above the recommended dose all that much, in fact only five times, and they were all spread out over the period of about a month. The last two times, SWIM was back to almost baseline within 2 hours, although that almost baseline state hung around for another day. It seems that a tolerance does develop quite fast for this drug, and sticks around for a while. I could see things getting quite messy if its used for a sleep aid. In fact, now that I think about it, the reason SWIM has always required more DPH then usual for tripping could be because over the past year, he has taken 1 pill quite often to help him sleep.

On a somewhat related topic, I'd be interested if SWIY has had any longterm effects of DPH use apart from the sleeping difficulties.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

This is one of the major problems with diphenhydramine is that tolerance does develop VERY quick.Quicker than most any drug swim has ever used.

The question about effects from longterm usage is an interesting one.Swim was always very depressed but he thinks perhaps longterm diphenhydramine use has contributed but he can't be sure.Swims mental state just is not good but he can't be sure if this is from longterm diphenhydramine usage,a good number of years of heavy opiate use,an already existing mental imbalance,depressing situations around him or a combination?Swim does know he wouldn't advise frequent diphenhydramine abuse to anyone.

Swim doesn't think any sleeping pill is completely "abuse proof"other than perhaps melatonin or rozerem(ramelteon).

[chemicalkid]

SWIM went through at least 300mg everyday, usually more around around 500mg for about a year.

Pretty pathetic! Don't do it!