Psychological addiction is the desire to use a drug whether or not it's needed to relieve pain. Using a narcotic this way can be dangerous and may not help your pain. If you have psychological addiction to a narcotic, your doctor may give you another drug to help with your psychological problems. Or your doctor might recommend that you talk to a counselor. Your doctor might also change the medicine that you are psychologically addicted to, by lowering the dose, changing to another drug or stopping the medicine altogether.
Constipation is a real problem with narcotic medicines.
If you are taking a narcotic medicine, it's important to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. Try to eat 6 to 8 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, too. Be sure to tell your doctor if constipation becomes a problem for you. Your doctor may suggest taking laxatives to treat or prevent it. Other Medicines Many drugs that are used to treat other illnesses can also treat pain.