Thorazine (Chlorpromazine) Medication Abuse & Addiction Risks

Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is an FDA-approved, first-generation or typical antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia.

People suffering from psychosis may also be prescribed chlorpromazine or other antipsychotic drugs to control their symptoms as part of their mental health treatment.

However, you can begin abusing the medication if you take more than prescribed to increase the effects that help you feel better.

This can halt progress in addressing mental health disorders by complicating treatment with a co-occurring disorder. However, with proper care and support, you can overcome Thorazine abuse and manage your mental health at the same time.

As a phenothiazine antipsychotic or neuroleptic, Thorazine is used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other conditions that have psychosis as a component.

It can also be prescribed to treat mania, hyperactivity, and to control nausea and vomiting. Thorazine can cause a pleasant feeling of relief that can become addictive if taken at higher doses.

People taking chlorpromazine can fall into abuse because of the following:

• They take higher doses than prescribed to get a greater feeling of relief.
• They correct their dose without consulting a doctor because they think it isn’t working.
• They increase their dosage because they have built up a tolerance for the medication without realizing it.

Thorazine doesn’t work like antidepressants, which affect serotonin. Like other members of the generation of the first antipsychotic medications, Thorazine is a dopamine antagonist.

It works by blocking the dopamine 2 (D2) receptor, lowering the activity of that neurotransmitter, and essentially acting as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.

As a CNS depressant (like alcohol as opposed to stimulants), it can cause sedation and drowsiness. It also creates a profound relief from the kind of hyperactivity in the brain believed to be connected to psychotic disorders.

The experience of this relief can be addictive, causing people who take this medication to take more than they are prescribed to achieve that sense of relief as they build tolerance over time.

As with many prescription drugs, anyone can be at risk of abusing Thorazine, especially people who have access to prescriptions belonging to loved ones or family members.

But the people who are the most at risk are those who are prescribed Thorazine for mental illness.

Thorazine is prescribed for the following mental health and other conditions:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar I (acute manic type)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Acute agitation
• Psychosis
• Adjunct treatment for tetanus
• Chronic hiccups
• Off-label for serotonin syndrome
• Off-label for nausea and vomiting related to migraines

If a loved one or family member is abusing chlorpromazine, you may notice behavioral signs of a problem.

Behavioral changes listed below are broad and so may not always be related to prescription drug abuse. But in general, behavioral signs of chlorpromazine may include:

• Poor performance in work or school
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in appetite
• Sudden weight gain or loss
• Personality changes
• Doctor shopping (to get prescribed more of chlorpromazine)

If you are abusing Thorazine, you may experience unpleasant or even serious side effects that result from taking too much of the medication for a long time.

Side effects of Thorazine abuse can include:

• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Low blood pressure
• Increase or decrease in pupil size
• Muscle spasms
• Motor restlessness

Thorazine abuse does carry a risk of overdose, especially when abused in high doses. As a CNS depressant, it can negatively affect the cardio-respiratory system.

Symptoms of a Thorazine overdose include:

• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Agitation
• Restlessness
• Uncontrollable body movements
• Seizures
• Irregular heartbeat

Treatment of an overdose may include gastric lavage (stomach pumping) if caught soon enough.

Otherwise, it includes symptomatic care and monitoring of the heart and respiratory system.

Commonly, people who abuse Thorazine are those who have been prescribed it. This means it becomes a disorder that co-occurs with their mental health disorder.

But there are alternative medications to Thorazine and dual diagnosis treatment programs that help you address your mental health condition and your substance abuse issues.

Because Thorazine addresses legitimate mental health problems, quitting abuse of the medication may also involve a doctor prescribing a medication to replace it.

As a typical antipsychotic, Chlorpromazine is in the first generation of those types of medications. But several atypical or second-generation antipsychotic medications might help.

Atypical antipsychotics that could replace chlorpromazine may include:

• Haldol (haloperidol)
• Risperdal (risperidone)
• Seroquel (quetiapine)
• Zyprexa (olanzapine)

If you are facing a mental health disorder and medication abuse, you can find dual diagnosis treatment in different levels of care. A mental health provider can help you find a treatment program that best fits your needs.

Dual diagnosis treatment programs may include:

• Detoxification: For Thorazine abuse, detox may include tapering off the medication while you are medically monitored.
• Inpatient treatment: Includes hospitalization and crisis interventions for someone who needs stabilization.
• Residential treatment: Is less intensive than inpatient treatment, but still requires you to live at a facility while receiving therapy and treatment through psychiatry.
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP): This is the most intensive outpatient level of care with treatment that lasts 8 hours a day for five days a week.
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP): An IOP is less intensive than a PHP, but still includes individual therapy, support groups, and other treatments.
• Outpatient program (OP): An OP is the last level of care and the least intensive, offering a transitional step back to daily life.

All mental health and substance abuse recovery programs include therapy. It is the backbone of mental health treatment and addiction recovery.

Therapy helps you find the root cause of your addiction and gives you tools to manage your mental illness and sustain recovery.

Different types of therapy for Thorazine abuse and mental illness may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This modality helps you reframe unhealthy thought patterns and build healthy ones.
• Individual therapy: Individual therapy helps you address deeply personal issues in a confidential and safe setting.
• Group therapy: This time is guided by a therapist to help participants become a support for each other.
• Family therapy: Helps loved ones reconnect with their family members and resolve difficult issues together.
• Cognitive enhancement therapy (CET): Teaches you to recognize social cues and triggers.

Some aspects of treatment continue even when you have returned to your daily routine. This is called continuing care and helps you continue to manage mental illness.

Continuing care options include:

• Medication management: Monitors dosing, use, benefits, and side effects of the medication you are prescribed.
• Therapy sessions: You may need ongoing therapy sessions to help you manage your condition.
• Telehealth sessions: Telehealth is a great option for keeping tabs with a provider to address needs that come up.

If you are facing a mental health condition and Thorazine medication abuse, you can find treatment today.

With dual diagnosis treatment, you can address the root causes of addiction and a mental health condition and learn to manage both.

Find treatment today and get help to take back control of your life. Connect with us at PsyWeb to learn about top treatment options for addiction and mental health in your area.