Last Updated:

January 30th, 2026

Dihydrocodeine addiction: signs, symptoms and side-effects

Dihydrocodeine is prescribed for moderate to severe pain, often as tablets like DHC Continus or in combination products such as co-dydramol. Dihydrocodeine is an opioid, which means strong pain relief potential, but also a real risk of addiction and overdose. Anyone prescribed dihydrocodeine or caring for someone taking it needs to know the dangers and signs of dihydrocodeine addiction and abuse.

dihydrocodeine addiction medicine

What is dihydrocodeine addiction?

Dihydrocodeine addiction means losing control over how you use the medicine. At first, dihydrocodeine can take the edge off your pain, so you can feel comfortable and able to live a normal life again.

However, dihydrocodeine can also bring a deep calm that can feel increasingly hard to live without. When that feeling fades, it can be very tempting to use more, even if you’re not due another dose. Your body then quickly adjusts to this increased use, leading to dihydrocodeine dependence. This is when stopping or even trying to lower your dose too suddenly brings aching, sweating, restlessness and a low, crawling anxiety that only another tablet seems to fix.

After a while, you stop thinking about whether you need dihydrocodeine anymore and take it because it has become a compulsion or a crutch. It is this loss of all control and reliance that is the final step in the journey from dihydrocodeine abuse to prescription drug addiction.

How to spot dihydrocodeine addiction signs

Dihydrocodeine often starts as a genuine pain treatment, which makes the line between “treatment” and “problem” hard to see. Addiction denial can also be understandably strong when you are afraid of pain returning. These dihydrocodeine addiction signs can help you be straight with yourself:

  • You take more dihydrocodeine than your prescription allows or top up between scheduled doses.
  • You ask your GP for stronger or more frequent doses.
  • You visit different clinics or A&E to describe pain and get extra dihydrocodeine.
  • You crush modified-release tablets to get a faster hit.
  • You feel unwell, anxious, or aching when you try to wait longer between doses.
  • You hide packets, delete order histories, or lie about where all your dihydrocodeine has gone.
  • You spend money you can’t spare to keep up your supply.
  • You keep using despite all of these dihydrocodeine addiction signs.

Dihydrocodeine addiction symptoms

What causes dihydrocodeine addiction?

Dihydrocodeine acts on opioid receptors, easing your pain and relaxing your mind and body. Your system then adjusts, so the same dose doesn’t do as much. That is when cravings grow and you develop a dihydrocodeine dependence. But the dihydrocodeine drug effects are not the whole reason for opioid addiction. It is also the pressures in your life, and other personal factors that trap you:

Living with long-term pain
The memory of pre-dihydrocodeine pain can be very scary, and this can keep you using long beyond your prescription. You may not even realise when the original pain is gone because you have so much dihydrocodeine in your system all the time.
Poor sleep and exhaustion
Nights with chronic pain can be worse than the days, and using late at night ties to your sleep to dihydrocodeine, which makes cutting down harder.
Stress and mental health problems
Dihydrocodeine addiction and mental health conditions often go together. The drug can take the edge off heavy feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress, but the underlying problems stay, so you dose again and again to get through the day.
Mixed messages about safety
Some people think dihydrocodeine is “milder” than other opioids, but it is still a highly addictive drug that should never be underestimated.
Access and routine
Regular repeat prescriptions can make using dihydrocodeine feel normal. Without proper medical oversight, small increases can slip by unnoticed until you look back and see how much your life has been affected.
Your genetics
We now understand that some people inherit a higher risk of addiction, just like we inherit the colour of our eyes or hair. That doesn’t mean you are destined to become addicted, but it does mean you should take extra care when using drugs like dihydrocodeine.

Dihydrocodeine side-effects and addiction dangers

Despite being seen as a “weaker” opioid by some people, dihydrocodeine carries serious risks, especially when misused or mixed with other substances. Some of the biggest dangers of dihydrocodeine misuse and addiction include:

Dihydrocodeine overdose
Opioids like dihydrocodeine can slow breathing to extremely dangerous and deadly levels. Extra tablets, alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other drugs that affect your central nervous system push that risk sharply higher. Very slow or stopped breathing, blue-tinged lips, and deep unresponsiveness are all signs of dihydrocodeine overdose. If you spot any of them, you must call 999 right away and use naloxone if available.
Dangerous mixing and driving risk
Alcohol, diazepam, Xanax, and similar medicines magnify drowsiness when mixed with dihydrocodeine and can lead to driving accidents. If you’re not sure it’s safe to drive while taking dihydrocodeine, get medical advice, follow the law on drug-driving, and err on the side of caution at all times.
Constipation and bowel problems
Opioids slow the gut, and long-term dihydrocodeine misuse often leads to severe constipation, piles, fissures, and sometimes bowel blockage needing urgent care. Routine laxative plans are common in opioid treatment for this reason.
New or exacerbated mental health problems
As explained above, dihydrocodeine addiction can make existing mental health issues worse and also create new conditions due to the strain of addiction. This can lock you into a never-ending loop of dihydrocodeine abuse as you try and fail to manage ever-worsening symptoms.
Confusion, falls, and memory issues
Drowsiness and slower thinking increase fall risks, especially in older adults or when mixed with alcohol or sedatives. Some people also experience foggy thinking that usually eases after detox.

Finding help for dihydrocodeine addiction

You may feel torn about asking for help, especially if you are scared of living with pain without dihydrocodeine. But dihydrocodeine addiction requires professional care both to break your dependence and to keep you safe while the drug is leaving your body.

Prescription drug detox helps you stop without risking a dangerous withdrawal or a rapid relapse. Drug detox teams may use replacement medicines like methadone or buprenorphine and plan steady dose reductions. Inpatient detox is usually best, as you can be supported with sleep, fluids, and blood pressure changes.

The best rehab programmes pick up right after detox in the same treatment centre. Opioid rehab programmes explore the pain, stress, and habits that have really been fuelling dihydrocodeine abuse, so you don’t need to lean on the drug to face daily life.

Once drug rehab is done, you will need to look to the future. A top rehab programme will include relapse prevention planning, aftercare, and alumni events, but you may also benefit from pain management therapy, continued opioid replacement treatment, NA meetings and other similar local support.

We can help identify the right treatment path for you. Contact us today, and our team will listen, answer your questions, and help you work out what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dihydrocodeine the same as codeine?
No, they are related but not the same drug. Codeine is often used for milder pain and sometimes appears in low-dose pharmacy combinations, whereas dihydrocodeine is prescription-only and used for stronger pain relief.
Can you mix dihydrocodeine with alcohol?
No, it is very dangerous. Both slow the nervous system, and the mix raises the chance of severe drowsiness, accidents, and life-threatening breathing problems. Talk to your doctor about any other medication you are taking to make sure that it won’t have a dangerous interaction with dihydrocodeine.
Is dihydrocodeine legal in the UK with a prescription?
Yes, dihydrocodeine is legal in the UK when prescribed and used as directed. Without a prescription, however, possession and supply are illegal because dihydrocodeine is a Class B controlled drug with serious legal penalties.

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