Codeine addiction: honest help if you’re struggling with codeine or co-codamol

Please read this first

Please don’t stop taking codeine suddenly. If you’ve been taking it regularly, the NHS says stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms such as feeling agitated or anxious. Speak to your GP, prescriber or pharmacist before you change how you take it.

Taking codeine with alcohol, benzodiazepines, pregabalin, gabapentin, sleeping pills or other opioids can slow or stop your breathing. Call 999 straight away if someone has slow or shallow breathing, very small pupils, is very confused or can’t be woken after taking codeine or another opioid.

Some codeine products, such as Nurofen Plus, also contain ibuprofen. The NHS says ibuprofen can cause ulcers in your stomach or gut, especially if you take it for a long time or in big doses. Black poo or blood in your vomit can be a sign of bleeding, so contact your GP or call 111 now. Call 999 for severe stomach pain. Co-codamol and some Solpadeine products also contain paracetamol. The NHS says too much can cause liver damage. If you’ve taken more than the recommended dose, contact NHS 111 now, even if you feel well. Call 999 if someone is finding it hard to breathe.

If you’re feeling hopeless or thinking about ending your life, call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time.

Codeine is one of the most familiar painkillers in the UK. It’s in co-codamol, in Nurofen Plus and in some Solpadeine products, and the lowest strengths can be bought from a pharmacy. Most people take it for real pain, as directed, and then stop. But codeine is an opioid, and the NHS is clear that it’s possible to become addicted to it.

If you’ve found yourself needing it more often, buying it from different chemists, or feeling anxious when you start to run low, you’re not a bad person and you’re not alone. It’s a known risk of the medicine. There is help that doesn’t involve judgement, and the first step is usually a conversation with your GP or pharmacist.

Signs codeine has become a problem

The NHS and the government’s guidance on opioid medicines describe these signs:

Finding it difficult to stop, or feeling you need to take it more often than necessary
Needing more over time to get the same pain relief
Craving it, or taking it for reasons other than pain relief
Feeling agitated, anxious, sweaty or unable to sleep when you go without
Buying it from several pharmacies or online, or hiding how much you take

The NHS also says that if pharmacy codeine hasn’t helped your pain after 3 days, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice about other pain relief. If you’ve been buying it for much longer than that, it’s worth that conversation.

Where to get help in the UK

Your GP or prescriber. The NHS says to talk to your doctor if you’re worried about addiction, need help with it or want to stop taking codeine. They can look at your pain and plan any change with you safely.
Your pharmacist. Free, confidential advice about codeine products, side effects and what’s in the other medicines you take.
FRANK. Confidential advice 24 hours a day on 0300 123 6600, or text 82111.
Local drug services. If you want specialist support, or you’re also using other drugs, local services are free and you can contact one yourself. Find support near you
Support groups. Narcotics Anonymous (helpline 0300 999 1212, 10am to midnight) and SMART Recovery run free meetings in person and online.
For family and friends. If someone you love is struggling, Adfam has guidance for you, and you can call Addiction Family Support on 0300 888 3853.

Where hypnotherapy fits

Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for codeine addiction, and I don’t offer it as one. Your GP, prescriber or pharmacist needs to be part of any change to how you take it, and I will never tell you to stop or cut down a medicine.

Where I can help is alongside that care. Codeine often ends up doing more than one job. It eases pain, but it can also become the way you switch off, get to sleep or cope with a stressful day. In sessions we can work on easing stress, sleeping better, learning to relax and noticing the moments you reach for tablets when things feel tense. It doesn’t replace your pain treatment. The changes are still yours to make, but sessions can make them easier to stick with.

Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re getting support from your GP or prescriber. If I think you need that first, I’ll tell you honestly.

Things that can help day to day

Speak to your GP, prescriber or pharmacist before you change how you take it. That includes stopping, cutting down or switching products.
Keep a simple diary. Note when you take it, how bad the pain was and how you were feeling. It gives your GP something clear to work with.
Ask a pharmacist to check everything you take. Some painkillers share ingredients, and it’s easy to double up without knowing.
Avoid alcohol. The NHS says it’s best not to drink while taking codeine, as it can increase the risk of side effects.
Look after your mood. If stress, anxiety or low mood are part of the picture, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies in England.

If you take another opioid painkiller, my page on tramadol may help, and my page on heroin and opioids covers overdose risks and drug services in more detail.

Common questions

Can you get addicted to co-codamol?

Yes. The NHS says that if you take co-codamol regularly for a long time, you can become addicted to the codeine in it. You’re unlikely to become addicted if you follow your doctor’s advice about how long to take it for.

How do I come off codeine safely?

Speak to your GP, prescriber or pharmacist before you change how you take it. Stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms, and your doctor can plan any change with you so it’s done safely. Please don’t do it on your own.

Can hypnotherapy help with codeine addiction?

Not on its own, and I won’t pretend otherwise. It can help alongside your GP or prescriber with stress, sleep and the habits around taking tablets. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.

I’m worried about someone else’s codeine use. What can I do?

Encourage them to talk to their GP or pharmacist, and gently remind them not to stop suddenly. Adfam and Addiction Family Support are there for you too. You can’t change it for them, but you can get support for how it’s affecting you.

Talk it through

If you’re already getting support and want help alongside it, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about whether sessions would help with what you’re already doing.

Book a consultation (£49)

Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. This page does not give dosing advice. Sources: NHS, codeine; NHS, co-codamol for adults; NHS, ibuprofen and codeine (Nurofen Plus); GOV.UK, opioid medicines and the risk of addiction. Checked October 2026.