The honest answer is that it depends on the medication. Some muscle relaxers carry a real risk of misuse and dependence. Others carry much less. Knowing the difference can help you use these medications more safely and recognize when it’s time to ask for help.
At Outpatient Detox Near Me, our team helps people safely stop prescription medications while staying connected to work and home. If you’re worried about your use, talk with our admissions team about your options.
Learn more about our outpatient drug detox in Tennessee or verify your insurance now.
What Are Muscle Relaxers?
Muscle relaxers are a group of medications used to ease muscle spasms, stiffness, and related pain. Some are prescribed for short-term injuries like a pulled back. Others treat long-term spasticity from conditions like multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries.
Most muscle relaxers work through the brain and nervous system rather than directly on the muscles. That’s why drowsiness is such a common side effect. It’s also why some of them can affect mood and lead to misuse.
Commonly prescribed muscle relaxers include:
-
Carisoprodol (Soma): Used short-term for acute, painful muscle conditions.
-
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril): One of the most widely prescribed options for muscle spasms.
-
Methocarbamol (Robaxin): Often used for short-term back and neck pain.
-
Tizanidine (Zanaflex): Used for muscle spasticity.
-
Baclofen: Typically used for spasticity related to neurological conditions.
-
Diazepam (Valium): A benzodiazepine sometimes prescribed for muscle spasms.
Which Muscle Relaxers Carry the Highest Risk?
Not all muscle relaxers are equal when it comes to addiction risk. Here’s how some of the most common ones compare.
Carisoprodol (Soma)
Carisoprodol carries the highest risk of misuse among standard muscle relaxers. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance. According to the DEA, people generally misuse carisoprodol for its relaxing and sedative effects.
Part of the risk comes from how the body breaks it down. Carisoprodol converts into meprobamate, a drug the DEA describes as having substantial barbiturate-like effects. The DEA also notes that ongoing misuse can cause tolerance and dependence.
MedlinePlus states plainly that carisoprodol can be habit-forming. It also advises not taking it for more than three weeks without talking to your doctor.
Use of carisoprodol has dropped sharply over time. DEA data shows U.S. prescriptions fell from about 11.1 million in 2010 to about 1.3 million in 2024. Reported misuse also declined between 2023 and 2024. Still, the risk remains real for anyone taking it long-term or outside of a prescription.
Diazepam and Other Benzodiazepines
Diazepam (Valium) is a benzodiazepine, not a traditional muscle relaxer. But doctors sometimes prescribe it for muscle spasms. Benzodiazepines are controlled substances with a well-known risk of dependence.
Stopping a benzodiazepine suddenly after regular use can be medically dangerous. If you’ve been taking diazepam or another benzodiazepine, learn more about benzo withdrawal and benzo detox before making any changes.
Baclofen
Baclofen isn’t typically considered addictive. But the body can become physically dependent on it. Sources warn that stopping baclofen abruptly can cause seizures, fever, confusion, muscle stiffness, or hallucinations. This risk is higher for people who have taken large doses for a long time.
Cyclobenzaprine and Other Common Muscle Relaxers
Cyclobenzaprine, methocarbamol, and tizanidine are not federally controlled substances. They’re generally considered to carry a lower risk of misuse than carisoprodol. That doesn’t make them risk-free.
These medications still cause drowsiness. It’s even noted that cyclobenzaprine can make the effects of alcohol worse and shouldn’t be taken for more than three weeks without talking to a doctor. Any sedating medication can be misused, especially when combined with other substances.
Physical Dependence vs. Addiction
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things.
Physical dependence happens when your body adapts to a medication. If you stop suddenly, you may have withdrawal symptoms. This can happen even when you take a medication exactly as prescribed.
Addiction involves a pattern of compulsive use despite harm. It often includes cravings, loss of control, and continuing to use even when it causes problems with health, relationships, or work.
You can be physically dependent on a medication without being addicted to it. But dependence can make it harder to stop, and both deserve medical support. The DSM-5 outlines the criteria clinicians use to diagnose a substance use disorder.
Signs Muscle Relaxer Use May Be Becoming a Problem
Problems with prescription medications often develop slowly. It can be hard to notice the shift, especially in yourself.
Signs that muscle relaxer use may be turning into a problem include:
-
Taking more than prescribed: Using higher doses or taking them more often than directed.
-
Running out early: Finishing a prescription before you’re supposed to.
-
Using for other reasons: Taking them to relax, sleep, or cope with stress rather than for muscle pain.
-
Needing more for the same effect: A sign that tolerance is building.
-
Feeling unwell between doses: Anxiety, trouble sleeping, or other symptoms when you miss a dose.
-
Seeking extra prescriptions: Visiting more than one doctor or obtaining pills without a prescription.
-
Mixing with other substances: Combining muscle relaxers with alcohol, opioids, or other sedatives.
-
Trouble stopping: Wanting to cut back but finding you can’t.
If several of these sound familiar, it may be time to talk with a medical professional. Reaching out early can make the process easier and safer.
Withdrawal From Muscle Relaxers
Withdrawal depends on which medication you’ve been taking, how much, and for how long.
With carisoprodol, withdrawal is described as an episode that can include insomnia, vomiting, tremors, muscle twitching, anxiety, and loss of coordination after stopping large doses suddenly. With baclofen, abrupt discontinuation can cause seizures and hallucinations. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can also be serious.
Don’t stop a muscle relaxer suddenly on your own, especially after long-term use. A doctor can help you lower your dose safely and watch for complications.
The Dangers of Mixing Muscle Relaxers With Other Substances
Muscle relaxers slow down the central nervous system. So do alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines. Combining them can intensify those effects in dangerous ways.
The DEA reports that carisoprodol misuse is usually combined with other substances like opioids and benzodiazepines. This combined use can increase the risk of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal. Carisoprodol overdose has resulted in stupor, coma, respiratory depression, and death.
Call 911 right away if someone who has taken muscle relaxers has:
-
Slow or shallow breathing: Or stops breathing.
-
Extreme drowsiness: They can’t stay awake or can’t be woken up.
-
Confusion or unresponsiveness: They aren’t making sense or don’t respond.
-
Seizures: Any seizure activity.
For questions about a possible overdose or a medication mix-up, you can also call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
How to Use Muscle Relaxers More Safely
If your doctor prescribes a muscle relaxer, a few habits can lower your risk.
Tips for using muscle relaxers more safely include:
-
Follow the prescription exactly: Take only the dose and schedule your doctor recommends.
-
Keep it short-term: Ask how long you should take it, and check in before continuing past a few weeks.
-
Avoid alcohol: Alcohol can worsen drowsiness and other side effects.
-
Share your full medication list: Tell your doctor about opioids, sleep aids, anxiety medications, or other sedatives.
-
Be open about your history: Let your doctor know if you’ve struggled with substance use before.
-
Store and dispose of pills safely: Keep medications secure and get rid of leftovers properly.
-
Ask about alternatives: Physical therapy and other non-medication approaches may help with pain over the long term.
Getting Help for Muscle Relaxer Misuse
If you’re having trouble stopping, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Withdrawal from some medications can be medically risky. That’s why professional support matters.
At Outpatient Detox Near Me, every patient starts with a medical assessment. Our team reviews what you’ve been taking, how long, your past withdrawal experiences, and your overall health. If outpatient care is safe for you, you can detox with daily monitoring while going home at night. If you need a higher level of care, we’ll tell you and help you get placed.
Services that may be part of your care include:
-
Outpatient Detox: Daily visits for vitals, symptom checks, and medication adjustments.
-
Drug Detox: Withdrawal plans built around what you’ve actually been using.
-
Benzo Detox: Specialized support for people dependent on benzodiazepines like diazepam.
-
Medication-Assisted Treatment: Medications that may support recovery when clinically appropriate.
-
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Tools to understand and change patterns around medication use.
-
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Skills for managing stress and strong emotions.
Before you finish detox, we also help build a continuing care plan for what comes next. You can meet our team before you call.
Contact Us For Support
Muscle relaxers can be helpful when used carefully and for a short time. But for some people, especially with carisoprodol or benzodiazepines, use can quietly turn into dependence. Noticing that and asking for help is a sign of strength.
Our Bartlett clinic near Memphis offers judgment-free support to help you stop safely and keep your life on track.
Call us now at (866) 655-2113 to speak with our team. You can also verify your insurance now to take the first step toward recovery.