I only feel human with codeine

[Triumph Trollomite]

In my early 20's I had a sever frontal head injury which resulted in a almost borked front cortex. It took a long time to recover from (still am 20+ later). It lead to issues talking (couldnt), seizures, unpredictable mood swings with high levels of aggression and a general lack of empathy or feeling of any kind. It took 5 years before I could talk without fitting.

Most of the issues are managed (with rare occasional lapses) but I occasionally have to take codeine for pain management as it is the only thing that works (and is manageable). I'm certainly not dependent on it, used occasional and only as needed.

What I have noticed though is when I use the medicine I feel more human (humane), obviously i am aware it enduces a feeling of euphoria but I can only describe this as being brought up to feeling normal. I then get to feel (perceive) things like love towards others, empathy to situations, emotions things that are otherwise non-existent when i've not taken a pill.

WTF is this about?

[Johnnytheboy]

Weird - I have Codeine on tap for back pain though I take it very infrequently.

All it gives me is a vague floaty feeling and gutsache.

[sherman]

Sorry to say but what you describe is addiction.

[ReverendCounter]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC27170...

"Empathy is associated with dynamic change in prefrontal brain electrical activity during positive emotion in children"

Does that suggest that the medication you take could be stimulating or causing electrical activity to occur in the brain regions where it should, but normally isn't?

I'm definitely not saying you should, but being the sort of person I am, I'd end up putting magnets against my forehead on a headband to see if anything changed. Sounds like you're still suffering what must have been an awful experience.

[Triumph Trollomite]

sherman said:

Sorry to say but what you describe is addiction.

if I had to take the pill every single hour of the day, or was unable to function without it - then yes.

The results from the head injury were significant, i've only recently noticed that if I have a tablet one of the side effects is an ability to apply emotional rationalisation and to feel things that are otherwise absent. I guess this is what people can get addicted to but rest assured I'm not addicted.

I've managed any opiate or simulated pain medication for 20+ years to precisely avoid the risk (as much as possible) to not use medication unless absolutely necessary (the pain i have is significant enough that i dont want to run the risk of tolerance to the medication)

Short version, what I described is probably what would cause the addiction.

[Triumph Trollomite]

ReverendCounter said:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC27170...

"Empathy is associated with dynamic change in prefrontal brain electrical activity during positive emotion in children"

Does that suggest that the medication you take could be stimulating or causing electrical activity to occur in the brain regions where it should, but normally isn't?

I'm definitely not saying you should, but being the sort of person I am, I'd end up putting magnets against my forehead on a headband to see if anything changed. Sounds like you're still suffering what must have been an awful experience.

I can remember to the day when I was able to start talking in conversation and was able to start to function normal. I was walking home from the pub when I was knocked to the floor (no one else present, wasnt drunk) i just fell down and felt the most amazing things in my head

I can only describe it as if the brain had rebooted and was using new connections to overcome the damaged areas. I went from severe stammer, siezures, unable to have conversations etc to all of a sudden the issues all appeared gone. It felt like i was able to think and act normal. Perhaps the drugs do help the brain do things that are otherwise normally prevented

[ReverendCounter]

Pretty amazing that your brain was able to self repair with the end result being a huge leap forward in terms of regaining abilities. I wonder if the alcohol thinning your blood at that precise moment had anything to do with it!

[Triumph Trollomite]

ReverendCounter said:

Pretty amazing that your brain was able to self repair with the end result being a huge leap forward in terms of regaining abilities. I wonder if the alcohol thinning your blood at that precise moment had anything to do with it!

I'm happy to be the subject of any trial if sponsored by Heineken

[ReverendCounter]