CT
A 54-year-old male asked:
All online health information state that diphenhydramine is addictive. is this true ? one person says yes its addictive and the other person says no its not addictive?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Fergusonanswered
Pediatrics 47 years experience
There is a difference between addiction an habituation and neither. With addiction you go through physical withdrawal without it. With habituation you develop a habit that is hard to break & tend to use it out of habit. In neither you use it occasionally or even for a while & stop without thinking about it. Diphenhydramine is more of the habit or not, not an addiction.
Reviewed Aug 09, 2021
Dr. Silviu Pasniciucanswered
Internal Medicine 28 years experience
It has to do with the individual rather than the substance. Addiction is a disease by itself, I have seen patients affected requesting diphenhydramine which otherwise is not likely to become addictive for individuals not affected by addiction.
Answered Aug 08, 2021
Last updated Aug 9, 2021
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