I don't understand how painkillers are addicting?

Can somebody please tell me why painkillers are so addicting. I have a very good understanding of addiction except when it comes to painkillers. I had to take some last year after a surgery I had and I hated taking them because they made me sick. How would this be addicting? The only reason why I would want to continue taking something like this is to get rid of the pain, not for any other reason. Also, how are they harmful?

For some they are not鈥攋ust a tool for dealing with pain. If the needed amount goes up that is a danger signal. For others the narcotics will fill in some neuroreceptor sites that show withdrawal symptoms if they are not kept filled up鈥攁gain with higher doses..

I think if you crush them up and snort them they're supposed to be like heroin or something.

its not addicting honey,, its adictive..

they make me feel sick too. but not everyone feels that way. some people just feel GOOOOOD when they take them. so then they want more & more & more to feel like that all the time.

Let's say you have broken a bone. Your are being put on pain medication because it's necessary to reduce the pain and control it to prevent complications (elevated glucose, blood pressure, pulse, etc). After a while, your body gets use to this particular dosage and you need more to do the same job. Like alcoholics, you get to the point that you'll take anything, because you've developed a physical and mental dependence on the pain killers. These usually apply to barbiturates and opiates. Pain can be "all consuming" and to get out of that mind set is what most people want to do. However, there are a few that like the "high" so much, they continue when the pain is gone, and they are addicted. I suppose this is equal to drug addiction, heroin or meth. I can tell you that doing without pain meds is not a smart thing. It doesn't mean you're strong or "whatever". It helps you cope and helps your body repair itself. Everyone has a different pain tolerance. I hope this helps. Godloveya.

Alot of people get addicted to the numbing feeling it gives them. Alot of painkillers cause the person to fall asleep or feel strange sensations. If someone continuously takes painkillers, they grow a tolerance for the drug and then they feel they need MORE of this drug, and then once they take too much, they can O.D.
I know someone who took painkillers for their back and they got addicted to the drugs because she just didn't want to feel ANY pain at all, so she got hooked.

First of all what kind of surgery you did ? Is it a serious ones? A mild painkiller won't get drug addiction. Just like Tylenol. But take too much dosages a day would be damage your body organs. Such as live damage. Codiene kind of pain killer is easy get addiction.
May be you could try to test your level of pain first. Make a scale of your pain. A scale from 0 to 10. Then you can manage your pain more better and easier. Mood could affect your pain,too. Good and happy mood could help pain less.

Being a chronic pain patient myself due to severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine) i am in pain every day. Yes, they are all addictive meds but if u take them AS PRESCRIBED then u have less chance of that.....my pain dr. said i will have to be on narcotics the rest of my life but i do other things to have to not take so much as in physical therapy, staying as active as i can (the WORSE thing u can do with back pain is stay in bed all day). Hot showers, etc. PLUS i have heard that when a person TRULY needs pain meds they are not as likely to get addicted where as a person that just takes them for recreation WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!! So i just don't worry about it anymore..............alot of people are also allergic to pain meds with codeine in them so that is probably what they gave you like Vicodin, Norco, Lortab and so on!!!!!! Also the Tylenol in pain meds like Vicodin or Hydrocodone contain Tylenol which is WHAT WILL DESTROY your liver and kidneys if u overtake them......it's not the pain part of the med, it's the acetaminophen or Tylenol in it!!!!!!!

People get addicted to painkillers because they either become physically dependent to it resulting to long-term use(longer than prescribed), or they experiment with painkillers purely for their effect on the pleasure centers in the brain and the resulting euphoria.

Some painkillers have morphine. Morphine relieves pain, however it is also very addicting.