Lamotrigine Abuse: Can You Get High on Lamictal?

Lamotrigine abuse is uncommon because you generally cannot get high on lamotrigine, since the drug does not produce the euphoria that addictive substances create. Lamotrigine is a mood stabilizer and seizure medicine, not a recreational drug.

Misuse still happens when people take more than prescribed or mix it with alcohol or other drugs. Large doses will not cause a high, but they can cause dangerous overdose effects.

Knowing what lamotrigine does, and does not, do helps you use it safely.

Key Takeaways

• Lamotrigine is not a controlled substance and produces no euphoria, so its potential for abuse and addiction is low.
• Brown and colleagues (2012) found that lamotrigine reduced cocaine use in people with bipolar disorder, which reflects its low abuse potential.
• High doses of lamotrigine can trigger seizures, irregular heartbeat, and loss of consciousness, so misuse carries real risk.
• Lamotrigine has an FDA boxed warning for Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but life-threatening skin reaction.

Can You Get High on Lamotrigine?

You cannot get high on lamotrigine because the drug does not activate the brain’s reward system the way addictive substances do.

What Is Lamotrigine (Lamictal)?

Lamotrigine, sold as Lamictal, is a phenyltriazine anticonvulsant that treats seizures and stabilizes mood.

Core facts about lamotrigine include:

• Approved uses: The Food and Drug Administration approved lamotrigine for focal seizures, generalized seizures, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and bipolar I disorder maintenance.
• Drug class: Lamotrigine works as a mood stabilizer and anticonvulsant, not as a sedative or stimulant, so it lacks the properties that drive recreational use.
• Not a controlled substance: The Drug Enforcement Administration does not schedule lamotrigine, which reflects its low potential for abuse.

Is Lamotrigine Addictive?

Lamotrigine is not considered addictive because it does not produce craving or reward-driven compulsive use.

The low addiction potential comes down to:

• No euphoria: Lamotrigine does not trigger the dopamine surge that creates a high, so it does not reinforce repeated recreational use.
• Used in recovery: Clinicians sometimes use lamotrigine to support people with bipolar disorder and depression, which underscores that it treats rather than fuels addiction.

What Counts as Lamotrigine Misuse?

Lamotrigine misuse means using the drug in any way a prescriber did not direct.

Misuse includes these patterns:

• Taking too much: Swallowing higher doses than prescribed counts as misuse and raises the risk of a dangerous overdose.
• Using without a prescription: Taking someone else’s lamotrigine, or using it to self-treat mood symptoms, is misuse even without a high.

How Does Lamotrigine Work?

Lamotrigine works by calming overactive electrical signaling in the brain rather than by producing pleasure.

How Lamotrigine Affects the Brain

Lamotrigine stabilizes brain activity by blocking sodium channels and reducing excitatory signaling.

Its mechanism includes:

• Sodium channel blockade: Lamotrigine blocks voltage-gated sodium channels, which quiets the rapid firing that drives seizures.
• Reduced glutamate: Lamotrigine lowers the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, which steadies mood and prevents seizure activity.

Why Lamotrigine Does Not Cause a Traditional High

Lamotrigine does not cause a high because it bypasses the brain’s reward pathway.

The reasons include:

• No dopamine reward: Lamotrigine does not flood the reward system with dopamine, so it produces no pleasurable rush.
• Delayed action: Lamotrigine builds up gradually over weeks, unlike fast-acting drugs such as benzodiazepines that create immediate sedation.

Why Do People Misuse Lamotrigine?

People misuse lamotrigine for reasons other than chasing a high, often tied to other substances or untreated symptoms.

Common Misuse Patterns

Lamotrigine misuse usually reflects self-medication or dose escalation rather than recreation.

Frequent misuse patterns include:

• Self-medicating mood symptoms: Some people take extra lamotrigine to manage worsening mood, which is unsafe without medical guidance.
• Chasing a rumored effect: A few users take large doses expecting a high, then experience only sedation, confusion, or overdose symptoms.

Combining Lamotrigine With Other Substances

Mixing lamotrigine with other substances is the most dangerous form of misuse.

Risky combinations include:

• Alcohol: Alcohol intensifies lamotrigine’s side effects such as dizziness and drowsiness, which raises the danger of accidents.
• Other depressants: Combining lamotrigine with opioids or benzodiazepines within a pattern of polysubstance use compounds sedation and overdose risk.

Lamotrigine vs Controlled Substances: Abuse Potential Compared

Lamotrigine has a far lower abuse potential than controlled substances people commonly compare it to.

How Lamotrigine Compares

Lamotrigine differs sharply from Xanax and gabapentin in scheduling, euphoria, and dependence risk.

Feature	Lamotrigine (Lamictal)	Xanax (alprazolam)	Gabapentin
Drug class	Anticonvulsant / mood stabilizer	Benzodiazepine	Gabapentinoid
DEA scheduling	Not scheduled	Schedule IV	Unscheduled federally, controlled in some states
Produces a high?	No	Yes, at higher doses	Mild at high doses
Dependence risk	Low	High	Moderate
Main danger	Serious rash, overdose seizures	Dependence, overdose with opioids	Respiratory depression with opioids

For a closer look at another commonly compared medication, see how gabapentin differs from an opioid painkiller.

What Are the Dangers of Lamotrigine Overdose?

Lamotrigine overdose can cause serious neurological and cardiac emergencies even without a high.

Common Side Effects

Lamotrigine most often causes mild neurological side effects, especially as a dose increases.

Frequently reported effects include:

• Dizziness and drowsiness: Lamotrigine commonly causes dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred or double vision.
• Coordination problems: Lamotrigine can impair balance and coordination, which makes driving or operating machinery unsafe.

Serious Side Effects and Overdose Signs

Lamotrigine can cause rare but life-threatening reactions that require emergency care.

Warning signs that demand immediate help include:

• Serious skin rash: A spreading rash can signal Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis, which are medical emergencies.
• Overdose seizures: Large doses can paradoxically trigger seizures, along with confusion and reduced consciousness.
• Heart rhythm changes: High doses can cause irregular heartbeat and, in severe cases, cardiac arrest.

Long-Term Risks and Mood Effects

Lamotrigine misuse carries long-term risks tied to mood and immune reactions.

Longer-term risks include:

• Suicidal thoughts: Like other anticonvulsants, lamotrigine carries a warning for increased suicidal thoughts, so any new mood changes need prompt medical attention.
• Immune reactions: Lamotrigine can rarely trigger a severe immune reaction called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which the FDA has warned about.

What Happens If You Stop Lamotrigine Suddenly?

Stopping lamotrigine suddenly is dangerous because it can cause rebound seizures and mood instability, not addiction withdrawal.

Lamotrigine Discontinuation Timeline

Lamotrigine discontinuation effects follow a short timeline tied to the return of the treated condition.

1. Days 1 to 3: Stopping abruptly can bring rebound anxiety, irritability, and a rising risk of seizures.
2. Week 1: Mood can destabilize, and people with epilepsy face a higher risk of breakthrough seizures.
3. Weeks 2 to 4: Symptoms settle when a prescriber lowers the dose gradually rather than stopping at once.

How Is Lamotrigine Misuse Treated?

Treatment for lamotrigine misuse focuses on safe dosing, therapy, and care for any co-occurring conditions.

Medical Management

Medical care corrects unsafe dosing and manages any overdose or discontinuation effects.

Medical steps include:

• Supervised dosing: A prescriber adjusts or tapers lamotrigine safely, which prevents rebound seizures and mood swings.
• Overdose care: Emergency treatment stabilizes heart rhythm and breathing after a large lamotrigine overdose.

Behavioral Therapy

Therapy addresses the reasons behind lamotrigine misuse, especially self-medication.

Leading therapies include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy helps a person manage mood symptoms without misusing medication.
• Relapse prevention: A relapse prevention program builds coping skills when lamotrigine misuse occurs alongside other substance use.

Dual Diagnosis Support

Integrated care treats the mental health conditions that often drive lamotrigine misuse.

This support includes:

• Combined treatment: Treating co-occurring mental health conditions addresses the mood symptoms behind self-medication.
• Medication review: A psychiatrist reviews the full medication list to find a safer, effective plan.

Treatment at Olympic Behavioral Health

Olympic Behavioral Health treats prescription medication misuse and co-occurring mental health conditions through outpatient care in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Structured Outpatient Care

Olympic Behavioral Health delivers medication misuse care through structured outpatient programs.

These programs include:

• Partial hospitalization: The partial hospitalization program provides daily clinical support with a one-to-one staff-to-client ratio.
• Intensive outpatient: The intensive outpatient program steps care down as clients stabilize on a safe medication plan.

According to Adam Siegel, lead addiction therapist at Olympic Behavioral Health and a certified addiction counselor in long-term recovery, “People often arrive convinced lamotrigine gave them a high, and the honest conversation is that the real issue is usually untreated mood symptoms or mixing it with other substances, which is what we actually treat.”

Psychiatry and Dual Diagnosis

Olympic Behavioral Health pairs psychiatric care with therapy for mood and substance concerns.

Integrated care features:

• Physician-led medication management: A board-certified psychiatrist reviews mood-stabilizing medication and adjusts it safely.
• Combined treatment plans: Clinicians treat depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety alongside any medication misuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get high on lamotrigine?

No, you cannot get high on lamotrigine. It does not activate the brain’s reward system or produce euphoria. Taking large doses causes sedation, confusion, and dangerous overdose effects rather than a pleasurable high.

Is lamotrigine addictive?

Lamotrigine is not considered addictive. It produces no craving or reward-driven use, and it is not a controlled substance. It is even studied as a treatment for cocaine use in people with bipolar disorder.

Can you overdose on lamotrigine?

Yes, you can overdose on lamotrigine. High doses can cause seizures, irregular heartbeat, reduced consciousness, and coma. A lamotrigine overdose is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, even though the drug does not cause a high.

Does lamotrigine cause euphoria?

Lamotrigine does not cause euphoria. Some people feel calmer or drowsy as it stabilizes mood, but this is not a high. A relaxed feeling reflects the drug’s effect on brain activity, not a reward response.

Can you drink alcohol while taking lamotrigine?

Drinking alcohol while taking lamotrigine is not recommended. Alcohol intensifies side effects like dizziness and drowsiness. The combination raises the risk of accidents and can worsen mood symptoms the medication is meant to control.

What happens if you take too much lamotrigine?

Taking too much lamotrigine can cause blurred vision, loss of coordination, seizures, and heart rhythm changes. Severe overdose can lead to coma. Anyone who takes more than prescribed should seek medical help right away.

What happens if you stop lamotrigine suddenly?

Stopping lamotrigine suddenly can cause rebound seizures and mood instability. This is not addiction withdrawal but the return of the treated condition. A prescriber should lower the dose gradually to avoid these effects.

Is lamotrigine a controlled substance?

No, lamotrigine is not a controlled substance. The Drug Enforcement Administration does not schedule it because it has a low potential for abuse and dependence. It still requires a prescription and medical supervision.