The figures
Pregabalin is more popular than the comparable gabapentin, and the number of users has been increasing continuously for years.
A national figure on how many pregabalin users use longer than the guideline recommends does not exist. The Pharmacotherapeutic Compass recommends reducing use after 3 to 6 months on a trial basis if the effect is good, but how often this actually happens in practice is not recorded nationally.
The pregabalin trap
A doctor starts pregabalin against nerve pain, epilepsy or an anxiety disorder. Often a justified choice.
The drug has a calming and relaxing effect, which can feel pleasant in addition to the intended effect.
With longer use, habituation occurs. The body asks for more for the same effect.
There is rarely a fixed moment when someone returns to the question: is this drug still necessary?
Stopping can cause insomnia, anxiety, headaches and in serious cases seizures, which feels like proof that you still need the drug.
For those who do not have access to regular care, such as undocumented migrants or people without a permanent residence, the drug sometimes becomes illegal and without control obtained.
Current signal: abuse among vulnerable groups
At the beginning of September 2025, a homeless man robbed a pharmacy in Amsterdam-Slotermeer with the demand for pregabalin. The pharmacist described it as an act of desperation. In response, the Royal Dutch Society for the Promotion of Pharmacy (KNMP) reported that abuse of and addiction to pregabalin is increasing among vulnerable groups such as asylum seekers and homeless migrants.
The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers confirmed that the drug is used at the reception locations in Ter Apel and Budel, where addiction experts have been working since 2019 to help users reduce their use in a controlled manner. Doctors in asylum seeker centers are no longer allowed to prescribe pregabalin on request; they must first ask critically whether there is a condition for which the drug is registered.
This signal is not about people who use pregabalin through their own GP for the condition for which it is intended. It concerns a vulnerable group that does not have access to appropriate care and therefore seeks the drug elsewhere.
Official risks
From the Pharmacotherapeutic Compass and the official package leaflet information: drug dependence and abuse of pregabalin are recognised side effects. Withdrawal symptoms have been reported after discontinuation of treatment, including insomnia, headache, nausea, anxiety, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, depression and, rarely, seizures. Doctors are advised to assess the risk of misuse before starting treatment, especially in people with a history of substance abuse. You should stop gradually, over at least a week.
In-depth video
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Do you recognise this pattern?
Have you or someone around you been using pregabalin for longer than intended, without checking whether it is still necessary? Share your experience. Not to appoint a doctor, but to make the pattern visible.
Justification and sources
- Zorginstituut Nederland (GIPdatabank/Zorgcijfersdatabank), 2024: 173,930 users of pregabalin (ATC N02BF02), +22.8% since 2020. Confirmed via DRUGSinfo.nl (Trimbos affiliation): approximately 174,000 users in 2024.
- Pharmacotherapeutisch Kompas / CBG patient information leaflet: official risks of dependence, abuse and withdrawal symptoms; finishing advice.
- KNMP (UA Magazine, 2025): abuse and addiction among asylum seekers and homeless migrants; robbery Service Apotheek Slotermeer.
- NOS Nieuwsuur (3-4 September 2025): reporting on pregabalin abuse among homeless people and asylum seekers, confirmation by COA.