Gabapentin is a prescription anticonvulsant medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat partial seizures and postherpetic neuralgia, a type of nerve pain that can follow shingles.(Source) It is also widely prescribed off-label for conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).(Source)

Gabapentin was first approved in the United States in 1993 and has been available as a generic medication since 2004.(Source) It is structurally related to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but it does not bind directly to GABA receptors. Instead, it modulates calcium channels in the brain and spinal cord, which helps reduce abnormal electrical activity and pain signaling.(Source)

At the federal level, gabapentin is not classified as a controlled substance, but several U.S. states now list it as a Schedule V or otherwise monitored drug because of concerns about misuse and diversion.(Source) Prescribing of gabapentin increased sharply in the 2010s, with one large analysis showing that gabapentin prescriptions nearly doubled between 2009 and 2016, with state-level increases ranging from 44% to 179%.(Source)

Although gabapentin is often considered to have a lower addiction risk than opioids or benzodiazepines, it can still cause physical dependence, especially when taken in high doses or for long periods.(Source) When someone who is physically dependent on gabapentin stops it suddenly or reduces the dose too quickly, withdrawal symptoms can occur.