How To Quit Cough Syrup Addiction

What Is Withdrawal Like

Rx Peso Details Quitting Cough Syrup Addiction For 8 Weeks and Why He Relapsed Again On Drank

Codeine belongs to the opiate class of drugs and therefore can create withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen with other opiates. These symptoms include stomachache and cramping, muscle twitching and tension, racing heart, sleep problems, feeling cold, and feeling ill in general.7 These withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant, making it challenging to stop using the drug.

Detoxing From Cough Syrup

Detox is the first stage of the recovery journey, where youll enrolin a medically-supervised facility expel all drug toxins from your body. The detox process takes between three days to a few weeks, depending on how long youve been using, co-occurring disorders that worsen symptoms and any interaction of other substances you abused alongside cough syrup.

Doctors use the tapering technique to gradually reduce regular dosage until all traces of DXM have left your symptoms. Medications might be provided to address specific withdrawal symptoms to ensure you remain as comfortable as possible during detox.

Possible reactions to the detoxification methods include diarrhoea, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, hypersensitivity, restlessness, cravings, pain in your muscles and bone and confusion.

Find Help For Your Substance Use Disorder

The treatment of substance use disorders must address the whole person, including physical and mental health. Substance use disorders are typically affected by and affect various other aspects of your life. For example, a pre-existing mental health disorder might lead you to use substances to address untreated symptoms. A substance use disorder can also lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Because of the strong link that substance use disorders have to other aspects of your life, it is important the substance abuse treatment address all aspects of wellbeing.

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Treatment And Therapies For Cough Syrup Abuse And Addiction

Cognitive behavioural therapy: this therapy approach seeks to help you identify distortive negative thinking, feelings and behaviour that enable drug use and teach you to change them for positive, uplifting thoughts. Youll also learn to identify triggers and handle them without drug use.

Other therapy models include contingency management, multidimensional family therapy and motivational interviewing.

What Are The Withdrawal Symptoms

What Parents Can Do To STOP Medicine Abuse Among Teenagers

If you use codeine for a prolonged period, suddenly stopping it can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms occur when the body has developed a tolerance to and a dependence on the drug. The body learns to function with the presence of codeine, so its sudden absence causes negative effects.

Some withdrawal symptoms are:

Backache

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Why An Addiction To Cough Syrup

It surprises many parents and caretakers that teens misuse a common substance in the medicine cabinet. But, some cough syrups contain codeine, dextromethorphan , promethazine, and other narcotics. As a result, people may feel relaxed and even high.

Common brands include:

Theraflu
Vicks Formula 44

Even store brands such as Wal-Tussin and Wal-flu may produce a high. A study in 2017 by the University of Michigan found 3 percent of teens misuse cough syrup with codeine. But, an addiction to cough syrup is dangerous. Side effects of codeine cough syrup can include damage to the brain, heart, nervous system, and other organs.

Multidimensional Family Therapy In Cough Syrup Addiction Treatment

Often an addiction to cough syrup begins as adolescents. In fact, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported in 2008, over 3 million teens and young adults used cough syrup with codeine and other cold medicines to get high. And that number continues to grow today.

Unfortunately, when a teen struggles with an addiction to cough syrup with codeine, it affects the whole family. Multidimensional family therapy, or MFT, is essential in rebuilding healthy family dynamics and lasting recovery.

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How To Get Help

If you or a loved one is misusing cough syrup, please seek help and consult with a primary care physician, nurse practitioner, or mental health professional who can refer you to an addiction specialist.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

You may need long-term recovery support or addiction treatment following withdrawal to stay off this drug cocktail, including:

Inpatient treatment

Behavioral Therapy Options For Broncleer Abuse

Chained up to cure cough-syrup addiction – BBC News

The next step of your recovery plan will include behavioral therapy treatment. There are a few different options available to you to help you overcome your addiction.

Three of the most common behavioral therapy options for codeine abuse include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy : This form of therapy helps patients become aware of situations that trigger drug use. This allows you to avoid these situations or to cope with them when they are unavoidable.
Multidimensional Family Therapy : This therapy is a special form created for adolescents with drug abuse problems. MDFT helps an adolescent address their drug issues, while also rebuilding their family dynamic.
Motivational Interviewing : This form of therapy helps a patient recognize how their behavior negatively affects their goals and offers tools to help change these habits.

Each of these therapy programs takes place with a counselor in either individual or group sessions. Many people benefit from participating in both types of sessions during their recovery process.

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Why Are Some People More Susceptible To Opioid Addiction

Nobody is quite sure why one person becomes addicted to opioids and not another. Typically, opioids produce pain relief, which is good after surgery. However, for some people opioids create a pleasurable effect. For example, caffeine is a reinforcing drug people like the effects.

That is true for about 80 percent of the adult population in U.S. But, some people avoid it because it makes them jittery or anxious. Early in the process of opioid use, people may take it because of the pleasurable effect, and some people actually dont like the effect of an opioid and may go on to avoid them. If you take an opioid and your pain is gone, and you find yourself saying, I feel really good, it may be a warning sign that you are vulnerable to misusing these medications.

Over time that good effect diminishes for people who like how an opioid makes them feel, and many people take more opioids because they hope to get that good feeling, and they also dont want to go through withdrawal.

Can Opioids Be Taken Responsibly

Opioids are an effective painkiller and should be used appropriately, and to do so, the patient needs to take a level or responsibility for their medical care. If you are going to have a medical procedure, you should have a conversation with your physician about pain control.

Ask questions like:

You are prescribing me this many tablets. Do I really need these?
What is your strategy for pain control?
What options do I have other than an opioid to help control my pain?

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Dangerous Truths About Cough Syrup Addiction

Codeine cough syrup can cause addiction in the same ways other opioid drugs can. While many people who drink cough syrup recreationally see it as an effective way to get high that does no real damage, the abuse of this substance is incredibly dangerous and can lead to even more issues, especially once the individual becomes addicted.

Shedding light on the harmful effects of codeine cough syrup is necessary as abuse of the substance is on the rise. Even worse, it is often wrongfully regarded as good way to get intoxicated fast with no long-term consequences. Here are 4 dangerous truths about cough syrup addiction.

Why Is Cough Syrup Addictive

Cough medicine might seem attractive to you as a recreation drug, because of its addictive property. This chemical suppresses signals in the brain that trigger cough reflexes, whilst providing some therapeutic effects of hallucinations and euphoria. DMX is a psychoactive drug that makes you high when taken in large quantities. You might soak it in marijuana to increase the potency or mix it with soda to make it easier to swallow.

Effects Of Cough Syrup Withdrawal

You might experience physical pain in your joint and muscles during withdrawal. Your physician could prescribe clonidine or over-the-counter medications to ease symptoms, such as loss of appetite and nausea. The length of withdrawal depends on the severity of addiction. Psychotherapists will also be on hand to help treat symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability and other psychological symptoms of withdrawal that you might experience.

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Common Questions About Methadone

Methadone is a man-made opioid, similar to morphine or heroin.

Methadone will cause feelings of relaxation and reduce pain, but it will not give you the same high or euphoric feeling as heroin.

It works in treating heroin addiction by reducing the withdrawal symptoms and cravings. It is long acting and this means it stays in your body a lot longer than morphine and heroin.

Methadone reaches its peak effect after 2 hours. When you first start your treatment, and youre on a low dose, the effects may only last for a few hours.

Your starting dose will be increased gradually each day, as needed, until you no longer have withdrawal symptoms. Once your dose is stabilised, a single methadone dose will work for 24 to 36 hours.

You will stay on methadone until you decide to come off it. When you are ready to do this, your key worker will help you do this reduce your dose of methadone gradually.

Weaning off heroin and methadone completely, as part of a detox programme, normally takes at least 12 weeks.

If you are taking methadone for maintenance therapy, you will keep taking methadone long term, as a substitute for heroin.

Yes. If you have a maintenance therapy treatment plan, you can take methadone long term as a substitute for heroin.

Methadone slows down your body functions and reduces physical pain as well as feelings of anxiety.

It does not give you the same high or feeling of euphoria that you get with heroin.

Its best to avoid alcohol while taking methadone.

Are There Any Home Remedies For Getting Clean Safely

The Spread of Codeine Cough Syrup Addiction in Zimbabwe

While it is possible to detox at home from dextromethorphan, it can sometimes be very dangerous. If the user has overdosed, they will need to seek immediate medical attention to have their stomach pumped and treated for possible liver failure. Some people believe that drinking large amounts of water or taking laxatives create some sort of home remedy relief this, however, can only increase the effects of liver damage and will not ease pain in any way. There are also natural and alternative detox centers that can help relieve withdrawal symptoms if that appeals to the user.

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Choose A Treatment Program That Meets Your Needs

If youre struggling with cough syrup abuse, its important that you get professional help. At Bayview Recovery, you can work through the issues that led up to the abuse and find healthy coping skills for the problems you might be facing. There may be trauma or other problems that you need to work through. If thats the case, getting help for those things can go a very long way toward giving closure and a future thats clean and sober. You dont have to settle for a life of addiction or the abuse of any substance. We know its not always easy to break free from an addiction, but we also know that doing so is worth it. We want to help you succeed, and well focus on the kinds of treatments and options we can use to help you, such as:

Partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient treatment

To be free from cough syrup abuse will take work on your part, but well be here to help you and make sure youre getting the treatment and support you need. Then you wont have to worry about what to do next or what type of help you need. We can work with you and make sure youre able to break your addiction and move into recovery. With good quality help from caring and compassionate people, youll be on the road to a brighter future, and one where youre in control.

What Are Cough And Cold Medicines

Millions of Americans take cough and cold medicines each year to help with symptoms of colds. When taken as instructed, these medicines can be safe and effective. They become harmful when taken in a way or dose other than directed on the package.

Several cough and cold medicines contain ingredients that are psychoactive when taken in higher-than-recommended dosages, and some people misuse them. These products also contain other ingredients that can add to the risks. Many of these medicines are bought over the counter , meaning you do not need a prescription to have them.

Two commonly misused cough and cold medicines are:

Dextromethorphan cough syrup, tablets, and gel capsules. These OTC cough medicines are safe for stopping coughs during a cold if you take them as directed. Taking more than the recommended amount can produce a “high” and sometimes dissociative effects .
Promethazine-codeine cough syrup. These prescription medications contain an opioid drug called codeine, which stops coughs, but when taken in higher doses produces a “buzz” or “high.”

Read more about prescription drugs and what happens to the brain and body when someone misuses them.

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Cough Syrup Abuse Can Be A Serious Problem

Substance abuse comes in many forms, and that includes cough syrup abuse. Some people also drink things like mouthwash, rubbing alcohol, and hand sanitizer because of the alcohol in them. Unfortunately, these are bad habits to develop, and they can quickly turn into much more significant issues if you dont handle them quickly. We want to help you get free of the addiction to cough syrup and reduce your risk of long-term health consequences from ingesting so much of it. These kinds of medications contain a lot more than just alcohol, and they can raise blood pressure and cause other issues in your body, too. You can stop cough syrup abuse, and thats much easier to do when you work with us to get the help and support you need for a better future and a good recovery.

Mixing Methadone With Herbal Remedies And Supplements

5 Methods to Stop Coughing Fast Without Medicine

There may be a problem taking St John’s wort with methadone. It can stop the methadone from reducing your withdrawal symptoms properly.

It’s not possible to say whether other herbal medicines and supplements are safe to take with methadone. They’re not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They’re generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

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What Is A Lean Addiction

Lean is an illicit substance made with Codeine cough syrup, soda, and hard candy. Codeine is derived from the Opium poppy plant and is one of the weaker Opioids. However, its still highly addictive and potentially damaging to the body. Its possible for an individual to develop a Lean addiction in a relatively short period of time due to the way Opioids short-circuit the brains reward response system.

Nicknamed Purple Drank, Sizzurp, and Dirty Sprite, Lean was initially a popular drink among blues musicians in Houston who mixed Robitussin® with beer. Then, in the 1980s, Houston rappers opted to instead use Codeine, soda, and a piece of hard candy for sweetness. The drinks popularity spread throughout the South as the substance became incorporated into countless songs, including some by Three 6 Mafia , Lil Wayne , and Future . Today, Lean is responsible for the deaths of a number of hip-hop entertainers and is widely popular among young people around the globe.

Featured Centers Offering Treatment For Lean Addiction

What Are The Rates Of Codine Abuse In The United States

Although there are fewer statistics on codeine use specifically, statistics on opioid use, in general, give us an idea of how big the problem of opioid abuse really is. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations 2018 National Survey of Drug Use and Health states that in 2018, approximately 10.3 million people over the age of 12 reported misusing opioids.3 9.9 million of these people abused prescription pain killers such as codeine specifically, with the remainder of people abusing heroin.3

SAMSHA also reported that in the previous year, 0.9% of the population had abused codeine.3 It was the third most abused pain killer, coming after hydrocodone and oxycodone.3

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What Happens To Your Brain When You Misuse Cough Or Cold Medicines

When cough and cold medicines are taken as directed, they safely treat symptoms caused by colds and flu. But when taken in higher quantities or when you don’t have any symptoms, they may affect the brain in ways very similar to illegal drugs, and can even lead to addiction.

All drugs, including cough and cold medicines, change the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate. Nerve cells, called neurons, send messages to each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters attach to molecules on neurons called receptors. Drugs affect this signaling process.

DXM acts on the same brain cell receptors as hallucinogenic drugs like ketamine or PCP. A single high dose of DXM can cause hallucinations . Ketamine and PCP are called “dissociative” drugs, which means they make you feel separated from your body or your environment, and they twist the way you think or feel about something or someone.

Codeine attaches to the same cell receptors as opioids like heroin. High doses of promethazine-codeine cough syrup can produce a high similar to that produced by other opioid drugs. Over time, it takes more and more of the drug to get that good feeling. This is how addiction starts.

Both codeine and promethazine slow down activities in the central nervous system , which produces calming effects.