Year after year, new people become addicted to substances. About twenty million people in the US suffer from abusing one substance or the other. Some usual suspects are nicotine (cigarettes), heroin, prescription drugs, cocaine, alcohol, and painkillers.

Cough syrups are gradually becoming another option for people looking for a quick high. It is also known as "lean" or "purple drank." You must wonder how something meant for relief can be abused. Well, cough medications have some properties that one can be addicted to. As crazy as it sounds, you will be shocked to discover how dangerous it is to be addicted to cough medications.

For young people looking for a high, there are so many brands of cough syrups that contain mind-altering substances. Dextromethorphan is a typical component with adverse effects that cause intoxication (DXM). High doses of this chemical may result in hallucinations. DXM abusers may experience a euphoric high that makes them feel light-headed.

Users usually cannot get high on the dosages prescribed by pharmacists, so they need entire bottles to give them the high they are searching for. Cough drops may seem like a harmless intoxicating option compared to cocaine or heroin because at least it's prescribed, right? But cough syrups can be a health hazard, too, including slowing down the central nervous system. Other side effects are nausea, blood pressure, and loss of coordination.

What Symptoms Occur After Too Many Cough Drops?

Some people love cough drops' taste and sedative qualities and may be tempted to eat them even when not suffering from a cold or cough. However, abusing anything is bad to talk less of cough drops which can have a few unpleasant side effects.

Before you can experience any life-threatening symptoms of a cough drop overdose, you will probably go through some sort of indigestion or tummy upset. Some other symptoms are stomach discomfort, motion sickness, a fast heartbeat, fatigue, disorientation, and migraines.

Don't forget that cough drops also contain a sizeable amount of sugar. Consuming more cough drops than you need day in and day out will eventually result in weight gain. You should avoid cough drops if you have any underlying illnesses, particularly diabetes.

Although pharmaceutical companies have developed sugar-free varieties of cough drops, consuming excessive amounts can have a laxative effect, especially for cough drops containing sorbitol (sugar substitute). Too much sorbitol in your system can lead to abdominal discomfort, flatulence, diarrhea, and unintentional weight loss.

How Do I Know when To Go to The Emergency Ward?

Although it is very unlikely that you can overdose from eating too many cough drops, you should be aware of the following symptoms as signs that you need to go to a hospital fast

: an accelerated heartbeat, severe diarrhea or vomiting, shallow breathing, blood in your urine, disorientation, and seizures, amongst others. Please, if you think you or any other person has overdosed on cough drops, call 911 ASAP. The medical personnel at the hospital will closely watch the patient's vitals like their pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. 

Side Effects of Cough Medications

Codeine is the most sought component of cough medications. Although using codeine in small quantities is harmless, it can be very dangerous when consumed in large doses. Consuming large amounts of codeine is the same as taking morphine or heroin. Cough drops described over the counter do not make it less of an opioid. Opioids are quite addictive, and when abused, they can lead to many adverse effects like dizziness, memory loss, seizures, and hallucinations.

When you use a drug frequently, you begin to build up a tolerance for that drug. It is the same thing with other abused substances like alcohol and weed. So for those frequent users of cough medications, you are unknowingly increasing your threshold for it. After a while, the usual dosage becomes ineffective until you increase it, which is how addiction starts.

Codeine misuse can potentially be lethal if you ignore competent medical advice and consume more of the drug than is advised.

The Lonely Journey of Withdrawal

You need to be extra careful about the brands of drugs that you buy. You also need to make sure that you don't abuse drugs. If possible, go to the doctor and get a prescription. Sometimes self-medication can compound the problem you may not have accepted that you are battling.

Addiction has many stages, and one of those stages is acceptance. Usually, by the time you accept that you are addicted, it is a problem. It is probably too late to switch it on or off, and that is where you need to put in the work.

Here are some symptoms you might experience when going through withdrawal: an erratic heartbeat, tense muscles, headaches, seizures, hallucinations, sleeplessness, nausea, and anxiety. Frankly, all these side effects are enough to discourage you from trying, but they will last for a little while. You can do it.

Many rehabilitation centers assist people trying to recover from addiction in case they don't feel strong enough to embark on the journey alone. Some of their strategies are to create different patterns for you to pass the time and eventually substitute an addiction with recovery.

Rehabilitation centers are a huge financial commitment, so you must set up your health insurance if it's inadequate. Drug addiction can creep up on you from even the most unlikely drugs. The battle can get challenging, but you can become brand new with the right support.