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DXM/Cough Syrup Abuse, Addiction, Detox and Rehab

DXM/Cough Medicine Addiction and Abuse: Learn the Facts and Where to Get Treatment

DXM cough medicine abuse and addiction are both serious problems in the United States. A lot of people do not realize this, and they often do not know that detox and rehab may be needed to help them stop. In their minds, because DXM is so widely available, it must be safe. Nothing could be further from the truth, and there are dangerous side effects to this drug. This is especially true when it is being abused.

Taking DXM excessively can lead to a euphoric high. This is an ingredient that is often found in many cough syrups, tablets and powders. Young people are often the most likely to abuse it because it is easy for them to find and relatively inexpensive.

We want to help people become more aware of the dangers of abusing DXM cough syrup. While it may be legal, that does not mean it is safe. People need to know about the short and long-term effects as well as the best ways to recover. Fortunately, getting the proper drug treatment can help people make the changes they need to make in their lives to stop.

Learn the Short and Long-Term Effects of DXM/Cough Medicine

One of the most important DXM/cough medicine abuse facts you can learn is what the side effects are of this dangerous drug. The short-term effects of DXM/cough medicine might include: 

  • Experiencing temporary memory loss
  • Symptoms of anxiety
  • Feelings of euphoria
  • Symptoms of depression
  • Feeling confused
  • Bouts of dizziness or vertigo 

The longer DXM/cough medicine is used, the more severe the side effects are likely to be. Some of the long-term DXM/cough medicine effects include: 

  • Onset of amnesia
  • Feeling dissociated from your body
  • Experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations
  • Becoming immobilized
  • No longer being able to feel pain
DXM/Cough Medicine Addiction Information

The DXM/Cough Medicine Abuse Definition: What is DXM/Cough Medicine Abuse?

DXM/cough medicine abuse should never be confused with DXM cough medicine addiction.

The two terms are actually very different, and they mean different things. When you’re participating in DXM/cough medicine abuse, you don’t feel compelled to use it regularly. It might be something you do recreationally, once in a while.

Even so, it’s important to remember that all instances of DXM/cough medicine abuse do lead to addiction if the behaviors are not stopped.

Help for DXM/Cough Medicine Addicts: Signs of DXM/Cough Medicine Addiction

What is DXM/cough medicine addiction? This is the question everyone wants to know the answer to when they’ve been abusing DXM/cough medicine for a specific period of time. When you have an DXM/cough medicine addiction, you actually feel as though you have to use it to feel like yourself. If you miss a dosage of it, you don’t feel the same, and in some cases, you may even need to use it to wake up in the morning.

Realizing that you may be addicted to DXM/cough medicine might come as quite a shock to you because you probably didn’t realize that this type of addiction was even possible. If you’re not sure whether or not you have an addiction to this drug, these DXM/cough medicine addiction symptoms may help you recognize it within yourself: 

  • You may have problems with your speech
  • You may exhibit symptoms of psychosis
  • You may have dilated pupils
  • You may exhibit zombie-like walking
  • You may suffer from diarrhea
  • You may experience a racing, pounding heart 

Have you noticed any of these symptoms? If so, it’s best to assume that you do have an addiction that requires immediate treatment before you can recover properly. Getting professional help can assist you with any withdrawal symptoms you might experience and give you a better chance for a more successful recovery.

Quitting DXM/Cough Medicine and Going Through Withdrawal

When a person stops using DXM/cough syrup, they are likely to go through withdrawal. This is the body’s way of responding when something it has gotten used to gets taken away. Some of the more common symptoms of DXM/cough medicine withdrawal include:

  • Having trouble sleeping at night.
  • Experiencing restlessness.
  • Having symptoms of anxiety.
  • Having symptoms of depression.
  • Possibly suicidal thoughts because of severe depression.

It is not uncommon for people to go back to using after attempting to quit on their own. This is because the symptoms listed above can be so difficult to go through. Repeated and failed quit attempts only contribute to a harmful addiction cycle that can be hard to break.

The Role of Drug Detox and Rehab During Recovery

It is normal to feel a little hesitant about the thought of entering into an addiction treatment program. But when a person gets addicted to DXM, it is both physical and mental. That means both sides of it need to be addressed in order for that individual to recover. If either one is ignored, it is very likely that they will go back to using again.

For these reasons, both drug detox and rehab are recommended for people who are addicted to this drug. A DXM/cough syrup addiction is very serious, and it should be treated as seriously as other addictions.

The drug detoxification process is the first step in addiction recovery. It helps to flush DXM and any other toxins out of the person’s system. In the meantime, it provides help for the withdrawal symptoms that typically result when the drug is stopped. People who go through detox usually experience less severe withdrawal, and some symptoms may not appear at all.

Detoxing is important because cravings and other withdrawal symptoms can easily lead to a relapse. Once the person begins to feel better, they will be ready to move on to the next step in recovery, which is drug rehab.

Drug rehab refers to the work that is done through therapy after detox has been completed. It is vitally important for people to understand the reasons behind their drug use. For someone who is addicted to DXM/cough medicine, they may have started using this drug for a number of reasons.

Some young people will abuse DXM simply because their friends are. Peer pressure is very real, and it can be hard to ignore. Once they start abusing it, they may find that they like how it makes them feel. It may even help them by relieving some of their symptoms from an already-present co-occurring disorder.

The term, co-occurring disorder, refers to a list of common mental health issues that often appear alongside addictions. They are the reason a lot of people start to use addictive drugs like DXM. They become a way for people to self-medicate, but what they do not realize is that the drug has serious, harmful effects.

Dual diagnosis treatment is important in these cases because they address both the mental illness and the addiction at the same time. This is a critical part of drug rehab, and it should always be included.

Northpoint Washington’s 28-Day Addiction Recovery Program

At Northpoint Washington, we offer a 28-day drug treatment program that includes both detox and rehab services. We are located in Edmonds, Washington and we participate with many health insurance plans.

Because we offer both detox and rehab services, we are able to address both sides of our patients’ addictions. Our patients first go through the detoxification process for about a week or so, depending on their progress. Afterward, they move on to rehab to finish out their 28-day stay.

We are a small inpatient facility, and for that reason, we are able to give our patients the time and attention they need. We know how hard it can be to recover from an addiction to DXM. We have designed our program so that we can provide all the support our patients might need.

DXM/Cough Medicine Addiction Treatment

Find the Best Drug Treatment and Support for DXM/Cough Medicine Addiction and Abuse

At Northpoint Washington, our goal is to make sure our patients get the services they need to recover from addiction. So many people are addicted to DXM, and they do not realize how harmful it can be to abuse it.

Many people believe that recovery is impossible for them. We want them to know that with the right support, they can be successful.

Would you like to know more about DXM/cough syrup abuse or addiction? Do you have questions about our detox and rehab program? Please contact us today to learn more.
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