Signs and Symptoms of Dextromethorphan Abuse

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Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant that is available in over-the-counter cough medications. Because it is a legal drug, it can be purchased by anyone, even a preteen, in all but 14 states. In these states, a minor cannot purchase a cough medication containing dextromethorphan (DXM). In all other states, any person who wants to achieve the intoxication available from this drug can do so.

If a teen wants to know the results of abusing DXM, or how to abuse it, or even how to separate out the active ingredient from the formulation, this information is all available on the internet. This is a significant reason that parents should monitor teens’ internet usage.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms that result from DXM abuse depend on how much of the medication is taken and whether another drug such as alcohol or marijuana is added to the mix. There are four plateaus of intoxication described by users of DXM.

The first plateau is mild inebriation similar to drunkenness. The second is inebriation plus slurred speech and possibly mild hallucinations. Short-term memory can be impaired by the drug.

The third level is an altered state of consciousness. Vision or other senses may be impaired. And in the fourth state, a person can lose contact with his (or her) body, with all senses shut off. This level of intoxication is similar to that of ketamine or PCP.

The therapeutic dosage for dextromethorphan, when treating a cold or a cough, is 10 to 29 milligrams every four hours. But when seeking intoxication, a person may take 250 to 1,500 milligrams of the drug at one time.

The symptoms above may be accompanied by confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fast heartbeat, stomach pain, and disorientation.

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Physical Signs Resulting from Other Ingredients in Cough Medication

Since dextromethorphan is combined with other ingredients such as acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, and guaifenesin, there can be signs of cough medication abuse that result from these other ingredients. For example, liver damage can result from high dosages of acetaminophen, guaifenesin can cause vomiting, and chlorpheniramine can cause faster heart rate, loss of coordination, seizures, and coma.

Some people resort to separating out dextromethorphan from these other ingredients, as mentioned above, using chemicals that are easy to acquire. It is easy to find websites offering to sell pure dextromethorphan powder as well.

A person abusing DXM may leave behind empty blister packs or empty bottles of cough medication. Vicks, Coricidin, Robitussin and Triaminic formulas all may contain dextromethorphan. A normal drug test will not detect this drug which may encourage its use by some people.

As with any drug, symptoms of an increasing focus or addiction to substances like dextromethorphan include:

• Changes in appearance or habits
• Isolation from the family, spending evenings behind a locked bedroom door
• Evasiveness or secretive behavior
• Many hours spent away from home without explanation
• Missing money
• Changes in appetite
• Hostility and anger
• Lying
• Mood changes without apparent reason
• Changes in relationships with friends or family
• Inability to focus
• Poor coordination
• Sullen mood or depression
• Silence, withdrawn periods

Estimates of the number of teens abusing DXM vary from 1 in 10 to 1 in 20. While some sources state that DXM is not addictive, those who have abused the drug have reported that they have cravings for the drug, a definite symptom of addiction.

Effects of Dextromethorphan Abuse

Most of the people abusing dextromethorphan or DXM are young people, in part because it is legally available in many states to anyone of any age. As of 2017 there were 14 states which have passed legislation that cold medication containing dextromethorphan can’t be sold to minors.

There are three kinds of effects that one can see when a person abuses dextromethorphan. There’s the kind of effects that the drug itself brings about, there are the effects that are caused by the other ingredients commonly found in these formulas, and there are the effects of an addictive lifestyle on one’s behavior and personality.

Parents and others who supervise teens should be alert to notice any of the following effects of Dextromethorphan abuse:

• Disorientation and confusion
• Dizziness or loss of coordination
• Stomach spasms
• Drowsiness
• Slow, labored breathing
• Muscle twitches
• Vomiting
• Intoxication symptoms such as slurred speech
• Fast heart rate
• Loss of sense perceptions
• Loss of memory
• Inability to focus
• Rashes
• Itchy skin
• Numb extremities

Other ingredients common to cough medication - acetaminophen, guaufenesin, or chlorpheniramine:

• Liver damage or failure
• Loss of coordination
• Coma
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Speeded heart rate

Effects of addictive lifestyle, especially for young people:

• Depression, negative moods
• Staying away from former friends who are sober
• Avoiding family members
• Changes in activities, abandoning former hobbies or clubs
• Hiding out in his (or her) room with the door locked
• Antagonism and secretive behavior
• Lower grades
• Behavior problems in school

By watching for any of these effects, a parent or other loved one can get clues as to a change from a sober lifestyle to a drug-using one. But if drug abuse has continued for an extended time, a person may not be able to stop using those drugs when they want to.

Addiction exists when a person is driven to abuse a substance because of cravings, and when they will experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit using the drug. Tolerance is another effect created by addiction - this means that it takes more and more of the drug to create the effect the drug user desires.

Formulations that Contain Dextromethorphan:

• Robitussin DM
• Rondec DM
• Benylin DM
• Drixoral
• DayQuil
• TheraFlu
• Tylenol Cold
• Dimetapp DM
• Coricidin
• NyQuil
• St. Joseph Cough Suppressant
• Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough

These products may be mixed with liquid drinks. Colored candies like Skittles may be added to give the drink more color and flavor, spurring the nickname “Skittling” for abuse of this kind of drug.

DXM Addiction and Recovery

Another problem that may result from DXM abuse is that a young person may start abusing this drug because it is easy to get and then may progress on to other, more dangerous drugs like prescription painkillers.

When a person becomes addicted to a drug like dextromethorphan, there can be cravings for the drug that compel use even if the drug user sees the damage being experienced. When this happens, a person may need the support of an effective drug rehabilitation program to get clean. The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program has been helping people recover from addiction for almost five decades.

The rehab program offered at a Narconon center provides a longer-term solution to addiction. It takes longer than the 28 days of many rehab programs to overcome the damage that addiction does and build a sober life. It takes learning new life skills and recovering the personal integrity that is lost during addiction. The Narconon program offers all this and a special detoxification action that helps with cravings. The Narconon New Life Detoxification, one phase of the overall addiction recovery program, enables the body to flush out old drug toxins that can contribute to cravings and depress one’s mood. Once they are gone, clearer thinking and a better outlook result.

Learn more about this innovative drug rehabilitation program and how it can help someone you care about.

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Call us at +44 80 0808 5704 to get help now. or learn more about the Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Programme

Leaving DXM Addiction Behind

When a person learns to rely on DXM to escape from his problems, he may need help to leave this lifestyle behind. That help is available at Narconon centers around the world. In this drug rehab program, each participant has the needed guidance to repair the damage done by addiction.

A thorough detoxification followed by life skills training enables a person in a drug rehab program to see things in a whole new light so they can live an enjoyable, productive life again. This is the way the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program works.