Despite having legitimate medical uses, all drugs can be dangerous when people abuse them. Substance abuse involves using drugs against a medical professional’s instructions. This behavior can lead to the creation of new drugs such as purple drank. Overall, the concoction is dangerous because of its ingredients.
Ingredients in Purple Drank
People use many names to refer to purple drank, including lean, sizzurp, dirty Sprite and other variations. The party drink is a combination of prescription-strength cough syrup, fruit-flavored candy, and soft drinks.
The ingredients in the prescription cough syrup are what make drinking sizzurp dangerous. These are promethazine and codeine.
About Promethazine
As an antihistamine, promethazine is a medicine that provides temporary relief for upper respiratory symptoms. These symptoms are usually the result of the common cold and allergies. Additionally, prescription-strength promethazine also treats the flu, bronchitis and sinus infection. It can relieve or prevent motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting as well.
However, the drug blocks the H1 receptor, which affects the central nervous system. Because of this, it has sedative effects that impair motor functions. In fact, the most prominent side effect of promethazine is drowsiness. Although, some doctors take advantage of promethazine’s effects to relax patients before and after medical procedures.
Dry mouth, dizziness, inactivity, poor coordination, vision problems, and trouble falling or staying asleep are additional mild side effects. However, promethazine can cause serious effects too, including fever, fainting, wheezing, and slowed breathing. Sweating, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, and irregular heartbeat may occur as well.
About Codeine
As a pain reliever, codeine treats mild to moderate pain. Drugmakers combine it with other drugs such as promethazine to reduce cough and respiratory-related pain. However, the drug doesn’t treat the cause of the health problem.
Instead, codeine changes how the central nervous system and brain responds to pain. As a cough suppressant, it decreases brain wave activity that motivates us to cough. Since it acts on the nervous system and brain, the drug is addictive.
Furthermore, codeine causes many side effects. Some of the mild ones include headache, constipation, drowsiness, stomach pain, and lightheadedness. Agitation, fever, confusion, hallucinations, sweating, and rapid heartbeat are a few of the serious side effects. Some people also experience severe muscle twitching or stiffness as well as shallow breathing.
Risk for Addiction to Purple Drank
Overall, most people don’t abuse prescription cough syrups that contain these drugs. However, those who do are usually in search of a high. Drinking sizzurp gives them the euphoria that they seek without the bad flavor of the medicine.
Prolonged codeine consumption can lead to dependence in the same way as taking codeine pain pills. Many people who drink sizzurp also overdose because they lose track of how much they drink. They don’t know exactly how much of the prescription is in their drinks either because each batch may contain different amounts.
End Prescription Cough Syrup Addiction at Steps to Recovery
If you fear you have a sizzurp addiction, you need substance abuse treatment. Steps to Recovery offers a prescription drug rehab program that can help you overcome the problem. We provide many treatment options to address your needs, including:
- Outpatient rehab
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Men’s and women’s addiction rehab
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Sober living
Don’t let prescription cough syrup destroy your life. Learn how to stop abusing the drug with our help. Dial 866-488-8684 now to start your journey to recovery.
