Many over-the-counter medicines treat the common cold that can become habit-forming and therefore should be taken with caution. When taken more than prescribed or directed, it becomes dependent on and forms an addiction. This can happen innocently enough by the user unaware of the dangers of the drug, intentionally by substance abusers who may become desperate to get their next fix, or by underage kids trying to get “high” or a buzz the easiest way possible.
At first, Codeine was thought to be non-habit forming when it first came available. Codeine does belong to the same family of opiate medications like morphine, Vicodin, OxyContin, etc.; it is possible to become dependent on it and eventually form an addiction.
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What Does Codeine Addiction Look Like?
Codeine is an opioid pain reliever that is highly addictive used to treat mild to moderately severe pain. It can also be found in combination with other medications to reduce coughing, such as cough syrup. Codeine is available by itself or in combination with acetaminophen or aspirin and some cough and cold medications.
Most people that abuse drugs are always looking for a more intense high. If there is a way to manipulate a prescribed drug to make it work stronger, then it will be tried. Prescription medications are manipulated by crushing and snorting or injecting the drug to get a more intense high, but what about the drugs combined with other non-lethal, a drug that doesn’t get you a high kind of drug?
Some codeine is combined with other drugs like acetaminophen or aspirin. Since it is combined with other drugs that don’t get you high, it takes a larger dose to get the high one wants. Not that codeine alone is excellent for a person, but acetaminophen and aspirin can create other health problems when taken in large amounts. Of course, there is a way around this called cold water extraction (CWE).
What is a Cold Water Extraction?
Codeine cold water extraction (CWE) separates codeine from other ingredients found in codeine-based prescription pills. CWE will create a distilled form of codeine, which can then be injected or snorted. CWE allows a person to take high doses of codeine at once while avoiding high doses of other ingredients like acetaminophen or aspirin.
A reasonably performed codeine CWE can allow a person to take extremely high doses of codeine without ingesting dangerous amounts of other products such as Tylenol. However, the process is home-brewed, not sterile or safe, and the directions for this chemical process are taken from guides found online.
Codeine is an Opioid That Creates Withdrawal Symptoms
However, high doses of codeine are dangerous on their own. Codeine can cause several side effects, including constipation, slowed breathing, and extreme drowsiness.
Codeine is also habit-forming. Abusers of codeine are at risk of physical dependence and addiction, as well as fatal overdose. Medical detox would be required to lessen withdrawal symptoms and any health risks associated with coming off the drug.
Treatment for Codeine Abuse and Dependency
At Allure Detox, we can provide you or your loved one with the treatment and care for your start on the road to recovery. At AllureDetox in West Palm Beach, Florida, we can help relieve your fears and pain of withdrawal with our Safe and Comfortable Medical Detox.
Detoxing from a codeine addiction can be dangerous and challenging if not done correctly. Our clinical team is available to work with you and make your recovery from codeine dependence less painful. Don’t delay your recovery any further, and get professional help today.