Cough Medicine: A Dangerous Fad Among Young Teens

Most parents seem to believe that their young teenager would never experiment with drugs, steal medicine from the family medicine cabinet or get peer pressured into taking an illegal substance in order to fit in with other teens. 

The truth is, most parents are wrong.

Available in almost every family household, and having a unique chemical compound which makes it impossible to detect with standardized drug tests,  cough syrup is a choice of drug for many young teens.

Statistics shows that the majority of teens who abuse cough medicine are between the ages of 12 and 17, often consisting of seemingly “good” kids whose parents would never in their wildest dreams imagine their children are abusing cough medicine to get high. In most cases  teens abusing cough medicine are oblivious to the dangerous side effects of the drug.  Hallucinations, drowsiness, severe behavioral changes are just a few to name. Teens have shown up at the emergency room not knowing where they are or who they are, and the parents are terrified and have no idea what’s going on.

Inspirations teen addiction treatment encourages parents to get actively involved in their teen’s life in order to be able to detect suspicious behavior and potentially troublesome friends. Parents should keep bottles of cough syrup and other medicine out of their children's reach and monitor their social circle in order to ensure they are not receiving mysterious gifts from friends that could land them a trip to the emergency room. Furthermore, they should present them with scenarios and situations where they might be tempted to experiment with drugs and teach them how to successfully refuse illegal substances.

For more information on teen drug abuse, teen behavior problems and teen addiction treatment, visit Inspirations for Youth and Families. 

Addiction and Behavior Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for young adults and adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Cough Syrup Abuse – Is your child robo-tripping?

Cough syrup medications are fast becoming another common drugs of abuse among teens. The active ingredient of many cough syrups is dextromethorphan (DXM), which if taken in large doses can cause visual hallucinations and a heightened sense of awareness - in other words, a cheap high.

DXM is taken orally, usually as a liquid syrup or pill. Some people have begun to use a powder form of the drug. People who abuse it in excessive amounts sometimes refer to DXM as robo-tripping, skittling, dex, or candy.

In very large quantities, DXM can cause effects similar to that of ketamine or PCP, because DXM affects similar sites in the brain. These drugs are called "dissociative," which means they create feelings of not being oneself or of being separate or detached from the environment; they distort perceptions and emotions.

Other effects of DXM abuse can include impaired motor function, numbness, nausea and vomiting, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. On rare occasions, hypoxic brain damage occurs. That means little or no oxygen can get to the brain because of the side effects of the combination of DXM and decongestants also often found in these medications.

If you suspect that your child is abusing cough syrup you should talk to him/her about your suspicions avoiding direct accusations. This talk should take place when he/she is straight, and you’re calm. This will show your child that you still love him/her, but you are most concerned with what he/she is doing to him/herself.

Taking time to discuss the problem without turning away from it is an important first step to take care of the problem. Most important, act fast, seeking counseling from a certified mental health professional with experience in youth and substance abuse is critical. Depending on your teen’s behavior and level of addiction your child will have a greater chance of recovery by attending a residential adolescent addiction treatment. Try to choose a treatment program that also offers an educational program so that your child will not miss out on school credits.

Inspirations for Youth and Families
Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com/
http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com/

Cove Center for Recovery
Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237
http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com/

What is Robo Tripping or Dexing?

In our adolescent addiction treatment facility, Inspirations Teen Rehab, we seen teens abusing almost anything that has the ability of altering their mind and produce a quick rush. We are treating teens addicted to huffing or sniffing house hold chemicals and teens trying to asphyxiate themselves by putting a plastic bag on their head and removing it just before passing out.

You may consider these acts strange and bizarre. Unfortunately, this is the reality and many of these acts are prelude to a full blown teen drug addiction.

ABC News, on September 14, in a report called Robo Tripping or Dexing, introduced the new fad which teens and young adults overdose on over the counter cough medicine to get a quick rush. The culprit causing the desired effect for the abuser is the active ingredient Dextro Methorphan or DXM.

Overdosing on this over the counter drugs, like abuse of other prescription drugs have major side effects. In this case, DXM causes hallucination and produces a temporary sensation of being drunk.

Additionally, it causes fast heart beat with changes in the vision, difficulty in breathing and in rare instances can cause death.

Last year alone, according to FDA, prescription drug abuse sent over 8,000 people to emergency rooms, mostly teens.

The hidden danger in these kinds of teen drug use is that the parents or guardians have no clue of the actions of their loved ones. The teens themselves don’t see any danger in this particular drug abuse either. They don’t consider abusing a product that is legally sold and can easily be found in every cabinet in the house an illegal or dangerous action, thus minimizing the taboo aspect of their action.

As a therapist with over 10 years experience in dealing with teen addictions and teen drug abuse, I can only say that we have not seen the extent of the damage caused by this new fad yet. And my advice for the parents and guardians of teens; don’t ever let your guards down and be always vigilant in knowing how your teens are spending their times when they are not at school or at home in front of you.

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug abuse or addiction and is in need of help, Inspirations Teen Rehab offers a flexible and affordable teen addiction treatment program. Our aim is to treat the whole person, and not just an isolated symptom. During the addiction treatment process we will work with the teen to identify the factors that may have contributed to you drug abuse – home, friends and medical history. We also believe that families have a vital role to play in the recovery process, and each addiction treatment program has a place for family participation, to educate them in the treatment process and to equip them for their role as supporters.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com