Cough Medicines
Dextromethoraphan (DXM) is an ingredient in more than 120 over-the-counter cold and flu medications. Teenagers seek out these remedies in order to get high from DXM, which can cause hallucinations, disassociative experiences, distorted vision and out-of-body experiences when used in ways not medically recommended.
In order to achieve these altered states of consciousness, teens need to chug whole bottles of cough syrup or swallow 20 or more NyQuils at a time. They call this “robiting,” after the trade name Robitussin.
Using cough medicines to get high is a fairly common practice among teenagers, and seems to be on the rise. In 2006, a government survey found that 7 percent of 12th graders had tried “syruping.” DXM is implicated in 14 percent of all suicide attempts, and 7 percent of all drug related visits to emergency rooms.
No one really knows the long-term effects of robiting. However, the long-term effects of too much aspirin, acetaminophen or antihistamine are well-known, and these ingredients are frequently found in products that contain DXM. Antihistamines can damage nerve cells and cause high blood pressure and cardiovascular toxicity. Too much aspirin or acetaminophen can cause permanent liver or stomach damage.
Dangers of DXM
If a teenager mixes the DXM with antidepressants, the result can be fatal.
DXM overdoses are common and can lead to strokes, paralysis of arms and legs, and the inability to talk. Some teenagers have experienced permanent brain damage from using DXM.
DXM is like alcohol, in that it is readily available, legal and relatively inexpensive. This makes DXM abuse very hard to treat, and former abusers are reminded of their cravings every time they pass a drug store or a grocery store.
DXM abusers often lead a lifestyle centered around their habit in that most of their days are spent buying and using cough medicines. They often need help finding new interests to fill up the time formerly taken up by their drug abuse. Many DXM abusers have underlying psychological problems, such as depression, that need to be addressed once they enter residential treatment.
Common DXM Products
The following is a list of products, many of which can be purchased over-the-counter at your local pharmacy, that contain DXM:
- Robitussin
- Pertussin
- Tussafed
- Benylin
- Bromarest
- Calmylin
- Cardec
- DayQuil
- NyQuil
- Delsym
- Dimetane
- Dristan
- Dexan
- Ornex
- Viravan
