call 800-291-1732 (Who Answers?) for a free referral.
Codeine is an opiate that is combined with several other drugs to make either a pain killer or cough syrup. This mild opiate has recently become more popular among those that use opiates for a variety of reasons.
Codeine is Easier to Obtain than Most Other Opiates
Doctors and dentists prescribe codeine for minor and outpatient surgeries. Codeine is one of the easiest of the opiates to get because of its association with Tylenol and its use in prescription cough syrup. It is also less regulated and therefore prescribed more.
If you find yourself going to the doctor just to obtain codeine, you are probably addicted and in need of treatment. To discuss your treatment options call 800-291-1732 (Who Answers?) .
Codeine Comes in a Cough Syrup
Many people start using codeine cough syrup due to a severe cough. Large bottles of this cough syrup are usually what is dispensed. Once a person finishes the bottle, they sometimes find themselves craving it. If other risk factors are present, they may even become addicted to it.
The Codeine Cough Syrup is Easy to Mix
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people are choosing to use codeine cough syrup to get high because it is easy to mix with other liquids or candy. Popular names for this are:
- Syrup
- Purple Drank
- Sizzurp
- Lean
Codeine is prescribed more easily than other opiate-based drugs.
The practice of mixing codeine with alcohol or other liquid drugs, including OTC cough medicine containing Dextromethorphan is an emerging trend in the drug addiction world.
Some People Believe you Cannot Overdose on Codeine
Since codeine is only a schedule III drug, some people believe that you cannot overdose on codeine. This is simply not true. Codeine overdose is very possible and more likely because people are not as careful about taking it.
They often mix large amounts of codeine with alcohol and more dangerous drugs, increasing their chance of overdose. It is important to get help before the addiction reaches this point.
They used Codeine as a Child and Remember the Euphoria
The remembered reward of euphoria leads people to try codeine in a more recreational way later on. It is easy to become addicted this way because the pathways in the brain are already formed. Once this happens one of the only ways to stop the addiction is through treatment for the addiction.
Some People See Codeine as Nonthreatening or Nonaddictive
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, codeine has a moderate to low risk of abuse; because of this many people see codeine as nonthreatening. If government agencies such as the DEA view it as low risk, people view it as low risk despite the warnings to the contrary.
Finding Addiction Treatment for a Codeine Addiction
If you find yourself addicted codeine, for whatever reason, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Codeine is still an opiate and opiate addiction is one of the hardest to break without help. To find the help that you need to end the addiction call 800-291-1732 (Who Answers?) .
What is Codeine? -
Codeine is a member of the opioid family of drugs that is derived from the opium poppy and synthesized in a laboratory to create an analgesic drug that is common prescribed for the treatment of mild to moderate pain, cough and sometimes diarrhea. Codeine is considered a narcotic and it does carry a potential for ... 
Codeine Allergies -
Codeine is a commonly prescribed pain medication that is used to treat mild to moderate acute pain and can also be used to treat cough. Although rare, codeine allergies do occur and can lead to some dangerous symptoms. Typically, a codeine allergy will not occur with the initial or first exposure of the drug but will most ... 
Brand Names -
Codeine is most often combined with other medications and then marketed under certain brand names such as Robitussin AC which contains codeine. There are many branded products on the market that include a combination of codeine and another drug such as Phenylephrine, Pyrilamine, Guaifenesin or Chlorpheniramine. Other combination products may also be found in the medical field ... 
Dangers of an Increasing Codeine Tolerance -
Codeine is one of the three main alkaloids extracted from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum and although pure codeine can be extracted as a natural source, most codeine medications in United States and Canada are in the semi-synthetic forms of codeine sulfate or codeine phosphate which are processed from morphine. Like morphine, heroin, and other ... 
Dangers of Mixing Codeine and Alcohol -
Codeine, a Schedule II class narcotic opiate, has a wide range of medicinal as well as recreational uses. Like all narcotic-type drugs, codeine carries a fairly high potential for abuse and addiction. As a prescription pain relief medication, codeine appears in combination with other non-opioid pain reliever drugs. When used for recreational purposes, the methods ...