DXM, or dextromethorphan, is one of the most common over-the-counter medications around, and you can find it in brand-name products like Robitussin, Dimetapp, Delsym and Theraflu, just to name a few of the cough syrups that rely on it as their primary ingredient. DXM has also been around for decades, seeing its first use in the 1950s to treat cough symptoms along with other cold and flu medications.

A drug this accessible is bound to be abused, and DXM and cough syrup addiction plagues many individuals. Users seek to obtain a high consisting of intoxication, euphoria and sedation, often with feelings of detachment and dissociation from one’s body. Despite being sold over the counter, DXM abuse can pose life-threatening risks which increase when mixed with other drugs (which is common) such as alcohol, stimulants or opioids.

The appeal of the drug for temporary relief from stress or trauma quickly gives way to dependency, long-term abuse and addiction which brings a host of additional medical problems including the risk of death. A professionally-guided Tacoma WA drug rehab center presents the only hope users and addicts have of stopping DXM abuse and regaining their sobriety.

What DXM Abuse Can Do to Your Body Short-term

Users of DXM in the short term experience a pleasant high that quickly gives way to many health threats as they use more of the drug over a longer period of time.

Short-term Effects of DXM include:

What DXM Abuse and Addiction Can Do to Your Body Long-term

DXM can do substantial and long-term damage to the body despite being an over-the-counter drug. In fact, it’s wide availability mean you can easily obtain and take too much of the drug, increasing your dependency. DXM can cause debilitating and life-threatening symptoms.

Long-term Symptoms of DXM abuse and addiction include:

Withdrawal Symptoms Associated With DXM

It can be extremely difficult for users of DXM to withdraw from the drug, often times, as difficult as prescription or illegal drugs. Detox from DXM is crucial to get the most from therapy and rehab.

Withdrawal symptoms of DXM include:

How Bayview Recovery’s Personalized Approach to Rehab Can Help You Overcome your DXM Addiction

You are unlikely to overcome addiction on your own, even if you find yourself addicted to an over-the-counter medication such as DXM. Even if you do manage to stop using, you will likely be unable to stay off the drug long-term without effective strategies to combat your underlying reasons for using and alternatives to using when faced with temptation.

That’s where addiction therapies and rehab can help, by giving you all the tools and the practice you will need to stay drug for life. Bayview Recovery specializes in helping patients transition from detox to rehab, providing them with a course of treatments designed specifically for their personality, needs, and strengths.

It is not only critically important to get therapy and rehab, but also to get the right treatments for your addiction. A failed first-attempt at getting clean often leads to a relapse where the risks to your health — and sudden death — can increase substantially. You don’t have to face these risks. Bayview Recovery is here to help you and will stand behind you every step of the way, from your first phone call.

DXM addiction does not have to be the end of your story. Call 855.478.3650 today to speak with one of our addiction specialists about getting clean and rewriting your personal story. A visit to Bayview Recovery can be the beginning of your next chapter.