Codeine

Many people take codeine to relieve pain, clear up a cough, or to get rid of a cold—not to become an addict. Yet an increasing number of people are finding themselves popping pills for longer than intended. Codeine is a powerful substance but addiction can be overcome with proper treatment.

Common Uses for Codeine

Codeine is mostly found in prescription cough medicines and pills and is used to treat moderate pain, a non-productive cough, and act as an antidiarrheal. It is often combined with acetaminophen, a non-narcotic analgesic (pain reliever). Codeine suppresses pain by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord and blocking inhibitory neurotransmitters—altering the user’s perception of pain.

When taken orally, codeine is rapidly absorbed without little loss of potency. It can also be administered rectally, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously. The drug cannot be taken intravenously or be ingested through the nose. The brain translates codeine to morphine, another powerful analgesic.

A Prescription Drug Gone Wrong?

Codeine is a prescription medication used to manage pain for a short period of time. Codeine is addictive, especially when used longer than prescribed. It is an opiate—a form of morphine related to heroin, methadone, and Demerol. Opiates can be physically addictive and even if a user takes codeine exactly as prescribed, the emotional and physical aspects may become too appealing to give up. Besides suppressing physical pain, codeine numbs any emotional and mental pain, putting the user in a dreamy, euphoric, disassociate state. Users soon find themselves taking codeine to deal with personal issues, and as the addiction progresses, to feel normal.

Side Effects of Addiction

Codeine is habit-forming. The user may become addicted to codeine with prolonged use, especially if the medication is taken longer than two or three weeks. Side effects to codeine include nausea, disorientation, depression, sexual problems, constipation, and inability to operate a vehicle, agitation, tremors, seizures, liver damage, lightheadedness, dizziness, vision changes, flushing, and drowsiness.

Since it’s a powerful narcotic and opiate, codeine can cause overdose. A codeine overdose may consist of shallow breathing, skin itchiness, stomach spasms, low blood pressure, a weak pulse, muscle spasms, bluish fingernails and lips, nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness, tiny pupils or yellowing eyes, cold skin, and dark urine. Seek help immediately if an overdose is suspected.

Additionally, users may experience codeine withdrawal symptoms, such as a runny nose, insomnia, fever, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, stomach cramps, muscle twitching or pain, and dehydration.

Addiction to Prescription Drugs: A Growing Epidemic

Addiction to prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is becoming increasingly problematic. Many people start taking codeine as a pain killer and then quickly become tolerant to its effects. They will then up the dosage until they become tolerant once again. This leads to the cycle of addiction. If they try to stop, they encounter many of the not-so-pleasant symptoms of withdrawal.

Addiction to pain killers and medication is described as a “silent epidemic”—there are no official records of how many people are addicted to medication, but the condition is widely recognized in the medical and pharmaceutical industry. An estimated number of 100,000 people in the nation are victims of medication overuse symptom, a term coined by some physicians to describe addiction to pharmaceuticals.

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