Contents:
- Medical Video: Cough Syrup High | Untold Stories of the ER
- Drunk cough medicine due to the content of the active ingredient dextromethorphan
- The danger of taking high-dose cough medicine without the doctor's knowledge
- Drunk cough medicine can also cause cravings and addiction
- Tips for parents to prevent drug abuse in children
Medical Video: Cough Syrup High | Untold Stories of the ER
As if not enough to get drunk only with alcohol, recently the Indonesian people were made restless by the news that a number of school children were deliberately drunk generic cough medicines to spend their free time. Although it seems trivial, parents and authorities in the school must begin to be aware of the negative effects of this coughing drug trend that can be fatal.
Drunk cough medicine due to the content of the active ingredient dextromethorphan
Sleepiness and motion sickness are a side effect of cough medicine that you should watch out for. This effect exists both in prescription and non-prescription (generic) stone drugs. These side effects arise from the uterus dextromethorphan or commonly known as DMP.
However, the effect of this hangover can only be achieved when you consume cough medicine on a large scale at a time. Large doses of DMP will cause hallucinations and "drift" effects which are equivalent to the "high" effect of drunk alcohol or drugs. This is the reason for many school children to deliberately drunk high-dose cough medicines.
The danger of taking high-dose cough medicine without the doctor's knowledge
Besides being intoxicating, DMP will inhibit brain function, especially the part of the brain that controls breathing and heart function. As a result, high doses of DMP will make a person experience a fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, until the breath slows or shortens.
Not only that. One of the side effects of DMP due to the most dangerous cough medicine is hyperthermia. Hyperthermia increases body temperature which is too high and fast beyond reasonable limits without giving the body time to cool down. Hyperthermia can cause brain damage, coma, and even death.
If taken according to the rules and dosages used, these side effects are not so worrying. Dextromethorpan is basically an antitussive agent that functions to temporarily relieve the symptoms of coughing without phlegm.
Drunk cough medicine can also cause cravings and addiction
Just like narcotics abuse, stopping using generic cough medicines for drinking can also cause symptoms of sakau. For examplenausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, chills, body aches, to sleep disorders.
The "happy" effect of coughing drugs comes from surges of dopamine and serotonin that are excessively released by the brain, as a drug stimulation reaction. Automatically, effectcollect this will make the body need repeated drug use to satisfy the need for extreme happiness.
Over time, prolonged drug abuse will damage the system and motivational receptor circuits and reward the brain, causing dependence. So, aWhen the dose is suddenly stopped, or the dose of the item is reduced slightly, the symptoms of sakau or drop out appear. In more serious cases, a person may also experience depression as a result of his illness.
It does not rule out the possibility that someone will experience an overdose after trying to take cough medicine to "cure" the symptoms of the cough. Drug overdose can occur suddenly, when the drug is taken in high doses for one meal, or gradually when the drug slowly accumulates in the body for a long time. Drug overdose is a medical emergency.
Tips for parents to prevent drug abuse in children
The drunken cough medicine trend carried out by many school children is one of the cheap-festive ways for them to "jolt" and relax to get rid of stress. This trend can be prevented by the supervision of parents and authorities in schools. Here's what you should pay attention to:
- Know the types of drugs that are most often misused. Drunk cough medicine usually uses drugs containing DMP. Many generic coughs, colds and flu drugs that contain DMP. But, Komix, Coricidin, and Robitusin are the most widely used drug brands.
- Know other terms of the drug.DMP has many terms among teenagers. Stage pill, CCC, triple C, skittles, robo, red devil, dekup syrup, is another term for the mention of DMP medicine.
- Re-check the medicine box at home. There is no parent who wants to be a supplier of illegal drugs for their children. That is, you have to pay attention and monitor every medicine you have at home. Do not, one of the drugs you have contains substances that are actually dangerous.
- Talk to other parents. Share what you know about the abuse of cough medicines and their dangers with parents of your child's friends. This will help you save other children from the risk of drug abuse.
- Become a good role model. Children's behavior is a reflection of parents. That's why, try to always be a good role model for your children. It's not difficult, really. Starting from obedient rules in taking drugs, for example. Take the medicine in the dosage that has been determined by the doctor or printed on the packaging.
- Invite children to communicate. Talk to your children directly about the risks of drug abuse, and mention the abuse of cough medicines specifically. Although these drugs come from pharmacies, it does not mean they are free from the risk of future drug abuse.
