If it weren’t so frightening, one would have to be in awe at the way folks develop street drugs. Every month, we seem to hear about another synthetic concoction hitting the streets. It’s even more frightening when the drug is made with easy to access ingredients. Many years ago, a mixture called the purple drank drug began showing up on the party scene. It turns out the drug’s primary ingredient, prescription cough medicine, has highly addictive properties.

About The Purple Drank Drug

Purple drank drug is pretty but pretty addictive as wellPurple drank’s base ingredient is prescription cough medicine. It causes high concern when the medications a doctor prescribes become a harmful product. So what is in the purple drank drug?

Aside from prescription cough medication, purple drank includes a soft drink like Sprite or Mountain Dew and a Jolly Rancher. The Jolly Rancher candy gives the concoction extra sweetness and flavor. The purple coloring comes from the cough syrup. The drug users are targeting the codeine found in the cough syrup. Codeine is an opioid. Taken in large amounts, it has the same effects as an opioid painkiller or heroin. Yes, the high from the codeine creates euphoria and a state of relaxation. It also invites a host of other, more severe, side effects.

Other Purple Drank Drug Effects

Any substance that’s ingested by drinking warrants scrutiny. It’s effortless for someone to drink too much of a substance without knowing it. Codeine is a painkiller, and the promethazine is an antihistamine that acts as a sedative. A person drinking too much of these medications will become disoriented. As an addiction builds, they become subject to some of the following purple drank effects:

  • Slow and slurred speech
  • Drowsiness
  • Loss of coordination and balance
  • Slowed breathing and heart rate
  • Constipation
  • Uncontrolled eye movements
  • Dental problems

Any combination of these side effects can put the user in harm’s way both physically and from a health perspective.

The Need for Treatment

Once the cycle of addiction sets in, the addict is at risk. The only way to safely overcome addiction is by getting treatment from a top rehab like Beaches Recovery. Anytime a patient has abused an opioid, the prospect of a patient needing detox increases. It’s much safer for the patient to face their opioid withdrawal symptoms under the watchful eye of medical experts.

After detox, the patient moves on to therapy. Even though purple drank drug is a primarily a “party drug,” there’s still an underlying reason why people abuse the substance. Counselors want to know the whys to help the patient better cope with life on life’s terms.

Getting Help From Beaches Recovery

At Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida, we are proud to stand as a premier addiction treatment center. We offer a variety of treatment services. When needed, we provide a detox program at our Tides Edge facility. Detox allows our patients to cleanse themselves of harmful substances. After detox, our staff of professional counselors begins working with patients to help them with recovery. The list of available treatment options includes:

On their way out into the world, we like to remind our patients that aftercare treatment helps to prolong recovery. We encourage them to continue counseling and to participate in organized 12-Step programs and sober/transitional living options.

As your addiction continues, things in your life are only going to get worse. We understand it’s hard to walk away and admit you have lost control over your life. Just the same, addiction will eventually take everything you have.

Your best option for reclaiming your life after abusing the purple drank drug is admitting you have an illness and want help. That’s the point when Beaches Recovery can step in and make a difference. All you need do is pick up the phone and call us at 866.605.0532. The difference between your life now and after treatment will amaze you.