A
parent was overheard last week: “Doctor, I suspect my son is a codeine addict.
What do I do?” The doctor’s answer was unexpected. “It’s not enough to be
suspicious, confront him and confirm. Don’t be afraid to be confrontational even
if dealing with a drug (codeine) addict can be scary and unpredictable.
“Having
good communication and being willing to talk about the drug use directly can be
helpful. You don’t have to be aggressive or have an argument, but focus on
listening, asking questions and trying to have as productive a conversation as
possible.” The codeine cough syrup crisis in Nigeria is an eye opener. Hundreds
of thousands of youths are battling the addiction. Struggling with codeine
addiction can take huge toll on the entire family. How can you help without
making matters worse? People commonly experiment with codeine because of the
misconception that it’s relatively harmless. This creates a particularly
disarming attitude toward codeine, which can lead to addiction or abuse of more
potent opiates. The first step is to understand what codeine is. Codeine is a
drug designed to relieve mild to moderate pain and coughing. It is most
commonly abused for its calming effects. Codeine may be extracted directly from
opium, but most codeine is produced from morphine—another opium derivative.
Both have narcotic effects hence their distribution is controlled. Codeine is
commonly prescribed as a painkiller because it is relatively mild when compared
with many other opioid painkillers, and its side effects are less severe.
Although it’s not as addictive as other opiates, codeine is still dangerous and
habit-forming. Codeine acts on the brain and spinal cord.
*Experts say codeine syrup is used in
treatment of cough, but when abused could lead to full-fledged addiction that
is potentially deadly.
Next
is to recognise the symptoms of codeine abuse. Recognising the outward signs of
codeine abuse can help determine if a loved one has a substance use problem.
Because codeine is an easily obtained legal substance, it can be difficult to
tell the difference between use, abuse and addiction. However, there are a few
telltale signs that something may be amiss, such as increasing doses and
ignoring personal responsibilities. Some signs of codeine abuse include:
drowsiness, slurred speech, short attention span, impaired judgment, dilated
pupils, lack of coordination and apathetic behaviour among others. According to
Rehabs.com, codeine addiction can actually be difficult to detect. Many
individuals start out using codeine under medical guidance and are unaware they
are developing substance dependence. Risk of addiction to codeine increases
with long-term usage. The course of a codeine addiction may vary from person to
person, but tolerance to the effects of codeine may occur relatively quickly
after taking it, and can drive an individual to take ever-increasing doses to
overcome it. Anyone struggling with codeine may become fixated on obtaining
more of the drug, even without having any medical need for it. A codeine addict
may continue to use it even when there is no requirement for the medication and
may actually go extreme lengths to acquire the drug. Withdrawal is a hallmark
of physical dependence and addiction. Codeine addicts will experience
withdrawal symptoms when no longer able to use the drug anymore. As a
depressant, codeine slows a person’s breathing rate. At large doses, this may
cause a person to stop breathing entirely and can be potentially fatal. Other
dangerous results of an overdose on codeine include seizures and coma. Chronic
codeine abuse, over time, may give rise to many detrimental, potentially
life-threatening side effects. These side effects vary from person to person,
and could be any combination of sleep disorders, constipation and other bowel
dysfunctions and depression, irregular heart rhythms, permanent brain damage
and coma. Prolonged and frequent codeine abuse can lead to maladaptive
behaviours and health problems. Some of the long-term effects of codeine abuse
include depression, anxiety, fatigue, impaired memory, liver damage, kidney
damage, muscle spasms and death. Once a codeine user becomes tolerant of the
drug, he or she will require more of it to achieve the previous high. In cases
of prolonged use, the drug is needed just to feel normal. Addiction may
exacerbate an abuser’s fear of coping with day-to-day tasks without codeine.
Clinicians and addiction specialists can diagnose codeine addiction by
following a specific set of criteria. Having a tolerance to codeine and
experiencing cravings are some examples of these criteria. The most effective
way to persuade someone to get help for their codeine addiction is to stage an
intervention. Because of the legality and accessibility of codeine, some people
have a hard time recognizing they have a problem. The purpose of the
intervention is to bring these issues to light before it’s too late. If you’re
unsure how to approach an intervention, consider hiring an intervention
specialist. Codeine withdrawal isn’t typically life-threatening, which is why
some people choose to quit cold-turkey. However, the discomfort of withdrawal
often leads to a relapse. Without proper treatment, many people trying to give
up codeine turn back to the drug in an attempt to ease their physical and
emotional pain. Regardless of how you first got hooked on codeine, you can get
out of the drug’s snare. Abusing codeine over a long period of time will only
make the drug’s effects worse as tolerance to it builds—eventually, the high
will wear off and you’ll need more of the drug just to maintain a normal
balance.
Detox
is the first step when it comes to overcoming a codeine addiction. Codeine
users should detox in a medical environment to safely manage withdrawal
symptoms. Many inpatient rehabs and outpatient treatment programmes offer
medical detox services for codeine users. According to the Consumer Protection
Council Act, 2004, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) notes the strong
regulatory action by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC) with respect to production and distribution of codeine. While
welcoming all meaningful efforts to address the rising and alarming, abusive
consumption of controlled substances, the CPC, issued an Advisory that publicly
called for a ban and prohibition on the prescription of cough medication
containing codeine. It observed that NAFDAC has heightened the proposed
regulatory measure by an outright ban.
“Protecting
citizens’ addiction and the harm done by abuse of controlled substances must
remain a priority always, to the exclusion and sometimes at the expense of
commercial considerations. The Council will deploy its entire apparatus and
resources to support NAFDAC, Ministry of Health, the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency and other relevant agencies to enforce this ban and prevent
access to codeine and similar addictive substances,” the CPC noted.
Source: VANGUARDNGR
