Not all drugs require a prescription to purchase. Thankfully, there are generic medicines that you can buy easily in drugstores and supermarkets. These medications are called over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
Like any medication, OTC drugs have different medical uses and effects — from treating the common cold to mild pain. However, there are still people who abuse OTC drugs to self-medicate for mental conditions, like anxiety and depression. When you do this, there is a high risk of experiencing adverse effects and euphoric “highs” that could do more damage than good.
Unfortunately, some people that abuse OTC drugs eventually move on to more illicit drugs for an improved high. Doing this can significantly affect their mental and physical state, putting them at risk for a drug overdose, memory loss, kidney failure, heart problems, or fatal consequences.
But if you don’t abuse OTC drugs and take the recommended doses, they’re relatively safe. But still, it’s good to be aware that people can still develop an addiction to OTC drugs. Fortunately, sites like Addiction IO provide helpful resources that could guide you through different addictions and treatments.
So today, we’ll dig deeper into OTC and how OTC addiction can affect a person. Let’s take a look!
What are the Over-The-Counter Medicines That are Commonly Abused?
Cough Medicines or Dextromethorphan (DXM)
Cough medicines, when consumed in large doses, can give you hallucinations and a potent high. Because cough syrup is extremely accessible and one can find a bottle in any medicine cabinet, this OTC drug is popular among young people.
The maximum recommended dosage for DXM is 120 mg. If you go beyond that, you’re susceptible to dangerous side effects and intoxication. Some effects would include euphoria, loss of motor coordination, visual distortion, and even out-of-body sensations.
Cold Medicines or Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a common active ingredient found in most cold medicines. This ingredient helps relieve sinus and nasal congestions brought by allergies or the common cold.
When individuals abuse pseudoephedrine, they may experience hallucinations and potent “body high.” Other symptoms that they may also feel include dizziness, shortness of breath, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
Pills for Motion Sickness or Dimenhydrinate
To help treat motion sickness and vertigo, people often reach for motion sickness pills or dimenhydrinate. Dimenhydrinate, when taken with high doses, can cause dangerous side effects that can disorient the person.
One may experience ringing in the ears, nausea, irregular heartbeat, and hallucinations. And some of the more severe effects include seizures, coma, and even death. Because of its powerful effects, this drug is often abused for its psychedelic properties.
Sedatives or Barbiturates
Other types of over-the-counter drugs that people abuse are sedatives like phenobarbital, pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal). When taken at the right dosage, these medications can help ease anxiety, sleep problems, and seizures.
However, if you take more than the recommended dosage, you can get addicted and put yourself at risk for adverse effects like breathing issues and more. Sadly, if you can’t function with these pills to help ease your mental condition, your withdrawals will most likely be dangerous.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are another type of sedative that can help ease anxiety, sleep problems, and panic attacks and are considered a safer choice than barbiturates. But like any drug, abuse and overuse can lead to physical dependence, and addiction and stopping medication can be dangerous as well.
Sleep Medication
Drugs like zolpidem, eszopiclone, and zaleplon help people who have trouble getting sleep and rest. However, when you use them for long periods, you can develop a dependency on them.
Codeine and Morphine
One of the most commonly abused medications is painkillers since they dull pain and produce a euphoric high. However, the side effects that one can incur are potentially dangerous and could cause fatal consequences.
Medical professionals prescribe pain killers, like morphine, to address severe pain and codeine for milder pain. Because these types of painkillers are more accessible, many people issue them.
OxyContin, Percocet
To add to the opioid painkiller list are oxycodone and Percocet. These drugs are what people often abuse and ingest by crushing and snorting or injecting them. With this method of consuming the drug, they are more at risk of suffering from an overdose.
Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet
Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet are drugs that can cause drowsiness and constipation when misused. Besides that, it can also produce adverse effects, such as breathing problems.
Amphetamines
When prescribed, stimulants like various amphetamines can help manage ADHD. However, people also use amphetamines to get high to improve their alertness and get a boost of energy. But when taken too much and in high doses, you put your body at risk of dangerously high body temperatures and irregular heartbeat, leading to cardiac arrest.
Methylphenidate
ADHD drugs have stimulants methylphenidate and are often found in drugs like Concerta, Daytrana, Metadate, Ritalin, and Methylin. When you take these stimulants and combine them with decongestants, you can experience an irregular heartbeat and dangerously high blood pressure.
Side Effects and Withdrawals of Abusing Over-The-Counter Medication
Even with the list of adverse effects, many still believe that OTC drugs don’t cause addiction. But since OTC medications behave like any other drug, there’s no denying that one can grow a dependency and addiction from misuse and abuse.
Whatever drug you take, it will cause brain chemicals and various body responses. And when a person gets used to taking the medication, they can start depending on the high they feel. Here are some signs you may have an OTC addiction:
- You’re craving the medicine;
- You think about the medicine often;
- You are constantly distracted from school, work, or socializing;
- You feel like you can’t power through the day without the medication;
When someone abruptly stops OTC abuse, they may experience common symptoms of withdrawals, such as:
- Changes in behavior and mood;
- Agitation;
- Anxiety or depressions;
- Irritability;
- Confusion;
Seeing as the different drugs will have their own side effects, it’s important to be knowledgeable about these factors so you can help them get the proper treatment they need.
The Bottom Line: Over-The-Counter Misuse Can Cause Drug Addiction and Harmful Effects in Our Bodies
Being aware of the different over-the-counter drugs that people misuse can help identify people struggling with OTC addiction. Most often than not, these people aren’t aware that they are having addictive tendencies and may need someone else to help guide them to sobriety.
When you notice someone who continues to use the drug even when they don’t need it or see someone crave for the drug even when they seem perfectly fine, they may have grown dependent on the drug. But quitting the drug can also lead to harmful withdrawal side effects, which is why you must take them to the right facilities to get proper treatment and support.
Not all drugs require a prescription to purchase. Thankfully, there are generic medicines that you can buy easily in drugstores and supermarkets. These medications are called over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
Like any medication, OTC drugs have different medical uses and effects — from treating the common cold to mild pain. However, there are still people who abuse OTC drugs to self-medicate for mental conditions, like anxiety and depression. When you do this, there is a high risk of experiencing adverse effects and euphoric “highs” that could do more damage than good.
Unfortunately, some people that abuse OTC drugs eventually move on to more illicit drugs for an improved high. Doing this can significantly affect their mental and physical state, putting them at risk for a drug overdose, memory loss, kidney failure, heart problems, or fatal consequences.
But if you don’t abuse OTC drugs and take the recommended doses, they’re relatively safe. But still, it’s good to be aware that people can still develop an addiction to OTC drugs. Fortunately, sites like Addiction IO provide helpful resources that could guide you through different addictions and treatments.
So today, we’ll dig deeper into OTC and how OTC addiction can affect a person. Let’s take a look!
What are the Over-The-Counter Medicines That are Commonly Abused?
Cough Medicines or Dextromethorphan (DXM)
Cough medicines, when consumed in large doses, can give you hallucinations and a potent high. Because cough syrup is extremely accessible and one can find a bottle in any medicine cabinet, this OTC drug is popular among young people.
The maximum recommended dosage for DXM is 120 mg. If you go beyond that, you’re susceptible to dangerous side effects and intoxication. Some effects would include euphoria, loss of motor coordination, visual distortion, and even out-of-body sensations.
Cold Medicines or Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a common active ingredient found in most cold medicines. This ingredient helps relieve sinus and nasal congestions brought by allergies or the common cold.
When individuals abuse pseudoephedrine, they may experience hallucinations and potent “body high.” Other symptoms that they may also feel include dizziness, shortness of breath, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
Pills for Motion Sickness or Dimenhydrinate
To help treat motion sickness and vertigo, people often reach for motion sickness pills or dimenhydrinate. Dimenhydrinate, when taken with high doses, can cause dangerous side effects that can disorient the person.
One may experience ringing in the ears, nausea, irregular heartbeat, and hallucinations. And some of the more severe effects include seizures, coma, and even death. Because of its powerful effects, this drug is often abused for its psychedelic properties.
Sedatives or Barbiturates
Other types of over-the-counter drugs that people abuse are sedatives like phenobarbital, pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal). When taken at the right dosage, these medications can help ease anxiety, sleep problems, and seizures.
However, if you take more than the recommended dosage, you can get addicted and put yourself at risk for adverse effects like breathing issues and more. Sadly, if you can’t function with these pills to help ease your mental condition, your withdrawals will most likely be dangerous.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are another type of sedative that can help ease anxiety, sleep problems, and panic attacks and are considered a safer choice than barbiturates. But like any drug, abuse and overuse can lead to physical dependence, and addiction and stopping medication can be dangerous as well.
Sleep Medication
Drugs like zolpidem, eszopiclone, and zaleplon help people who have trouble getting sleep and rest. However, when you use them for long periods, you can develop a dependency on them.
Codeine and Morphine
One of the most commonly abused medications is painkillers since they dull pain and produce a euphoric high. However, the side effects that one can incur are potentially dangerous and could cause fatal consequences.
Medical professionals prescribe pain killers, like morphine, to address severe pain and codeine for milder pain. Because these types of painkillers are more accessible, many people issue them.
OxyContin, Percocet
To add to the opioid painkiller list are oxycodone and Percocet. These drugs are what people often abuse and ingest by crushing and snorting or injecting them. With this method of consuming the drug, they are more at risk of suffering from an overdose.
Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet
Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet are drugs that can cause drowsiness and constipation when misused. Besides that, it can also produce adverse effects, such as breathing problems.
Amphetamines
When prescribed, stimulants like various amphetamines can help manage ADHD. However, people also use amphetamines to get high to improve their alertness and get a boost of energy. But when taken too much and in high doses, you put your body at risk of dangerously high body temperatures and irregular heartbeat, leading to cardiac arrest.
Methylphenidate
ADHD drugs have stimulants methylphenidate and are often found in drugs like Concerta, Daytrana, Metadate, Ritalin, and Methylin. When you take these stimulants and combine them with decongestants, you can experience an irregular heartbeat and dangerously high blood pressure.
Side Effects and Withdrawals of Abusing Over-The-Counter Medication
Even with the list of adverse effects, many still believe that OTC drugs don’t cause addiction. But since OTC medications behave like any other drug, there’s no denying that one can grow a dependency and addiction from misuse and abuse.
Whatever drug you take, it will cause brain chemicals and various body responses. And when a person gets used to taking the medication, they can start depending on the high they feel. Here are some signs you may have an OTC addiction:
- You’re craving the medicine;
- You think about the medicine often;
- You are constantly distracted from school, work, or socializing;
- You feel like you can’t power through the day without the medication;
When someone abruptly stops OTC abuse, they may experience common symptoms of withdrawals, such as:
- Changes in behavior and mood;
- Agitation;
- Anxiety or depressions;
- Irritability;
- Confusion;
Seeing as the different drugs will have their own side effects, it’s important to be knowledgeable about these factors so you can help them get the proper treatment they need.
The Bottom Line: Over-The-Counter Misuse Can Cause Drug Addiction and Harmful Effects in Our Bodies
Being aware of the different over-the-counter drugs that people misuse can help identify people struggling with OTC addiction. Most often than not, these people aren’t aware that they are having addictive tendencies and may need someone else to help guide them to sobriety.
When you notice someone who continues to use the drug even when they don’t need it or see someone crave for the drug even when they seem perfectly fine, they may have grown dependent on the drug. But quitting the drug can also lead to harmful withdrawal side effects, which is why you must take them to the right facilities to get proper treatment and support.
