One of the most common antitussive or cough suppressants found in a bunch of over-the-counter medicines is dextromethorphan. This antitussive can control coughs due to bronchial and throat irritation that occurs alongside a common cold or through inhaled irritants. The great thing about this active ingredient is that it won’t only suppress cough symptoms, but it can treat various symptoms of cold and cough suppressant lozenges as well.
Unfortunately, many people misuse and abuse this drug because it can mimic the effects of illegal drugs, such as ketamine or PCP. This is quite prevalent in the younger generations because you can purchase the medicine without a prescription, and it’s quite easy to find instructions on how to get high with it on the internet.
If you’re curious to know what dextromethorphan or DXM is, keep reading. In this article, we’ll dig deeper into what DXM is — what robotripping is, the short-term and long-term effects of misuse, and many more. Let’s take a look!
What Is Dextromethorphan or DXM?
As mentioned earlier, DXM is an antitussive available in most OTC medicines that helps ease coughs due to minor throat and bronchial irritation. Besides that, the active ingredient also helps suppress cold symptoms and cough suppressant lozenges.
What Is Robotripping?
Robotripping is slang that describes being intoxicated due to excessive use of dextromethorphan, the active ingredient used in multiple cough medicines.
DXM does an excellent job in easing a cough, throat irritation, and cold symptoms with the right dosage and use. Besides that, it won’t form any habits and is extremely safe for consumption when used as directed. On the other hand, when a person abuses dextromethorphan by taking larger doses, it may have severe physical, emotional, and psychological effects.
This active ingredient is often sought after because of the psychedelic effects it produces, which is quite similar to ecstasy, ketamine, and PCP since DXM is also considered a hallucinogen. Although DXM can produce mild euphoria, some tend to experience intense paranoia and even hallucinations.
When a person is robotripping, it can cause an individual to become seriously detached from reality, resulting in dangerous and violent self-harming behaviors or the harming of other people.
What Makes Robotripping Dangerous?
When individuals abuse cough syrup and go robotripping, they’re essentially getting high from DXM. But like any misuse of any drugs, uncontrolled intake of dextromethorphan can lead to unpleasant and adverse effects.
After drinking the mixture, people can start to feel nauseous, tired, restless, and even experience stomach cramping. When this happens, some may be too dizzy to stand up and drive, putting themselves and others in extreme danger.
Progressively, robotripping can eventually lead to liver damage and delusions when used over time. In some cases, a person may also experience memory loss and mood disorders, which could greatly affect their overall quality of life. And finally, one of the worst effects of DXM is that it puts you at risk of an overdose, leading to a coma or death.
The Plateaus in Robotrippinmg
Essentially, the more DXM you take, the more severe symptoms and effects you experience. To better understand this, it’s best to understand the four stages of robotripping, called plateaus.
- Plateau 1: The total DXM dose for this stage is 100 to 200 milligrams, found in 35 to 60ml of syrup or four to six capsules. The symptoms a person may experience are euphoria and restlessness.
- Plateau 2: The total DXM dose for this stage is 200 to 500 milligrams and is contained in 60 to 185ml of syrup or seven to 18 capsules. The symptoms a person may experience are auditory and visual hallucinations and imbalance.
- Plateau 3: The total DXM dose for this stage is 500 to 1,000 milligrams in 185 to 375ml of syrup or 18 to 33 capsules. The symptoms a person may experience are altered consciousness, partial dissociation, intense hallucinations, mania, and panic.
- Plateau 4: The total DXM dosage for this stage is more than 1,000 milligrams, found in more than 375ml of syrup or more than 33 capsules. A person may experience hallucinations, delusions, loss of control over body movements, and full dissociation.
Side Effects of DXM
What Are The Physical Side-Effects of DXM?
As mentioned previously, DXM can cause severe physical effects and could vary from person to person, depending on the dosage. Besides that, the type of product you also take matters since they can include other active ingredients as well, producing their own effects.
Here are some physical side-effects that you may experience:
- Increased body temperature
- Sweating
- Hot flashes
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Lethargy
- Slurred speech
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Slow breathing
- Rashes and itching
- Involuntary movements
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness
How Long Before You Feel the Effects of DXM?
The effects of DXM will start to kick in 30 to 60 minutes after taking DXM and will peak after two to four hours. The dose you took, other active ingredients, and your body mass index will affect how quickly you’ll feel the effects.
How Long Will the Effects Last?
When taking DXM, you should know that the effects will wear off within six hours from the first dosage. However, several factors influence how long you’ll feel the effects. This may include the following:
- Your dosage or how much of the drug you took
- Other active ingredients found in the product
- How much food you ate before taking the drug
- Your body size
Either way, taking too many doses of DXM will definitely contribute to adverse and unpleasant reactions to your body. For this reason, if you know anyone misusing DXM, it’s best to speak to them immediately and offer support so they can get the help they need.
Dextromethorphan Is an Accessible Drug, and You Should Monitor Use to Avoid Abuse
DXM is one of the most common active ingredients found in cough suppressants that does an amazing job in easing cough and cold symptoms. With the right dose and proper use, it is an effective over-the-counter medicine that helps people feel comfortable again and back to their original state.
However, because it is quite accessible, many people can easily buy the product and misuse it due to the euphoric and psychedelic effects. Unfortunately, DXM abuse can trigger various unpleasant physical symptoms, which could lead to intense physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms, or in worse cases, a coma or even death.
If you know anyone struggling with DXM abuse, it’s best to provide support and help them look for the proper treatment right away. Catching the issue in whatever stage they’re on can help them improve their quality of life and help them get on their feet and into the road to sobriety. Fortunately, treatment finders like Addiction IO are here to help, making recovery for patients and their loved ones much easier.
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