Have you ever found yourself desperately searching for cough mixture, long after that annoying cough has gone? You know, just in case it comes back.

Or maybe you prefer painkillers as they make life pass by a little easier, a little simpler, a little further away from reality.

It may not be obvious to you, but you aren’t the only one addicted to codeine.

According to a study to be presented at a Public Health Association conference in East London, cough mixtures and painkillers are the drugs of choice for many South Africans.

The sad thing is that many people are unaware that it’s the codeine they’ve become addicted to – until they start constantly looking for their “helper,” that is.

Many abusers shop at pharmacies to avoid being discovered, and some children in Durban are combining cough mix and painkillers to create “toxic party drugs”. What even?

Not too sure what exactly codeine is? According to iol:

Codeine is a methylated morphine derivative that occurs in the poppy seed. It can have sedative and euphoric effects.

Here are a few signs if you have a drug problem:

• The use of the drugs when there are no symptoms to alleviate.
• The use of the drugs for longer than prescribed.
• Visits to multiple pharmacies and doctors to obtain unusually large doses.
• The mixing the medication with alcohol or illicit drugs.
• Becoming preoccupied with getting and using the drugs.

Please go check yourself before you wreck yourself, although I completely understand it is up to you to free yourself from the addiction.

[source:iol]