Author: Charles Frank
What Is Lean and Why Is it So Dangerous?
Ineligible respondents were notified of their ineligibility and thanked for their time. Eligible respondents were notified of their eligibility and asked if they would like to participate in the study. Eligible respondents who declined were thanked for their time and exited from the webpage, while eligible respondents who elected to participate started the survey. This incentive survey asked participants for the code they were provided in the study survey, their e-mail addresses, and if they were willing to be contacted for future studies. Separating these surveys allowed for study survey responses to be unlinked from e-mail addresses.
Give us a call today to verify your insurance coverage or to learn more about paying for addiction treatment. Another severe side effect of lean is the potential for hallucinations, where individuals experience sensations or perceptions that are not real. Lean derives its name from the characteristic effect it has on users, causing them to slouch or lean to one side as they consume the substance. Codeine, the main component of lean, shares similar effects with other addictive opioids like oxycodone and heroin. Beyond this, lean is often glamorized in popular culture and can be easily accessible, especially among young people. This accessibility and the false perception that lean is harmless can contribute to the rapid development of addiction among users.
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Rapper Future was one of the main proponents of drinking lean, recording a song called Codeine Crazy to illustrate the effects of lean. He claimed that he started using the drink called lean after listening to Future’s music. Future has now stopped drinking lean, despite concealing his abstinence from fans for some time. In slang, lean stands for a concoction called purple drank or sizzurp, which contains a mix of codeine and promethazine with other ingredients. Lean can lead to serious health effects, including respiratory depression, overdose, and, in some cases, death due to its highly addictive nature and the potential for harmful side effects.
The mixture of codeine and promethazine in lean can elevate heart rate, potentially putting strain on the cardiovascular system. This can be particularly concerning for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions. That said, when consumed in large doses or for non-prescription purposes, it can be extremely harmful, and the inclusion of pleasant flavors from soda and candy can make it easy to lose track of the amount of lean consumed.
FAQ About Lean and Addiction
If you become dependent on opioids, you will experience aggravating withdrawal symptoms when you moderate or discontinue use. Drinking lean regularly can lead to dental decay, especially for those who do not take proper care of their teeth. The sugary mixture of cough syrup, soda, hard candy, and alcohol can be detrimental to oral health, and the use of opioids like codeine can cause dry mouth, fostering harmful bacteria that damage teeth and gums. Codeine is a central nervous system depressant, and high doses can slow down the user’s heart rate, particularly when combined with other drugs.
When you are dependent on lean, bad things happen to your body when you stop using. The composition of “purple drank” varies depending on the area and user, but almost always includes a controlled substance that is extremely harmful in high doses. Sociodemographic, mental health and lean use characteristics of the sample.
- These sensations can make someone believe they’re hearing, seeing, feeling, or smelling something that isn’t there.
- Treatment typically lasts for several weeks or months, depending on the severity of the addiction.
- Behavioral therapies are crucial in treating lean addiction, as they help individuals identify and address the underlying factors contributing to their substance abuse.
- Because the use of this substance is so common among young adults, the following section focuses on them.
No geographic data were captured from respondents, which may have provided context regarding lean mixtures in different regions and countries. Another limitation is the Cronbach alphas are lower than ideal in this exploratory study. The use of probability sampling methods in future studies about lean use is also warranted to represent the population. Although lean is consumed internationally,3,16,20 and has visibility in popular culture,4,9-12 it remains vastly understudied. As well as triggering the above physical side effects, lean abuse can also lead to adverse mental health outcomes – an increased risk of anxiety and depression, for example.
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Such impairment increases the likelihood of accidental falls, injuries, and car accidents, which can be fatal. The reason is that the syrup has both a reliever and a suppressant for the cough. Dr. Ashish Bhatt, MD explains the influence that the internet and social media have on young adults, adolescents, and teens when it comes to substance use. Codeine can dull emotional responses, leading to emotional numbness and an inability to experience pleasure without the drug.
Adding alcohol or other drugs to lean can increase the risk of respiratory depression and overdose. Comprehensive treatment programs that address both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction can significantly improve the chances of recovery and long-term sobriety. If you or someone you know is dealing with lean addiction, reaching out to healthcare professionals or addiction treatment centers can provide the necessary support and guidance on the road to recovery. Promethazine is an antihistamine and sedative often prescribed to treat allergies, motion sickness, and nausea. When combined with codeine, promethazine enhances the effects of the opioid and increases respiratory depression, which can lead to dangerous consequences. Although most lean-related drug abuse includes opiates, some users will drink lean with “plain” syrup, which includes promethazine but not codeine and is easier to obtain.
Despite study findings about lean, this study is not without limitations. One limitation is inherent to the data collection methodology of anonymous online surveys. Persons using substance-related subReddits are not representative of all persons using lean. Although Qualtrics’23 bot detection (reCAPTCHA) was used, and the chances of receiving an incentive were low, there is still a risk of bots completing the survey or individuals completing the survey multiple times. Another limitation is that 3 of the 10 subReddit moderators that did not respond during the data collection period provided approval afterward and, therefore, these subreddit pages were not part of the recruitment procedures. Future studies may also examine factors related to lean use among youths.
These drugs can lead to physical dependence and addiction with regular use. The danger sets in because the lean contains a cough medication that has codeine as one of its ingredients. As a result, lean becomes an addictive substance that might end up giving you a lot of stress in the withdrawal process without the help of codeine addiction treatment in San Antonio, TX.
Lean (drug)
Lean is popular with young users because it is easy to find and easy to make. If you are addicted Lean and need help, then get help at a drug detox treatment center in Florida. If you or someone close to you has been drinking lean and needs drug abuse treatment, Turning Point of Tampa can help.
Lean addiction can impair decision-making skills and lead to risky behaviors. Lean addiction can lead to unpredictable mood swings, with individuals experiencing periods of euphoria followed by depressive or irritable episodes. Some codeine formulations contain acetaminophen, which, when taken in excessive amounts, can cause severe liver damage and other negative consequences. As an in-network facility, we are able and committed to helping you find the life you deserve.