What You Need To Know About Lean Addiction
Lean, sometimes referred to as “purple drank” or “sizzurp,” is a recreational drug cocktail that consists of codeine linctus (an opiate), promethazine, and hydrocodone. The substance is usually mixed with a fizzy drink containing sugar and has earned a somewhat notorious reputation, particularly among the rap and hip-hop communities.
While lean was initially popular with young adults, it became more widespread as references grew more prominent around the mid-2000s. The typical lean drink combines prescription-strength codeine with promethazine into a sugary soft drink with hard candy to enhance sweetness. Users report being drawn to the drink’s purple hue and the sedative-like, euphoric effects that it produces.
During the early phases of its popularity, there was a wide misconception that using lean was relatively safe and risk-free. However, as time progressed, it became clear among health professionals and recovery specialists that the concoction had a high potential for addiction along with several adverse effects. In this article, we will explore the facts about lean while shedding some light on the steps you can take to find a lasting path to recovery.
The History of Lean as a Recreational Drug
While lean became increasingly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s in a specific sub-genre of hip-hop culture, its true origins trace back to the 1960s in Houston, Texas. Interestingly, the original lean users were musicians as well. They were blues players who would mix Robitussin with beer during their performances to enhance their buzz on stage.
Its popularity steadily grew, as songs such as “Sippin’ on Some Sizzurp” by the Memphis rap group Three Six Mafia, featuring Houston Rapper UKG, entered the music scene. Around 2000, the song’s music video also ran frequently on cable music stations such as MTV and BET, in which it prominently displayed the use of lean among the song’s performers.
The rising popularity of this track promoted more leisurely references to lean throughout other songs and music videos over the past two decades. At the same time, the risks associated with consuming the substance seemed to be lost and clouded by the rise of popular culture references promoting the mixture as a recreational drug.
Understanding Lean and Its Associated Compounds
Lean is a narcotic recreational drink that is highly addictive. While its main ingredient, prescription cough syrup containing small amounts of codeine, seems relatively benign, the substance is still an opiate that should only be used under a physician’s care.
Cough syrup also contains promethazine, an antihistamine with strong sedative properties. Consuming these compounds by themselves is unpleasant. It does not have the sweet taste of cough syrups you can purchase at the drugstore. To improve the taste, lean users mix the active components with a sugary, carbonated drink. Users may also add a hard candy such as a Jolly Rancher to make the concoction more appealing.
How Is Lean Consumed and What Are Its Effects?
Lean users often take the drug casually alongside other substances like marijuana and alcohol. Music videos frequently depict the drug being casually consumed out of a Styrofoam cup.
Codeine is generally used for short-term relief of mild-to-moderate pain under a physician’s care. Doctors typically do not prescribe the drug for relieving long-term, chronic pain, and it could potentially have little to no effect on some individuals. Health professionals attribute this to an inherited genetic code that prevents the body from processing codeine as a pain reliever.
From a recreational usage standpoint, codeine is deceptively easy to become addicted to because it is easy to consume large quantities of it without immediate negative health impacts. Not only is codeine addictive, but consuming it in large amounts can also lead to a lethal overdose.
The Realities of Lean Addiction
Most lean-dependent individuals are drawn by how the substance takes hold of their brain and rewires their current state of consciousness. As an opiate, codeine invites sensations of warmth and well-being. It even has the potential to reduce emotional suffering since, after consuming, its users are often in a mellow, low-stress state. There is some evidence that people with a PTSD diagnosis have been turning to opiates like codeine to alleviate their symptoms.
People who misuse codeine may suffer the following effects:
- Urinary tract infections
- Dental problems
- Excessive weight gain
- Constipation
- Seizures
Promethazine, while not a controlled substance, also contributes to lean’s addictive potential because of its qualities as a sedative. This element of cough syrup is known to produce symptoms such as drowsiness and dizziness that contribute to the sense of euphoria people experience after drinking lean. Some say the drug helps them relax, while others fall into deeply lethargic, dream-like states.
The health impacts of excessive lean consumption become dangerous when heart rate and breathing slow. These symptoms can lead to a coma and even death, especially when mixing lean with other prescription drugs.
Like other recreational drugs, consuming lean can lead to impaired judgment and cause physical disorientation that makes it hazardous to operate a motor vehicle or dangerous machinery. People who become dependent on lean often misuse other recreational substances such as alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications, and even harder recreational drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine.
Such problematic behaviors can quickly lead to a disconnection from reality that can evolve into serious physical and mental health issues. If left unchecked, what might have seemed like harmless recreational lean consumption can quickly spiral out of control, requiring inpatient treatment for addiction and mental health concerns.
How Addictive Is Lean?
The addictive potentials of codeine and promethazine are reasonably high. All opioids carry a high risk of dependency, and many attribute the current opioid crisis to have originated in misuse of legally prescribed painkillers like codeine.
Opioids contribute to addiction because they activate the brain’s reward center and discharge an influx of dopamine to the receptors therein. This means that, after consuming opioids, your body produces the chemical and physical reactions that generate cravings and cause you to seek repeated use.
While a medically prescribed and supervised opioid dosage may not be toxic, the more a person uses an opioid-based substance, the more tolerance they build up. As the body’s tolerance for the drug increases, it needs more of the drug to render the same effects.
This sets the stage for addiction and a potential overdose, as the body can only tolerate so much of the drug before it leads to organ failure. In most cases, promethazine is not considered as toxic as codeine, but the two combined for the calming effects of lean can quickly lead to dependency.
How Do You Know When You Are Addicted to Lean?
There are several key signs that point to a potential physical and psychological dependence on codeine cough syrup. Some of these indicators of addiction may include:
- Increased compulsion to consume lean
- Continued usage despite wanting to quit
- Opioid withdrawal symptoms (insomnia, sweating, agitation)
- Persistent cravings
- Social and occupational problems
- Increased risky behaviors
- Noticeable changes in personality
- Legal and financial problems
Barriers to Seeking Help for a Lean Addiction
Finding yourself in the middle of any unhealthy habit is hard to admit, and knowing when to seek treatment for addiction often comes with a lot of hesitation, self-doubt, and other barriers. Many people fear the stigma associated with seeking treatment for a substance use disorder. They worry about being judged or labeled for their inability to manage a potentially dangerous health condition that is simply beyond their control.
Some people have worries about how treatment could potentially impact their professional life and reputation. In reality, substance use disorder is a disease just like any other. It is not a sign of a personal shortcoming or individual weakness. The most impressive minds and hardest working individuals have been known to face serious bouts of addiction and overcome them to lead normal, productive lives again.
These stigmas associated with chemical dependency may seem like they are too much to handle as you grapple with your situation. Remember that addiction is not a moral failing on your part, and you should be treating it like any other health concern you would have. Professional help is available, and attempting to fight this battle without support can be dangerous. This is especially true when dealing with a prescription opioid addiction that can quickly spiral into dependence on more dangerous street forms of the drug.
When you seek medical assistance for your lean dependency, you need a collection of resources in place to start a long-term, permanent recovery plan. The National Rehab Hotline can connect you with qualified addiction recovery specialists who will tailor a treatment plan specifically for your individual needs. Working with an experienced addiction professional will help you address both your physical dependency, any underlying behavior patterns, and other health concerns that may be contributing to your addiction.
Getting therapeutic support for your dependency on codeine before the addiction transfers to other dangerous substances can make an impactful difference in finding a successful and lasting recovery. The trusted resources of an addiction recovery center in your area can also address any co-occurring addictions or mental health diagnoses currently impacting your well-being.
Take the first step by calling the National Rehab Hotline now at 866-210-1303. We will familiarize you with a variety of treatment options that can help you develop the coping mechanisms you need to put your addiction behind you permanently.