Addiction to one substance can be a battle, but when you are struggling with alcoholism and addiction to another drug, it can be devastating. Many people suffer from addiction to more than one substance. Polydrug use is a term used for individuals who abuse several different substances. Often, people mix alcohol with other drugs thinking they will get a better “high.” Mixing substances can be a very dangerous practice and even deadly.
Mixing Alcohol with Different Types of Drugs
People have mixed alcohol with marijuana for many years, thinking that the marijuana gave them the effects of nausea or being paranoid or anxious. In actuality, it is the two substances together which causes these side effects. Some research shows that having the alcohol in the bloodstream causes faster absorption of the THC in the marijuana.
Mixing alcohol with depressants such as Xanax or Valium can be lethal. It causes very dangerous consequences such as loss of sphincter control, stumbling, memory loss, and unconsciousness which can even result in death. On the other hand, mixing alcohol with stimulants such as Adderall or Ritalin can also result in death. People cannot gauge their level of intoxication when combining these substances which can cause over-intoxication, blackouts, pass outs, and even death.
Prescription opiates and opioids are some of the most abused drugs in the United States. When these are combined with alcohol, people will experience slowed breathing, lowered blood pressure and pulse, unconsciousness, and possible coma. These substances are often mixed by drug abusers today, and can also result in death.
Alcoholism and Addiction to Other Substances
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, people who are dependent on alcohol are more likely to use drugs than others, and individuals who are dependent on drugs are more likely to use alcohol. People who are dependent on alcohol and another substance are at risk of fatalities due to the two substances’ dangerous interactions. Some studies say that alcoholics are more likely to try other substances because of their personalities.
Help for Addiction
If you are battling alcoholism along with another addiction to a substance, there is help for you. You may have started using
alcohol and cocaine recreationally, or you may have been put on prescription painkillers and continued to drink alcohol, developing an addiction to both. Addiction to many substances is not unique today, and addiction treatment facilities are equipped to handle multiple addictions together.
The psychological treatment for someone addicted to more than one substance is the same as if only addicted to one. However, the physical treatment may differ. When going through detoxification, two different toxins have to be removed from the system. Detoxing from both can be a complicated procedure, but professionals can handle it in an inpatient treatment facility.
Inpatient Addiction Treatment
Detoxing from two different substances should be dealt with in an inpatient treatment facility where you can receive the proper
treatment. In an inpatient facility, specialists will monitor you around the clock and physicians can prescribe medications to help ease the withdrawal symptoms. These professionals will keep you as comfortable as possible during the detox process. Should any medical emergencies arise such as seizures, they can take care of it immediately.
Don’t think that you have a sentence of addiction for the rest of your life because you are struggling with alcoholism and addiction to another type of substance. Enroll in an inpatient addiction treatment program and receive the help that you deserve to regain your sobriety and return to a healthy, productive life.
