A majority of drug users have don’t understand what polysubstance abuse is and the impacts. Polysubstance abuse refers to the use of more than one drug at a time. The damage can involve a combination of illicit drugs and prescription medication. A person may also take multiple prescriptions without knowing that they should not use the medication simultaneously. However, most people use several drugs for more significant inducement. If you’re asking, “What is polysubstance abuse?” contact Summit Estate at 800.701.6997 today.
What Is Polysubstance Abuse?
Combining many drugs can give a user the desired effects or lead to unpredictable results. The impact of this behavior can either be long term or short term. Moreover, the consequences differ depending on the combination of drugs taken. Understanding what polysubstance abuse is can help a person avoid the dangers. Some substance interactions can cause high blood pressure and reduced metabolism. These complications may lead to acute health issues; for example, heavy drinkers that also use intravenous drugs can contract Hepatitis C.
Using several substances also increases the risk of overdosing because some drugs can cover the effects of others. In such cases, a user fails to obtain the desired outcome and may use fatal quantities. Treating such an overdose involves a complicated procedure; for instance, medics can reverse an opioid overdose using naloxone. However, the presence of another drug in the body, such as alcohol, reduces the effectiveness of this treatment. Additionally, one will need specialized treatment to recover from a cross-addiction. The dangers of polysubstance abuse are far-reaching, and abusers have often experienced worsened mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
How to Identify Polysubstance Abuse
A person must meet specific criteria to identify as a polysubstance addict. One must use a minimum of three drugs in the exemption of caffeine and nicotine. Additionally, they must show at least three of the most common signs of cross-addiction. A person with an addiction cannot stop using drugs or reduce the amount they take. Additionally, any effort to stop usage or the inability to access drugs causes withdrawal symptoms. Multiple drug usage also increases one’s level of drug tolerance. Consequently, a person will need to use more dosages of a substance than before to get high.
Polysubstance abuse may also cause decreased interest in socialization and previous hobbies. So, one will tend to spend most of their time either acquiring drugs or under substance influence. It is also common for a drug user to have multiple addictions. This type of dependence differs from polysubstance addiction. For instance, one may have cocaine, heroin, and alcohol addiction and need more quantities of each drug individually. Contrarily, polysubstance abuse influences a person to stick to a specific combination of drugs.
Polysubstance Abuse Detox
The withdrawal symptoms that arise during polysubstance detox are complex. Hence, professionals recommend that a person detoxes in an inpatient institution. These medical facilities can administer medication to offset some withdrawal effects. In some cases, one may require to use long term medication to control the addiction. Such include the use of opioids to deal with an addiction to prescription painkillers.
Some drugs like cocaine do not cause severe withdrawal symptoms. However, others like benzodiazepine can lead to health problems such as seizures. Hence, a person should not stop the consumption of the drug abruptly. Instead, one should reduce the dosage slowly to allow the body adequate time to adapt. Withdrawing from polysubstance abuse can also be unpredictable. So, a patient should receive additional treatment like therapy to make sure they do not relapse. Some of the most effective therapies are:
- Group therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Family therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Motivational interviewing
Detoxing from multiple substances calls for intensive medical attention. At Summit Estate, we have a wide variety of detox and substance treatment to help you fight polydrug abuse. We evaluate our clients before detoxing them to create a customized and effective plan. Our program will also educate you on what polysubstance abuse is and what you can do to avoid the behavior. We also improve the health of our patients using treatment programs such as yoga and art therapy. Contact us at 800.701.6997 to enroll for a rehabilitation program.
