The Deadly Risks of Combining Alcohol and Drugs
Numerous people worldwide have no problem drinking alcohol, and they can have an occasional drink after work or on the weekend and stop drinking at any point. Many people have been prescribed prescription medications for injuries or pain, and they take these opioids precisely as directed and stop taking them when they are no longer needed. However, several more people struggle with an addiction to both alcohol and opiates. Alcohol and opiates are highly addictive substances which means that a person could fall into the trap of alcohol addiction or experience opioid misuse at any point. Unfortunately, if a person suffers from both types of addiction, they may begin to use alcohol with other drugs such as opioids, resulting in deadly consequences.
Opioid Effects on the Body
Opioids are prescribed to patients that are suffering from some form of pain. Whether the pain is chronic due to another condition or pain from an injury or surgery, there are many valuable benefits of opioids. However, many people overlook that opioids are highly addictive substances that can quickly result in a serious addiction. Although opioids can come in many different shapes and forms, they all accomplish the same pain relief result. These substances are meant to relax the body to the point where it can start to feel relief from the pain. However, when a person takes opioids for too long or takes them to excess, you risk experiencing a drug overdose.
Effects of Alcohol on the Body
Like prescription medications such as opioids, when a person is addicted to alcohol, they can experience terrible physical and psychological consequences. One of the frustrating aspects of alcohol addiction is that alcohol is entirely legal to purchase. Therefore, alcohol addiction can grow out of control quickly, similar to opioid addiction. Alcohol can directly impact your mental health and other vital organs of your body, including your liver, your heart, and your brain.
Dangers of Combining Alcohol and Opioids
There are countless dangers associated with combining alcohol and prescription medications. Combining these two substances could easily lead to brain damage, loss of coordination, liver damage, or respiratory depression. Depending on the amount of alcohol you drink, you could easily suffer from alcohol poisoning or accidentally overdose on prescription medications. Ultimately, you must reach out for help as soon as possible, so you don’t fall prey to one of these potentially deadly consequences.
It’s important not to overlook the psychological consequences that a person may experience due to combining alcohol and opioids. For example, you could put yourself at increased risk of developing anxiety, bipolar disorder, or depression. If you have a mental health issue, your treatment team will recommend utilizing a dual diagnosis treatment program. A dual diagnosis treatment plan will address both your substance abuse and any mental health issues that you may be experiencing. This process increases the chances of you being able to maintain your sobriety and keeping your mental health intact going forward.
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Alcohol and Drug Rehab at Muse
Once you realize you’re suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, you must reach out for help to try to reverse the effect of combining alcohol and opioids and come to a better and healthier place in your life. At Muse Treatment Center, we offer a myriad of substance abuse treatment plans to help you overcome your addiction to prescription medications or alcohol. Here are some examples of the treatment programs that we offer:
Drug or alcohol detox
Before committing to a treatment plan to address your addiction and abuse of opioids and alcohol, you may need to begin your recovery in a drug or alcohol detox. Within just a few hours from the time you consume alcohol or prescription opioids, there is a strong possibility you will experience withdrawal symptoms, making it all but impossible for you to care for yourself. Withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person and depend significantly on several factors, including your substance of choice, the severity of your substance abuse, and how long you have struggled with this type of harmful interaction. On average, you will need to spend approximately seven days in a drug or alcohol detox, with the worst of your withdrawal symptoms developing within the first 72 hours from when you take the substance for the last time. There is always an increased risk that you could suffer from potentially deadly withdrawal issues, so you should never attempt to go through this process on your own.
Inpatient rehab
Do you feel you need to change the people, places, and things to reverse alcoholism’s effects? If the answer is yes, you would be an ideal candidate for inpatient rehab. During inpatient rehab, you will be able to live on the campus of the treatment facility of choice and enjoy the constant care of your treatment team. An inpatient substance abuse treatment plan will allow you to focus exclusively on yourself so you can overcome your alcohol abuse and prescription drug abuse once and for all.
Outpatient treatment
Do you work or go to school? Do you simply not like the restrictions that come along with inpatient rehab? Suppose the answer is yes to either of these questions. In that case, you may find that the best option for you for addiction treatment is an outpatient treatment program such as an intensive outpatient treatment or a general outpatient treatment program.
The main difference between intensive outpatient treatment and a general outpatient treatment program is the number of hours you need to commit to treatment each week. An intensive outpatient program requires more hours of treatment and therapy per week than a general outpatient program.
It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you commit to an inpatient or an outpatient treatment program, you will need to openly and honestly commit to addiction therapy throughout your recovery program. Some of the examples of addiction therapy that you can expect to participate in include:
Group therapy
During group therapy, you will have the opportunity to interact with other people working through their own addiction treatment programs. This will help you to learn that you’re not alone when it comes to what you may be thinking and experiencing during this time of your treatment. You will have the chance to share your thoughts on the subject and listen to others in your group’s insight.
Individual therapy
There may be certain events in your life that you don’t feel comfortable talking about in a group setting. In cases like this, you will find that individual therapy will be an essential tool during your time in treatment. During individual therapy, you will have the opportunity to talk about these traumatic events with the peace of mind of knowing that you will be interacting privately with your addiction treatment team. Individual therapy is also an excellent time for you to check-in with your treatment team to determine whether or not any changes or adjustments need to be made in your treatment program.
There are also several other forms of addiction therapy that you will experience during your time in treatment. For example, family therapy can help you reestablish your relationship with your family, which may have fallen apart due to your addiction. Trauma-based therapy can help you address the traumatic events in your life that may have contributed to your addiction. Over time, you will see that therapy will help you come to peace with the things in your life that may have contributed to your addiction.
If you’re misusing prescription medication and combining that with alcohol abuse, you must reach out to an addiction center that can provide you with the around-the-clock care you need to address your substance abuse as soon as possible. At Muse Treatment Center, we offer individualized treatment programs that can help you conquer your addiction once and for all. Our addiction center provides a warm and welcoming environment that will give you the flexibility to focus on yourself and become the best version of yourself possible. For more information on why Muse Treatment Center is the best option for you to address alcohol addiction and opioid addiction, or if you have questions about rehab, we encourage you to contact us at (800) 426-1818 today.
