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Rehab for First Responders

Rehab for First Responders

First responders, including law enforcement officers, search and rescue teams, firefighters, and emergency medical services teams (dispatchers and ambulance workers), are some of the first to step on the scene of disaster, accident, or emergency. These scenes present some of the most dangerous and emotionally demanding situations possible.

As a first responder, you often interact with victims needing immediate care, life support, or urgent medical help. As a first responder, your duty further involves giving emotional support to disaster survivors. In the face of these emotionally draining situations, first responders’ training requires them to maintain composure despite these demands.

A 2018 report on the mental health of responders claims that emergency medical personnel, firefighters, and police officers carry a 70%  higher mortality risk compared to workers who are non-first responders. Due to frequent exposure to work-related traumatic events, first responders are likely to develop mental health issues. Generally, the prevalence of sleep disorders, behavioral health issues, anxiety, and PTSD among first responders is greater than among the general populace.

As a first responder, or with a loved one serving in the role, you may already be familiar with these facts. Now keep reading to find out why Best Rehabs In Arizona should form the front line of your efforts to get lasting relief from alcohol and/or drugs!

Identifying Mental Health Issues in First Responders

Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders are often people with high-level self-esteem and are performance-driven. A first responder’s motivation is to do well and get the desirable results.

Some first responders may start to interpret issues with feelings of anxiety, isolation, or flashback as signs of weakness and may feel embarrassed to share these feelings with family or friends. In many cases, they may opt to internalize these feelings, eventually resulting in behavioral health issues. If this goes unchecked, it may lead to increased feelings of depression, leading to burnout on the job.

Here are common mental health issues among first responders:

Depression in Emergency Response Teams

Depression in Emergency Response Teams

Depression is a commonly reported mental illness issue in first responders’ professions. A case-controlled study on medical team workers who responded to the 2011 Japan earthquake indicated that 21.4% of the team suffered clinical depression.

First responders battling depression may experience feelings of sadness. They may find little or no pleasure in jobs they used to enjoy. These emotions can negatively affect their energy levels and overall well-being. Some common signs of depression may include:

1. Extreme fatigue

First responders work long shifts, but extreme fatigue may signify depression. If you’re having trouble remaining awake even after a night of good sleep, it could be depression. The key here is to identify if there’s a pattern linked to this behavior.

2. An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness or sadness

One of the most difficult things to accept as a first responder is a reality that you won’t be able to save everyone. While most first responders come to terms with this reality, those battling depression may have increased feelings of hopelessness or sadness.

3. Loss of Enthusiasm

First responders look forward to making a difference every day. However, depression can turn this enthusiasm into dread. When you find yourself starting to take unplanned off days, enthusiasm may be fading away.

Other symptoms may include:

  • Changes of appetite
  • Unexplained body aches or fatigue
  • Having difficulty making choices or focusing
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Behavioral concerns

 

People that are battling depression experience difficulty controlling negative, repetitive thoughts. The good news is that; depression can be treated. If you or your loved one is struggling with this mental health issue, it’s essential to seek help.

Substance Abuse in First Responder Professions

There’s sadly a close connection between drug and alcohol addiction and the life of first responders. Exposure to traumatic scenes while on duty can lead to the development of behavioral disorders. One such behavioral disorder is alcohol use disorder.

Its reported alcohol abuse among first responders is greater than that of the general population. First responders use alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism.

First responders who develop substance abuse might show abrupt changes in their behavior, and these negative changes can impact their self-esteem and motivation.

What are the Warning Signs of Substance Abuse?

Warning Signs of Substance Abuse

Some of the warning signs include:

  • Unexplained absence from work
  • Inability to focus or forgetfulness
  • Hyperactivity or extreme lethargy
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Challenges with physical co-ordination

 

Many first responders suffering from alcohol use disorder experience social stigma. In most cases, they fear being judged if discovered. With the right care and support, sustained recovery is entirely possible.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in First Responders

Considering the severity and frequency of traumatic scenes, it’s not shocking that first responders face a significant risk of suffering PTSD.

Occupational-specific risk factors that contribute to PTSD among first responders include:

  • Hostile occupational environments including risk for physical injury and exposure to excessive smoke, heat, or fire.
  • Traumatic events encountered on the line of duty
  • Types of traumatic events
  • Routine occupational stress
  • Lack of adequate workplace social support
  • Irregular sleep patterns may compromise resilience in the face of a traumatic experience.

 

PTSD is a severe mental health condition that can impact every aspect of a first responder’s life. A Journal of Emergency Medical Services report claims that PTSD is heavily unreported among the first responders’ community because it’s regarded as a weakness.

Common signs of PTSD among first responders include:

  • Sleep disturbances
  • Lack of interest at work
  • Intrusive dreams, flashbacks, or memories of a specific incident
  • Distancing from family and friends
  • Overwhelming fear
  • A feeling of guilt or self-esteem
  • Inability to focus
  • Increased substance abuse
  • Self-destructive or dangerous behavior

Is Rehab Important for First Responders?

Getting specialized treatment for first responders is essential for recovery. A responder addiction treatment program helps those who have suffered work-related traumatic events quickly get the help they need. The program addresses underlying mental health issues and shapes the path to sustained recovery.

Best Rehabs In Arizonas use an integrated addiction treatment approach that combines licensed professionals from different backgrounds to treat a first responder. These specialists form a multidisciplinary team that meets to discuss patients’ treatment targets and progress and then meets separately with the patient to discuss specific issues during admission process.

The multidisciplinary team can include therapists, counselors, physicians, and other specialists who combine their expertise to offer best treatment for first responders. The drug and alcohol addiction treatment process starts with an overall assessment by trained professionals such as psychologists to evaluate you at all levels, effectively diagnose underlying issues, and develop a holistic addiction treatment for you.

Mental health condition treatment is a long-term commitment, and it’s overall in nature since it addresses your social, psychological, and physical needs. This means that addiction treatment for first responders will often include medications, therapy, family support, and other necessary interventions. For patients with co-occurring PTSD and behavioral health disorders, the first treatment steps would most likely involve using a medical detox program followed by an intensive outpatient or inpatient program.

Using medications for addiction treatment can help the patient get through chronic pain, reduce cravings and manage symptoms like anxiety. However, medications don’t address the underlying causes of first responders’ co-occurring disorders and can’t prepare them for behavior adjustments.

Specific Treatment Goals for First Responders

Treatment Goals for First Responders

  • Helping first responders express their needs in a way that doesn’t make them feel inadequate or exposed
  • The development of interests and hobbies outside of work to help first responders deal with work-related traumatic events
  • The development of a reliable social support system that can assist first responders
  • Continued support after the program enables first responders to identify signs of substance use disorders and traumatic stress.

 

Responders with co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder need to remain in the responders addiction treatment program long enough to attain the necessary skills to avoid relapse. For sustained recovery, it’s essential to identify situations that can increase the possibility of relapse and recognize the signs of relapse.

How Can You Support a Loved One Struggling with a Mental Health Issue?

If your loved one is struggling with one of these first responder mental health issues, you can help them by being there for them.

Here are some tips:

#Tip 1- Listen to Them

Sometimes, your loved ones don’t know if they need help. It’s difficult for most first responders to accept that they have a mental health problem. If your loved one is having a hard time, sit down and listen to them.

#Tip 2 Seek Help

Don’t be ashamed to seek professional help. It’s okay to be uncomfortable when you shift position from a person giving help to one receiving it. If you join our first responders’ addiction treatment center program, you can view it as another professional network designed to help you exceed in your position even more than you currently do.

Start Your Healing Journey Today at Best Rehabs In Arizona

If you or your loved one needs help, Best Rehabs In Arizonas (AZ &CO) is here for you. Our top-notch mental health and addiction treatment center is the right place to start your healing journey. Enjoy a stress-free first responder addiction treatment program as you receive a personalized responders addiction treatment plan.

Contact us today if you’re ready to break free from a dangerous chain of substance abuse. We look forward to welcoming you.

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Can You Overdose on Meth?

What are Methamphetamines

Meth is a substance that many people are familiar with. It has been used recreationally for a long time. It’s among the most affordable and accessible drugs on the market. But this accessibility has the unspoken side effect of making it easy to take as much as you want. Meth overdoses are shockingly uncommon, and they have spiked recently. Methamphetamine deaths due to overdose more than tripled between 2015 and 2019.

Read on to learn more about protecting yourself from meth overdose, and how to find effective forms of treatment that can help you put aside crystal for good!

What are Methamphetamines?

Methamphetamines, also known as crystal meth or “meth” for short, is a powerful stimulant that can be harmful to the user and those around them. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant or controlled substance. This means it has a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Methamphetamine has no accepted medical use in the United States. It affects the central nervous system and increases energy and alertness. Other effects include irregular heartbeat and blood pressure, fast breathing, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, irritability, and mood issues.

Meth and Substance Abuse: Proven Risks

Methamphetamine can cause serious health consequences and even death. It is highly addictive and can cause permanent brain damage, cardiac arrest, liver failure, increased blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, kidney failure, memory loss, anxiety, and depression. In addition, meth users are at high risk for other serious consequences such as hepatitis B or C, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and dental problems like gum disease or tooth decay (this is also colloquially known as “meth mouth”).

Methamphetamine and other drugs like it also change how the body makes serotonin – a chemical that regulates moods – which can lead to violent behavior and hallucinations. Methamphetamine users who use it as a recreational drug will often become paranoid and aggressive when they use the drug because their bodies do not produce enough natural serotonin anymore. This may make them behave violently toward others or themselves (e.g., suicide attempts).

The truth is that drug abuse in and of itself is commonly viewed as a public health problem. The health risks and mental degradation that often accompanies long-term drug use often can be life-threatening and result in permanent damage.

Without the intervention of treatment and professional medical attention, these dangerous chemicals can be fatal to persons who find themselves unable to halt their usage.

Who is At Risk of Meth Addiction?

Methamphetamine is an incredibly dangerous illicit drug that can lead to addiction very quickly. Abuse of this stimulant drug causes mental and physical changes that make it difficult for users to stop meth use without help.

What are the risk factors for meth addiction? Knowing them may allow for early intervention when it comes to meth use and being able to spot people most at risk of falling victim to this illicit substance.

Genetic History – A family history of meth use, or even other stimulants, can make a person further down the genetic line predisposed to addiction. This is one of the most statistically trackable risk factors. Much the same way that a person with a family history of heart failure is genetically more at risk for that condition, a family history of crystal meth can render generations down the road at risk.

Co-Existing Conditions – Persons with co-existing mental health conditions are often at risk of falling into drug abuse. People with chronic anxiety and depression are chief in that category. This comes from a desire and an aim to try to self-medicate.

Often these people are simply trying to address the pain of their existence at the moment and are not thinking of the other health effects that accompany the drug use. Neurodivergent persons may fall into this category. However, it must be stated that, specifically with regard to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there is a false belief and stigma associated with medication subscribed for ADHD.

The typical stimulant which is medically associated with that condition, methylphenidate, is commonly associated with being equivalent to methamphetamines. It is not. This stigma, ironically enough, can result in neurodivergent persons seeking to medicate appropriately and safely running into logistical or societal blockades.

Environmental Factors – This can be anything from the physical environment, to stress factors, to isolation. Factors in one’s life and environment can push persons towards seeking, in extreme cases, intense forms of escapism in the form of a drug habit. From a socioeconomic point of view, it is important to keep in mind that research has shown that regions with lower-income, poverty, and economic/environmental hardships also correlate with increased drug consumption.

What are The Signs of Meth Addiction?

Signs of Meth Addiction

Meth causes the brain to release abnormally high levels of dopamine, a chemical neurotransmitter that plays a role in motivation, pleasure, and reward. When this happens, users experience feelings of euphoria and energy.

At first, meth tends to make people feel more alert, energetic and sociable. But it also makes them anxious and paranoid. After a while, they may develop sleeping problems or lose interest in eating or having sex. They may have trouble keeping up with their responsibilities at work or school and begin to neglect family members or friends.

Meth Addiction Symptoms at a Glance

Some of the signs of meth addiction, at a glance, are:

  • Psychotic symptoms, in the form of violent episodes, including threatening people and breaking things in the home
  • Dilated pupils
  • Loss of interest in appearance or hygiene
  • Irritability, restlessness, and anxiety or panic attacks
  • Insomnia (sleeping too much) or hypersomnia (sleeping too little)
  • Anorexia (loss of appetite) or bulimia (binge eating followed by purging)

Methamphetamine Overdose: The Facts

A meth overdose occurs when someone uses too much of the drug and has life-threatening symptoms that are severe enough to risk or cause death. Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths have increased every year since 2002.

Meth Overdose by the Numbers

In 2016 alone, more than 63,600 Americans died from drug overdoses — up from 52,400 in 2015. These numbers include both prescription painkillers and illegal drugs like heroin. Methamphetamine use and, subsequently, methamphetamine overdose has been rising in recent years, partially because it’s easy to find and cheap compared to other drugs like cocaine or heroin. The possibility of meth overdose depends on many factors, including the person’s approximate age and amount of the drug taken.

Methamphetamine is also dangerous because too much meth can cause an increase in body temperature and heart rate, which can lead to stroke or heart attack. In fact, according to a study published by the CDC in 2018:

  • People who use meth are over three times more likely than non-users to die prematurely from any cause other than injury or homicide
  • The odds of premature death by meth overdose are even higher when you look only at deaths due to cardiovascular disease
  • Meth users are twice as likely as people who don’t use meth to die from cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure or heart attack

 

What are the warning signs of meth overdose, then? How can you notice when this might be about to happen, to take action? Meth overdose symptoms may include:

  • Tremors or twitching
  • Rapid or Irregular heartbeat
  • Acute memory loss
  • Abnormal breathing
  • Chest pain
  • Hallucinations
  • Agitation or aggression
  • Seizures

 

If you believe you’re witnessing a meth overdose or are about to witness one, the first step would be to call the emergency services and get urgent medical help. Stay with the overdose victim and keep them calm to prevent injury until emergency care arrives.

The Benefits of Getting Addiction Treatment for Meth

Addiction Treatment for Meth

Meth overdose is an acute risk of the substance, but that aside, the havoc the habit can wreck on a person’s life, as well as other health consequences associated with it, are enough to justify aggressive medical treatment for the habit. Addiction treatment is perhaps the most important thing that can be done to avoid the risk of meth overdose for someone struggling with the habit.

The treatment process can help with a myriad of health issues. More importantly, overdose is not something to take lightly. If not handled correctly, an experience like that can be final, fatal, and tragic, with no way to walk away from it.

The Treatment Options for Meth Abuse

The addiction treatment process is critical, not just for those at risk of a chronic methamphetamine overdose but anyone suffering from the habit. Treatment starts with detox to rid the body of the dependency on the substance, thus dramatically cutting the risk of overdose to virtually zero. From there, treatment includes therapy to deal with the underlying issues that led to the addiction in the first place.

Much of the drug dependency can be down to feelings of isolation which is why support groups are often heavily utilized in addiction treatment. These support groups can erode much of the stigma persons struggling with drug habits may feel.

Seek treatment for meth addiction today!

If you or a loved one are struggling with a meth or substance abuse habit, contact Best Rehabs In Arizonas! The risk of meth overdose is not something to take lightly.

Reach out to our Admissions staff today, our professional team is standing by and ready to help you take that first step away from addiction and the risk of overdose. Give yourself the break you deserve and reach out now!

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Meth Comedown

Meth Comedown

The intense effects of methamphetamine have made it a popular drug of abuse. But the high from the drug does wear off eventually and is followed by what is called a “crash” or “comedown.”

What happens during a meth comedown and withdrawal, how long it lasts, and whether or not the unpleasant and sometimes hazardous symptoms may be lessened are all covered here.

Keep reading to find out how to best manage the crash after meth use, and find out more about effective forms of treatment as well!

What Is the Meth Comedown?

When the effects of a methamphetamine high wear off, those who are dependent on the substance may experience severe withdrawal, commonly known as a “comedown,” characterized by strong dysphoria, anxiety, and agitation.

“Binging,” or obsessively consuming meth repeatedly every several hours for 3-15 days at a time, is one way that many meth users try to prolong their high and delay the onset of their comedown. High-dose, frequent users have developed a high tolerance and may have switched to an administration method that produces an effect more quickly (i.e., smoking or injecting).

Extreme crystal meth use may lead to suffering from more severe withdrawal symptoms that persist for weeks. A person who has formed a dependency on meth will experience significant feelings of withdrawal when they ultimately quit usage, making the inevitable “crash” considerably worse than with infrequent or intermittent use.

After a binge lasting two or three days, the person will likely feel weary, dejected, and sleep for forty-eight hours. There may then be a time of chronic anhedonia or dysphoria, as well as a period of hunger and drug seeking. In addition, paranoia and irritability might occur at times.

What Are Crystal Meth Comedown Symptoms?

Crystal Meth Comedown Symptoms

Meth addiction has a very prolonged withdrawal process. Meth comedown symptoms and intense cravings follow periods of extended substance abuse. In many cases, meth addiction treatment is required for users experiencing worst-case scenarios.

The meth withdrawal phase typically lasts between two and three days. Anxiety, despair, weariness, and a general state of restlessness that may remind one of a hangover are all possible comedown symptoms for someone who has recently stopped using meth.

Meth addiction is notoriously difficult to break without medical assistance. Because of the brain’s chemistry changes to depend on the drug for dopamine, the comedown is mentally taxing.

Meth withdrawal has two distinct phases: the crash phase, which lasts just 1-3 days, and the acute phase, which lasts 7-10 days. When you stop using meth, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as extreme cravings for meth, changes in appetite, aches, pains, weariness, lethargy, disorientation, irritability, mood swings, sleeplessness, nightmares, anxiety, melancholy, and paranoia.

Meth Addiction: A Cycle of Binging and Crashing

After the effects of the first high wear off, users will often continue to take meth every few hours in an effort to recapture that original sensation of euphoria. Someone who uses meth on a regular basis may do so anywhere from once per day to six times per day.

This substance gets so addictive because, with each usage, there becomes less and less of a rush until soon there will be no rush at all. The binge stage of meth usage can last up to 15 days, and during that time, many users do not eat or sleep.

Meth usage progresses through a series of stages, the final one being the crash before the user enters the withdrawal phase. During this time, the person will experience tremendous fatigue and may need up to three days of sleep.

The Meth Addiction Withdrawal Timeline

Meth withdrawal has a chemical impact on the brain and body. Repeated usage over time can cause permanent changes in the brain’s biology, ultimately leading to physical dependence on the drug.

However, meth users can develop both physical AND psychological dependence on the drug. In other words, people may come to believe that they need to consume meth to maintain a healthy body or a level head.

If you’ve developed a physical tolerance to meth, you may have kept using it to avoid uncomfortable emotions. However, if you’re ready to kick your meth habit for good, you’ll need to quit ingesting the substance and seek addiction treatment services such as those at Best Rehabs In Arizonas.

Substance abuse and meth addiction treatment centers help users treat the factors behind abuse issues, finding the driving factors are often mental health disorders.

Immediately After Stopping Meth Use

This will initiate a period of physical and mental adjustment as your body adjusts to life without meth. The physical and emotional symptoms of this change can be terrifying. However, if you truly want to rid your life of meth, this is a crucial step.

The effects of meth can be felt for up to 12 hours after use. After 12 hours, your body will likely start experiencing withdrawal symptoms from meth. There are several stages to a meth comedown that can last anywhere from a few days to a week as your body readjusts to life without meth. What follows is a brief overview of the typical stages of the crystal meth withdrawal timeline:

24-Hours After Last Use

Your energy levels will be low, and you’ll feel fatigued and listless. You’ll probably sense a shift in mood, maybe bordering on irritation or agitation.

Second and Third Days

The worst of the withdrawal symptoms from meth typically occur during these days. Despite no longer being exhausted, your irritation level is certainly rising. Since your body is not used to functioning without the substance, huge chemical changes are going on within the body and mind.

You may have trouble focusing, have emotional ups and downs, and experience cognitive dissonance. While experiencing the worst effects of a meth comedown, people have trouble concentrating and remembering new information.

Days 4-7

In most cases, a week is all it takes to recover from a meth high. Physical withdrawal symptoms should ease, but psychological desires may linger for a while. People will still feel physically less anxious, but they will be more exhausted mentally due to sleep and appetite difficulties.

Post Acute Meth Withdrawal: After One Week

Meth Withdrawal Timeline

Meth withdrawal and recovery are extremely challenging for a number of reasons. After a week of comedown, most people experience a “crash.” This implies they are not just tired, but also devoid of any positive emotions.

Depression and anxiety can be particularly intense during this post-comedown period, and people may have to fight off intense urges to use the substance they know would help them feel better.

It’s not uncommon for meth users to have unpleasant dreams during the comedown. However, how long someone has been using meth, how often they use, and how much they use all contribute to the severity of the comedown.

Long-term users will have the most difficult comedowns since their bodies will go through severe withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop using the substance.

Luckily, certain evidence-based practices and remedies exist to help you recover and make it safely through the comedown process. Whether at Best Rehabs In Arizonas or another facility, make sure you take guard against relapse after detoxing from meth by using these measures as effectively and completely as possible.

Tips for Managing the Meth Comedown Period

Stay clean and off meth if you want to avoid the agony of withdrawal and comedown after meth usage. But desires and cravings for meth can be strenuous and demanding, especially in the initials days and weeks of stopping use.

However, with the correct support, such as that offered at Best Rehabs In Arizona, you should be able to get through the initial stages of withdrawal and remain drug-free, ultimately achieving full recovery.

Here are the most effective methods we know of to help you recover from meth abuse disorder and handle withdrawal and the meth comedown.

Get Professional Help

Effective Drug Treatment

Meth withdrawal symptoms are severe. Consult an addiction expert or a doctor if you have any doubts about your capacity to do it and succeed on your own.

With the guidance of a professional, someone going through meth withdrawal can learn to cope with the powerful and unpleasant sensations that arise during this time.

Be Sure to Eat and Stay Hydrated

One of the most crucial aspects of preparing for a meth comedown is maintaining a proper diet and hydration. Because meth can reduce appetite, long-term users may be malnourished and underweight.

Eat a healthy, balanced meal rich in calories, essential nutrients, and water to keep yourself healthy and hydrated.

Dehydration is a common symptom of meth comedown since meth is a diuretic, and staying hydrated can help mitigate other comedown symptoms, including headaches, exhaustion, and lethargy.

Regular Sleep Patterns

It is common knowledge that meth disrupts people’s sleeping patterns by its very nature as a powerful stimulant drug. Many people use it explicitly to remain up all night and to feel energized without the need for sleep. Restoring regular rest habits should be a priority as you begin the process of quitting drugs. Create a routine for your bedtime and commit to following it.

The ability to think clearly and actively engage in life increases with enough rest. Getting adequate sleep during meth comedown will help you resist the temptation to give in to cravings or relapse since well-rested people have superior impulse control.

Remain Occupied with Tasks and Activities

No matter what you do, the withdrawal symptoms from meth will be unpleasant. After the worst of the withdrawal symptoms have passed, keeping yourself occupied helps ease the remaining discomfort.

Making arrangements to see loved ones or work associates will help you forget about the pain you’re in temporarily. In contrast, allowing yourself to feel bored may trigger a need, so keeping your mind active with other people or activities will help you avoid thinking about, desiring, or returning to use.

Effects of Long-Term Crystal Meth Use

Effects of Long-Term Crystal Meth Use

Meth use can be attributed to a wide range of causes. Many people find that it helps them stay alert and concentrate better. Some people like the high it gives them since it’s enjoyable and euphoric. Some users enjoy the drug’s euphoric effects, while others appreciate how it reduces anxiety and opens them up to trying new, sometimes dangerous activities.

Meth may have various devastating effects on the body and the brain, but many individuals continue to use it despite this knowledge. Meth addicts often exhibit risky conduct. Those who use it may act violently or become enraged. Long-term addicts may also suffer paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, and severe depression due to the drug’s effects on the brain.

Meth-induced psychosis is one of the worst mental side effects of long-term abuse. Individuals experience severe hallucinations and delusions. These may be auditory and visual in nature.

Physical dangers of long-term abuse include heart-related issues, stroke, blood pressure issues, and challenges related to blood vessel weakening. However, with the right treatment program, most of these symptoms may be reversed.

Long-Term Meth Recovery Is Possible at Best Rehabs In Arizona

With the right treatment team and a driven attitude towards sobriety, long-term recovery from meth comedown is possible. The final element in this equation is a strong support system, which can be achieved through support groups and the assistance of family post-treatment.

At Best Rehabs In Arizonas, we provide users with the tools they need to achieve long-term recovery from meth abuse disorder. Through a combination of treatment solutions and preparation for post-rehabilitation, our clients are well-prepared to battle the triggers that normally cause relapse and possess the proper knowledge and awareness to recognize the mental health disorders and symptoms that manifest and lead to potential failure.

With the help of our treatment team and their support system, most of our client’s successfully complete treatment and experience extended recovery. To learn more about our programs, contact a member of our admissions staff today!

 

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What Does Meth Look Like

What Does Meth Look Like

Identifying the Signs of Methamphetamine Use

Methamphetamine, or meth, is one of America’s most notorious addictive substances. Use and manufacture of the drug are depicted in TV shows and movies with some regularity. These portrayals sometimes take a romantic or glamorous form. However, there is nothing glamorous about meth use. Anyone who consumes the drug can suffer a variety of serious health harms. Those harms include addiction and overdose. They also include other kinds of potentially lasting damage to your mental and physical functions.

Concerned that someone you know is using meth? Awareness of what the drug looks like can help you spot a potential problem. Knowledge of meth’s characteristic odors can also be important. The same holds true for the settings in which manufacture and use of the drug often occur. If you notice any signs of meth consumption, it might be time seek help for your affected friend or loved one.

What Is Meth?

What is meth? In other words, how is meth categorized and classified by scientists and doctors? Methamphetamine belongs to the amphetamine family of substances. Like all amphetamines, meth is a stimulant. This means that it speeds up the usual rate of activity in nerve cells in your:

  • Brain
  • Spinal cord

Together, these two structures form your central nervous system. Meth also speeds up the activity rate in your sympathetic nervous system. This system triggers involuntary activation of your “fight-or-flight” response. Things affected by that response include your:

  • Heart rate
  • Core body temperature
  • Blood pressure
  • Digestive system
  • Level of sweat production

The vast majority of the meth distributed and sold in America is made illegally. A small percentage of the drug is sold legally as the medication Desoxyn. Today, most meth comes from Mexico. Hidden or clandestine labs also operate in various parts of the U.S.

What Does Meth Look Like

Not all methamphetamine looks the same. Instead, there are three common forms of meth: powder, base and crystal. Meth powder, sometimes referred to as speed, typically has a whitish or off-white color. It can be compacted under pressure to form pills.

Methamphetamine base is a brown, yellow or white substance with an oily or damp texture. Even excluding differences in color, batches of this substance are not uniform in appearance. Instead, base may look waxy or paste-like. Crystal gets its name from its crystalline or rock-like appearance. This form of meth is often translucent, which means that light passes through out. Crystal meth may also have a more solid, whitish color.

What Does Meth Smell Like When Smoked

What Does Meth Smell Like When Smoked

Meth powder and base are not typically smoked. However, users can smoke the crystal version of the drug. What does meth smell like when it’s smoked? There is no single answer to this question. Why not? Meth labs can use a variety of chemicals to manufacture the drug. In turn, these chemicals have an impact on how it smells when burned.

Meth smoke can have a non-specific chemical-like odor. It may also smell more specifically like household cleaning products. In addition, meth smoke can have an odor similar to burning or burnt plastic. No matter the particular odor you smell, one thing is certain. Burning meth has a strong scent that will likely stand out and grab your attention.

What Does Meth Taste Like

Meth can also vary substantially in its taste. Some users of the drug describe its powder or pill form as tasting bitter. All forms of meth may also taste like the chemicals used to make them. In addition, flavoring agents are sometimes added to the drug. These agents help reduce the unpleasant taste of methamphetamine. They may also be used to help the drug seem more generally appealing.

What Does Meth Paraphernalia Look Like

When it comes to drugs, paraphernalia is a term with multiple meanings. It can refer to the equipment involved in the manufacture of illegal substances. It can also refer to anything used to hide illegal substances or consume them.

What does meth paraphernalia look like? Perhaps the most well-known item is a metal or glass pipe used to smoke the crystal form of the drug. You may also notice glass bongs that serve the same purpose.

A wide range of paraphernalia are associated with making meth in clandestine labs. Common examples include:

  • Respirator masks
  • Rubber gloves
  • Various kinds of glassware
  • Hoses made from rubber or plastic
  • Lithium batteries

 

A wide assortment of chemicals are also used to make illegal meth. The list of these chemicals includes things such as:

  • Hydrochloric, muriatic or sulfuric acid
  • Camping fuel
  • Pseudoephedrine- or ephedrine-based cold tablets or capsules
  • Anhydrous ammonia
  • Lithium extracted from batteries
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Lye
  • Ether

All of these substances have a legal, legitimate use. It is only their use in meth manufacture that makes them illegal.

How to Recognize the Signs of Meth Cooking

How to Recognize the Signs of Meth Cooking

Clandestine meth labs are makeshift facilities designed to produce, or cook, illegal forms of the drug. These labs can be set up anyplace where there is room for them to fit. No matter where you live, you may find one on your street or in your neighborhood or area.

What are the signs of a meth cooking operation? Depending on your situation, you may notice any number of things. One potential telltale sign is a smell in the air that resembles rotten eggs, cat urine or ammonia. You may also notice a house or shed with covered or blacked out windows. Yard or vegetation damage caused by the burning or dumping of chemicals is another possible indicator.

Many meth labs are protected by multiple layers of security. Measures in place may include “No Trespassing” signs and strategically located outdoor cameras or monitors. In addition, they may include high fences and/or guard dogs.

Certain kinds of trash can also point to the presence of a meth cooking operation. Items you may spot include:

  • Large numbers of cold tablet packages
  • Coffee filters that are stained or coated in a powdery substance
  • Broken-down lithium batteries
  • Piles of empty chemical containers
  • Plastic bottles with holes punched into them
  • Used rubber gloves
  • Discarded pieces of hose or plastic

 

Tweaking and Other Meth Warning Signs

Even without smelling anything or seeing actual meth, you may be able to tell if someone is using the drug. One classic sign is “tweaking.” This term refers to a grouping of symptoms that can occur after a period of heavy meth use. Such symptoms may include:

  • Temporary loss of the ability to experience meth’s typical drug effects
  • Extreme agitation
  • Paranoia
  • Insomnia
  • A powerful urge to use more meth
  • Violent outbursts
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusional thinking

 

The signs of tweaking overlap in many ways with the effects of meth withdrawal. Other potential signs that someone you know is withdrawing from the drug include:

  • A depressed, irritable or anxious mental state
  • Excessive sleepiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of physical energy
  • Unusual slowing down or speeding up of their physical or mental reflexes

 

Withdrawal is just one sign that a person who uses meth has become addicted to the drug. Other indicators of addiction include:

  • Losing control over how much meth they use, or how often they use it
  • Having a routine that revolves around obtaining meth, using it and recovering from
  • Turning down other activities in favor of using meth
  • Not halting a pattern of meth use that clearly causes them significant harm
  • Developing a rising tolerance to meth’s stimulant effects

How to Help a Loved One Using Meth

How to Help a Loved One Using Meth

The best thing you can do for a loved one using meth is encourage them to enter a treatment program. This is not always easy to do. Many people who regularly use the drug have undergone profound mental and emotional changes. These changes may leave them unable to think clearly or rationally. A long-term user of meth may also be paranoid, delusional or violent. In addition, like anyone else affected by addiction, they may be in denial about their condition.

Try to approach the topic of seeking treatment as gently as possible. It helps to plan this kind of conversation in advance. It also helps to seek the advice of addiction specialists or intervention counselors.

Forms of Effective Treatment for Meth Addiction

Effective treatment for meth addiction is psychotherapy-based. The treatments of choice are behavioral therapies. Therapies of this type help your loved one change behaviors that support ongoing addiction. One option, cognitive behavioral therapy, is specifically known to help people with meth-related problems. Other therapies used to treat stimulant addiction in general include:

  • Contingency management
  • 12-step facilitation therapy
  • The Matrix Model

 

Family therapy may also be used in the treatment of all forms of substance addiction.

Each form of therapy provides its own treatment benefits. The right combination of options can help your loved one do things such as:

  • Reduce their cravings for meth
  • Cope with stressful situations that may increase their cravings
  • Stay sober during and after treatment
  • Add a self-help group to their larger meth recovery plan

Learn More About Meth and Effective Addiction Treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona

If you think someone you know is using meth, you may have a number of pressing questions. For example, what does meth look like? What does it smell like? How can you tell if some is cooking meth? What are the signs of meth addiction?

Get answers to these important questions at Best Rehabs In Arizona. With our help, you can detect the potential signs that your friend or family member is using meth. Best Rehabs In Arizona is also a premier provider of treatment for methamphetamine addiction. No matter the extent of your loved one’s addiction symptoms, we offer customized recovery options that suit their needs. To learn more about our comprehensive meth program, call us today.

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Cocaine Comedown

Cocaine Comedown

The Impact of Cocaine’s After-Effects on Your Addiction Risks

The stimulant street drug cocaine affects your system in a variety of ways. Most of the people who use the drug are seeking its euphoric, stimulant effects. However, those effects fade quite rapidly. This is true because cocaine does not stay in your system for long. When the drug has left your body, you will likely experience a number of unpleasant sensations. Together, these sensations are known as a cocaine crash or cocaine comedown. Another term, cocaine hangover, describes essentially the same phenomenon.

A cocaine comedown is not a trivial thing. Instead, it can play a significant role in the eventual onset of cocaine addiction. Why? Many people seek to avoid the effects of a comedown by using more of the drug. When repeated again and again, this cycle of excessive use can speed up the pace of a developing addiction. As a result, it can also hasten your need for an effective cocaine treatment program.

What Are the Effects of Cocaine

The effects of cocaine are similar to those of other stimulant drugs. All drugs in this category increase the baseline level of activity in your central nervous system. They also typically produce the extremely pleasurable feeling known as euphoria.

Cocaine also has a range of other short-term effects. The list of those effects includes mental and physical changes such as:

  • Narrowing of your blood vessels
  • An increase in your normal blood pressure
  • Spikes in your heart rate and body temperature
  • Pupil dilation

 

If you consume heavy amounts of cocaine, the drug may produce some additional, unpleasant mental effects. Potential examples of these psychological alterations include:

  • Violent outbursts
  • Bouts of panic
  • Behavior that is erratic or out of character
  • Paranoid behavior
  • Anxiousness, irritability and/or restlessness

 

Heavy cocaine use may also lead to physical health issues such as vertigo and trembling or twitching muscles.

 

What Are the Signs of a Cocaine Comedown

Cocaine Comedown

A cocaine comedown or crash has an impact that is mostly psychological. Possible signs or symptoms of a comedown include:

  • An inability to feel pleasure
  • Feelings of irritability and anxiousness
  • Powerful urges to use more cocaine
  • A drop in your normal energy levels
  • Unusual sleepiness

 

While coming down from the drug, you may also feel paranoid or agitated.

What Is the Cocaine Comedown Timeline

Not everyone who crashes after using cocaine goes through the exact same experiences. However, there is a typical cocaine comedown timeline. If you nasally inhale the drug, it will produce its characteristic euphoria for roughly 15 minutes to half an hour. If you smoke the drug, its high lasts for just a few minutes. A comedown can begin shortly after the drug leaves your system. You may continue to feel its effects for a number of hours.

If you are addicted to cocaine, the comedown period may be followed by symptoms of withdrawal. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of a crash. Others differ substantially. All told, common indicators of cocaine withdrawal include such things as:

  • Depression
  • Malaise, i.e., a general feeling of unease
  • Nightmares
  • Continued cravings for more of the drug
  • Loss of energy
  • Restlessness and agitation
  • A slowdown in your normal rate of physical and mental activity

 

Most of the symptoms of withdrawal fade in a matter of days. However, if you have a long history of heavy cocaine use, you may continue to feel depressed for months. Your cravings for the drug may also linger for a similar amount of time.

Who Suffers From a Cocaine Comedown

Who Suffers From a Cocaine Comedown

No one who uses cocaine is immune to a crash or comedown. It can happen to you the first time you use the drug. It can also happen at any other time thereafter. The more you use cocaine, the worse your comedown symptoms may become. They may also grow worse if you use the drug heavily.

Cocaine Jaw and Bruxism in Cocaine Users

If you use cocaine, you can develop a condition called bruxism. People affected by this condition clench and/or grind their teeth without realizing it. Potential symptoms of bruxism include:

  • Wearing away of the surfaces of your affected teeth
  • Tension in the muscles of your jaw and face
  • Headache
  • A locked jaw
  • Cracking or chipping of your teeth
  • Pain in your jaw area
  • A dislocated jaw
  • Cuts or sores on the side of your mouth

 

When bruxism is the result of cocaine use, it is sometimes known as cocaine jaw.

Cocaine Comedown, Cocaine Binging and Addiction Risks

Some people who use cocaine end up binging on the drug. This behavior is typically characterized by doing several things in a short span of time. These things include:

  • Using heavy amounts of the drug
  • Not taking any breaks while using the drug
  • Only stopping when there is no cocaine left or you are physically forced to quit

 

There are several possible motives for going on a cocaine binge. In many cases, the motive is a desire to avoid coming down from the drug.

If you binge on cocaine, you can easily increase your risks for addiction. Why is this the case? Regular, heavy use is a known factor in the development of physical drug dependence. If you keep using cocaine, you may also become emotionally dependent on it. In addition, you may feel an involuntary need to find and take more of the drug. Physical dependence, emotional dependence and involuntary drug-seeking combine to create cocaine addiction.

Recovering From a Cocaine Comedown

A cocaine crash can be profoundly unpleasant. In response to the experience, it is tempting to try to minimize its effects so you can keep using the drug. However, the point is not finding tips to recover from too much cocaine the night before. The only way to completely avoid a cocaine comedown is to stop using the drug.

Using a Cocaine Crash and Cocaine Hangover to Get Sober

Recurring exposure to cocaine crashes is often a compelling motivation for getting sober. That can be especially true if your crashes are followed by cocaine withdrawal. Whatever your reason for wanting to get sober, it is crucial that you follow up on this intention. That is the only way to avoid getting addicted. And if you are already addicted, it is the only way to restore your sobriety and well-being.

How Can Cocaine Binges Be Treated Effectively

Cocaine Addiction Treatment

If you regularly binge on cocaine, there is a good chance that you meet the criteria for stimulant use disorder. All people with this disorder have life-disrupting problems related to stimulant use. These problems may lead to a diagnosis of addiction. They may also result in a diagnosis of damaging, non-addicted stimulant abuse. In addition, you may have a mixture of diagnosable addiction and abuse symptoms.

Whichever of these scenarios apply to you, you need the specialized help provided by professional cocaine treatment. If you are addicted to cocaine, the first task is usually completing a stimulant detox program. In detox, you will receive support that helps you weather the effects of cocaine withdrawal. When the process is complete, the drug will be out of your system.

Detox alone is not sufficient treatment for cocaine addiction. It serves a crucial purpose by helping you reach initial sobriety. But as a rule, that sobriety is extremely difficult to maintain unless you receive further recovery support.

This support is provided in primary cocaine treatment. Behavioral psychotherapy forms the core of modern treatment programs for stimulant problems. Three forms of this therapy are especially helpful for people in cocaine programs:

 

Contingency management and community reinforcement use reward systems to help you stay motivated during treatment. CBT teaches you to recognize thoughts, emotions and behaviors that sustain your cocaine use. It also teaches you to cultivate different thoughts, emotions and behaviors that help prevent cocaine use. You may also benefit from 12-step facilitation. This therapy helps you add a support group to your treatment plan.

Seek Help For Cocaine Problems at Best Rehabs In Arizona

A comedown, hangover or crash can happen to anyone who uses cocaine. All of these terms refer to a group of symptoms likely to appear when the drug leaves your system. Comedown symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. To avoid them, some people go on binges of heavy cocaine use. Binging can make your eventual comedown symptoms worse. Recurring binges also increase your chances of developing the symptoms of cocaine addiction.

You can escape the cycle of binging and addiction by seeking help for your cocaine problems. Detox is a common starting point for an effective recovery. Successful completion of detox forms a basis for primary cocaine treatment. Behavioral therapy is the modern standard for cocaine rehab programs. Several forms of this therapy may play a role in an effective treatment plan.

At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we offer extensive resources for cocaine recovery. Those resources include targeted stimulant detox. They also include both inpatient and outpatient options for a follow-up treatment program. In addition, Best Rehabs In Arizona provides specialized help for addiction that occurs alongside other mental health issues. To find out more about our options for cocaine treatment, contact us today.

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What Is the Most Addictive Drug?

Most Addictive Drug

In a world where dozens of substances exist that cause an entire range of side effects associated with addiction, one of the most commonly pondered questions is “what is the most addictive drug?” Finding a definitive answer to this question is all but impossible, considering how relative addictions can be.

The science and medical worlds would disagree, considering the physical markers and battery of tests conducted on participants over the years. Readings of different brain chemicals and the way our body responds to abuse do show some pretty hard evidence as far as how addictive certain drugs can be.

However, the scientific and medical term is better served using the description of “physical dependence” than addiction. Addiction is far too mental to produce a definitive number one in this category.

A check of multiple sources produces multiple definitions, each with different wording or their own twist on the term:

Source 1: An addiction is a chronic dysfunction of the brain system that involves reward, motivation, and memory. It’s about how your body craves a substance or behavior, especially if it causes a compulsive or obsessive pursuit of “reward” and a lack of concern over consequences.

Source 2: Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.

By most definitions, addiction can stem from several different sources and isn’t limited to alcohol or illegal substances. People can develop habits with something as simple as Diet Coke.

Although the severity of the addiction is ultimately determined by the eyes or mind of the user, we attempt to make sense of this question in the following article.

What Is the Most Addictive Drug?

The answer to the question of “what is the most addictive drug?” depends on who you ask and the criteria you use to judge the addiction. Is it based on how often the user abuses the drug? Is it based on how much a user will go through to obtain the substance? Or is it answered based on the severity of withdrawal, using a combination of the drug’s grip on the mind and body.

If you’re using the latter to answer the question, technically, the most addictive drugs, not a drug, would probably be a three-way tie between alcohol, nervous-system sedatives, and opioids. Technically, we could cut that list down to two because alcohol can be grouped as a nervous system depressant.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include heroin and prescription painkillers, while central nervous system depressants include alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates.

Opioid addiction is characterized by compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences to one’s health, finances, or relationships. This leads to tolerance—when users must take more significant amounts of the drug to get high—and withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it abruptly or after prolonged use.

Central nervous system depressant addiction often occurs when someone uses these substances for recreational purposes but becomes dependent upon them over time due primarily to their soothing effects on areas within the brain responsible for regulating emotions and behavior. Users often get wrapped up in a cycle of using these substances to numb certain feelings.

In addition, they also have the most severe withdrawal symptoms, with nervous system depressants edging opioids slightly in this category. And they all have a high rate of relapse. In addition, the consensus of most users would be that these two are indeed the most addictive drugs.

But that’s if you ask people who have struggled with these drugs – people who preferred them. Plenty of people tried both categories of these drugs and didn’t enjoy them, instead maybe leaning toward cocaine or amphetamine.

To this demographic of the drug user, cocaine and methamphetamine would be the most addictive drugs. This makes this question so difficult to answer with any level of certainty.

What Makes a Drug Addictive?

What makes a drug addictive? This question is a little easier to answer but may vary from person to person. However, the core driving factors typically remain the same in nearly every instance of addiction.

Typically, addiction begins subconsciously, usually by blocking or correcting a negative feeling or emotion an individual has. It could be insecurity, guilt, anger, or several other issues.

A large majority of the time, individuals aren’t even aware that they’re participating in the abuse to mask or bury the feeling. However, dependence takes hold after a significant period of use, mental and sometimes physical.

During the early abuse period, the substance in question is causing an explosion of certain chemicals in the brain. Dopamine, serotonin, and other chemicals, released in large amounts, cause the euphoric feeling or “high” users chase.

However, after an extended period of the drug driving the release of these chemicals, the body cannot produce them naturally and relates the dispensing of these chemicals with the ingestion of the drug. Eventually, the user takes  the medication to maintain a somewhat average level.

Now, what about types of addictive substances?

Categories of Addictive Substances

Categories of Addictive Substances

 

There are several categories of addictive substances. Each of these categories seems to have its unique, addictive properties and potential level of severity. At the minimum, they can be distinguished by their levels of physical addiction or lack thereof.

  • Stimulants: Amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine
  • Inhalants: Spray paint, antifreeze, nitrous oxide
  • Cannabinoids: Marijuana, hash, wax
  • Depressants: Benzos, anti-depressants, barbiturates, alcohol
  • Opioids: Heroin, methadone, fentanyl
  • Steroids: Various performance-enhancing drugs, human growth hormone
  • Hallucinogens: LSD, PCP, DMT, Psylocibin mushrooms
  • Prescription drugs: Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, morphine

 

With such a variety of categories, how would we even begin to determine the most addictive substance?

How to Determine the Most Addictive Drug

Determining the most addictive drug is difficult because of the varying viewpoints. However, you can use two approaches when attempting to answer this question.

Using a scientific or medical approach to reach the answer would require looking at past data. Noting things like which drugs altered brain chemicals the most, which drug produced the most intense detox period, and other evidence-based conclusions would give you the popular answer for the most addictive drug.

The other approach requires a personal testament from specific users of various addictive substances. However, it’s not incorrect to assume that a large majority of personal opinions would point toward heroin or another opioid being the most addictive.

This also matches with scientific and medical data and is further intensified by the fact that we’re currently in the middle of an epidemic.

The Most Physically Addictive Drug

The most physically addictive drug isn’t as difficult of a question to answer. However, this spot is shared by three substances.

Alcohol, benzos, and opioids are the clear winners regarding the most physically addictive drugs. They all produce life-threatening, painful withdrawals and almost always require medically assisted detox.

The Most Psychologically Addictive Drug

This is another matter of opinion answer and garners many different results. However, many argue that methamphetamine is the most psychologically addictive drug.

The primary reason for this widespread opinion is the numerous cases of psychosis triggered by methamphetamine abuse. Typically, it takes prolonged use of methamphetamine to begin experiencing symptoms of psychosis.

However, more recent, highly concentrated batches of crystal meth are causing psychosis after only a month or two of abuse. In addition, overdose cases of methamphetamine have steadily increased after being almost non-existent for over a decade.

The Top 5 Most Addictive Drugs

The argument over which drugs are the most addictive will likely be perpetual as long as abuse exists among the population. However, a list of the five most addictive drugs is probably more agreed upon, only in varying orders.

The top five most addictive drugs, in our opinion, are as follows:

1. Heroin/Fentanyl

Heroin and fentanyl may not have the severity level when it comes to withdrawals as benzos, but they seem far more prone to quick addiction and abuse. One look at the numbers of fentanyl overdose deaths and the use statistics give insight into the grave situation that is the opioid epidemic.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol has the number two spot for a couple of reasons. First, it’s the most widely abused drug out of all other options and is more accessible because of its legality. Two, the withdrawal symptoms are dangerous, potentially causing life-threatening side effects. Alcohol is tough to detox from without the help of medical professionals.

3. Cocaine/Crack

Cocaine Dependence and Addiction

 

Crack was an easy pick for the list and has been a staple among discussions of the most addictive drugs. Many crack users become hooked after their first hit, chasing that initial high through years and years of spiraling and abuse. It’s important not to forget that before the opioid and fentanyl epidemic, the crack epidemic ravaged inner-city neighborhoods across the country.

4. Crystal Meth

Number four on the list is methamphetamine, otherwise known as crystal meth. This drug was dormant for a period but is back with a vengeance, causing an epidemic of its own that’s been overshadowed by the opioid crisis. However, after a steep increase in meth overdose deaths, this dangerous drug finally has the attention of the public eye again.

5. Prescription Pills

Prescription pills round out the top five and include several different substances like benzos, pain killers, and stimulants. Although the prescription pill crisis isn’t at the heights it was in the early 2000s, it’s still a massive problem and takes lives daily. Not only does this category include benzos but also opioid painkillers, which are often a stepping stone to heroin and fentanyl.

The Rise of Fentanyl Addiction

As mentioned above, the prescription pill epidemic of the early 2000s eventually gave way to the heroin epidemic, which quickly morphed into the fentanyl crisis. Currently, massive quantities of drugs flood our streets because of the shifting availability.

Dealers no longer must import the substance from China, as Mexican cartels manufacture the drug right on our borders. This led to another record year of opioid overdose deaths and a grim reminder that the problem is far from under control.

Finding Top Treatment, No Matter the Addiction

Regardless of your drug, the top treatment regardless of addiction is essential. No addiction should ever take precedence over another, as everyone has their own battles to fight.

Each addiction case shares a common denominator – there’s human life at stake and a family that’s losing someone they love. Fighting substance abuse is a worthy cause that requires a collective effort, and winning the battle starts with awareness.

Long-term Sobriety with Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery

If you or someone you love is suffering from any addiction, Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery is here to help you reclaim your life and independence. Our top-notch staff is compassionate about our effort; every client gets 110%, regardless of their addiction or background.

To find out how we can help you in your journey to recovery, contact a member of our compassionate staff at any time, day or night. We have convenient locations in Arizona and Colorado that accept clients from all over the country, regardless of geography. Don’t let distance stop you – contact Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery today.

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Am I An Addict?

Am i an Addict?

Am I An Addict? The Importance Of Honesty.

A lot of people experiment with drugs and don’t become addicts. This is not true for most of us. When I began experimenting with opiates in high school, I thought it was all fun and games. How could this go downhill? You feel great and your mood is greatly increased. It’s fun to party with. How could it get to a point of not being fun?

When I arrived at Best Rehabs In Arizona, I had become completely addicted and my life was in shambles. My existence seemed hopeless. My opiate addiction was no fun whatsoever at this point. I was living on the street, crashing on people’s couches, and committing petty crimes so that I could feed my habit.

What is an addict?

An addict is somebody that has formed an addiction to a particular substance. You become an addict when your entire life and routine revolves around your drug of choice. Your top priority is either getting high or looking to get high. All of your other obligations become unimportant. These are the top signs of drug addiction.

There is nothing like the power of honesty. When you enter into the world of addiction, there are a lot of lies you tell yourself and others. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they are clean. A lot of times, these people are not being honest.

I lied to myself as well as a lot of other people during my addiction. I told people I didn’t have a problem. I told myself the same thing. When I was finally willing to admit to my family that I had a drug addiction, the truth truly did set me free. I finally felt okay opening up about it and getting it off my chest.

Dependence Vs. Addiction

Sometimes the lines blur between drug dependence and addiction, but there is a difference. Everyone’s experience with drug abuse is different on some level, and the drugs all affect us differently. The term dependence refers to those who have begun to develop a physical dependence on a drug.

Addiction is defined as a change in behavior and brain chemistry as a result of drug dependence. I didn’t know an awful lot about how we use these terms until I entered recovery. I didn’t have a lot of education on drugs at all even though I was an addict. Best Rehabs In Arizona did a great job of educating me on the power and pull that addiction has on us mentally and physically.

When you decide to go to rehab, you are obviously at a very low point. The great thing about going to rehab is that oftentimes, you have finally hit a wall and made a conscious decision to try and get better.

A lot of addicts don’t ever even have this moment. Once you decide you want to fix the problem and get better, you’ve already done a lot more than other people can say. There are a lot of things to consider when you want to get clean. How much does rehab cost? What are the levels of care in addiction treatment? These are all things that you will come to learn the more you focus on recovery.

The Top Signs Of Drug Addiction

When you finally make the decision to get clean, you begin to understand what got you there in the first place. When you are finally ready to work out your issues, you learn a lot about yourself and how you got here in the first place. It’s easy to see the signs in other addicts.

The number one sign is lying. As I mentioned above, most of the people in your life are lying to you in some way when you are deep into your addiction. You avoid the people in your life that might encourage you to get clean. You don’t want your family to see what is being done to you. You tell them everything is fine when it isn’t.

Denial is a big part of the process. You get really good at hiding things when you are an addict. You become a master of concealing the parts of your life that you don’t want people to see. But even the best liars slip up. This can create a lot of problems in your relationships. No one wants to be lied to. It can create a lot of resentment and anger. A good relationship is based on trust.

Changes in mood are also a sign of addiction. You can go from being in a happy, uplifting high to a very low period of depression. Your brain is constantly fluctuating between the highs and lows, and it really messes with you. These are things that are impossible to hide after a while. You can only hide your mood for so long before it becomes obvious that you are struggling.

Paranoia and anxiety are other clear signs of addiction. Living in a constant cycle of trying to get high and make sure you have what you need puts you in a very rough state emotionally. Just getting through the periods between each high can be exhausting. If you don’t know where your next high is coming from, it can throw you into a tailspin of emotions.

I Am An Addict: Next Steps To Take

When you admit you have a problem, you have made the first step. It’s a giant step and should not be underestimated. You’ve done something commendable when you reach out for help and admit there is something wrong. When you are ready to be totally honest and upfront about it, you can get help a lot easier.

There are a lot of self-assessment tools and questions that you must consider. Going through the NIDA guidelines can help you figure out what level of addiction you are at, and what kind of help you might need. The national institute on drug abuse has a standard test that can help you better understand your level of addiction. They also offer many other further resources for addiction information.

The CAGE and MAST self-test tools are other ways you can assess and identify where you are at in your addiction. On top of these assessments, there is the question of how to choose a reputable rehab facility. One place might be better for one addict, while another might suit a different addict. You can never really tell unless you give it a shot.

Effective Treatment Types For Drug Addiction

Effective Treatment Types For Drug Addiction

Finding the right form of treatment is key to your addiction recovery. Depending on your level of addiction, medication-assisted treatment for addiction might be the best option. When I was in recovery, it sounded a bit strange to combat my addiction to medication with other medication, but it helped tremendously during my withdrawal period. If you’re anywhere near where I was, a medically assisted detox is really the only way to do it.

When is residential addiction treatment needed? This is one of the things that the NIDA, CAGE, and MAST tests can help you determine, but it can also be pretty obvious if you have a very serious physical addiction. If you have a long-term addiction the withdrawal symptoms can be a lot to overcome without some kind of medical assistance.

A lot of us struggling with addiction aren’t exactly in great shape financially, either. Worrying about how to pay for addiction treatment can make a lot of people not even consider it. Fortunately, there is a lot more emphasis on getting people into treatment no matter what their income is.

There are ways you can get into a program either for cheap or free depending on your situation. It will take some research on your part, but if you are really willing to get clean you must be ready to put in some work. Fighting addiction is a personal thing, but you will need a lot of help along the way. As you begin your journey into sobriety, you should embrace the process and ask for help if need be.

Escape Addiction With Best Rehabs In Arizonas.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the knowledgeable and passionate people that helped me during my stay. I was an emotional and physical wreck when I first got to treatment. I was afraid that I would be judged and not helped. It was the exact opposite of that, and I have a lot of people to thank for being instrumental in my recovery.

When you open up and begin to trust people who really want to help, it restores your faith in humanity and the overall process of addiction recovery. For the longest time, I didn’t think treatment would do anything for me. It would just be a big waste of time. How could I have known that if I never even gave it a chance?

When I finally did give it a chance, it was the total opposite experience of what I had imagined. I didn’t know you could come back from such a low place. I assumed because I was where I was at, there was no coming back. I learned that recovery is possible for anyone. Anybody that wants to give it a chance, it can work wonders. If you really want it, it’s there for you.

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Can You Overdose on Cocaine?

Cocaine overdose

The Risks and Consequences of Cocaine in America

Cocaine remains one of the deadliest drugs in circulation in the US. Not only does it lead to untold losses of human life and societal harm, but the fallout of the war on drugs has impacted every corner of modern society. Cocaine overdoses have become prevalent, especially in certain areas. When a person takes cocaine, it speeds up their heartbeat, which is a typical body response to a stimulant.

However, cocaine also creates a rush of dopamine, bringing a feeling of euphoria. This feeling of joy leads many people to use cocaine to such an extent that they endanger their lives. Cocaine can also be found on the streets in a cheaper and more addictive form known as crack. These substances can lead to overdose if taken individually or alongside other drugs.

The Basics of Cocaine and Crack

Cocaine is a white powder derived from a South American plant known as “coca.” Native populations have used the coca plant for centuries to deal with altitude sickness and give a burst of energy and focus. By breaking down these leaves and extracting the active ingredient, drug traffickers create a near-perfect concentration of the stimulant powder. However, the cost of cocaine is prohibitively expensive anywhere outside of South America, making it hard for average drug users to obtain. unfortunately, aspiring drug dealers in the early 90s overcame this limitation by creating a version of the drug known simply as “crack.”

Crack cocaine still contains a significant volume of cocaine, but it is mixed with other substances. Drug dealers combine pure cocaine with water and baking soda to make crack. They mix these and create rocks out of them, which they can then sell for a much lower price than the same weight of cocaine. This drug version was introduced to the US in the late 90s and today makes up the source of most cocaine addictions in low-income neighborhoods. The name derives from the cracking sound the rocks make when the user is smoking them.

Can You Overdose on Crack?

Crack has garnered a reputation for being even more potent and addictive than pure cocaine. Overdoses tend to occur from crack use more often than from cocaine use. Typically, when a person consumes cocaine, their brain speeds up, and their heart rate increases significantly. This rush of blood and the euphoric feeling that the user gets makes them feel invincible for a short amount of time. The euphoria fades quickly, however, and a user wants to chase that feeling again, so they take the drug once more.

Crack overdoses occur because this euphoric feeling doesn’t last as long as the user wants it to. It also requires more crack each time to get the same feeling, leading the user to take larger and larger doses of the drug. Each individual has a different limit that they can handle when it comes to crack cocaine. This limit varies depending on several factors, including body weight and how long the person has been using the drug. However, once the drug reaches a critical point within the body, it will lead to an overdose.

Now, Can You Overdose on Cocaine?

Crack and cocaine share a lot of commonalities, and you can overdose on cocaine just as quickly. Cocaine overdoses usually happen for a similar reason to crack overdoses – the user consumes the drug, gets high, and comes down but wants to recover that original feeling. Cocaine is a typical example of an addictive drug.

When a person takes such a drug initially, a flood of chemicals makes its way into the brain and drives them to the highs of euphoria. The brain adjusts its chemistry to deal with this increased chemical activity, permanently changing its functionality. The person will then have to take more of the drug to get the same euphoric feeling. This adaptation is known as tolerance. The higher tolerance a person has for the drug, the harder it is for them to get high on small volumes. As a result, they take more of the substance and eventually overdose because they crave that feeling of euphoria.

How Much Cocaine Does It Take to Overdose?

How Much Cocaine Does It Take to Overdose

As mentioned before, there’s no standard amount needed for an overdose with crack. Different factors will affect whether a person overdoses on a particular drug concentration compared to other people. In some cases, a few hundred milligrams might be enough to drive a person to arrhythmia and cardiac collapse.

It might be as much as a whole gram (or more) to cause the same response in other cases. People’s metabolism, their body’s ability to deal with toxic substances, and the size and weight of a person all have a part to play in whether they will overdose on a lower concentration of the drug. Older people tend to have a lower tolerance for overdosing, and it requires less of the drug to cause this outcome.

What Are the Symptoms of Cocaine Overdose?

Cocaine overdose can lead to death in the most extreme cases. Luckily, a person can spot the symptoms of cocaine overdose early on and attempt to deal with it before it becomes unmanageable. Cocaine toxicity progresses in three stages:

Stage 1

Stage 1 demonstrates several problematic physical effects of consuming the drug. Among the symptoms that characterize Stage 1 of cocaine toxicity are:

  • Paranoia and Confusion
  • Pseudo hallucination (or visual aberrations)
  • Rapid and erratic breathing
  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure
  • The sensation of spinning or falling
  • Twitching
  • Nausea

Stage 2

The second stage of cocaine toxicity leads to the progression of these symptoms and the presentation of a few others. Some of the common symptoms seen in this stage are:

  • Seizures
  • Brain Damage
  • Irregular breathing or cessation of breathing completely
  • Hyperthermia
  • Loss of bladder control

Stage 3

If a person gets to stage three of a cocaine overdose, their prognosis for recovery is slim. The symptoms that a person is likely to encounter at this stage are:

  • Coma
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Respiratory failure
  • Loss of vital functions

The most severe of these symptoms usually lead to unconsciousness and eventually death.

What To Do During a Suspected Overdose?

It’s vital to remember that time is of the essence in treating a cocaine overdose. The longer a person goes through the symptoms of an overdose, the less likely it is for them to recover. The damage done to a person’s body increases over time, but you can quickly reverse the symptoms and help the person if you catch an early overdose.

In the event of an overdose, the first thing you should do is call 911. Emergency response should be swift, allowing them to save the person’s life. While waiting for the emergency response personnel, keeping the victim calm is essential. Talk to them and engage them but avoid giving them object that they could harm themselves with. The massive rise in body temperature that comes with increased metabolic activity can be managed with a cold compress. If the person manages to survive their ordeal of overdosing, the most vital thing their friends and loved ones can do is arrange for them to enter rehab.

Are There Long-Term Side Effects of Cocaine Use?

The long-term effects of cocaine use are well-documented. As mentioned before, tolerance develops over time when someone uses the drug repeatedly. Alongside tolerance, a change in the person’s behavior is noticeable. They may become erratic and lash out violently at others without warning.

When they are not on the drug, they may experience increased anxiety and convulsions. Occasionally people who take cocaine go on binges, where they consume the drug regularly and in ever-increasing dosages. The result is a potential for overdose and several other symptoms, including restlessness or paranoia. Occasionally, they may even experience full-blown psychosis.

How a person consumes cocaine can also have detrimental effects on their body. Continued consumption of cocaine through snorting can lead to the destruction of nasal cartilage. It also leads to nosebleeds and a reduced sense of smell. Using needles can also damage skin and leave needle tracks that are a telltale sign of cocaine usage. Cocaine is a stimulant, and its usage does lead to a lack of sleep, which translates into a paler complexion and circles under the eyes. As people become addicted to cocaine, they avoid personal hygiene habits, leading to an unkempt appearance.

What are Treatment Options for Cocaine Overdose?

What are Treatment Options for Cocaine Overdose

When someone overdoses from cocaine, the first thing to do is call emergency medical services at 911. However, that’s not the end of the preparation. After calling emergency services, collect all the relevant information they may need to treat the patient.

This information includes drug allergies, pre-existing conditions, and the amount of cocaine the person has taken. If the person’s body starts overheating, use cold compresses to keep their body temperature regular. This approach helps to reduce the long-term damage that such a situation could lead to within the body.

Cocaine overdoses can also lead to a person vomiting. It’s best to lay them on their side while waiting for the emergency medical response. If they vomit in this position, their air passages will remain clear. This position may also help them with their breathing.

Ideally, the patient should be kept in an environment with less chance of harming themselves. Someone should always be with the patient until medical help arrives to ensure that no complications occur. A cocaine overdose needs to be dealt with quickly since the longer it persists, the more chance there is for the person’s body to shut down.

Finding Long-Term Cocaine Treatment Programs

A cocaine overdose occurs when a person has a high tolerance to the drug and has been taking it for some time. Dependency and addiction play a part in overdoses since they lead to a person consuming more of the substance over time. To avoid any issues with overdoses, the best approach would be to find a treatment center to help deal with addiction.

Long-term cocaine treatment starts with detox, then progresses to either inpatient or outpatient care. However, finding a suitable facility to deal with cocaine addiction can be difficult. There are many places a person could go to recover from cocaine addiction. However, not all facilities are the same. It’s essential to look at their quality of care, the cost of their programs, and whether they accept insurance for patients.

Find Lasting Recovery from Cocaine with Best Rehabs In Arizona

Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery is dedicated to providing quality care to each individual to come to our recovery center. Our professional staff is trained in handling long-term addiction. We’ve dealt with complicated cases, too, including dual-diagnosis. Out detoxification, inpatient, and outpatient programs are adaptable and look at each case individually, requiring a unique approach. If you’re looking for a recovery center that aims to offer a long-term solution to addiction, give us a call today. We’ll walk right beside you throughout your recovery journey.

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Chronic Relapse Treatment Center

What is Chronic Relapse

The Cycle of Addiction and Relapse

For many individuals who suffer from substance abuse disorder, the rehabs they enter can end up becoming revolving doors. The constant cycle of recovery and relapse cycles over and over in a seemingly never-ending battle for sobriety.

What makes the situation more frustrating is the inability to pin down why the relapse keeps happening. The motivation to recover is present, and the effort is put in each time – it’s difficult to remain in recovery after a few weeks or months after graduation.

This would just be attributed to a lack of discipline or motivation in the past. However, many experts believe it points to an underlying mental health condition or a specific set of symptoms that manifest this behavior.

It’s known as chronic relapse, and it’s actually a very common occurrence in many present-day rehab participants.

What Is Chronic Relapse?

In order to understand chronic relapse, first, consider temporary relapse. Temporary relapse occurs when addicts experience a setback related to their recovery process — losing housing, getting fired from a job, or having an argument with loved ones.

After experiencing a period of stress or difficulty, most people bounce back into their normal routines of substance abuse. They temporarily lose their motivation to stay clean or quit drinking.

However, if the crisis persists, then it becomes a chronic relapse. A person suffering from chronic relapse experiences regular periods of craving, increased tolerance, negative mood swings, compulsive behavior, poor performance at school or work, and/or legal troubles.

Short Term Addiction Treatment and Relapse

Those who successfully complete detoxification and enter residential rehab programs tend to remain sober longer than others. On average, recovering heroin users spend less than six months living in halfway houses before returning home.

Yet many individuals who suffer from chronic relapse will fall off the wagon just a short time after returning home. This could be because the initial time in inpatient treatment wasn’t enough for them.

Once patients leave rehabilitation, they must rely solely upon themselves to deal with triggers and temptations. If adequate education and treatment wasn’t received during their stay in rehab, they’re left unprepared for entering the real world again. If left untreated, chronic relapse can lead to further deterioration.

What is the difference between a chronic relapse treatment center and a traditional rehab facility?

What Is a Chronic Relapse Treatment Center?

 

For individuals who frequently suffer from challenges associated with relapse, regular rehabilitation facilities that offer the typical 30-day program clearly aren’t enough. The resources available at a normal treatment center and a facility that specializes in this issue can be more accommodating.

By definition, a chronic relapse treatment center is a facility that provides care 24 hours a day in a non-hospital environment. The planned length of stay in these facilities is typically anywhere from six to 12 months.

Chronic relapse treatment centers normally include the following elements as part of their treatment plans:

  • Helping clients stay active and healthy through participation in exercise or sports
  • Preparing balanced, healthy diets high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and minimally processed foods
  • Various stress management techniques like yoga or mediation
  • They offer substance abuse and mental health resources to break the constant cycle of relapse

Personalized Treatment to Combat Chronic Relapse

What Is a Chronic Relapse Treatment Center

There is also a distinct outline for treatment offered to clients in chronic relapse treatment centers. Personalized treatment plans contain elements of each of the following:

  • Evidence-based treatment that’s proven to work long-term in an inpatient setting
  • Various options for customized care plans that include dual-diagnosis treatment
  • Continued support and sober living home options for structured rehab during aftercare
  • Continued resources for group recovery meetings during post-care treatment

Facilities that specialize in chronic relapse often include a softer, more accommodating touch that provides more of a home-like environment. Many people consider these facilities as “upscale” or “extravagant.” However, there is just more attention put into the need for the client’s appropriate environment.

Different people require different elements and environments to promote long-term sobriety. Research has shown that individuals who suffer from chronic relapse often require a more intimate, personal environment.

In order to identify the presence of chronic relapse, you must understand the signs and symptoms of this condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Relapse

There are specific signs and symptoms that identify the presence of chronic relapse. These symptoms include the following:

  • They are glamorizing the use of their drug of choice. This may include the individual sharing fond memories of past substance abuse.
  • The individual believes they can use again without any negative consequences
  • They may become increasingly isolated
  • They may stop participating in their 12-step recovery meetings
  • They stop pursuing interests that were a part of their recovery plan
  • They may begin to doubt how effective their initial treatment plan is/was

Identifying these signs could make it possible to prevent relapse before it happens. Do you know the differences between emotional, mental, and physical relapses?

Emotional, Mental, and Physical Relapse

Emotional, Mental, and Physical Relapse

To understand chronic relapse, you must understand how normal relapse takes place. It doesn’t happen overnight – in fact; it happens in three distinct phases.

Emotional Stage

The emotional stage includes the individual experiencing anger, stress, sadness, depression, or any wide range of intense feelings. Initially, the user may not think about using. However, when these feelings aren’t dealt with and processed in a healthy manner, individuals will progress to the next stage.

Mental/Craving Stage

This is the mental warning sign of an impending relapse. Users may find it difficult to stop thinking about using at this point and continuously play the process of using it repeatedly in their minds.

Physical/Engagement Stage

At this point, the user physically engages and enters relapse. The user put themselves at high risk of addiction once again by continuing to relapse. The urge to use again will be quite intense with each subsequent relapse, and it’s easy to fall back into habitual use.

Now, what about the stages of chronic relapse?

What Are the Stages of Chronic Relapse?

The stages of chronic relapse aren’t dissimilar to normal relapse. However, they take place over an extended period and include several more mental steps and contemplation. Below is an example of the stages of chronic relapse.

Precontemplation

During this stage, individuals aren’t necessarily contemplating using drugs or drinking alcohol. However, thoughts of past use may circle around in their heads. They may dream about using drugs or give too much thought to reliving their past or remembering what drug use felt like.

Contemplation

During this stage, individuals are actively contemplating using drugs. They may go back and forth in their head, arguing with themselves or trying to rationalize why it would be okay to use drugs at this point.

Rationalization

After making the decision to move forward with using, individuals will attempt to rationalize their decision to themselves. They’ll use excuses like, “well, I’ve been sober for a while, so I won’t become addicted again.” Another famous excuse is, “I’m only going to use this one time, and I won’t get high after this.”

Relapse

During this stage, the user actively engages in relapse. They will obtain their drug of choice and proceed to get high. The results after this stage vary but often include the same sentiment among all users.

Remorse

The remorse stage includes the individual expressing guilt about using. This will include a period of depression and withdrawal from society, family, and friends. It’s often these feelings of guilt and negative emotions that trigger subsequent use. Individuals are unable to properly handle or process these emotions, so they turn to further drug use to avoid dealing with them.

After this stage, uses go one of two ways. They either choose to seek help immediately or fall back into regular use.

Regardless, once the user comes back to terms with the fact that they need more help, they enter the acceptance phase and must go through the detox, withdrawal, and treatment process all over again.

Individuals who suffer from chronic relapse end up wasting large chunks of their lives on this condition. Each time they cycle through relapse, treatment, recovery, and back into relapse, you’re looking at anywhere from six to nine months of hard work and progress erased each time.

Why Do People Relapse Frequently?

Most people think relapse involves going right back to exactly the same way of thinking, and doing that got them hooked in the first place. But research tells us otherwise.

Even though a person may engage in harmful activities, he or she won’t develop true addiction unless certain personality traits come into play. Addiction researchers used to refer to these characteristics as vulnerability factors but now call them risk markers.

Risk markers occur early in development and indicate susceptibility to developing addictive tendencies later in life. People whose genetic makeup includes specific variations in dopamine genes, for instance, are believed to be predisposed to alcoholism and substance abuse issues. Researchers have identified dozens of similar risk markers.

Risk markers vary from individual to individual, but the following are typical warning signs that someone could develop issues with chronic relapse:

  • Lack of strong bonds with parents
  • Unstable childhood
  • Low self-esteem
  • Poorly developed conscience
  • History of trauma or neglect
  • Psychological instability
  • Impulsivity
  • Hanging out with the wrong groups of people
  • Lack of education regarding triggers and relapse, or substance abuse in general.

Some experts suggest that anyone exhibiting four or more of these qualities identify the chance for chronic relapse.

Who Benefits from Chronic Relapse Treatment Plans?

Although chronic relapse can happen to anyone, certain segments of society exist that may have a higher risk of developing this condition. Individuals with any of the following situations benefit the most from relapse treatment plans:

  • Anyone with stressful events going on in their lives (health problems, unemployment, rocky relationships, etc.)
  • Underlying mental health conditions
  • Any victims of childhood sexual, mental, or physical abuse
  • Genetic history of substance abuse or alcoholism
  • A lower amount of dopamine receptors compared to the average number
  • Anyone who displays the traits of having an impulsive or addictive personality
  • You have fewer dopamine receptors compared to the general population

When individuals aren’t educated on any of the issues listed above, their chances of chronic relapse increase significantly. It’s important to seek treatment and craft a chronic relapse prevention plan.

Crafting a Chronic Relapse Prevention Plan

When people relapse chronically, it’s harder to pull themselves out of the cycle of unhealthy choices. Finding effective ways to cope with stressful circumstances helps reduce the likelihood of falling back into old habits. To break a pattern of relapse, clients must implement the following strategies into their relapse prevention plan:

Identify Triggers

Identifying triggers can help pinpoint moments when urges arise. Triggers can range from environmental stimuli to emotional states. Common triggers include boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness, anger, frustration, and impatience. Learning to manage these triggers effectively can significantly decrease the chances of relapse.

Learn Skills That Promote Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to the ability to focus attention internally instead of dwelling on external distractions. Practicing meditation and breathing exercises can increase awareness and lower stress levels.

Set Goals

Setting realistic goals that coincide with your values can boost self-confidence and motivate you to stick to your plans. Create actionable steps toward achieving your objectives and write your own success story!

Hold Yourself Accountable

Admit when you made a mistake and act immediately to correct it. Don’t blame others, and don’t dwell on regret. Take accountability for your actions.

Long Term Treatment and Long-Term Recovery

Long-term treatment leads to long-term recovery. Individuals who suffer from chronic relapse commonly need much longer stays at the inpatient facility of their choice.

The more education and counseling a client receives, especially in the right environment, the chances of avoiding relapse during the long-term increase significantly.

Lasting Recovery with a Chronic Relapse Treatment Center

At Best Rehabs In Arizonas, we’ve helped many clients achieve recovery from chronic relapse challenges. Our state-of-the-art facilities are comfortable and conducive to long-term comfort, which clients need for long-term residence for chronic relapse.

To find out about our specialized treatment plans for chronic relapse, contact a member of our admissions team today!

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Cocaine Overdose Symptoms

What is the Symptoms of Cocaine Overdose

GLOSSING OVER THE DANGERS OF COCAINE

Even in Hollywood, where the crudest, depraved, and most unacceptable activities are glorified, most hard drugs are presented in a negative light. We have seen this time and time again when it comes to heroin in movies like “Requiem for a Dream” and meth-using movies like “Spun.”

However, no matter where you look, as one of the most infamous drugs within the addiction community, cocaine always seems to be a glamorized substance. However, those who have battled cocaine abuse and won would end up telling you differently.

This is what makes cocaine such a dangerous drug. Especially in today’s society, where news of opioid and meth overdose deaths are dominating the headlines, cocaine is quietly being overlooked despite the various negative effects it can have on a person’s life.

If left unchecked, this lack of awareness can lead a whole generation of young people into the hands of substance abuse. The bottom line is, there just is not enough awareness regarding the dangers of cocaine abuse, specifically when it comes to the risk of cocaine overdose.

HOW DOES COCAINE AFFECT THE BODY?

Derived from the Coca plant native to South America, cocaine is a very powerful and highly addictive drug due to its effect on the central nervous system. Cocaine use drastically increases the brain’s dopamine levels, the chemical primarily associated with movement and reward.

Cocaine stops dopamine from being recycled, causing a build-up of this chemical and stopping normal communication within the brain. Over time, this will encourage reward-seeking behavior associated with continuous cocaine use.

As a tolerance and eventual dependence on this drug is developed, the user will have to begin taking cocaine in higher and more frequent doses to achieve a desired effect. Not only will this form an addiction to cocaine, but it will also increase the person’s risk of overdose.

CAN YOU OVERDOSE ON COCAINE?

Cocaine Overdose

Many people are under the impression that you cannot overdose on cocaine. However, this could not be further from the truth. As all the attention has been on opioids and, more recently, crystal meth – cocaine is still as deadly as ever.

In all reality, cocaine and meth are neck and neck when it comes to drug overdose deaths, with both hovering somewhere between the 12,000 and 15,000 deaths-per-year mark since as recently as 2016.

Cocaine is far from a glamorous or safe drug, but you may not hear much about these overdose deaths on the news. These gross missteps in terms of public awareness leave family members, friends, and other mentor figures responsible for instilling the dangers of drug abuse to those who are most vulnerable.

THE RISE OF COCAINE OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE U.S.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), cocaine-related deaths have steadily increased from 5,419 in 2014 to a staggering 19,447 in 2020. Many of these, unfortunately, could have been preventable with immediate medical attention.

The main driver of these cocaine overdoses have involved other drugs. This includes cases in which cocaine was mixed with multiple drugs, the most common of which are typically synthetic opioids or alcohol.

With these rising cocaine overdoses, it has become more important than ever to raise awareness towards the causes and dangers of substance abuse, and increase accessibility to professional addiction treatment services.

WHAT CAUSES A COCAINE OVERDOSE?

The risk of overdose is significantly increased when someone takes cocaine in large doses. What will constitute too high a dose will differ for each person based on their physical health and other biological factors. Generally, the only way to safely take cocaine is to avoid using it all.

The severity of a cocaine overdose can vary based on several risk factors, including the cocaine purity, how much cocaine was used, the method of administration, and whether a person is mixing cocaine with other substances.

If you or a loved one struggles with cocaine addiction, it may be helpful to know the symptoms of cocaine overdose. Would you know what to do if someone was displaying signs of a cocaine overdose? Do you know the signs to watch out for?

COCAINE OVERDOSE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Cocaine Overdose Signs and Symptoms

Those who are experiencing cocaine toxicity are in an extremely dangerous situation, especially considering the potential for heart damage. One of the greatest risks associated with taking toxic levels of cocaine is the risk of experiencing heart attacks or other heart-related issues.

During a cocaine overdose, heart rate and blood pressure spike. If help is not sought immediately, these levels can become high enough to lead to additional complications. It is important to be aware of other cocaine overdose signs so you can get help before it’s too late.

Additional physical and psychological symptoms of a cocaine overdose will often include:

  • Enlarged pupils
  • Intense sweating
  • Labored breathing
  • High body temperature
  • Clammy skin
  • Loss of color
  • Convulsions
  • Twitches or tremors
  • Complaints of chest pain/numbing in one arm
  • Unconsciousness
  • Dry mouth
  • Respiratory depression

 

Because these symptoms can be life-threatening, seeking emergency medical treatment is critical during a potential cocaine overdose. While the starting point for cardiac arrest is not yet conclusive, in certain situations, this risk may be increased depending on prior health conditions and the amount of cocaine ingested.

In extreme cases, more severe physical effects may occur from a cocaine overdose, including significant damage to a person’s gastrointestinal tract, organ failure, and cerebral bleeding; all of which can cause permanent damage, including death.

SYMPTOMS OF COCAINE OVERDOSE BY THE STAGES

When it comes to the development of cocaine overdose symptoms, these may not all occur at the same time. Typically, this process will carry over the course of four general stages of overdose, each presenting their own mental and physical signs of overdose.

1. Stage One of Cocaine Overdose

When someone takes too much cocaine, they will experience an initial rush of euphoria and energy. While this may produce the same effects as their normal drug use, this high may feel more intense than what they have previously experienced.

2. Stage Two of Cocaine Overdose

As these more pleasant initial feelings begin to fade, the user may begin to find it difficult to breathe and experience intense sweating. Their pulse will steadily begin to increase, as well as their blood pressure.

3. Stage Three of Cocaine Overdose

Stage three of most cocaine overdoses is associated with the development of psychological signs of this life-threatening side effect. This may include rising anxiety and feelings of panic. At this point, chest pains or numbness throughout the body may also be experienced.

4. Stage Four of Cocaine Overdose

In the final stage of cocaine toxicity, the person suffering may experience an increase in their physical symptoms, such as high body temperature, nausea and vomiting, or foaming at the mouth.

This may be followed by tremors or convulsions, as well as their segue into cardiac arrest. Once this point of overdose occurs, the affected person will need to receive immediate medical attention in order for their overdose symptoms to be properly addressed.

HOW DO COCAINE OVERDOSE SYMPTOMS FEEL?

cocaine overdose

What does a user feel like when they are going through a cocaine overdose? Not always will the user understand they are going through an overdose. Many times, they will be physically unable to convey how they feel.

During a cocaine overdose, individuals may experience a wide range of physical and mental health effects within a short period of time. These may be more severe if they used cocaine with other drugs. Some of the most commonly experienced symptoms include:

  • Tightness in chest.
  • Moderate to severe chest pain.
  • Extreme anxiety and distress.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Disassociation and difficulty remaining focused or keeping a train of thought.
  • Difficulty maintaining or complete loss of consciousness.

IS COCAINE OVERDOSE COMMON?

Cocaine overdose is probably more common than you think. Using data from last year regarding drug use, it’s estimated that almost 20% of individuals suffering from cocaine abuse disorder end up in the emergency room for a possible overdose. This ends up totaling somewhere around 110,000 users per year.

Out of these 110,000 users, an average of about 15,000 will end up losing their lives to a cocaine overdose. Except for the number of current users, the statistics surrounding cocaine hospitalization and overdose deaths are nearly identical to methamphetamine numbers in the same category.

Because cocaine overdose is a significant threat, it is important to understand what to do in the event that you or someone you know is experiencing an overdose.

WHAT TO DO FOR SOMEONE DURING A COCAINE OVERDOSE

If you or someone you know is suffering from a cocaine overdose, it is important to remain calm and exercise proper judgment. The first thing you will want to do is contact 911 to ensure an ambulance is already on the way. Secondly, you will need to assess the situation.

Are you able to determine what stage of overdose they are currently in? Is the individual able to remain coherent or awake? If the individual is still alert and conscious, ask them how they are feeling. Sit and talk with them to help keep them focused on your voice and not the fact that they have ingested too much cocaine.

The goal is to keep their anxiety at bay, as panic can increase their blood flow, allowing more of the drug to reach vital areas of their body more quickly. If they are unconscious or nearing that point, do not throw water on them or slap them. You might have seen this in movies, but it is not the right thing to do in real life.

Instead, gently turn the person on their side and put a pillow under their head. This will stop them from choking if they end up vomiting. Monitor them closely while you wait for EMS to arrive. Ensuring they are still breathing and have a pulse is the best thing you can do for them until medical personnel can take over.

ACTIONS TO TAKE DURING A COCAINE OVERDOSE

Actions to take during a cocaine overdose

While you are waiting for EMS, you need to begin administering CPR if they suddenly stop breathing. You need chest compressions to keep their blood pumping and better ensure they are breathing properly.

Remember, it only takes about three minutes without oxygen to suffer brain damage. Typically, this is what causes death in many cases of drug overdose. It is not the direct toxicity of the drug itself, but rather the lack of oxygen for too long of a period.

In the case of a cocaine overdose, however, many of these deaths occur as a result of a heart attack. Not every cocaine overdose leads to a heart attack, though. This depends on how strong the dose of the drug is and the health of the user’s heart.

The chances are high that if the individual has a strong cardiovascular system, they may not suffer from a heart attack. This gives them extremely strong odds of making a full recovery. However, there is another risk of overdose that must be taken into account.

As the opioid epidemic continues to wreak havoc throughout the nation, a major issue putting cocaine users in harm’s way of experiencing deadly side effects from their substance use is the rising popularity of another drug known as fentanyl.

THE RISKS OF FENTANYL AS A COCAINE ADULTERANT

There is currently an extremely high number of substances discovered on the black market that contain high doses of fentanyl. This is particularly alarming, especially considering that most of the users have no idea their drug of choice may be adulterated with this deadly opioid.

Various batches of different substances have been tested and exhibit the same results – from cocaine to meth, marijuana, and ecstasy, they are all increasingly testing positive for fentanyl. This is causing another surge in overdose deaths of all age groups.

The Risks of Fentanyl as a Cocaine Adulterant

What makes this scarier is the fact that these individuals have no idea these drugs are laced with the powerful opioid. In many cases, people in their company have no idea how to remedy the situation because of the unexpected results.

While it is currently unclear why doses of fentanyl are being placed in other drug supplies, many people have their theories. One theory to consider is the attempt to force users into a physical dependency on fentanyl.

Once this happens, individuals must consume the drug to even be able to function normally. This would certainly be a way to ensure that clients return to buy the same batch, over and over again.

Regardless of the reasoning, this proves the ruthlessness and lack of remorse the organizations that manufacture and distribute these drugs have, and adds another danger to cocaine use in the form of an increased risk of overdose and addiction.

LONG TERM EFFECTS OF COCAINE USAGE

In addition to a potentially fatal overdose, individuals who engage in long-term cocaine usage face a potentially deadly list of psychological and physical side effects. These long-term negative consequences may include:

  • Cardiovascular issues
  • Skin conditions affecting the face
  • Loss of nasal cartilage structure
  • Increased risk of heart attacks and stroke
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Paranoia/psychosis

 

Seeking professional substance abuse treatment services following a cocaine overdose is the best course of action. With the right help, users have a real shot at long-term recovery and successfully maintaining their sobriety.

IS LASTING RECOVERY FROM COCAINE ADDICTION POSSIBLE?

At Best Rehabs In Arizonas in Colorado and Arizona, we understand that lasting recovery takes a strong team with experience and compassion. This is exactly what we bring to the table.

Recovery isn’t easy – but nothing worth having ever is. We will be right there with you throughout your entire treatment process, ensuring your comfort and safety while providing you with the education and tools you need for lasting sobriety.

Your recovery is calling. Contact Best Rehabs In Arizona today to find out how we can help you start your journey to addiction treatment and achieve a full, successful recovery from the shackles of regular cocaine use.

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877-651-3366 Addiction Counselor Available 24/7