Your reaction to cocaine can vary depending on multiple factors, like weight, metabolism, age, or even hydration levels, so it’s hard to give an exact answer of how long it stays in your system. Typically, cocaine can test in your system anywhere from two days to several months, depending on what kind of test you are taking. 

It can show up in a blood or saliva test for up to two days, in a urine test for up to three days, and can last for several months when a hair test is done. You might not feel the effects of cocaine for this long of a period, but that doesn’t mean it’s fully flushed out of your system. 

Cocaine is considered a schedule II drug by the Controlled Substances Act because it has a high risk for abuse and dependence. It also has been used in medical settings for treatments, though rarely anymore. If you are someone who has used cocaine recently or uses it chronically and might be looking for some guidance, Soba Recovery Center offers a variety of services to support you! 

When To Expect the Effects of Cocaine

Depending on how you ingest cocaine, you might feel the effects come on at different times. How cocaine gets into your system might also impact the intensity or duration of the high. You can snort, inject, smoke, and orally take cocaine, and each will produce a different onset of the effects. 

Smoking and injecting cocaine will result in a much quicker onset of the effects, as quick as 5-10 seconds after using, and will last for 20 minutes. Snorting and taking cocaine orally will show the effects of using anywhere from 3-5 minutes after, but the effects can last up to 90 minutes when taken orally. How long it lasts will change depending on who you are as a person, but overall, it doesn’t last long, hence why people use it frequently–to get that sustained feeling of euphoria.

During your high, you might feel:

• Overly confident
• Hyper-stimulated
• Alert
• Aroused

But the high will come to a crashing end, where you will end up experiencing quite the opposite feelings and symptoms, like:

• Anxiety and depression
• Dilated pupils and rapid breathing
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure

People might try to skip out on these dark feelings by continuing to gain that euphoria once more, only assisting in the development of a dependency to the drug. 

Overdosing on Cocaine

Prolonged and excessive use of cocaine can result in a condition called cocaine intoxication, which can be very painful and dangerous to experience. You might be able to determine if you think you or a loved one is experiencing cocaine intoxication due to the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Agitation and confusion
• Irregular heartbeats
• Hyperactivity
• Kidney damage
• Stroke 
• Tremors and intense sweating
• Enlarged pupils
• Chest pain
• Seizures
• Feelings of euphoria
• Psychosis

If you or anyone you know is experiencing these systems, contact a medical professional immediately to get help. Being monitored by trained professionals is a way to increase your risk of recovery and safety, which is why inpatient treatments are extremely beneficial. 

How Long Will The Effects Last?

Typically, cocaine might affect a person for around an hour, sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. Many factors influence how long it will last in your system. After an hour, cocaine will have eliminated about half of itself from the bloodstream, as it is a fast-acting drug. 

Cocaine will have been metabolized by enzymes rapidly in the liver and blood, which would not be detectable in a drug test. The drug tests screen for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine that is detectable for longer than cocaine. So, if you use cocaine once, you will probably only feel its effects for the next 24 hours, including the comedown. If you are using cocaine daily and frequently, you might have longer-lasting side effects, followed by more dramatic crashing feelings. 

Depending on how you test for cocaine, your results may vary. Different tests can detect either cocaine or benzoylecgonine in your system on different timelines:

• Blood: A blood test can detect cocaine in your system for up to 12 hours and benzoylecgonine for up to 48 hours. 
• Saliva: Like a blood test, saliva helps to detect benzoylecgonine in your system for up to two days.
• Urine: A urine test will probably be the most accurate test you’ll take and can detect benzoylecgonine in the system for up to 72 hours. If you are a frequent and heavy user of cocaine, urine tests can show it in your system for up to two weeks
  
• Hair: A hair test can show benzoylecgonine in your system for several months, but that might vary depending on where the sample is taken from. 

Factors that influence the length it lasts

Several factors can influence how long cocaine stays in your system and how long the effects last. These factors are different for everyone, making it hard to say an exact time that cocaine’s effects will last.

• Frequency: Some studies have shown that the more frequently and the more cocaine you use, the longer that benzoylecgonine will remain in the system and be detected. There will be higher amounts of cocaine in your system if you use it daily, making it harder to flush out.
• Hydration levels: Water speeds up the excretion process of cocaine, so if you are dehydrated, it may stay in your system for longer.
• Alcohol consumption: Alcohol can bind to cocaine and slow the excretion process down.
• Body fat: Benzoylecgonine can be stored in fatty tissue, so if you are someone with more body fat, it might stay in your system for longer as it builds up in the fat
  
• The method used: The faster that cocaine gets into the system, the faster it gets out, so if you are smoking or injecting it, it will enter your system and get out quicker than snorting or orally ingesting. 

Getting Cocaine Out of Your System

There are no tricks or tips about how to get cocaine out of your body quickly. Some people claim that drinking copious amounts of water, taking natural antidotes, or eliminating caffeine and alcohol can help to flush it from your system. While the idea behind it might seem somewhat reasonable, cocaine is not impacted by any of these brief and unsubstantiated claims. 

If you are looking to get cocaine out of your system, the only fool-proof way to do so is to quit using it so that it can thoroughly flush out of your body. Your body needs to metabolize and discard benzoylecgonine before it can be free of the drug fully, but if you continue to use it, it will never actually go away. 

Getting Help at Soba Recovery Centers

Quitting any drug means a long and difficult path towards recovery, but it’s always worth it in the end. Cocaine is no different from alcohol or heroin in the way that it can create long-term and short-term issues for those who use it, damaging relationships and putting health and stability at risk. Sometimes recovery means asking for help outside of your inner circle and putting your health in the hands of trained professionals.

Inpatient services offer 24/7 monitoring, different therapy methods to try, and a community of people who want the same thing: sobriety and control of their lives. At Soba Recovery Centers, we create personalized treatment plans that will enable you to become who you deserve to be. You can jump right into inpatient treatment or start with outpatient group therapy. 

Speak with a Soba representative to learn about our many treatment services and what we think would be best for your journey to recovery. Don’t waste another day wondering how you can overcome your addiction. Get started at Soba Recovery!

 

Sources:

Drug Fact Sheet: Cocaine | Drug Enforcement Administration

Cocaine Drug Facts | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Metabolic Enzymes Of Cocaine Metabolite Benzoylecgonine | NCBI

A Sensitive Assay For Urinary Cocaine Metabolite Benzoylecgonine Shows More Positive Results And Longer Half-Lives Than Those Using Traditional Cut-Offs | Wiley Analytical Science

Cocaine And Metabolites Urinary Excretion After Controlled Smoked Administration* | Journal of Analytical Toxicology

Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, which comes from the seed pod of poppy plants. It is illegal in the United States and many places worldwide because it is hazardous, sometimes causing overdose and often addiction in those who use it. It’s not usually a drug that people choose to start using and is classified as a Schedule I drug. People often work their way up to it, finding it very hard to quit using and recover. 

Heroin is a fast-acting drug, meaning that sometimes it’s not so easy to detect it if it hasn’t been consumed recently. The effects of using heroin can last up to 30 minutes. The drug and its metabolites can stay in your system for up to 4 days. Of course, depending on the test you are taking, you might be able to detect the metabolites in your system for up to 90 days. So while heroin itself will break down, the metabolites will store themselves in your body for longer. 

Quitting heroin can be extremely difficult and dangerous to do on your own, so understanding the drug’s risks can help you make more informed decisions. Monitoring a loved one trying to detox from heroin can be challenging, so placing them in inpatient care is often an easy way to feel more comfortable about their condition. At Soba Recovery, we want to help you understand and learn how to support those struggling with addiction.

Feeling Heroin’s Effects

When people use heroin, they experience a rush of euphoria that is unlike anything else. This sense of euphoria is often unable to be reached without the drug, making it easy to become addictive. Once heroin enters your brain, it is converted to morphine and binds to opioid receptors. 

Along with an intense feeling of euphoria, side effects of heroin include flushing of the skin, dry mouth, nausea, severe itching, and “heavy” in the arms and legs. During the comedown after using heroin, you will feel slow. You might be drowsy, have a clouded mental state, and your heart rate and breathing slow. 

It doesn’t take long to feel the effects of heroin, and depending on how you have ingested it, the timeline could change. The euphoric feeling will last for up to a few minutes, followed by other peak effects for 2 hours. After 3-5 hours, the high will wear off, but the comedown then ensues. Once the high is gone, you are left to feel very tired. 

Overdosing on Heroin

Street heroin is often combined with other drugs like cocaine or ketamine and poses a severe risk for those ingesting it. The risk of overdosing on heroin is too high, considering that the mixing of drugs, which is very likely, could cause even more of a lethal combination. Heroin will depress the respiratory system and slow the heart rate down, leading to serious side effects like comas. 

If you are someone who uses heroin frequently, you might take more of it when it’s not yet out of your system, causing an accidental overdose. Some symptoms of an overdose are:

• Very shallow breathing
• Weak pulse
• Discoloration
• Low blood pressure
• Confusion and delirium
• Coma
• Tiny pupils

If you have come across someone who seems to be overdosing, call an emergency medical professional immediately if you don’t have Naloxone, which will help reverse the effects of opioids. 

How Long Heroin Lasts in Your System

Heroin is a very rapid-acting drug, which enters the body and exits the body pretty quickly. It metabolizes into 6-acetyl morphine and morphine, which enter the brain and act on receptors that are related to pain suppression, euphoria, and dysphoria. Typically, heroin is only detectable for a few days after the last use of it, but it really depends on the kind of testing you are getting done. 

• Blood: The 6-AM assay test allows for heroin metabolites to be detected in the blood, though this is mainly useful when testing people who have recently passed or been in accidents to determine if street heroin was used or prescribed opioids for pain
  
• Urine: Urine tests are most frequently used when trying to test for heroin in the system. Heroin will be detected in a urine test for up to 4 days after last use, and in some frequent users, it could be for longer, depending on how much heroin has built up in their system.
• Saliva: Saliva tests are very accurate, but only if you are using them very soon after the last usage. It might not be as useful to use a saliva test if you are testing for a timeline of a few days.
• Hair: If you are tested for heroin in your system using a hair test, it will show in the results for up to 90 days after last using it. If you are a constant user, it might show up in your hair for much longer than 90 days.

Factors that affect how long heroin lasts

Heroin is often pushed out of your system through your kidney in the form of urine, but it also exits through sweat, saliva, and even feces. Your weight, body mass, and metabolism will impact the rate at which heroin is pushed out of your body and for how long you might test positive for it. If you are unwell, you might take more time to get the heroin out of your system, making you test positive for it for longer.

• Frequency: How long heroin will be detectable is determined by how much heroin was actually taken. If it’s your first time using it, you won’t have high amounts of it in your system, so it should flush out within a few days if you don’t take it anymore. If you are a chronic user, it can last for a week or more in your system and be detectable by a test.
• Drug interactions: Heroin is often mixed or cut with other drugs, like fentanyl, cocaine, or ketamine. This can create a drug cocktail of sorts that could be extremely dangerous, especially if you are unsure what the heroin is mixed with.
• Drug Purity: With street heroin, the purity level you are getting with some doses could end up being stronger than others. These levels will impact how long the drug stays in your system. 

Getting Heroin Out of Your System

Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up the process of heroin elimination. The only way to get heroin out of your system is to stop using it. Your body needs to flush out those toxins naturally, and if you keep taking more, you will never be free from addiction. The best way to get heroin out of your system is to join a detox program and ask for support from your loved ones. 

It’s almost guaranteed that they want to see you get healthy!

Get Help with Soba Recovery

For monitored, professional, and dedicated help, visit us here at Soba Recovery Centers. When you struggle with an addiction to heroin, you know just how hard it can be to ask for help, let alone get it. We want to offer you personalized care to fit your needs and help you in your path to recovery. 

Soba Recovery Centers are located in San Antonio, Texas, and Mesa, Arizona, where we have various treatment options, from partial hospitalization, inpatient care and sober living. There’s something for everyone here, and if you are serious about wanting to get help, we will get you to where you want to be! We want to help you, so feel free to reach out to a representative if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Sources:

Heroin Drug Facts | National Institute on Drug Abuse

What Are The Immediate (Short-Term) Effects Of Heroin Use? | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Naloxone Drug Facts | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Clinical And Forensic Diagnosis Of Very Recent Heroin Intake By 6-Acetylmorphine Immunoassay Test And Lc-Ms/Ms Analysis In Urine And Blood | NCBI

People who use heroin know of the effects that this opiate has throughout the body, but the effects on their brains might not be so well understood. 

Heroin is a central nervous system depressant that, when snorted, injected, or smoked, enters the body and attaches itself to opioid receptors that work to alter your brain’s reward system. You might get a rush of euphoria when you first use heroin, as it attaches to cells that impact pleasure and pain.

This Schedule 1 drug is highly addictive, and while it gives you many short-term physical side effects, it also has a long-lasting impact on your brain’s chemistry and ability to function.

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is an opioid that is created when morphine is taken from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant. This drug needs a warmer climate to thrive in, so it’s often grown in places like Colombia, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia. 

Heroin can look like a white or brown powder, or it can be black and sticky, which is known as black tar heroin. No matter the kind or form of heroin you find, it will have lasting effects that are hazardous to the longevity of your life.

Signs of Heroin Use

It’s easy to tell whenever someone isn’t really acting like themselves. If you suspect that a loved one might be using a drug like heroin, there are some signs that you could look at. 

Often it is hard for someone who uses heroin to speak up about their struggles because, 1. they might not necessarily want to stop using, and 2. It can be extremely scary to admit that you need help.

If you notice some of the following signs, it might be time to talk to them about what you can do to support them:

• Depression and euphoria; severe mood swings
• Hostility, agitation, restlessness, and irritability towards others
• Possession of burned tools, like needles, spoons, and syringes
• Missing shoelaces or belts
• Wearing long pants and shirts during warmer weather
• Extreme itching and scabbing of the skin
• Chills, goosebumps, or sweats
• Regular nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea
• Loss of muscle mass
• Track marks on their arms and legs

How Heroin Affects Your Brain

Your brain naturally produces and releases opioid chemicals that help to relieve pain. They aren’t going to be strong enough to help stop chronic pains but these bursts of opioid chemicals when you’re in pain help to take some of the discomforts away. 

Heroin is the stronger version of these opioid neurotransmitters. When it binds to these receptors, it releases a surge of dopamine that helps to calm you and make you feel better. 

Once your brain has gotten a slight taste for this influx of happiness, it becomes harder for your brain to release natural opioid chemicals, making it essential (to your brain) that you consume more drugs to achieve this feeling again.

Short-Term Effects

Shortly after using heroin, the main thing you will notice is how you physically feel. You may feel warmth under your skin or heavy in your arms and legs. Some short-term effects of heroin on your brain are:

• Drowsiness and fogged memory: For several hours after using, you might be quite drowsy and tired. You might also struggle with some mental clearness which can feel like brain fog.
• Slowed breathing: This change in respiration can be extremely dangerous, as if there is a lack of oxygen getting to the brain, it could lead to severe brain damage.
• Depletes attention: Constant usage of heroin can easily lead you to be very inattentive. You might struggle with paying attention or participating in conversations as you cannot listen to what they are saying.
• Confusion: When you use heroin, you won’t be coherent. It might be difficult to converse with others, and you might not understand what is happening.  

Long-Term Effects

When you use heroin for a long period of time, it eventually begins to take a toll on your overall well-being. 

Long-term effects of heroin include: 

• Blood clots
• Lung infections like tuberculosis or pneumonia
• Collapsed veins and abscesses
• Damage to the blood vessels that lead to the liver, lungs, and kidneys
• Infectious diseases such as hepatitis or HIV
• Fatal overdose

Issues in the brain and cognition can also be a long-term effect of heroin abuse. Lasting effects on your brain of using heroin are:

• Cognitive impairment: When you have used heroin long-term, harmful proteins begin to build up inside the brain.
  Heroin use creates inflammation in the brain which can cause structural changes that will cause you to experience mental decline, memory loss, confusion, and personality changes similar to those in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Deteriorates white matter: White matter, which is essential in communication between the brain and spinal cord, starts to deteriorate when you use heroin for extended periods of time.
  This then impacts your memory and focus negatively and can make things a lot harder to function. Less white matter in your brain can make regulating your emotions, behavior, and stress very difficult.
• Long-term imbalances: The physical shape of your brain will alter with long-term heroin use. This throws off many functioning systems in your body. Neurological imbalance can cause strokes, infections, dementia, and seizures. 
• Respiratory suppression: This is when your brain is not getting enough oxygen, leading to brain damage. 

Treatment For Heroin Overdose

There are ways to help you and your loved one in the case of an overdose. Understanding how to react when an overdose is happening around you could help save a life. 

Having Naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist medication that can quickly reverse the effects of an overdose. Narcan is fast-acting and works by binding to opioid receptors in your brain, preventing heroin from activating them.

Narcan is great to have, but heroin addiction treatment is going to be what truly saves you. Getting help at a recovery center will provide you with the best treatment and set you up for success further down the line of your recovery. 

Getting Help At Soba Recovery

If you or a loved one are struggling with heroin addiction, you are not alone. You must know that there are ways for you to get help. Soba Recovery Centers, located in Mesa, Arizona, and San Antonio, Texas, are here to make things easier. 

The hardest step in your recovery is going to be the one where you ask for help. 

Soba Recovery offers many different addiction treatment programs and services for every kind of individual. Our treatment is meant to be personalized to you and your substance use to make sure you get the help you need. 

Everyone deals with their substance use differently, so it makes sense that treatments for people will vary. We work with you to provide the best treatment possible for you, so if you need to ask a few questions first, just reach out to a Soba representative!

We offer inpatient and outpatient services for our patients at Soba Recovery. You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need at our inpatient to become a healthier you and those who struggle with using heroin. It can be difficult to deal with the effects of withdrawal, and we offer detoxification services so that you don’t have to go through it alone. 

Getting help can mean you have a chance at living the life that you deserve. 

 

Sources:

Heroin Drugfacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse

How Does Heroin Affect The Brain?: Heroin’s Effects On The Mind | American Addiction Centers

Brain White Matter Integrity In Heroin Addicts During Methadone Maintenance Treatment Is Related To Relapse Propensity | NCBI

Xanax has become more prevalent in recent times, becoming a hot topic in pop culture music and circulating more around the younger, unprescribed crowds. When misused, the drug Xanax can become extremely dangerous and have significant complications. A person who begins to misuse Xanax could become addicted to it quickly, leading to severe issues, such as death.

For those prescribed Xanax, it’s important to recognize the signs of addiction and make sure that you are communicating with people you trust if there is ever an issue. Xanax can be useful in treating you if you are in need, but there are rules to follow to ensure proper use. 

What Is Xanax?

Xanax is a drug classified as a benzodiazepine that is often prescribed to help treat panic disorders and anxiety. When consumed, it helps to relax the brain and produces an overall calming effect on your body. Xanax, when appropriately used, can be really helpful in aiding in anxiety and panic attacks, but there is a major warning on its addictive capabilities. Using Xanax that is not prescribed to you can result in addictive and reliant behaviors, resulting in major health-related issues.

Side Effects of Xanax

When you take Xanax, it does not give you a euphoric feeling, but it is meant to relax you. When you take Xanax improperly, it can lead to drowsiness, increased fatigue, memory problems, insomnia, slurred speech, impaired vision, and muscle weakness. It can become dangerous if used when operating vehicles or if you are supposed to charge anything. It limits your ability to function correctly and can be very debilitating if you develop an addiction to it. 

Other side effects include:

• Vomiting and nausea
• Diarrhea
• Sweating
• Trouble concentrating
• Increased irritability

How Addictive Can Xanax Be?

If you are using Xanax over a very long period of time, it can become highly addictive. Like other benzodiazepines, Xanax carries a high risk of becoming addicted to it as long-term use lessens its effect on you. Once you build up a tolerance to the drug, your body will need more of it to achieve the same level of calmness. 

Xanax is one of the most prescribed psychiatric medications in the United States, making it easily accessible. It can be easily prescribed to those who have panic disorders, and if it ends up in the wrong hands, it could be misused. People will go to great lengths to achieve the same feeling that Xanax brings. 

Signs of Xanax Misuse

If you aren’t sure whether or not a loved one is misusing Xanax, there are a few signs that can help to tell. Of course, it might be easier to tell if they are struggling if you know that they are prescribed it, as some people will just buy Xanax off of others without a prescription. Some signs that someone is misusing Xanax are:

• Obsessing over obtaining Xanax and being in control of the substance at all times.
• Loss of interest in activities they once loved.
• Continued use after the need for using it is over.
• They are acting confused, are extremely tired, or are not making sense.
• If they use Xanax and drive at the same time.

People are putting themselves and others in danger when they misuse Xanax, and regardless of a prescription or not, it should be taken properly to avoid potential risks and harm to others. 

Risks of Using Xanax

If you have prescribed Xanax, you need to make sure that you are taking the proper amount and following the directions on how to take it. It’s possible to develop a dependency and if you misuse the prescription by not following the procedure, you can then gain a tolerance to the drug. Misuse can happen if you take more than the amount you are prescribed or begin to mix it with other drugs to feel the effects. 

If you have not prescribed Xanax and find yourself taking it, multiple pathways could bring you to addiction. This typically happens in a setting where the point is to become high and feel the effects of various drugs; it’s not usually taken with the hopes that it will help your anxiety. First, using an unprescribed stimulant is never a good idea. Second, mixing drugs that you aren’t aware of the reactions to can lead to negative side effects, including overdose. 

The Road to Recovery

Trying to recover from Xanax dependency can be hard and make you feel alone. We here at Soba Recovery understand that there is nothing scarier than thinking that you are alone, and when you struggle with addiction, being alone is the last thing you want.

Asking for help is the first step towards recovery. You have to reduce the amount of Xanax that you consume in order to not quit “cold turkey” and experience the withdrawal symptoms. Doing this on your own can be really difficult, as you will crave more of the drug, and it can be hard to overpower that craving. Recovery centers are made to help you overcome the addiction in a protected and safe environment by providing multiple treatment options, so you won’t feel alone, and you will have access to trained medical professionals. 

Detoxification

As mentioned above, the first step is to reduce your Xanax intake and go through a detoxification process. This will help you to wash out all the drugs in your system and start fresh. This process can be taxing when done alone, so you will be in the best hands with our services. 

Inpatient

We also offer those that have gone through detoxification the ability to join our inpatient programs. These programs help you to enter back into normal life and rejoin society. You receive therapy, both cognitive and behavioral so that you can prepare yourself for the pressures of relapse outside of the protection of the recovery center. 

This is an important process that we offer so that people aren’t shocked when they have to reenter the community and enter spaces that might trigger them. Our goal at Soba Recovery is to set up each patient for success when they leave our premises.

In Conclusion

Fighting a Xanax addiction is hard. It’s easy to get a hold of, it is commonly prescribed to people, and it allows people to relax. While it can be helpful to those who deal with anxiety and panic disorders, the margins for misuse are so small, and it’s easy to build up a tolerance if it’s not used properly. 

You are not alone if you are struggling with a Xanax addiction. The best thing for you to do is to reach out to one of our representatives to find out how we can help you. Whether it be inpatient services, outpatient treatment, or just by providing some resources, we want to make this journey easier for you.

 

Sources:

Alprazolam (Xanax) | National Alliance on Mental Illness

A Review of Alprazolam Use, Misuse, and Withdrawal | NCBI 

Side Effects of Xanax (Alprazolam), Warnings, Uses | RxList

Trying to get ahold of methamphetamine is not that difficult of a task. It’s a substance that can be made inside home labs and distributed rather consistently, making it available and easier to become addicted to. When the supply is there for the demand, it becomes harder to avoid and say no to. Doctors can prescribe controlled methamphetamines, but illegal versions still exist.   

You might be wondering: What is crystal meth? Why is a version of methamphetamine still able to be prescribed to some as a treatment method? What makes meth addictive? 

We get that there is a lot of stigma around terms like ‘meth’ and ‘crystal meth,’ so read on to learn more! 

What Is Meth?

Methamphetamine, commonly called meth, crank, crystal meth, crystal, or tina, is a stimulant that is highly addictive and affects the central nervous system. Meth comes from the parent drug, amphetamine, which helps treat narcolepsy, ADHD, and Parkinson’s, but differs due to its higher potency and ability to last longer in the body. This is caused by meth passing through the brain faster than an amphetamine would and producing quicker effects. 

Crystal meth produces feelings of euphoria and heightened energy, which in the short term, might make a person feel like they are on top of the world. People use it for many reasons, like to help with confidence or if they are dealing with depression and other mental health issues. Over time, those who use meth learn to love the feeling it gives them, and they don’t want to lose the euphoria. 

Prescribed Methamphetamines

There is an FDA-approved version of meth that helps to treat different conditions and illnesses. The drug is called methamphetamine hydrochloride, otherwise known as Desoxyn. This is a tablet that is taken orally and only prescribed in very particular circumstances. It also follows a strict set of rules on how to consume it properly, and there are never refills allowed because the risk for abusing it is so high. 

Desoxyn helps people with ADHD by boosting attention and reducing hyper behavior. It can help with muscle control which is used for those with Parkinson’s. It’s important to note that while this variation of methamphetamines is legally allowed to be prescribed, this is not what is circulating in those that use meth. Still, it can be dangerous to use this medication if you or anyone in your family has struggled with substance use problems. 

What Makes Meth Addictive?

When you use meth, you get a boost of dopamine that is released to your brain. Dopamine works to help control movement, zero in and focus, feel pleasure, and help find things enjoyable. The dopamine rush heightens these abilities, and that feeling is not one a person ever wants to lose. 

It’s hard to achieve this unnatural feeling of happiness, euphoria, and focus when not using meth, and so to achieve this feeling again, you have to continue using the drug. When you’ve experienced the feeling of meth, you begin to want it again and again, which then leads to major complications.

When you begin using meth frequently, it alters the decision-making part of your brain. At first, your choice to use meth is one you have to make on your own, but after a while, it becomes almost natural, like blinking or breathing. You use more and more meth because your body gets used to its effects, and you cannot achieve that initial euphoric feeling that you got the first time. Like all substance use disorders, it requires a lot of determination to recover, and you often need lots of support behind you to make it through, but it can be hard to ask for help.

Symptoms of Using Crystal Meth

You may be able to tell that someone is struggling with a crystal meth addiction if you witness the following signs:

• They have become very thin, very fast. Meth decreases your appetite and increases weight loss.
• They are constantly itching, and scabs and sores have developed on their body. 
• They are becoming paranoid, easily irritated, and often confused.
• They are acting extremely happy and overly secure in their invincibility. 
• Their teeth may begin to rot.

If you or a loved one is struggling with meth use, don’t be afraid to speak up and get up.

How To Get Help

Not everyone who overcomes a methamphetamine addiction will get help from medical staff during their process, but the benefits of receiving help from trained professionals are apparent. The hardest part about getting help is asking for it. Once you ask for help, you are showing that you truly want to change and improve your health. 

There are addiction recovery centers all over the country that help with overcoming addiction safely and effectively. At Soba Recovery, we want to ensure the utmost care for you and your loved ones. 

Meth Addiction Treatment at Soba Recovery

Currently, no medications can be prescribed to help combat the side effects of a methamphetamine withdrawal. Instead, it’s encouraged to join behavioral and cognitive therapy sessions and join groups with others who struggle with meth use. Soba Recovery offers patients multiple kinds of treatment methods to help overcome their drug addiction. 

Detoxification

The first step in overcoming addiction is by detoxing from using that drug. For those who use meth, withdrawal symptoms could look like extreme cravings, paranoia, lethargy, and depression. The safest place to be during a detox is with trained medical professionals. At Soba Recovery, we ensure that you are safe and taken care of while you experience withdrawal symptoms so that you have additional support for the duration of your detoxification. 

Inpatient

Soba Recovery offers residential inpatient care that happens for 30-days so you can focus on your recovery with additional trained support systems. After residential inpatient, we offer partial hospitalization, which helps ease you back into everyday life after staying inside a facility for so long. The process of recovery from meth addiction will be difficult, but you should take advantage of the good support systems that Soba Recovery offers. We want to help you!

Outpatient and Sober Living

You can also use the outpatient services that Soba Recovery offers for those who have completed inpatient care. Our emphasis is on the continued care that you receive from us to help guide you through recovery. We also offer sober living homes so you can stay accountable for your actions while surrounded by a community that wants the same as you.

In Conclusion

You don’t have to fight your meth addiction alone, and if you have a loved one who needs assistance, just know that asking for help is the best thing you can do for them. Soba Recovery wants to help you because we understand how addictive meth can be and how disruptive it is to your life. 

We also know that using drugs is not the end for you. We want to help give you a second chance by overcoming your substance use disorder and getting back on track. You can take back your life from meth and seek out a brighter future with our help! Reach out to a representative if you or a loved one could benefit from our services. 

 

Sources:

10 Facts About Methamphetamines | Drug Policy Alliance

Methamphetamine DrugFacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Methamphetamine and Other Stimulants | Minnesota Department of Health

For people who use substances regularly, there comes a time when you begin trying out new ways to feel high or intoxicated. You might use marijuana and alcohol simultaneously or cocaine and Xanax just to see what it might feel like. Mixing substances can be extremely dangerous because you never know how the combination of the two substances will react to each other. There is a risk for fatality when combining substances, so it’s not recommended to partake in.

What Is A Drug Cocktail?

A “drug cocktail” is when a person begins using more than one substance simultaneously to achieve a greater high. Drug cocktails can be a combination of many substances, including prescribed medications. You never know how the combination of two drugs will react to one another. For example, taking marijuana can induce anxiety, while cocaine can increase heart rate and blood pressure.

Most fatal overdoses are caused by the use of more than one substance. It’s unclear how the mixing of two substances will affect each individual’s body. This can cause many different problems for a person. Not being in control is one thing, but knowingly adding other substances to the mix is looking for a problem.

Risks of Combining Drugs

The major risk of combining drugs is death. While some mixtures have known side effects because they are commonly used, you can’t be sure that you won’t have a very negative reaction to the combination. Because illegal drugs are not intended to be mixed, there is less understanding of how they react to each other. Because each individual is different, you might react differently than someone you know using the same combination.

Many combinations can occur like some in the below list:

Alcohol and Marijuana

With the increased legalization of marijuana in the United States, more research is beginning to be done on the effects of mixing both marijuana and alcohol together.

Some of the side effects that come from combining the two include:

• Suffering Alcohol Poisoning or Overdosing: An overdose from alcohol can be severe and sometimes fatal. There is an increased risk of experiencing alcohol poisoning or overdosing when using marijuana and alcohol together.
• Decreased Judgement: When under the influence of one substance, your judgment is impaired. Mixing two substances such as alcohol and marijuana can reduce one’s ability to reason.
• Inability to Vomit: Marijuana works as an antiemetic, which is a drug that is effective in reducing nausea and limiting vomit. This means that when combined with alcohol, it is harder to expel the alcohol in your system through the act of vomiting.
  When experiencing an alcohol overdose or high level of intoxication, it can be helpful to vomit to get some of the alcohol straight out of your system. Mixing the two substances can limit your ability to do this.

Alcohol and Cocaine

Mixing alcohol and cocaine brings two different kinds of feelings into effect. Cocaine is a stimulant drug, and some effects of it are:

• High energy and mental focus
• Anxiety and paranoia
• Insomnia and restlessness

Alcohol is a depressant that is used for opposite effects of cocaine, such as:

• Slowed reaction time
• Reduced blood pressure
• Sleepiness and confusion

These drugs can be used together to “cancel” each other out. Someone who is a user of alcohol might want to boost their energy for the night and sees cocaine as a quick way to accomplish this. Using cocaine and alcohol creates cocaethylene (CE), which is a product that is stronger than cocaine and alcohol alone. Cocaethylene increases toxicity to the liver and heart and can cause a sudden stroke.

Cocaine and Marijuana

The combination of cocaine and marijuana can cause a heightened feeling of euphoria. Using marijuana and cocaine together increases the risk for an accidental cocaine overdose. This is because cocaine constricts blood vessels while marijuana prevents blood vessels from constricting, which means that cocaine will enter the blood much faster.

Using marijuana can slow down time and make you forgetful, so you might end up taking more cocaine than intended. This means you will end up consuming dangerous amounts of cocaine because you have less control over yourself and your decisions.

Heroin and Cocaine

This combination of heroin and cocaine together is also known as a “speedball.” This is said to elicit a more intense feeling of intoxication. People believe that using them together will negate the other, but this is false. Mixing these two is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Some side effects you might experience when “speedballing” are:

• Confusion or incoherence
• Mental impairment
• Uncontrolled sporadic movements

More severe side effects are:

• Stroke
• Aneurysms
• Respiratory failure

How To Get Help If You’ve Mixed Drugs

Using multiple drugs at once is more likely to result in overdose or death. If you or a loved one is using multiple drugs at one time, you are putting yourself at serious risk. Dealing with the side effects that mixing drugs come with by yourself can induce anxiety and paranoia and be potentially fatal. If you have mixed substances and you do not feel well, you should seek medical attention. Let those around you know that you are struggling so you can not suffer alone.

Drug Cocktails With Soba Recovery

If you or a loved one are at risk for mixing substances, you should seek help at Soba Recovery Centers. Soba Recovery offers individual recovery plans so that your specific needs are met. Whether you need to go through a detoxification program or if you would like to learn more about sober living, we have what you need.

We want to offer you the best care possible. We start with an intake to see where you stand with substances and to help determine what kind of help we can provide you with. For some people, their living situation does not have an environment that supports the healing process and would need to remove themselves entirely. We offer  inpatient residential programs so that you can be monitored and cared for around the clock by medical professionals. If you feel you can’t commit to inpatient care, we offer intensive outpatient programs tailored to your individual needs. And you don’t need to worry about leaving your family or home to move forward on your path to recovery.

Soba Recovery Center has two locations: Mesa, Ariz., and  San Antonio, Texas. Reach out to a Soba representative to learn how we can help you. Everyone deserves the help they need, and if you’re struggling, asking for it can be the hardest part. Just know that at Soba Recovery, we’re dedicated to improving your health and helping you gain control of your life for ultimate happiness.

 

Sources:

Forensic Drug Profile: Cocaethylene | NCBI

Dangers Of Mixing Drugs | Government of South Australia

What are the effects of mixing marijuana with alcohol, tobacco or prescription drugs? | CDC