4 Most Dangerous Drug Combinations
Potentially Life-Threatening Drug Combinations to Avoid
Drug addiction is a serious and dangerous disease, one with many different roots and a myriad of causes. The multifaceted nature of drug addiction and substance use disorder makes it more likely that a single addict will be using more than one substance, increasing the risk of dangerous and even deadly interactions. It’s vital to know the most dangerous drug combinations.
Every drug that is abused, whether it is a legal substance like alcohol or anti-anxiety medication or a street drug like heroin or cocaine, carries its own specific risks. Combining those substances means ramping up the risk even higher, but some drug combos are more dangerous than ever. Here are some of the riskiest substance combinations everyone should know.
1. Cocaine and Alcohol
In some cases, a drug combination is particularly dangerous because of how the two substances interact with the body. In other cases, the mixture’s danger is more direct, and the use of alcohol and cocaine together is a prime example.
When combined in the body, cocaine and alcohol form a highly toxic substance known as cocaethylene, which can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks. This toxin can build up in the blood, increasing the risk of a deadly interaction with every use.
To make matters worse, cocaine addicts often turn to alcohol to prolong their high, resulting in even more dangers every time they use it. The typical cocaine high lasts just 15 to 30 minutes, but adding alcohol to the equation can increase the duration to an hour or more. But that longer high can come at a steep price, including sudden cardiac arrest or a debilitating stroke.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, call WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today at 877.969.1993 to learn how we can help.
2. Cocaine and Heroin
Illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin are both highly dangerous on their own, but they can be downright deadly when combined. Cocaine and heroin have different effects on the body, and combining the two substances can lead to a host of potentially fatal interactions.
Unfortunately, it is all too common for addicts to combine their two addictions, and using cocaine and heroin is far from unheard of. In fact, the combination of cocaine and heroin is so common it has its own name, “speedball”. If someone you care about struggles with an addiction to either substance, you should be on the lookout for signs that they have added another drug to their use.
3. Alcohol and Heroin
In many ways, alcohol is the ultimate gateway drug. It’s often the first drug young people use, and the fact that it is legal and found in many homes makes getting access to it pretty simple. But problem drinkers often branch out into other substances, creating some genuinely devastating interactions.
The use of alcohol and heroin together is a case in point and a very dangerous one too. The inherent problem, and the one that makes this combination so dangerous, is that alcohol and heroin both work to suppress the central nervous system (CNS), increasing the risk of heart attacks, breathing problems, and other potentially dangerous symptoms. If you suspect that someone you care about has been experimenting with heroin, it is important to get them the help they need right away.
4. Benzodiazepines and Alcohol
Anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental health complaints have reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the country, so much so that someone you care about may be taking prescription antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. If that is the case, you need to monitor their use of alcohol carefully, since combining drinking and the use of benzodiazepines could prove very dangerous.
The root cause of the danger is how these substances work in the body. Alcohol is a well known central nervous system depressant, and when combined with benzodiazepines, the effects are only amplified. That means addicts who abuse benzodiazepines and alcohol may experience a host of symptoms, including heart rhythm problems and even deadly heart attacks.
The Time to Act Is Now
If someone you care about has been experimenting with drugs or using alcohol to excess, you cannot afford to waste any time, and you cannot afford to ignore the situation. Every addict, no matter the nature of their addiction or how long they have been using, is only a single mistake away from a potentially deadly drug interaction.
The fact that alcohol shows up so often on the list of most dangerous drug combinations should also be a warning call. If someone you care about has been using drugs, adding alcohol to the mix is all too easy and possibly deadly. So before it’s too late, we encourage you to give WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab a call. We specialize in treating polypharmacy and identifying the negative impacts of multiple drug use, giving your loved one a head start they need, and giving their body the time it needs to heal.
Whether the person with the drug addiction or alcohol problem is you or someone you care about, help is available at our network of locations throughout Florida. So please make contact with WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today and put yourself or someone you care about on the road to recovery.
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.