Polysubstance Dependence Treatment

Comprehensive Polysubstance Abuse Treatment to Support Lasting Recovery at Purpose Healing Center

Underlying Factors for Addiction to More Than One Substance

What causes a person to experiment with using multiple substances? There are several reasons one may have started polysubstance use, including:

Polysubstance Addiction and Trauma

Many clients who struggle with using multiple substances have expressed some type of past trauma. These have included childhood neglect, assaults, and past military deployments.

Without seeking counseling, substance abuse can become a way of numbing the emotional pain. The solution to reversing the polysubstance use is receiving trauma-informed treatment.

Multiple Drug Use and Co-occurring Mental Health Disorders

Other past clients developed polysubstance abuse to cope with mental health conditions like OCD, depression, or anxiety. The substances helped them to reduce the painful symptoms, so they continued taking even higher doses or adding other substances.

An evidence-based co-occurring disorder treatment plan at Purpose can help put an end to the polysubstance dependence.

Peer Pressure Creates High-risk Situations

We usually see in young adults how social pressure can lead to an increased risk of developing polysubstance use disorder.

Group drinking games, binge use of alcohol, and trying to fit in can become polysubstance abuse before they realize it. Our programs can help break the addictive cycle of using drugs and drinking alcohol to fit in by building self-efficacy and self-esteem.

Family History of Poor Mental Disorders, Drinking Alcohol, or Using Drugs

Some people are predisposed to polysubstance abuse because of genetic and family environmental factors. We’ve treated those who grew up in a family with an addiction history and untreated mental health concerns; both increase the odds of developing a polysubstance use disorder.

We can help by following dual diagnosis protocols, addressing underlying mental illnesses and addiction at the same time.

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Different Substances Commonly Mixed and Abused

People struggling with polysubstance use disorder combine substances to achieve specific effects. They often don’t fully comprehend the risks of these combinations. Here are a few of the more common dangerous concoctions:

• Alcohol and Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium): Mixing drugs that are depressants can slow heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure to dangerous levels. The effect may feel relaxing, but overdoses are common and can be fatal.
• Opioids and Stimulants (Speedballing): Mixing heroin or fentanyl with methamphetamines or cocaine creates a fast, intense high. But it’s quickly followed up by heart strain, crashes, and a higher risk of overdose.
• Adderall and Alcohol: Mixing “Addy” or Adderall with alcohol makes the brain believe you’re not as impaired as you are. That can lead to excessive consumption, dehydration, or alcohol poisoning. We often see this in college students.
• Alcohol and Cocaine: As with Adderall and alcohol, many users mix cocaine and alcohol to enable them to continue drinking and to retain a ‘clear head.’ The reality is much different, of course, and the combination also produces a new drug, Cocaethylene, that can be even more damaging to the body than either drug on its own. 
• Adderall and Cannabis: Particularly popular among young people and college students, the combination of Adderall and weed can have pose risks of dependence to both drugs and can quickly cause dependence.
• Adderall and Wellbutrin: Some are prescribed Wellbutrin and Adderall together. Both are known to lower the seizure threshold of the brain. This means that you are more likely to have seizures.
• Prescription Drugs (Percocet) and Muscle Relaxers: Mixing these two prescription drugs can cause immense depressant effects on the central nervous system. It may lead to respiratory or heart failure.
• Percocet and Alcohol:  Mixing Percocet and alcohol creates a dangerous situation. Percocet contains oxycodone, a powerful opioid drug that slows breathing, while alcohol suppresses the central nervous system. What starts as an effort to relax or feel a little pain relief can lead to serious health risks, including loss of consciousness
• Crystal Meth and Benzodiazepines (Benzos): Some take benzos to offset the anxiety caused by meth use. However, the combination of the stimulation and sedation of mixing meth and Xanax creates undue strain on the heart, brain, and lungs.
• Cocaine and Xanax (Benzos): People mix xanax and cocaine for much the same reason that many users take benzos and meth together, to soften the stimulant comedown and provide a path to sleep. But there are very real risks to this combination, as research has proven and many clients have shared with us in the past.
• Fentanyl and  Meth: Mixing Meth and Fentanyl  is dangerous because their effects cancel each other out. Fentanyl makes you feel more relaxed and can result in dangerous respiratory depression. Meth makes you feel more awake, speeding up the body. The symptoms of each are washed out, making it difficult to tell if you have taken too much.
• Fentanyl and  Xylazine: Fentanyl mixed with xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer, can lead to an overdose crisis. This combination slows breathing while also suppressing pain, which exposes people to life-threatening risks, including overdose death.

Alone, abusing each of these drugs poses serious risks that are further amplified when one uses multiple substances.

Substance Use Disorder Signs (Including Polysubstance Abuse)

If you suspect that using multiple substances has become problematic for yourself or a loved one, watch for these signs of polysubstance abuse:

How Our Team of Medical Professionals Helps You Stop Mixing Drugs and Alcohol

Purpose Healing Center supports clients with a team of experienced treatment professionals. We use evidence-based, holistic, and trauma-informed treatment plans that address the polysubstance use disorder and any underlying mental health issues.

Here’s how we exceed expectations in clients looking for professional substance abuse treatment:

Insurance Verification Services Empowers You to Focus on Your Treatment Plan

Whether a client needs help with street drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances, many have started their journey by calling our admissions department to learn about how their insurance benefits can help pay for treatment costs.

Our admissions team includes an on-site insurance specialist who understands mental health insurance coverage and will leverage your benefits to reduce expenses. They’ve helped many receive addiction treatment and mental health care without any out-of-pocket costs at all.

A Personalized Treatment Plan Addresses Your Specific Substance Use Disorder

Our experience has taught us that no two people have the same relationship with substance use, and no two recovery journeys look exactly the same.

Our staff takes the time to learn about your history, including traumatic events and physical or mental wellness complications that have contributed to the polysubstance abuse. We use this input to craft customized treatment plans that address all aspects of your recovery.

Our Holistic Approach to Polysubstance Dependence Treatment Supports Overall Wellness

Healing means more than just stopping the polysubstance use. Setting clients up to stay clean and sober for life also means addressing nutrition, exercise or less formal physical activities, mindfulness, and learning coping tools.

These strategies are key in our approach to your mental, physical, and emotional recovery.

Prescription Medication Management Ensures Your Mental and Physical Safety

Your doctor will carefully manage your psychiatric or medical prescription drugs during your time at Purpose Healing Center.

This careful oversight ensures your prescription medications have the desired effects without negative interactions. We want you to be physically safe and emotionally well during detox and recovery from polysubstance use.

Medical Detox Provides Safety and Comfort as the Substances Clear

Detoxing from multiple substances is too perilous to attempt alone. Using more substances usually translates to a greater likelihood of experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

Our medical detox center will help you remain stable and safe by taking proactive measures to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Typical Polysubstance Dependence Withdrawal Symptoms

The withdrawal symptoms you might have vary based on the substances used, duration of the polysubstance abuse, and personal health conditions.

Generally, here are some physical, mental, and behavioral withdrawal symptoms to expect as you stop using substances:

Physical Symptoms

• Headaches or migraines
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Sweating or chills
• Shaking or tremors
• Muscle aches or body pain
• Runny nose or watery eyes
• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Appetite changes (loss or increase)
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia or oversleeping)
• Rapid heart rate or palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Fever or flu-like symptoms
• Seizures (especially with alcohol or benzos)

Psychological Symptoms

• Intense cravings for drugs or alcohol
• Confusion or brain fog
• Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
• Delirium (disorientation, especially in alcohol withdrawal)
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Paranoia or distrust of others
• Poor concentration or decision-making

Emotional & Behavioral Symptoms

• Irritability or agitation
• Depression or deep sadness
• Mood swings
• Feeling hopeless or unmotivated
• Restlessness or pacing
• Aggressive or impulsive behavior
• Isolation or withdrawal from others
• Suicidal thoughts (in severe cases — seek help immediately)

Withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening, especially when the polysubstance abuse involves alcohol, opioid drugs, and mixing substances.

A medical detox center is the only safe withdrawal method for those trying to break the cycle of polysubstance use.

Therapists and Counselors Help You Make Lasting Changes

Our licensed therapists use science-backed techniques to help our clients stop substance use permanently. Some techniques standard in treating polysubstance abuse are CBT, DBT, contingency management, and trauma-informed care.

Counseling happens individually and in group and family settings, allowing you opportunities to engage in therapeutic services in various settings.