What Is A Goofball?

The Dangerous Combination of Meth And Opioids is On the Rise

The only constant in life is change, and this holds true to drug use and drug culture as well. Popular combinations of drugs are always evolving and changing as new trends spring up on the street.

Goofballs is a relatively new term that describes a form of substance use that has been around for a while. The term involves polysubstance use in a form that proves more dangerous than either drug on its own.

So, what is a goofball, and why should you be concerned if you hear someone using this slang?

Goofballs are a mixture of an opioid and a stimulant, the use of which has doubled in the last two years among users. The combination of opioids and stimulants theoretically limits the negative effects of each drug on its own, but also leads to a higher risk of overdoses.

Purpose Healing Center provides a non-judgmental space for you (or your loved one) to access Joint Commission-accredited treatment services. We aim to make help and healing available to everyone, especially clients in our home state of Arizona.

Here is what you should know about the dangers of goofball use.

What Exactly is a Goofball Drug?

Image of meth and white pills on a table representing the dangerous mix of opioids and stimulants known as a goofball

Experimenting with drug use is common among people who struggle with addiction. In particular, it’s becoming more common for people to move to polysubstance use when the high they used to achieve with their drug of choice no longer satisfies them.

But exactly what is a goofball?

A goofball is the combined use of an opioid and a stimulant, most often methamphetamine. Goofball use is growing rapidly in the Phoenix Valley among unhoused people struggling with substance abuse.

Unfortunately, the use of opioid and stimulant drugs has more than doubled among people who will use injections to administer drugs–and that’s only in the last two years.

The problem is that co-use of these two main drug categories proves very dangerous and can lead to increased risk of overdose.

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Why Do People Take Opioids Mixed with Stimulants?

Why do people become addicted to goofball use? Research is now showing us that opioids like heroin mixed with stimulants like cocaine provide a different type of high. The problem with each drug is that side effects can detract from the experience of euphoria that users seek out.

Some preliminary findings of goofball use indicate that people are primarily taking the drug for three reasons: to enhance the effects of opioids, to enhance the effects of stimulants, or to balance out the two.

For those who are injecting opioids, the stimulant side of the goofball balances out the sedating effects of the opioids. At the same time, opioids create balance with the effects of a stimulant. People can get high on both drugs without the negative repercussions of either.

What are the Dangers of Taking Opioids and Stimulants?

Image of a man holding a syringe with meth and white pills on the table in front of him, representing the dangers of combining opioids and stimulants

The first and most obvious danger of combining methamphetamine with opioids is that it masks some of the early warning signs that you might have had too much.

Stimulants activate the nervous system, speeding up your thoughts, heart rate, and blood pressure. People often feel great on methamphetamine until they start to go too fast and become increasingly uncomfortable. This can often be a sign that it’s time to seek help.

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Do Goofballs Increase the Risk of Overdose?

However, opioids have the opposite effect of meth and other stimulants. They slow everything down, acting as a respiratory depressant among other symptoms. Stimulants mask this slowing down. It is this kind of “careless overdosing” that leads to irreversible damage to the body and brain.

The risk is that you won’t realize you need help for an opioid overdose or a stimulant overdose until it’s really too late. The effects of both at high dosages can make it difficult to tell what the problem is, even if someone does bring you in for treatment.

According to studies published on the subject, goofballs present the greatest risk of nonfatal overdose as well. Always be honest about your history of goofball use if you need help.

Find Treatment Options for Opioids and Stimulants at Purpose

Image of a supportive doctor talking with a patient, symbolizing compassionate treatment options for opioid and stimulant recovery

No matter whether the issue is goofball use or alcohol dependence, our detox and treatment programs at Purpose offer effective, evidence-based treatment options.

Purpose Healing Center helps you get to the heart of your motivations for drug use so that you can embrace a sober lifestyle.

We aim to make access to treatment as easy as possible. This is why we accept AHCCCS insurance as well as many private insurances in-network.

Our enrollment team would be happy to verify the benefits, so you know what your anticipated costs will be.

When you’re ready to seek help, we’re here to be a safe place to land. We’ll give you a comprehensive treatment plan that’s tailored to your motivations, symptoms, and drug use with our counseling and psychiatry services.

Call confidentially to get support options and assistance for a clean and sober future, today!