Understanding Polysubstance Abuse: What Does It Mean?
Polysubstance abuse is a growing concern in the world of addiction and recovery. Understanding what it is, and why it’s dangerous, is key to helping yourself or a loved one take the first step towards healing. This refers to the use of more than one drug, whether simultaneously or sequentially. This can significantly increase the risks and challenges associated with substance dependence.
At New Leaf Recovery, we are here to help and support anyone struggling with substance or behavioural addictions. We provide a safe space for medical detoxification and rehabilitation, giving you an opportunity to learn new techniques and utilise them to find a happier future.
If you, or someone you love has been struggling with polysubstance abuse, speak with our team today and let us help, advise and support you.
What Is Polysubstance Abuse?
In simple terms, polysubstance abuse means to misuse two or more substances. This doesn’t have to be illegal drugs, but can be a combination of substances:
- Illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin or ecstasy.
- Over the Counter medications
- Prescription medications including benzodiazepines.
Often, alcohol can enhance or counteract the effects of other drugs that are taken. With over the counter medications, these are often used in conjunction with other substances because of their psychoactive properties.
There are a number of reasons that individuals engage in polysubstance abuse:
- To get a different kind of ‘high’: Individuals may want to experiment with combinations of substances to experience different psychoactive effects.
- Counteract unwanted side effects: Sometimes, one substance can be used to tackle a side effect, creating a cycle of unwanted side effects and multiple substance use.
- Enhance the desired effect: Individuals may want to enhance the effects of the substances taken by combining it with another for intense relaxation or sedation for example.
- Availability: This is often a case of using what is available and at hand.
- Self-medication: Sometimes substance abuse can be a means of tackling mental health concerns without proper support or guidance from your GP.
It is key to understand that polysubstance abuse is extremely dangerous and can quickly spiral out of control. It can be damaging to physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse of any kind, call New Leaf Recovery today for advice and support.
The Types of Polysubstance Abuse
There are two types of polysubstance abuse:
- Intentional use: This is when an individual has intentionally mixed substances.
- Unintentional use: This occurs when an individual is unaware that the substance they have taken has been mixed with another substance beforehand.
All substances come with their own side effects; however polysubstance abuse can mask symptoms that can lead to more severe medical concerns.
The Dangers and Complications of Polysubstance Abuse
The biggest danger with mixing substances is that their effects on your body and brain can become dangerously unpredictable. Individual substances affect the brain and body in different ways. When combining them, it may lead to side effects of:
- Increased toxicity: Major organs such as the liver may begin to struggle processing multiple substances, leading to organ damage or overdose.
- Masked symptoms: The effects of one substance can mask the overdose symptoms of another, leading to a delay in receiving medical attention in serious cases.
- Exaggerated effects: The effects of one substance can enhance the effects of another. This amplification can lead to severe impairment, loss of consciousness or respiratory depression (particularly with depressant substances such as alcohol).
- Higher risk of overdose: With polysubstance abuse, this is a significant concern. The lethal dose for combined substances is much lower than for single substances.
- More complex withdrawal symptoms: Detoxification is tough for single substance use. For multiple substance detoxification, this can take prolonged periods of time with more severe withdrawal symptoms being experienced. A medical detoxification is key for polysubstance circumstances.
- Mental health implications: Polysubstance abuse can often exacerbate co-occurring mental health disorders, making the treatment more challenging.
The risks and complications can be severe in the case of multiple substance abuse. Doing it alone can lead to dangerous situations. At New Leaf Recovery, we are here to support you through your detoxification and rehabilitation, ensuring that you remain safe during this challenging time.
We provide a medically controlled detoxification programme that ensures you remain as safe and comfortable as possible throughout. We have a team on site 24/7 to support you through the difficult time.
How Common is Polysubstance Abuse?
Sadly, at New Leaf Recovery, we often find that polysubstance abuse is common amongst those who are already struggling with addiction. Those that are seeking recovery support have come to realise that their substance abuse is out of hand or have been speaking their loved ones who have concerns.
Any form of addiction can lead to a challenging recovery journey, however, when seeking rehabilitation for polysubstance abuse, this can be a longer road to sobriety. At New Leaf Recovery, we have a compassionate team who is here to support you along the journey, regardless of how long that takes. We aim to help you through safe detox and take steps towards your rehabilitation, finding new techniques to guide your future struggles as opposed to substance abuse.
Seek advice and support today with our team. We offer 24/7 guidance and rehabilitation support.
Rehabilitation for Polysubstance Abuse
Whether you are seeking support for yourself or a loved one, it is vital to know that you are not alone! Help and support is available 24/7 with New Leaf Recovery.
Our team at New Leaf understands the nature of polysubstance dependence and are able to guide you through our rehabilitation programme, designed to help you find new coping mechanisms and address the roots of your addiction. Our services include:
Our medically supervised detoxification helps with removing the toxins from your body in a safe space. We help you through your withdrawal symptoms and help keep you on the road to recovery.
Once detoxification has been completed, you will be able to participate in our rehabilitation programme, including a range of therapies such as Art Therapy, Meditation, Emotional Freedom Techniques and more. As well as our engaging therapies, we work with you in counselling, 1-2-1 and group sessions to talk through your struggles and find new ways to process your emotions. This can help you understand your triggers and gain new coping mechanisms.
Our aim with rehabilitation is to provide you with the right techniques and steps to find a brighter future.
Every client is introduced to the 12 Steps Programme, giving them a pathway to a brighter future. We help clients with the first few steps before guiding them to continue the pathway post-rehabilitation. Find out more about the programme with us.
Relapse is part of the rehabilitation journey. Following rehabilitation, the temptation of daily life can provide a real struggle; however, our relapse support is here to help those who may have relapsed find their way back to sobriety.
At New Leaf Recovery, we are firm believers in continuing to support all client’s post-rehabilitation to help them towards long-term sobriety. We offer an aftercare programme for those who would like to continue their rehabilitation support when adjusting to daily life after their stay with us. For more on our aftercare services, speak to our team today.
Taking a step towards rehabilitation and addiction recovery is a courageous decision. Whether for yourself or a loved one, speak to our team today to find out how we can help and support you. With flexible stays from 7 days to 28 days, we can help you find the path to recovery and a substance free future.
Polysubstance abuse can quickly spiral into a life-threatening pattern, but recovery is possible. At New Leaf Recovery, we help individuals safely detox and begin a journey of meaningful rehabilitation. If you’re concerned about your own or someone else’s substance use, don’t wait, reach out to our team today.
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