The 5 psychological traps that multiple drug addicts fall into

Polydrug addiction is a reality that shows the extent to which addictions have the capacity to infiltrate all areas of a person's life if they are not treated in time.

This phenomenon, which consists of developing dependence on various drugs, makes the person who suffers it much more vulnerable both physically and mentally.

However, drawing a line between addiction to one drug and addiction to more than one substance is not an easy task, because Once dependency has begun to consolidate, it can be oriented towards a great variety of elements psychoactive. And this is so because the more a human being becomes accustomed to consuming a drug, the more likely he is to fall into certain psychological traps that drive you further and further into polydrug addiction.

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What is polydrug addiction?

Polydrug is the abuse and dependence on two or more drugs before which the person feels that they lose control over their actions. This can be reflected both in the combined use of drugs (taking them at the same time at a certain time, to combine their effects) or in the interspersed consumption of these (leaving several hours of difference between the consumption of each a).

In all cases, the mixture of psychoactive substances with addictive potential without a medical prescription has a very harmful effect on the physical and mental health of the person. This wear is usually more intense than if a single type of drug was consumed in the same amount, since the combination of substances enhances the negative effects of each of the products used.

What's more, although people who develop polydrug addiction are aware of this fact, that is not reason enough for them to leave their addiction behind permanently; the pattern of behavior on which their use of drugs is based or depends on whether they make informed decisions or not, but on other psychophysiological aspects that go beyond words. Either they ignore the harmful nature of the drug mix, or they try not to think about it, since there is great difficulty in controlling their behavior.

That is why polydrug addiction is such a common and frequent phenomenon among those who use drugs; there are even researchers who consider it one of the stages of maximum consolidation of addictive disorders, outlining a "consumption ladder" that goes from experimentation with a single drug to constant use of psychoactive substances of all kind.

And it is that if addictions depended on the information that people have, each step would be a line that the person knows he should not cross, but it is not like that. However, it is estimated that in Western countries, about half of the people with a drug addiction are addicted to several substances at the same time, and the majority of those who suffer dependence on alcohol, opioids, of the cannabis or, above all, cocaine and heroin.

Of course, This does not mean that it is impossible to overcome a drug addiction problem once polydrug addiction has become established.; what happens is that it is more complicated, and intervention by health professionals becomes more urgent than ever.

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Psychological pitfalls of consolidation of polydrug addiction

These are the psychological mechanisms that act as a "slippery slope" that leads to polydrug.

1. The boundary between healthy and unhealthy is blurring

The combined or interspersed use of drugs makes each of these substances trivialize, that goes through one more element of the day to day, blurring with the rest of everyday objects that surround the person.

This makes the emotional reaction of danger and / or caution promoted by awareness campaigns and against drug use disappear; the person has less reason to think about whether the use of these substances is good or bad for their health, since the concept of "drug" is normalized and stripped of most of its connotations negative.

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2. It is normalized in consumption of a single substance

If the behavioral dynamics driven by polydrug in its earliest stages already normalizes the use of several substances at the same time, it does it even more with the consumption of a single type of drug.

For example, it makes drinking alcohol without snorting cocaine on the same day seem like something “healthy”, something that practically does not count, Because compared to the idea of ​​taking several things at the same time, in the eyes of those who already have an addiction problem it hardly seems even remarkable.

3. Acceptance of the use of drugs with opposite effects appears

Another of the psychological traps associated with polydrug addiction is the idea that it is acceptable to use drugs that appear to "cancel each other out" (although in reality that is not true). For example, the use of a substance that depresses the activity of the nervous system, such as benzodiazepines, to counteract the previous taking of a psychostimulant such as cocaine.

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4. Self-deception arises of trying to treat one addiction by promoting another

On the other hand, it is also common for drug addicts to deceive themselves assuming that taking one drug is helping to get out of an addiction to another drug, even if they do not do so following medical instructions or using prescription drugs.

5. The person surrounds himself with social settings with easy access to various drugs

Finally, people with addictions get used to spending their free time mainly in relationships with other people who are also addicted. This means that, due to the availability of various types of drugs caused by being exposed to other people with similar problems, the use of different substances is seen as a way of integration in a group, or practically a social ritual.

Looking for addiction treatment?

If you are looking for psychotherapy or medical treatment and detoxification services for drug addiction, get in touch with our team of professionals.

From CITA Clinics we offer both outpatient assistance and intervention through admissions in our module residential, accompanying patients through all the stages involved in overcoming a disorder addictive.

We specialize in the treatment of addictions with or without substances, and in our residential facilities you can find an environment quiet and fully equipped in which to carry out all kinds of activities while the therapy lasts: library, swimming pool, gym, equine therapy, and more. You can find us at Dosrius, Barcelona.