Heroin Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Garden State Treatment Center

Tag: Heroin

Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is an opioid used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects.

Using Heroin When You’re on Suboxone

Pure heroin, diacetylmorphine, is a white powder with a bitter taste abused for its euphoric effects. Heroin, a highly addictive drug, is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in the opium poppy plant and is roughly 2 to 3 times more potent than morphine. Users become fast addicted to heroin both mentally and physically as they seek to experience the unique sensations provided by the drug.

It exhibits euphoric, anti-anxiety, and pain-relieving properties. It is usually injected, smoked, or snorted up the nose. Heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, carries stiff criminal penalties, and has no acceptable medical use in the United States. Of all the commonly abused addictive opioids, few are more dangerous than heroin.

Using Heroin When You're on Suboxone

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a brand-name prescription drug and is an addiction treatment medication used in opioid replacement therapy. As an opiate itself, it has a potential for abuse. Suboxone helps reverse the side effects of short-acting opioids, including heroin and prescription painkillers. Consisting of two ingredients, Buprenorphine, and naloxone, Suboxone prevents the painful withdrawal symptoms caused by opioid addiction. Suboxone comes as an oral film that’s placed under your tongue (sublingual) or between your gums and cheek (buccal). The film dissolves in your mouth. Some people begin abusing Suboxone after it’s been prescribed as part of a treatment regimen for opioid dependency.

What are the Effects of Using Heroin While on Suboxone?

The key difference between Suboxone and other opioids is the added naloxone component, which serves to counter the action of opioid-based drugs. The naloxone component, in Suboxone, works by attaching to opioid receptors and blocking other opioids, such as heroin, from producing addictive euphoric sensations. Using Suboxone together with heroin, which causes central nervous system depression as well, can lead to serious side effects such as respiratory distress, coma, and even death.

If Suboxone is abused to get high, the naloxone will inhibit the buprenorphine component of the drug from binding to the opioid receptors, making the person experience the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal. If a heroin-dependent person were to take Suboxone simultaneously with heroin, or shortly after using heroin, the body’s strong preference for Suboxone will counter the non-specific actions of the more potent heroin, sending the user into immediate withdrawal. Such predicaments can be very dangerous, and they defeat the purpose of Suboxone as a remedial drug.

What are the Benefits of Suboxone?

Suboxone offers several benefits to those with opioid dependency and to others for whom treatment in a methadone clinic is not preferred or is less convenient. Approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration, medications such as buprenorphine, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of opioid dependence, FDA. When taken as prescribed, buprenorphine is safe and effective. The buprenorphine/naloxone combination, Suboxone, is one of only two opioid addiction treatment medications, the other being Subutex, to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for usage outside of licensed opioid treatment facilities.

Heroin Addiction Treatment

You can get help and lead a successful, productive life. The first step is acknowledging the potential problem and just by asking yourself if you want to be the best version of yourself that you can be, you’re already on the right track. Here at Garden State Treatment Center, we provide group therapy, individual addiction counseling, relapse prevention treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, 12 step addiction treatment, and many other services that help teach you the skills you need to lead a Suboxone and Heroin free life. We believe in treating the entire person, not just their addictions. We personalize the treatment plan based on the individual’s characteristics. Our admissions team is standing by for your call.

FAQ

  • Can you take heroin with Suboxone?
  • Can you get high while on Suboxone?
  • What happens if you use Heroin while taking Sublocade?
  • What happens when you take opiates while on Suboxone?
  • Is it true that suboxone withdrawal is worse than heroin withdrawal?

Published on: 2020-02-01
Updated on: 2024-10-08

Mixing Cocaine and Xanax

What is Cocaine?

Cocaine is an illicit, powerfully addictive substance. Cocaine, also known as coke, is a strong stimulant most frequently used as a recreational drug. Mental effects may include loss of contact with reality, an intense feeling of happiness, or agitation. Cocaine can be snorted, smoked or injected. It fluctuates in pigment from white to light rose or yellow. It stimulates the reward system, dopamine, of the brain and generates instant effects throughout the central nervous system.

Cocaine addicts build a forbearance swiftly because their bodies get used to the drug, and therefore more of the substance is necessary to deliver the consistent results of reaching a high. A cocaine addict’s physical brain function is dependent on the substance to be able to function normally.

Mixing Cocaine and Xanax2

What is Xanax?

Xanax, which is alprazolam, is a benzodiazepine. Alprazolam affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with anxiety. Xanax is used to treat anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and anxiety caused by depression. Xanax may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Xanax can cause paranoid or suicidal ideation and impair memory, judgment, and coordination.

Combining with other substances, particularly alcohol, can slow breathing and possibly lead to death. Xanax is commonly abused because it is an analgesic that treats moderate to severe pain, but people who don’t have pain can get a significant high off it.

Why is it Common for People to Mix Cocaine and Xanax?

People may co-use stimulants and depressants for several reasons. Cocaine is an infamous drug that is associated with high energy levels, excitability, and mental alertness, but it can cause irritability and paranoia as well. Some people may take Xanax to curb the acute effects of cocaine or to ease the discomfort associated with “coming down” from a cocaine high. Cocaine may also be taken to counteract the depressant effects of Xanax, including drowsiness and a sense of low energy.

What Happens When You Mix Cocaine and Xanax?

Both Xanax and cocaine can be incredibly dangerous drugs on their own, and each has a high risk of developing dependence and addiction. When they are taken together, the risk of immediate and long-term negative health and social consequences is substantially increased. A major danger of combining Xanax and cocaine is a heightened risk of acquiring dependence and addiction to one or both.

When they are taken at the same time, they limit the efficiency of each other, which may lead to someone taking greater doses of one or both drugs than they ordinarily would. Both Xanax and cocaine have opposite effects on the body and brain making difficult for someone who is using to identify the symptoms of an overdose. According to studies done by the Centers for Disease Control both cocaine and alprazolam were among the highest rates of death by overdose in recent years.

Among drug overdose deaths that mentioned at least one specific drug, the 10 most frequently mentioned drugs during 2011–2016 included fentanyl, heroin, hydrocodone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, alprazolam, diazepam, cocaine, and methamphetamine. (CDC)

Polydrug abuse means mixing two or more drugs to get high and it’s a very dangerous road. The more drugs you take at the same time, the more complex the interactions become, and they can often turn deadly. Mixing cocaine and Xanax is especially risky because one is an upper and the other a downer.

How Can Rehab at Garden State Treatment Center Help You?

Here at Garden State Treatment Center, we offer group therapy, individual addiction counseling, relapse prevention treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and 12-step addiction treatment. We will look at your health and your life to make an individualized treatment plan that fits your needs and the safest route will be approached.

The medical staff will provide care that is around the clock. We are committed to an evidence-based treatment approach to be able to facilitate a long-term recovery for you. Take the first courageous step on the road to a healthy and happy life and call now for a confidential evaluation.

Published on: 2019-11-26
Updated on: 2024-10-08

When Addicted Loved Ones Ask for Money

Watching a loved one struggle with alcohol or drug addiction is one of the most painful experiences an individual can have. Addiction is a physically, emotionally, and psychologically devastating disease – and not just for the afflicted individual.

addicted loved ones ask for money

Close friends, family members, or significant others may watch their loved ones deteriorate and wonder WHY they can’t do anything to help. “If they really loved me, they would change.” The emotional torture of being completely and utterly helpless drives many loved ones to exacerbate a vicious cycle of enabling. While doing everything in your power to help your addicted loved one may seem to make sense at the time, things will not change until the addict hits rock bottom – and has nowhere else to go.

What is Enabling?

Essentially, enabling is the act of preventing an addict from hitting his or her personal bottom by coddling them and ‘supporting’ them in ways that are actually doing them harm. One of the most common forms of enabling is giving money to an active addict or alcoholic. If you are the parent of an individual who is battling substance dependency, offering financial support may seem like a no-brainer. Say, for example, your son – who has been struggling with heroin addiction – asks for $20 for food. “My child needs food in order to survive,” you might think to yourself. “I can’t stand by and watch him starve.” In reality, the likelihood that your son is going to spend that money on more heroin is exceptionally high.

Addiction is a disease of manipulation – those suffering will go to great lengths in order to get what they want (and what they want, in the vast majority of cases, is the next fix). While it can be easy to assume that your own child wouldn’t manipulate you, steal from you, or lie to your face, it is important to keep in mind just how insidious this disease is.

How To Say No to Giving Someone Money

Sadly, continuing to support your child financially is likely to exacerbate the illness, and – seeing as addiction is a progressive disease – it could ultimately lead to serious complications (such as overdose, or even death). Of course, saying ‘no’ will not come naturally, and setting boundaries can be difficult and painful.

asking for money

For this reason, the families of addicts often choose to stage an intervention. What is an intervention? In so many words, an intervention allows the loved ones of the concerned individual to express their feelings while setting strict personal boundaries. It is absolutely crucial that interventions are organized and conducted by an experienced professional. If they are not, they may wind up doing more harm than good.

In most cases, the friends and family members of the subject of the intervention will write letters and read them in turn. These letters will explain how the symptoms of active addiction have affected them personally, and they will outline boundaries that the interventionist will help to maintain. One of the most common – and important – boundaries is that concerning money. “I will no longer give you money, no matter what you say it’s for. I am willing to help you go to treatment, but that’s the only financial support you’ll receive from me.” Once these boundaries have been established, it is important to seek the support you need in order to successfully maintain them.

Garden State Treatment Center

We at Garden State Treatment Center understand how difficult it can be to set and maintain a strict set of rules while you watch your loved one struggle. Fortunately, our team of experienced therapists, counselors, and addiction specialists are available to help. We will help you take the steps you need to get help for your loved one in a safe and effective way.

Published on: 2019-10-18
Updated on: 2024-10-08

What is the Calvin Klein Club Drug?

The Calvin Klein drug is not a new synthetic compound, but instead is a deadly combination of cocaine and ketamine. It’s one of the latest trending club drugs that is causing many overdoses for young adults that take these substances to party harder. Already leaving a trail of destruction in its path, this drug mixture tragically took the life of a young violinist who was a musical prodigy. The young violinist died from an accidental overdose of the drug in London on Thursday, July 11th, 2019.

What’s the story behind the name of this deadly drug cocktail? This substance is being called the ‘Calvin Klein’ drug because it goes by the initials ‘CK,’ that reference the brand. The appealing name of the drug, taken from a worldwide fashion brand, adds to its dangerous marketing appeal for young adults looking for an edgy high. The fact that it’s a combination of a stimulant and hallucinogenic causes adverse reactions that are leading to overdoses.

What is the Calvin Klein Club Drug

Calvin Klein Drug: Mix of Cocaine and Ketamine

When mixed together, cocaine and ketamine abuse can be life-threatening, causing increased heart rate, palpitations, and possible cardiac arrest. The death of a young musical prodigy because of taking the Calvin Klein club drug was covered by the New York Post, “Katya Tsukanova, 17, a leading musician in the UK, died of an apparent overdose from a cocaine and ketamine drug cocktail — just days after performing at the Royal Opera House in the city”. This news has prompted further investigation of how dangerous this drug is. Although more evidence is needed in how cocaine and ketamine combined affects a person’s brain, there is research on the two drugs separately.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, classifies ketamine as a dissociative drug similar to hallucinogens. NIDA states that the reason people take dissociative drugs is to “enable them to enter into what they perceive as a more enlightened sense of thinking or being” (NIDA). Additionally, from NIDA, “Ketamine—also known as K, Special K, or cat Valium—is a dissociative currently used as an anesthetic for humans as well as animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the street has been diverted from veterinary offices. Although it is manufactured as an injectable liquid, ketamine is generally evaporated to form a powder that is snorted or compressed into pills for illicit use…” (NIDA).

Is the new club drug called Calvin Klein dangerous?

Cocaine is considered a stimulant drug, and when added to ketamine, likely increases the effect of the Ketamine. Historically, cocaine has been mixed with many other drugs to enhance their effects. It is commonly mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol. Tsukanova was a victim of the lethal effects of both drugs. The New York Post reported that her father, Igor Tsukanova, said his daughter was a “smart girl, and she made one bad choice.” (NY Post).

The CK drug is a popular club drug, and like other club drugs, may continue to take lives as it continues to be sold. The DEA currently does not acknowledge the drug cocktail CK as a specific drug type but does reference cocaine and ketamine in their drug schedules. The DEA classifies drugs according to how dangerous they are:

“Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified into five (5) distinct categories or schedules depending upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential… the abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug; for example, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and physical dependence.” (DEA).

Currently, Cocaine is listed with the DEA as a schedule II drug and Ketamine a schedule III.

The fact that a young violinist died accidentally from the mixture of cocaine and ketamine is tragic. Although most experiences with dangerous drugs do not end well, cases like this are very saddening and force us to examine what our younger generations are doing when they get together. Becoming involved and educated about the types of drugs that are available in clubs and on the street is a starting point. Additionally, adults must look for warning signs and behaviors that indicate drug use and abuse, as well as supporting laws that will limit the accessibility of these drugs to be bought over the web and by illegal prescription as in the case of ketamine.

If you or a loved one are affected by addiction, Garden State Treatment Center is here to help. Our solution-focused addiction treatment programs get to the underlying causes of substance abuse. We provide personalized treatment plans that are tailored to the unique situation of each patient. Contact us around the clock for confidential help and don’t delay in reaching out.

Published on: 2019-07-16
Updated on: 2024-10-08

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