Where can I find help for dual diagnosis?

Help for dual diagnosis can be found at specialized treatment centers that offer integrated care for mental health and substance use disorders. It's important to look for programs that specifically mention dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder treatment. Healthcare providers, mental health professionals, or local health departments can also provide referrals to suitable programs.

Is it common for individuals with dual diagnosis to relapse?

Relapse can be a part of the recovery process for some individuals with dual diagnosis, given the complex nature of these conditions. However, integrated treatment plans are designed to reduce the likelihood of relapse by addressing the root causes of both disorders and equipping individuals with strategies to manage triggers and cravings.

How can families support a loved one with dual diagnosis?

Families can support a loved one by encouraging them to seek and continue treatment, offering emotional support, educating themselves about dual diagnosis, and possibly participating in family therapy sessions. It's also important for families to set healthy boundaries and seek support for themselves through resources like support groups.

Are there any specific medications used in treating dual diagnosis?

Yes, specific medications may be used to treat the mental health aspect of dual diagnosis, such as atypical antipsychotics for schizophrenia or mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder. The choice of medication depends on the individual's specific mental health condition and substance use issues. Medications may also be used to manage withdrawal symptoms or cravings associated with substance use disorder.

What are the challenges in treating dual diagnosis?

Treating dual diagnosis presents several challenges, including the complexity of diagnosing and managing two co-occurring disorders, overcoming stigma, ensuring access to integrated treatment programs, and addressing the individual's holistic needs, including emotional and socioeconomic factors.

How does inpatient treatment benefit individuals with dual diagnosis?

Inpatient treatment offers a structured and supportive environment that is crucial for individuals with dual diagnosis. This setting provides constant care, removes individuals from potentially triggering environments, and allows for the intensive treatment needed to address both disorders simultaneously. It also facilitates the development of coping strategies and life skills essential for long-term recovery.

Can dual diagnosis be cured?

While “cure” may not be the term used in the context of dual diagnosis, effective management and recovery are possible. With appropriate integrated treatment, individuals can achieve significant improvement in both their mental health and substance use issues, leading to a better quality of life.

What does integrated treatment for dual diagnosis involve?

Integrated treatment for dual diagnosis typically involves a combination of pharmacotherapy (medication), psychosocial treatments (like cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and group counseling), and personalized care plans that are tailored to the individual's specific needs. This approach may also include support for related issues, such as housing, employment, and relationship counseling.

Why is integrated treatment recommended for dual diagnosis?

Integrated treatment is recommended because it addresses both the mental health disorder and the substance use disorder together, rather than treating them separately. Research has shown that this approach leads to better outcomes, as it tackles the complex interplay between the disorders, offering a more comprehensive and effective form of care.

What is dual diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis refers to the co-occurrence of a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health disorder in an individual. It means that someone is struggling with both mental health issues, like anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia, and substance abuse, such as alcohol or drug addiction, simultaneously.

WHAT SERVICES ARE INCLUDED IN MY HOSPITAL BILL?

If you are viewing estimates provided on this website, the pricing includes estimated room and board, supplies, nursing care, equipment use, nutritional services, and any services handled by the staff of the hospital within the walls of the hospital. It does not include services from outside providers such as lab or doctors fees.

WHAT IS PRICING TRANSPARENCY?

“Pricing Transparency” is the term used to describe initiatives in the healthcare industry to provide meaningful pricing information to consumers. The healthcare industry is often complex and difficult for consumers to navigate. Price transparency is a means of providing consumers price information on common services. Our hospital is committed to presenting pricing information on its website in a way that will be easy for the consumer to access and understand, as well as providing other useful information about financial assistance available, definitions of key terminology, and key financial policies.

Are There Any Anxiety Medications Safe with Alcohol?

It is generally not safe to mix alcohol with anxiety medications. Alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of the medication and increase the risk of side effects. It's crucial to consult with a healthcare provider for guidance on this matter.

Can Alcohol Cause Anxiety Disorders?

While alcohol itself may not directly cause anxiety disorders, its misuse can lead to the development or exacerbation of anxiety symptoms. Those with pre-existing anxiety may find their condition worsens with alcohol use.

How Do I Stop Anxiety after Drinking Alcohol?

To manage anxiety after drinking, it's important to reduce or stop alcohol consumption, practice healthy coping skills, and seek professional treatment if needed, especially for those with a co-occurring disorder.

Is Hangxiety a Real Thing?

Yes, “hangxiety” is a real phenomenon. It's a colloquial term combining “hangover” and “anxiety,” describing the feelings of anxiety and panic experienced during a hangover, often due to depleted GABA levels in the brain.

Does Alcohol Cause Anxiety?

Long-term alcohol use can lead to worsening anxiety. For instance, the experience of “hangxiety” after heavy drinking exemplifies how alcohol can induce anxiety-like symptoms.

Does Alcohol Make Anxiety Worse?

Yes, alcohol can worsen anxiety. Over time, dependence on alcohol to relax can lead to an increased risk of developing alcoholism. Furthermore, reliance on alcohol for managing anxiety can amplify anxiety symptoms when sober, potentially leading to co-occurring disorders.

Does Alcohol Reduce Anxiety?

While alcohol initially reduces stress and makes one feel at ease, it's only a short-term effect. In the long term, it does not effectively reduce anxiety and can actually exacerbate anxiety symptoms.

Does Alcohol Help Anxiety?

Temporarily, alcohol can create feelings of relaxation and sociability due to its depressant effects on the central nervous system. However, it's not a reliable or healthy method for managing anxiety.

Do Track Marks Go Away?

Some track marks can heal and become barely noticeable, while others, particularly in areas of thin skin or repeated puncture, may lead to irreversible skin and vein damage, resulting in permanent scars or marks.

How to Get Rid of Track Marks?

Healing from track marks involves stopping IV drug use and adopting practices like using clean needles, maintaining wound cleanliness, wearing compression socks, and improving circulation through exercise. Medical evaluation and potentially plastic or vascular surgery can also reduce the appearance of damaged veins.

Are There Dangers of Intravenous Drug Use?

Beyond track marks, IV drug use poses significant health risks, including vein damage, infections, collapsed veins, bloodstream infections affecting major organs, and skin infections like abscesses.

How Long Do Track Marks Last?

The duration of track marks varies. Some may heal and leave minimal scarring, but others, especially in areas with thin skin like hands and feet, can cause permanent visible marks and scar tissue.

Where Can Track Marks Appear?

Commonly found on the forearms, track marks can appear anywhere on the body. IV drug users often use non-dominant arms for injection, but they may also use other areas like hands, feet, neck, and groin, especially when trying to conceal their drug use.

What Do Track Marks Look Like?

Fresh track marks appear as unhealed puncture wounds. Over time and with repeated use, they can darken the skin's pigmentation and may also present as bruising, scarring, lesions, and visible vein damage.

What Are Track Marks?

Track marks are the visible signs on the skin resulting from intravenous (IV) drug use. They appear as scars or pinpoint spots, usually due to repeated injections in the same area, causing skin and vein damage.

What does Tusi Lavada mean?

“Tusi lavada” refers to a specific form or variant of the drug tusi, which is the colloquial name for pink cocaine. The term “lavada” in Spanish translates to “washed” in English. In the context of drug terminology, this could imply that the tusi has been processed or purified in some way. However, the exact meaning can vary depending on the local context and the specifics of how the drug is prepared or marketed. It's important to be cautious with such terms, as they can reflect regional slang or specific methods used in the illicit drug trade, and their meanings can differ significantly. Additionally, the composition and safety of such substances are highly unpredictable, contributing to their danger.

“Tusi” or “tuci” is a local term used to refer to pink cocaine, particularly in Colombia. It is a synthetic drug known scientifically as 2C-B. Unlike traditional cocaine, tusi is not derived from the coca plant but is instead a laboratory-made substance. This drug is a combination of pink food coloring, strawberry flavoring, ketamine, caffeine, and MDMA, and its effects are more akin to ecstasy rather than cocaine. Developed in the 1970s by chemist Alexander Shulgin, tusi was initially created for treating erectile dysfunction and boosting libido. However, it was later classified as a Schedule I Controlled substance and taken off the market due to its high potential for abuse and lack of accepted medical use. In the club scene, especially among younger adults, tusi is known for its party-enhancing effects.

What is Pink Cocaine?

Pink cocaine, despite its name, is not a type of cocaine. It is a synthetic drug, classified as phenylethylamine 2C-B, which includes a combination of pink food coloring, strawberry flavoring, ketamine, caffeine, and MDMA. This composition means that its effects more closely resemble those of ecstasy, rather than traditional cocaine. Originally developed in the 1970s by chemist Alexander Shulgin, it was intended for treating erectile dysfunction and enhancing libido, and was sold under names like Performax or Erox until its reclassification as a Schedule I Controlled substance in the United States in 1995. Pink cocaine is popular among teens and young adults in the club scene, and its use can lead to a range of side effects, including hallucinations, euphoria, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and in severe cases, seizures and respiratory depression.

What are Valium overdose symptoms?

Symptoms of a Valium overdose include severe drowsiness, confusion, limp muscles, and slow reflexes. In more serious cases, a person might have trouble breathing, become unconscious, or fall into a coma. If you think someone has overdosed on Valium, it's important to get medical help right away because it can be life-threatening.

What is the Valium antidote?

The antidote for a Valium overdose is a drug called flumazenil. It can quickly reverse the effects of Valium by blocking it from working on the brain. This antidote is usually given in a hospital setting where healthcare providers can closely monitor the patient because it can also cause withdrawal symptoms in people who are dependent on Valium.

How Much Valium Is Too Much?

The amount of Valium that is too much will vary from person to person. Factors like your age, weight, overall health, and whether you've taken it before all play a role. Generally, doctors will prescribe the lowest effective dose to minimize the risk of overdose. Taking more Valium than prescribed, or mixing it with other substances like alcohol, can quickly become dangerous.

Is Valium a Narcotic?

Valium is not considered a narcotic. Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain and dull the senses, and are often opioids like morphine or hydrocodone. Valium, however, is a benzodiazepine and is used mainly to treat anxiety and muscle spasms by calming the nervous system. While not a narcotic, Valium is still a controlled substance because it has the potential for abuse and dependence.

What are benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines are a type of medication that helps to relax the nervous system. They are often used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia because they can calm the brain and help with sleep. Common benzodiazepines include drugs like Valium, Xanax, and Ativan. They are effective but need to be used carefully because they can cause dependence and withdrawal if used long-term.

Valium is a medication known by the generic name diazepam. It belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines and is used to treat conditions like anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. Valium works by calming the brain and nerves, and it is also used to help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Can you overdose on Valium?

Yes, it is possible to overdose on Valium. Taking more than the recommended dose, or using it in ways not prescribed by a doctor, can lead to serious health problems. An overdose can slow down your breathing, cause confusion, make you feel sleepy or even fall into a coma. It's important to always take Valium exactly as prescribed to avoid these risks.

Oxycodone and Alcohol: Why You Shouldn’t Mix Them • The Willough at Naples

Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic narcotic used for moderate to severe pain relief. While on oxycodone, individuals should not take street drugs or drink alcohol. This is because combining oxycodone and alcohol increases the risk of dangerous, life-threatening side effects.

Instead, it is much safer to take prescription opioids like oxycodone exactly as directed by medical professionals. If someone takes oxycodone more frequently, in higher doses, or for longer than prescribed, they increase their risk of developing an opioid addiction.

Similarly, alcohol is an addictive substance that should be consumed in moderation. Because it interacts poorly with many types of drugs, it is better for someone to avoid it entirely for the duration of their prescription.

Fortunately, programs exist to help those who live with drug addictions and alcohol abuse. If you are thinking about mixing oxycodone and alcohol, or you suspect you may have developed an addiction to either, continue reading. We will discuss why you should not mix alcohol and drugs, as well as how you can get help if you already have.

Table of Contents

How Does Oxycodone Affect the Brain?

Before we analyze how oxycodone and alcohol interact, it is important to recognize that both affect the brain in different ways. Oxycodone is a type of prescription opioid used to treat individuals with moderate to severe pain. Like other opioids, oxycodone binds to receptors in the brain as it travels through the bloodstream.

Normally, these opioid receptors help manage the body’s response to pain. Naturally produced opioid substances within the body slot into the receptors like a key into a lock. When this happens, it prompts the same chemical processes that occur when someone engages in pleasurable activities like eating, exercise, or sex.

Oxycodone and other externally provided opioids work in the same way. By binding to opioid receptors, they can trigger the same pain relief functions. This makes opioid painkillers one of the most effective options for someone experiencing severe or chronic pain.

In addition to relieving pain, oxycodone can also cause side effects like drowsiness, flushing, mood changes, and headache. Oxycodone and alcohol share many of these potential side effects, which contributes to the dangers of mixing them together.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

Oxycodone and alcohol work in different ways to influence someone. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects almost every part of the body, including the brain. As alcohol travels through the bloodstream, it blocks communications between certain cells called neurons.

These neurons typically help with cognitive and physical functions like balance, memory, judgment, and speech. However, since alcohol inhibits their ability to convey messages to each other, these functions end up impaired as a result.

Alcohol impairment can take many different forms. In addition to impaired motor, speech, and overall cognitive abilities, it often causes symptoms like uncontrolled eye movements, feelings of relaxation, nausea, and vomiting.

As mentioned above, oxycodone and alcohol also have a few other side effects in common. Just like oxycodone, alcohol can cause someone to experience sleepiness, mood swings, memory problems, and dizziness.

How Do Oxycodone and Alcohol Interact?

Now that you understand how oxycodone and alcohol work independently, we can discuss what happens when someone takes them at the same time. Mixing alcohol and drugs is often a dangerous endeavor. Therefore, those with prescribed medications should always take them as instructed by medical professionals and without additional substances.

Combining alcohol with drugs can trigger a variety of side effects, ranging from minor unpleasantries to potentially fatal impairments. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse warns that, depending on the type of drug someone mixes with alcohol, they may experience anything from drowsiness to heart attacks.

When it comes to combining oxycodone and alcohol, several potential problems arise. For example, taking them together can cause symptoms like:

Nausea/vomiting
Fatigue
Respiratory depression
Liver damage
Slow heart rate
Dizziness
Unusual behaviors or mood changes
Memory problems
Impaired motor control
Seizures
Coma

In addition, mixing oxycodone and alcohol places someone at an increased risk of overdose and alcohol poisoning. Perhaps most notably, alcohol can prevent common overdose medications like Naloxone (Narcan) from working effectively. In other words, overdosing on oxycodone after drinking alcohol is much more likely to be fatal.

Furthermore, someone may not process how intoxicated they are after consuming both oxycodone and alcohol. This can lead to taking more of either substance in what could become a lethal dose. As the effects of both substances feed into each other and become more extreme, the risk of fatal consequences increases as well.

Oxycodone and Alcohol Addiction

Taking oxycodone and alcohol at the same time does not result in a better experience. It may be more intense, but only in harmful ways that could cause permanent damage or even death. Therefore, people with prescribed opioids should avoid drinking alcohol for the duration of their prescription. They should also take oxycodone exactly as prescribed.

When these things don’t happen, someone may develop an opioid addiction or patterns of alcohol abuse. Addiction can wreak havoc on all aspects of someone’s life, but luckily, there are ways to treat it and minimize its impact.

Detox from Oxycodone and Alcohol

Someone whose substance use has evolved into addiction must first detox from oxycodone and alcohol. This process allows the body to recover from addiction on a physical level. Medical detox programs provide the space and support for someone to do so safely.

During a medical detox, a team of licensed physicians and addiction specialists monitor patients throughout the entire process. This team works to soothe any withdrawal symptoms as much as possible and ward off potential complications.

Dual Diagnosis

After detoxing from oxycodone and alcohol, someone may enroll in a rehabilitation program for additional support. The Willough at Naples offers a dual diagnosis program to meet this need. Dual diagnosis refers to a type of treatment that helps individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues.

Over half of individuals with an addiction have a mental health problem at the same time, making dual diagnosis a valuable focus to have. The dual diagnosis program at The Willough at Naples utilizes numerous evidence-based treatment options, including:

Psychiatric evaluation
Individual therapy
Group therapy
Recreational therapy
Family therapy
Medication management
Links to community resources and support groups
Discharge and relapse prevention planning

The above activities teach important coping skills like healthy communication, emotional attunement, and time management. While these may seem generic at first, they help people with oxycodone and alcohol addictions re-establish a sense of stability and control. We want our patients to succeed for years to come, and we accomplish that by equipping them with life skills that will go on to transcend treatment.

Oxycodone and Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Naples, Florida

The Willough at Naples is a mental health and addiction rehab center with over 30 years of treatment experience. We are well-versed in treating individuals with conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, as well as those with addictions to illicit drugs, prescription medications like oxycodone, and alcohol.

We want to hear your story and offer our assistance in writing its next chapter. It is never too late to get help. If you battle oxycodone and alcohol abuse, please reach out to us today. You can contact a member of our admissions team by calling 800-722-0100 or submitting a confidential contact form online.

We can connect you with the support and resources you need to recover. With The Willough of Naples in your corner, long-term sobriety, stability, and happiness can all become a reality.

Oxycodone and Alcohol: Why You Shouldn’t Mix Them