There are enough prescription opioids that can cause dependence and death that are readily available in the United States. These drugs can lead to debilitating addiction and fatal outcomes when misused alone. When individuals begin mixing drugs and alcohol or taking mixtures from off of the streets of which they don’t understand the composition, the dangers of lethal dosing increases substantially.
Cocktail Drugs
Cocktails or combination drugs can be found on the streets with any number of slang terms, but no formal understanding of their formulations. With such a wide-variety of basement-concocted mixtures flowing through the streets, it can be difficult to keep a steady track on what is actually in circulation.
One of the most notable is purple drank, which is soda, sugar, and cough syrup mixture which provides a drunken feeling to the user. This is a result of the codeine in the cough syrup. Many users will naively mix this tonic with alcohol for a very risky combination that can lead to intense sickness or death.
Bath salts are another major player that was at one time referred to as the “zombie drug.” The reason these salts were given this name is because of the way they would react in individuals. Bath salts would cause people to attack others and try to mutilate them. Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline compound which can cause panic attacks, violence, and heart attacks when ingested.
Deadly Combinations
While many of these are deadly in their own right, a significant number of abusers will often mix drugs and alcohol with very toxic side effects. An example would be mixing alcohol with a benzodiazepine like Xanax, Valium, or Ativan. The reason for mixing is that the combination of the drunken state of the alcohol and the sedative state of the benzodiazepine allows for both to be substantially enhanced. The results, however, can be devastating. Loss of memory is one of the most commonly seen side effects. This symptom comes with a whole host of other negative outcomes, including overdose, rape, and bodily damages.
The bottom line is mixing drugs is never a good or safe idea. To give another example, some will mix heroin and cocaine. The result is the user feels like they haven’t gotten a substantial enough dose of either drug so the user will take in much more of one or both to compensate. This easily leads to overdose on one or both of these lethal substances.
Getting Help
If you have developed a dependence on any drug or alcohol, it is important to seek help to improve your chances of sobriety. Your health, wellness, and safety depend on it. If you have or are tempted to mix drugs, the outcome can be deadly. It only takes one time to have a fatal outcome.
The medical detox and addiction treatment center alternative at Discovery Place in the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee provides a stable and supportive surrounding which will help you detox from your addiction. To learn more about our programs, call us today at 1-800-725-0922. We are always available to talk with you an assist, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can live a better life free of addiction, and you can have a successful recovery.
