Mixing Alcohol and Drugs? Double trouble
Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that has been historically proven to cause a dependence. Long term alcohol use can have various effects on an individual including but not limited to the following:
- Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, insomnia, etc..
- Cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, strokes and heart attacks.
- Persistent alcohol use can lead to a weakened immune system.
- Alcohol is metabolised in the liver, where it is converted to acetaldehyde – a carcinogen. Alcohol use is thus linked to various types of cancers.
- Alcohol use can also lead to learning deficiencies due to difficulties in learning, memory recall and retention. Young adults addicted to alcohol are more likely to be academically delinquent than those that are not.
- Alcohol can also lead to issues during the pregnancy such as development issues in the foetus and miscarriages.
While Alcohol is extremely harmful on its own, mixing it with other drugs can worsen the effects of both the alcohol and the drug. Also, based on the type and the potency of the alcohol and the drug – the reaction can be difficult to predict, dangerous and potentially fatal.
Alcohol and Medications
Alcohol use along with medication can have varying effects on the body which can vary from one individual to the other. The resultant reactions can be classified based on its severity as below:
- Alcohol usually interferes with the effectiveness of the medication by making it ineffective or toxic and dangerous.
- In some cases, Alcohol use along with medication can lead to nausea, vomiting and headaches.
- Mixing Alcohol and Medication can also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, internal bleeding and breathing difficulties.
It is always best to consult a doctor before consuming alcohol after taking medication of any kind although it is better not to consume alcohol in the first place.
Alcohol and other Drugs
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world. And although it is not fatal by itself in the short run, the wide spread consumption of alcohol increases the potential risk of addictions by more than one drug. Alcohol use with drugs such as Weed, MDMA, Heroin, Cocaine and other types of drugs is not uncommon and is widely documented in India. Alcohol combined with other drugs can increase the potential for physiological issues such as difficulties breathing, depression, anxiety and other associated mental health conditions. Also, Alcohol use combined with drugs can reduce the intoxicating effects of the combination thereby increasing the potential for blackouts, alcohol poisoning or overdose.
Risk in Women
Women’s bodies have been proven to have less water than men’s. So, when women consume alcohol their blood alcohol reaches a higher level than in the case of the men. This can have a negative effect on their liver which is where the alcohol is metabolised thus increasing the risk of organ damage.
Cardiovascular Health
Prolonged and regular use of Alcohol combined with Drugs can lead to devastating effects on the heart. The effects are more pronounced than just alcohol use. Dual use of Alcohol and Drugs can exponentially increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as irregular heart beat or heart rhythm, increased heart rate and blood pressure and fatal heart attacks or strokes.
How can I get help?
If you or your loved one is suffering from an addiction caused by one or more substances, it is best to get professional help. A licensed treatment centre for addiction rehab such as Phoenix can provide the right support and tools to help recover from an addiction and stay sober in the long-term.
