Substance use is common in the United States. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “59.0% (or 167.2 million people) used tobacco products, vaped nicotine, used alcohol, or used an illicit drug” in 2023.[1]

While some people stick to one drug, others abuse multiple substances at once. If you find yourself combining drugs to experience a different kind of high, you are engaging in polysubstance use. Over time, you can develop an addiction to more than one drug.

Polydrug addiction occurs when you abuse multiple substances repeatedly, causing your brain and body to grow accustomed to the presence of the drugs. While it can be difficult to recover from multiple drug addictions, professional rehab programs make it possible. These programs offer services like medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and relapse prevention planning to help you overcome polydrug addiction.

In this article, you will learn:

• What is polysubstance use?
• What causes polydrug addiction?
• How does treatment for multiple drug addiction in Florida work?

What is Polysubstance Use?

Polysubstance use is characterized by combining substances to experience a high. This could include mixing alcohol and weed, mixing prescription drugs with alcohol, or engaging in “speedballing,” which involves mixing a stimulant and a depressant. In other words, any time you mix two or more drugs at the same time, you are engaging in polysubstance abuse.

There is intentional and unintentional polysubstance use. Intentional polysubstance use occurs when you knowingly use two drugs at the same time. Unintentional polysubstance use happens when you take a drug that contains another substance without your knowledge, like fentanyl-laced pills.

You might be engaging in intentional polysubstance use without even realizing it. For example, if you take a prescription medication like Xanax or Adderall and then drink alcohol, you are experiencing polydrug abuse.

Any type of polysubstance use can lead to a substance use disorder. Additionally, your risk of overdosing is increased when you combine multiple drugs at once, whether it is on purpose or not. The CDC reports that nearly half of the drug overdoses in 2022 involved multiple substances.[2]

What Causes a Polysubstance Use Disorder?

Over time, mixing multiple drugs can lead to a polysubstance use disorder. Since drugs send signals to your brain’s reward system, eventually your brain will associate polysubstance abuse with reward and pleasure. Eventually, you will develop a dependency on the drugs and experience tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal.

Some of the reasons you might engage in polydrug abuse include:

• Balancing or counteracting the effects of a drug you’ve taken
• Trying to achieve the effect of a substance that is unavailable to you by taking a cocktail of drugs
• Attempting to prevent withdrawal symptoms when you run out of a drug
• Trying to prolong or enhance your high
• Reducing the amount of a drug you take by consuming another
• Self-medicating to trying to manage the symptoms of a mental health issue

Certain factors increase the risk of polysubstance use disorder. For example, having a family history of addiction, already suffering from a substance use disorder, having an underlying mental health condition, or having a history of adverse childhood experiences makes you more likely to develop polydrug addiction.

How Does Treatment for Polydrug Addiction in Florida Work?

Treatment for polydrug addiction in Florida works similarly to traditional addiction treatment. The main difference is that you will require more treatments and medications during detox, as you could experience more than one withdrawal syndrome.

During treatment for polysubstance use disorder in Florida, you can expect:

Medical Detox

Long-term use of multiple substances will lead to addiction. If you repeatedly mix alcohol and Xanax, you could become addicted to both substances. As a result, you will experience withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and Xanax at the same time.

During medical detox, medical professionals will provide you with FDA-approved medications to manage and prevent withdrawal symptoms. If you were addicted to alcohol and opioids, you might be given benzodiazepines or a medication like Suboxone and methadone. Your doctor will have to determine if the medications used to treat your withdrawal symptoms interact with one another before they can give you both.

Evidence-Based Therapies

Once you overcome withdrawal, you will begin working on the psychological and behavioral aspects of polydrug addiction. Individual therapy and group counseling are both used to help you recover from addiction. These tools can help you recover from the root causes of your substance abuse, manage co-occurring mental health problems, and teach you coping mechanisms to maintain long-term sobriety.

During counseling, you will participate in evidence-based therapies for substance use disorders, including:[3]

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Motivational interviewing (MI)
• Contingency management (CM)
• 12-step facilitation therapy
• The matrix model
• Family behavior therapy

Relapse Prevention and Aftercare

Before you complete your addiction treatment program, you will participate in relapse prevention planning. This process helps drug users learn how to avoid relapses in the future, making lifelong recovery possible. You will learn about potential relapse triggers and find healthy coping mechanisms that work for you.

A vital aspect of relapse prevention is an aftercare program. Polydrug addiction treatment centers in Florida offer the following aftercare services:

• Continued therapy
• Medication management
• Access to an alumni support group
• Referrals to outpatient and sober living programs
• Recommendations on local support groups like 12-step meetings
• Case management services like vocational training and other life skills assistance

Find Help for Multiple Drug Addiction in Florida

If you or a loved one is addicted to multiple drugs, you’ve come to the right place. Solutions Healthcare is an addiction treatment center in Florida that can help you overcome polysubstance use disorder. We use a combination of individualized and evidence-based treatment to help you achieve long-term recovery.

We offer the complete continuum of care for all mental health and addiction challenges that you or a loved one may be experiencing. Regardless of previous treatment experience or degree of addiction or mental health complications, we can assist. Reach out to our experienced professionals today to learn more about Solutions Healthcare.

Contact us today for more information on how polydrug addiction treatment works in Florida.