The 5 psychological traps into which poly-drug addicts fall.

These are the trap thoughts that help poly-drug addictions to consolidate.

Poly-drug addiction is a reality that shows the extent to which addictions have the capacity to infiltrate all areas of a person's life if they are not treated in time.

This phenomenon, which consists of developing dependence on various drugs, makes the person suffering from it much more vulnerable both physically and mentally.

However, drawing a line between addiction to one drug and addiction to more than one substance is no easy task, because once dependence has begun to take hold, it can become oriented towards a wide variety of psychoactive elements. And this is so because the more a human being becomes accustomed to consuming a drug, the more prone he is to fall into certain psychological traps that lead you deeper and deeper into polydrug addiction.

What is poly-drug addiction?

Poly-drug addiction is the abuse and dependence of two or more drugs before which the person feels that he/she loses control over his/her actions.. This can take the form of combined use of drugs (taking them at the same time at a given moment, in order to combine their effects) or in the interspersed consumption of these (leaving several hours of difference between the consumption of each one).

In all cases, the mixing of psychoactive substances with addictive potential without medical prescription has a very harmful effect on the physical and mental health of the person. This wear and tear is usually more intense than if only one type of drug were consumed in the same amount, since the combination of substances enhances the negative effects of each of the products used.

In addition, even if people who develop polydrug addictions are aware of this fact, this is not sufficient reason for them to stop their addiction for good.The pattern of behavior on which their drug use is based does not depend on whether or not they make informed decisions, but on other psychophysiological aspects that go beyond words. Either they ignore the harmful character of the drug mixture, or they try not to think about it, since great difficulty arises in controlling their behavior.

This is why polydrug addiction is such a common and frequent phenomenon among drug users; there are even researchers who consider it one of the stages of maximum consolidation of addictive disorders, outlining a "consumption ladder" that goes from experimentation with a single drug to the constant use of psychoactive substances of all kinds.

If addictions depended on the information available to people, each step would be a line that the person knows he or she should not cross, but this is not the case. However, it is estimated that in Western countries, about half of the people with a drug addiction are addicted to several substances at the same time, and the majority of those who are dependent on alcohol, opioids, cannabis or, above all, cocaine and heroin.

Of course, This does not mean that it is impossible to overcome a drug addiction problem once poly-drug addiction has become established.What happens is that it is more complicated, and intervention by health professionals becomes more urgent than ever.

Psychological traps of consolidation of poly-drug addiction.

These are the psychological mechanisms that act as a "slippery slope" leading towards poly-drug addiction.

1. The boundary between the healthy and the unhealthy is blurred.

The combined or interspersed use of drugs makes each of these substances trivialized, that passes for one more element of the daily life, blurring with the rest of the daily objects that surround the person. surrounding the person.

This makes the emotional reaction of danger and/or caution driven from awareness campaigns and against drug use disappear; the person has less reason to think about whether the use of these substances is good or bad for his or her health, since the concept of "drug" is normalized and stripped of most of its negative connotations.

2. Single-substance use is normalized.

If the behavioral dynamics driven by poly-drug addictions in their earliest stages already normalizes in itself the consumption of several substances at the same time, it does even more so with the consumption of one substance at a time, even more so with the use of a single type of drug..

For example, it makes drinking alcohol without snorting cocaine in the same day seem "healthy", something that practically does not count, because compared to the idea of taking several things at the same time, in the eyes of those who already have an addiction problem, it almost does not even seem noteworthy.

3. Acceptance of the use of drugs with opposite effects appears.

Another of the psychological traps associated with polydrug addiction is the idea that it is acceptable to use drugs with opposite effects. the idea that it is acceptable to use drugs that apparently "cancel each other out" (although in reality this is not true). (although in reality this is not true). For example, the use of a substance that depresses nervous system activity, such as benzodiazepines, to counteract a previous intake of a psychostimulant such as cocaine.

4. Self-deception arises from trying to treat one addiction by boosting another.

On the other hand, it is also common for polydrug addicts to delude themselves into assuming that by taking one drug they are contributing to a drug addiction to another drug. assuming that by taking one drug they are helping to get out of an addiction to another drug, even if they do not do so following medical indications or using prescription drugs.even if they do not do so following medical indications or using prescription drugs.

5. The person is surrounded by social environments with easy access to various drugs.

Finally, people with addictions are used to invest their free time mainly in relationships with other people who are also addicted. This means that, due to the availability of various types of drugs, and the exposure to other people with similar problems, the use of different substances is seen as an addiction, the use of different substances is seen as a way of integration into a group, or practically a social ritual..

Looking for addiction treatment?

If you are looking for psychotherapy or medical treatment and detoxification services for drug addiction, contact our team of professionals.

From CITA Clinics we offer both outpatient and inpatient intervention in our residential module, accompanying patients through all the stages involved in overcoming an addictive disorder.

We specialize in the treatment of addictions with or without substances, and in our residential facilities you can find a quiet and fully equipped environment in which to carry out all kinds of activities for the duration of therapy: library, swimming pool, gym, equine therapy area, and more. You can find us in Dosrius, Barcelona.