People who have struggled with more than one addiction in their life may wonder why they seem prone to this problem. What they don’t realize is once you become addicted to one substance, you develop a substance use disorder thereby making you more apt for future cross addiction or polyaddiction. You may wonder —what is cross addiction? It’s important to understand how this addictive behavior works so if you need the help of a polysubstance abuse treatment center, you will be able to get the assistance you need.
What is Cross Addiction?
Cross addiction occurs when a person has addictive behavior to two different substances. Many times it involves drugs and alcohol, but it can also involve other addictive behaviors such as gambling, eating, shopping, and so on. When someone has a cross addiction with drugs and alcohol or two different drugs, it can be quite dangerous since mixing any drugs together or mixing drugs and alcohol is risky.
How Does Cross Addiction Work?
A person may develop a cross addiction while they are in recovery from alcoholism. Medical professionals now recognize that when you develop a substance abuse disorder, your brain chemistry changes. This causes you to be more apt to addictive behavior in the future. Therefore, if a person who has quit drinking is prescribed medication for pain or anxiety, this may lead them down the path to relapse as well as a new addiction. The opioids or benzos will activate the same brain chemicals that alcohol triggered, thereby starting the addiction cycle all over again.
Breaking the Cross Addiction Cycle
When you have had addiction problems in the past, it’s important to seek treatment at a rehab facility. Through detox, therapy, and education, you will begin the journey to a healthy life. Cross addiction must be dealt with at the core, which oftentimes means delving into past traumatic incidences or exploring the reasons that led you down the path of addictive behavior.
Detox is the first step to breaking the cycle of cross addiction. This eliminates your body from the toxins of drugs. This provides the building block for the therapy that needs to come next. In addition, you will have to recognize that even prescription drugs may pose a risk to you if you have addictive behavior. Substances may trigger your brain and reactivate the desire for drugs.
Welcome to Serenity House Detox & Recovery
At Serenity House in Florida, our detox program prepares you for addiction treatment and recovery. By completing detox, you’re ready for the next step in the healing process. One component of the healing process is relapse prevention. Some of our programs include:
- Residential Detox Center
- Inpatient Rehab Center
- Men’s Detox Center
- Women’s Detox Center
- Residential Treatment Center
Don’t let cross addiction interfere with a happy, healthy life. Now that you know what is cross addiction. Begin the healing process by going to a quality detox center. Contact us at 866.294.5306, and we’ll get you on the pathway to healing.