There is a reason the commercials have a long laundry list of possible side effects.

While it is easy to shrug off those unlikely occurrences, they are not something to be ignored. When you are mixing drugs, the risk and severity of these side effects goes way up, especially if illegal drugs are involved.

The Deadliest Drug Combinations

Drugs come with different effects and risks. Over the counter medicines are mostly harmless while hard drugs tend to come with more serious consequences, but these general guidelines go out the window when drugs are mixed. When drugs are combined, one can exacerbate the effects of the other, or they can lead to new effects altogether. Both can have unforeseen consequences. Many people are unaware of the serious and dangerous effects of mixing drugs, and because of this, sometimes these fatal drug combinations can cost people their lives.

Alcohol & Cocaine

Many people are quick to ignore the warnings against drinking alcohol while on certain medications or drugs but doing so can be dangerous. Cocaine speeds up the central nervous system while alcohol slows down the central nervous system. When these drugs are taken together, the body creates a separate chemical called cocaethylene. Cocaethylene is more toxic than cocaine alone and can lead to serious problems like cardiovascular issues, liver damage, and overdose. Although alcohol and cocaine together can be deadly, cocaine alone is also dangerous. Get cocaine addiction treatment before your health starts to suffer.

Alcohol & Benzodiazepines

Alcohol and benzodiazepines are both depressants that can slow down the central nervous system. Separately, both substances can be harmless in small doses, but when mixed, alcohol can exacerbate the effects of benzodiazepines to great lengths. Together, alcohol and benzodiazepines are one of the most fatal drug combinations because it can lead to poor reaction time and coordination; people may still participate in activities like driving, putting themselves at risk. A person who drinks heavily while on benzodiazepines is also at a high risk of overdose.

Heroin & Cocaine

Better known as speedball, this lethal combination of drugs is usually injected intravenously in the body. While heroin slows down the body, cocaine speeds it up. Together, these two will not cancel each other out; their opposite effects can actually strain the body. Breathing can become more challenging, and long-term speedballing can lead to organ damage. Both can lead to fatal outcomes. While taking these drugs together can be life-threatening, taking these drugs on their own isn’t much better. If you or a loved one is abusing one or both of these drugs, our drug rehab in Langhorne can help you quit before the health effects become too much to bear.

Fentanyl & Other Opioids

One of the biggest reasons for drug overdose deaths in the United States is from synthetic opioids like fentanyl. From 2015 to 2018, the number of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl skyrocketed and surpassed all other drugs.¹ Because fentanyl can be 50 to 100 times more potent the morphine,¹ people can only handle this drug in smaller amounts. Unfortunately, many drugs, especially less potent opioids, can be laced with fentanyl without the user’s knowledge, so people are taking more than they should and overdosing.

Whether it is prescription pills or methamphetamine, misusing drugs of any kind can be life-threatening if you are not careful. Avoid these fatal drug combinations by getting help. Our PHP drug rehab helps people like you quit their addictions and build better futures before it is too late. Stop putting yourself at risk or watching as your loved one does.

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To begin the sobriety journey or to get more information about our facility at Banyan Philadelphia, reach out to us today at 888-280-4763.