Is addiction a disease? According to the definitions used by most medical associations, yes, and a chronic one at that. However, medical lexicon is surprisingly fluid–and remarkably biased–making addiction’s classification such a challenging endeavor. This article breaks down the terminology, how those terms have evolved, and how these concepts fit with one another in the disease model of addiction. 

What Is A Disease?

Disease is a broad term that can include disorders, syndromes, infections, and disabilities. According to the Oxford dictionary, it is defined as “A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.” 

The formal definition of which can and has changed many times before. In fact, even the current dictionary definition varies depending on which source you use. Why does this matter? These differences highlight a crucial flaw in trying to compartmentalize the multi-faceted beast that is addiction: that health, wellness, illness, and disease are all subjective. 

The Trouble with Defining Disease

Our ability to classify, categorize, and define anything is limited to the lens of human perception–not even the sciences are immune from it. Even medical terminology is influenced by societal norms, moral values, political ideologies, and the limitation on the knowledge available at the time. Whether we realize it or not, these biases color our perception, including those towards drug abuse and addiction. 

The concept of “disease,” and by extension, “health”, is just as susceptible to changes as tastes in fashion or food preferences are. Take for example osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease. Prior to 1994, the World Health Organization thought this to be an unavoidable part of growing older. Now, it’s considered a deviation from health, an abnormality, with distinct causes. As our understanding of our bodies and minds change, so will our definitions. 

Making A Case: The Disease Model of Addiction

However, technical definitions are not the only things that can determine whether addiction is a disease or not. Shifts in approach and thinking are regarded as case models and can influence how a condition is viewed by society, how it’s treated, and of course, how it’s labeled. In the case of drug abuse and addiction, several have been developed over the course of history. 

A Brief History of Models Towards Drug Use & Addiction

In the 18th and 19th centuries, there was the moral model. Addiction was seen as a sin, a moral weakness caused by faulty character. Instead of treatment, actions were punitive and individuals were met with a considerable social stigma. 

The psycho-dynamic model is a theory that originated with Sigmund Freud in the early 20th century. It attributed drug abuse to a lack of coping mechanisms and unconscious motivations. In this, addiction is an attempt to self-regulate and deal with stress. This model is still often incorporated in current addiction therapy and counseling. 

The social learning model introduced the concept that addiction had a behavioral component as much as a chemical one. It distinguished between dependence and compulsion and recognized that addiction can be a sliding scale of severity. 

What Is the Disease Model of Addiction?

The disease model of addiction argues that the cause or “origin” of addiction is internal to the individual and, being a disease, cannot be controlled. It likens addiction to that of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Like these debilitating and chronic conditions, addiction can cause a host of issues that prevent the body from functioning as normal. Additionally, genes can play a role and cause someone to be predisposed to developing the condition, even if it’s not present at birth. 

This model was adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and was highly influential in how this organization approached alcoholism. The 12-Step model is widely known as countless other organizations modeled themselves after this approach. This is one of the main reasons why the disease model of addiction is still one of the main models used.

Shortcomings of the Disease Model

One of the main arguments against the disease model is that it removes the individual from having to take responsibility for their actions. Although research has shown that there can be a genetic, and even a hereditary, component to substance abuse and addiction, it still does not account for this condition in its entirety. One critic points out that most addicted individuals quit their addiction at some point, something that is not possible with that of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. 

The lack of agency that the disease model purports doesn’t just lack scientific evidence, but this attitude can actually be harmful in itself. This view is comparatively fatalistic, implying that addiction cannot be controlled; it is inherent and can only be managed through complete abstinence (a key component of the AA approach).  

Addiction Is A Disease, Not An Excuse

Trying to pin down whether addiction is a disease is helpful in the scope of public health, where such labeling can positively influence legislation, healthcare benefits, and social acceptance. In terms of the individual, it can influence how someone might view their condition. Gene Heyman perhaps said it best, that addiction is a “disorder of choice”.

It’s without question that addiction can be difficult to manage once it has onset. However, individuals do have a choice of how they face it. Even chronic diseases like diabetes can have actions taken to make them more manageable. Even if efforts don’t completely cure the disease, they can go a long way towards giving the individual a better quality of life. Remember, no matter how addiction is labeled, you always have a choice. 

If you’re ready to choose a better life that’s addiction-free, you can make the first step by contacting an addiction treatment facility today.

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1299105/ 

https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/substance/n324.xml

The nature of how Suboxone works means that opioid abusers will find it increasingly difficult to get a high from their habitual substance of choice. This sometimes results in those individuals turning to other drugs which is always a bad idea–no matter the type. So, despite Suboxone being a legal pharmaceutical, many adverse drug interactions can arise when combined with other substances. This article will explore the dangers of simultaneous Suboxone and cocaine use, which is surprisingly interconnected. 

Suboxone and Cocaine: Why It’s Dangerous

Suboxone (or to be more precise, the buprenorphine portion of Suboxone), creates a “ceiling effect” that prevents opioid receptors from experiencing the full effect of an opioid. This limits the euphoric sensation those drugs can generate and is one reason why Suboxone can be so effective in breaking the cycle of addiction. 

This same functionality dampens the effects of cocaine as well. It may sound like a positive but this is precisely where the danger of mixing Suboxone and cocaine lies. The minimized effects often lead to individuals taking much higher doses of cocaine than they would have otherwise. This in turn, greatly increases the likelihood of overdosing and death.

How Often Are Suboxone & Cocaine Combined?

The instances of cocaine being used with Suboxone are surprisingly high. Studies found that cocaine use increased tremendously during treatment programs and over 50% of patients were using while receiving buprenorphine treatment. Patients that hadn’t used cocaine previously had now taken it up.

Another disturbing trend regarding Suboxone and cocaine use is that individuals with an opioid addiction who use cocaine during treatment face much lower odds of success. The reason is not a pharmacological one, however. Instead, this indicates a lack of motivation, which is one of the most powerful predictors of successful treatment more. Motivation actually plays an even greater role in recovery than socioeconomic status, demographics, the type of drugs used, family situation, etc. 

What causes patients in rehab to turn to other illicit drugs? 

There are several potential reasons. One is simply a lack of understanding of the nature of addiction. Patients feel that their drug abuse issue only extends to one particular substance; that it’s just one type of drug that they cannot control their compulsions to use. However, countless studies have shown that individuals who struggle with any form of drug addiction have a much higher likelihood of becoming addicted to other types of drugs. They mistakenly believe that they can safely trade one type of drug for another. 

Further, several studies have found that cocaine use, in particular, is strongly influenced by whether or not the individual is undergoing withdrawal. Individuals use a different drug to distract from the discomfort of the substance that’s currently in their system. This short-sighted behavior continues the cycle of debilitating behavior and in many cases, can worsen the withdrawal side effects. 

Another potential reason is that rehab causes them to lose their primary coping mechanism. Stressors can have them scrambling to find anything that can numb the negative emotions they are feeling at the time. This behavior could be linked to depression or some other underlying mental health issue. In such cases, dual diagnosis treatment would be ideal to help address both those and the behavioral issues related to addiction. 

How To Minimize The Temptation

One of the quickest ways to bring out potentially lethal aspects of a drug is to combine it with other drugs, legal or otherwise. Even though Suboxone is a prescription medication, taking it with narcotics like cocaine, physician-prescribed medications, or even legal drugs like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine can be deadly. No matter the type, doing multiple drugs at once is always, always, a bad idea. It can seriously impede on the effectiveness of your addiction treatment, and in worst cases, it can put you in deadly situations.

In the lifelong journey that is recovery, the risk of relapsing or using other drugs will always be present. One way to minimize the temptation to do so is by enrolling in a residential treatment program (also known as intensive addiction treatment). This type of setting provides a controlled environment that would make it difficult to acquire or use other drugs while in rehab and allows you to focus solely on recovery. 

Klonopin is a powerful benzodiazepine used for the treatment of panic disorders and seizures. This classification includes the likes of Xanax and Valium, notorious for their potential to become habit-forming. While Klonopin may not be in the spotlight as often, these powerful benzos can result in addiction, overdose, and withdrawal effects. One major contributor to the development of such adverse effects is the buildup of Klonopin. This begs the question: How long does Klonopin stay in your system? A key component to understanding how long Klonopin stays in the body is understanding the concept of Klonopin’s half-life.

How Long Klonopin Stays In Your System: Klonopin Half-Life

Half-life is a pharmacology term used to describe the amount of time it takes for an amount of a substance in the body to be reduced by 50%. It plays an important role in toxicology and understanding how the effects of a drug might be amplified with continued use. When levels of a drug are too high the individual can develop a tolerance, which significantly increases the likelihood of the development of addiction or overdose.

Klonopin has a long half-life and remains in the system for a considerable amount of time: 30-40 hours. However, it takes about five half-lives before a substance is fully eliminated from the body, which means a single dose of Klonopin can stay in the system for up to a week. Why does this matter? Even if you’re not feeling its effects anymore, Klonopin is still in the body (Klonopin hits its peak between 1 and 4 hours) – and will be for quite some time. Taking this medication slightly more frequently than recommended, or taking larger doses than recommended, can quickly lead to toxic – and potentially dangerous – levels of build-up. 

Factors That Influence Half-Life

The exact amount of time it takes for Klonopin to leave the body can vary depending on a number of factors.

• Age
• Dosage
• Duration of use
• Frequency of use
• Liver function
• Presence of other drugs

Many of these are directly correlated to variables that affect metabolism, of which age is the most significant factor. The presence of other drugs can also play a significant role in metabolism. 

Klonopin Overdose

Klonopin is a benzodiazepine, a class of drugs whose rate of overdose deaths has risen over 500% in the past few decades. The abuse potential of these types of drugs is well-noted, however, Klonopin overdoses are not limited to individuals who intentionally misuse the medication. In many cases, it occurs amongst patients who are taking Klonopin exactly as prescribed – but how is this possible?

Potential Causes of Klonopin Overdose

Klonopin is slower acting but longer-lasting than other popular benzos. Since it takes longer to feel the effects, it can result in users taking more than their recommended Klonopin dosage. Paired with Klonopin’s staying power within the body, you’ve got the perfect storm for accidental overdose. 

Signs & Symptoms

The symptoms of a Klonopin overdose are typical to that of any other benzo overdose:

• Ataxia (loss of control of body movements)
• Clammy skin
• Coma
• Drowsiness
• Enlarged pupils
• Shallow breathing
• Slurred speech
• Weak but fast pulse

The severity of these symptoms can vary, depending on many of the same factors that affect their metabolism. They are much more likely to be life-threatening if Klonopin was taken with alcohol, another medication, or an illicit drug. 

Treatment

Fortunately, there are medications that can be used to reverse the effects of a Klonopin overdose. Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine antagonist that can reverse the sedative effects, even that of a coma. Its effectiveness is primarily limited to use for benzo intoxication compared to other types of drug overdoses. 

Is Klonopin Dangerous?

Klonopin overdose is rarely fatal. However, the majority of fatal overdoses involved other drugs being taken at the same time. If you have a Klonopin addiction or are taking Klonopin while addicted to or abusing other substances, the risk of fatality is significantly higher. Quitting Klonopin cold turkey can be harmful and result in withdrawal effects just as other drugs would, and is never recommended. Instead, users should seek a benzo detox program that can help wean them off a medication (or multiple medications, if needed) to prevent seizures or other complications.  

The dangerous effects of heroin are nothing to smile about—in fact, heroin might leave you without a smile at all. Meth is notorious for causing dental issues (commonly referred to as “meth mouth”), but most people don’t realize that there are other drugs that can also seriously affect oral health. Drugs such as heroin, cause bodily reactions that both, directly and indirectly, cause serious gum and tooth damage. Learn more about heroin & teeth and 

Reduces Saliva Production

Dry mouth is a common side effect of drug use that’s caused by a lack of saliva. This clear, viscous substance plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy mouth as well as proper digestion. Saliva enables us to taste, chew, and swallow; it provides protein and minerals to protect tooth enamel and gums; and it has important bacteria that break down food, preventing bad breath and cavities.

Having too little saliva makes individuals far more prone to tooth decay and gum disease. So while feeling a bit parched may seem fairly innocuous, the cause of this condition is quite alarming. It serves so many important functions that not only impact oral health but overall well-being. If left untreated, low saliva production can quickly go from an unpleasant sensation to something much more serious. 

Cause Clenching of the Jaw

Stimulants are prone to cause users to clench or grind their teeth, a condition called bruxism. This condition has been linked to the central nervous system, a body functionality that is heavily impacted by heroin use. 

Grinding or clenching of the jaw is uncomfortable at best and damaging at its worst. It can lead to weakened teeth or broken teeth, as well as lasting jaw and facial pain. The repeated stress on the teeth can also cause enamel to wear much more quickly, which can expedite tooth decay as well as unattractive physical damages such as chips, fractures, or even loose teeth.

Destroys Tooth Enamel

Heroin is acidic by its pharmacological nature, which can cause vomiting and acid reflux. Both of these physiological functions cause stomach acid to enter the mouth which can deteriorate teeth’s protective enamel. This thin, translucent coating is like a winter coat for each individual tooth. It protects teeth from daily use and insulates them from temperature changes and chemicals. 

Enamel is not regenerative and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Without this protective layer, our teeth become sensitive to hot and cold foods, easily stained, and more susceptible to bacteria and infection. 

Numbs Tooth Pain

Having painkiller properties, heroin and other opioids can contribute to an unhealthy smile by causing you to ignore tooth and gum pain. These are often the first warning signs of serious dental problems like a cavity, infection, abscess, or gum disease. The ramifications of ignoring such serious oral health concerns can quickly result in the discoloration and outright loss of teeth.

The health of your teeth may not be something you think of when you consider the consequences of using heroin, but you should. The extent of the damage can be severe, going much deeper than the mere roots of your teeth, and can be a very costly mistake. Drug use often impacts us in ways we don’t anticipate and waiting until an overdose has occurred to do something about it could put your smile in jeopardy.

Heroin is a notorious psychoactive drug known for bringing users to euphoric highs and miserable lows. It can be produced cheaply and quickly, which has led to heroin’s proliferation in cities, rural areas, and of people of all ages and socioeconomic standings resulting in the ongoing opioid epidemic. Having no medical use, heroin is an illicit opioid that has become a widespread issue of epidemic proportions. Learn more about how heroin affects the sense and how to recognize the harmful substance. 

What Does Heroin Look Like?

Heroin can appear in several forms: a fine powder, a tacky paste, and as a liquid. These variations in heroin’s physical state are caused by differences in production methods. 

Powdered heroin, the most commonly used form, can be found in various shades of whites, pinks, and browns. This color variation is indicative of the level of refinement: the lighter the color, the purer and more potent the drug. Its physical appearance can further be altered depending on the types of additives or fillers used to dilute it. 

Black tar heroin is the crudest form of heroin, it has the most chemical additives as well as the lowest potency. It resembles a small lump of coal that, despite the name, can be black or brown in color. Black tar is one of the most water-soluble forms of heroin and is most often used in liquid form. Once it’s melted down it is either injected with a needle or taken via inhalation in a method called foil smoking.   

What Does Heroin Smell Like?

In its purest form, heroin is rather odorless. By the time it hits the streets, however, heroin has often been diluted or otherwise manipulated which can cause heroin to acquire an odor. In most cases, heroin is reported to have a pungent, sharp acidic smell like that of vinegar. Lower grades of heroin that are less pure or have undergone greater chemical processing tend to smell the most strongly.

Black tar heroin, the least refined form of heroin that also has the most additives, is reported to have the strongest vinegar-like odor. It has also been described as having an acrid, burnt smell. Powdered heroin that has been cut with additives has been reported to smell like cat urine, cat litter, and a general odor of chemicals in addition to vinegar.

What Does Heroin Taste Like?

Heroin is described as having a general bitter taste. In most cases, any taste heroin might have is caused by the chemicals that were either the production process or as post-production additives to cut the substance. Powdered heroin has the greatest variance in taste due to the wide variety of substances that are used to cut it. Sometimes the substances are benign like sugar, baking soda, flour, or powdered milk. In some cases, heroin is cut with toxic chemicals like rat poison or powdered laundry detergent. For this reason, heroin can vary in taste to be sweet, bitter, or acidic. 

What Does Heroin Feel Like?

The feeling of a heroin high is often described as a sudden wave of pleasure or euphoria that washes over the body. The sensation is intense but fleeting and rarely lasts longer than a few minutes. Other side effects include feelings of artificial warmth as well as pain relief which make heroin particularly sought after by those in rough and unsafe living situations. After the initial onset of a heroin high, users are left in a semi-conscious state that can last for hours. 

But heroin use is not with its risks. Being an opioid, heroin can have a powerful depressant effect on the central nervous system making it difficult to breathe, inducing nausea and vomiting, and causing dizziness. 

A Little Heroin is a Big Risk

Heroin can have drastic and long-lasting effects. Using it just once could result in addiction, and lead to a dangerous spiral of impaired brain function that affects your ability to breathe, sleep, digest food properly, and control your emotions. Heroin withdrawal symptoms aren’t any prettier. Once physical dependence has been established, heroin users face the risk of experiencing seizures, difficulty breathing, and in the most severe instances, a coma. 

Opioids are a broad classification of drugs that encompasses a wide variety of both licit and illicit substances. There are dozens of different types of opioids and opioid-derivatives and just as they vary in their purpose, so does the duration of how long they stay in the body. Just because you may no longer feel the effects of a drug doesn’t mean that it’s out of your system. Whether you use opioids to manage pain or to help with opioid withdrawal systems, understanding how long opioids stay in your system is crucial to doing so safely. 

Types of Opioid Durations

Opioids are generally categorized into three timespans: long-acting, short-acting, and ultra-short-acting (which is also known as ‘rapid onset’). The difference between the durations is quite intentional: some opioids are meant to last a long time, others are not. Medical professionals will determine which opioid they prescribe based on the type of pain and the circumstances of it. 

An opioid’s duration in the body however is not indicative of its strength. The shortest lasting opioid does not inherently mean it is weak, the longest acting doesn’t inherently make it the most potent. The unique combination of opioid duration and strength is very deliberately synthesized depending on the specific medical need. Below are a few examples of the different opioid duration classifications along with the opioids that fall into each category.

Long-Acting Opioids

• Oxycodone
• Levorphanol
• Hydrocodone
• Buprenorphine

Short-Acting Opioids

• Codeine
• Methadone
• Morphine
• Hydrocodone
• Tramadol 
• Oxymorphone
• Propoxyphene

Ultra Short-Acting Opioids (Fentanyl, Remifentanil)

• Fentanyl

What is Drug Half-Life? Why Some Opioids Last Longer Than Others

Half-life is a pharmacology term at the core of determining how long an opioid – or any sort of drug for that matter – takes to leave the system. As its name implies, it refers to the amount of time it takes for half of the total amount of substance to be eliminated from the body. Medically, it’s most practical use is to help prevent drug toxicity, and is used in doctor prescribing practices in determining dosing schedules (how frequently you are to take a medication).

So here’s how it works: The half-life of opioids can range between 36 hours and a little over half an hour. This time period is determined by pharmacokinetic reactions and is only somewhat influenced by physiological or circumstantial factors of the individual. It typically takes 4 or 5 half-lives for a drug to be completely eliminated from the system, however, this is only if no more of the substance has been entered into the body. 

Factors that affect how long opioids stay in your system

The factors that affect how long opioids stay in the system primarily fall into two categories: drug-related and physiological. An opioid’s half-life will be most strongly influenced by the drug’s purpose and potency, but can also be influenced by other factors to a certain degree. Other factors like one’s age, ethnicity, weight, etc. have a lesser effect but are still significant enough to be taken into account.

Drug-Related Factors

• Type of opioid
• Dosage
• Tolerance/Level of use
• Method of administration
• Presence of other drugs in the body
• Previous drug addiction

Physiological Factors

• Age
• Gender
• Weight
• Metabolism
• Body mass
• Body fat
• Liver and kidney healthy

Why It Matters

One of the biggest causes of adverse opioid side effects is when other substances are added to the mix. These substances can be alcohol, illegal narcotics, prescription medications, or something as simple as a glass of grapefruit juice.

Accidental overdoses – another very real concern – is something that knowing how opioids are processed and broken down in the body can help prevent. From 2019 to 2010, the rate of opioid-related overdoses increased by nearly 40%, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths each year. Talk to your doctor about how long opioids stay in your system and what drug interactions to consider to avoid adverse effects.

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/list-extended-release-and-long-acting-opioid-products-required-have-opioid-rems

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/action/showFullTableHTML?isHtml=true&tableId=tbl1&pii=S0025-6196%2811%2960749-0

Within a few seconds after taking cocaine, the pupils will enlarge, body temperature will increase as heart rate and blood pressure begin to speed up and constrict. Soon afterward is a rush of energy, alertness, and euphoria that quickly wears off and leaves you wanting more. This cycle of bingeing cocaine is common in recreational users. Unfortunately, the physiological repercussions of constantly putting the body in such a state of distress are widespread and drastic. Read on to learn the extent of what does cocaine does to your body.  

How Cocaine Affects the Brain

The three-pound control center of the human body, cocaine does quite a number on your most important organ. It disrupts several important neurochemicals (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, norepinephrine, and glutamate) which could result in permanent motivation, memory, decision-making impairment. 

One of the ways the cocaine works is by blocking certain receptors, one of which causes a buildup of dopamine. This is the cause of the sensations of euphoria, but it comes at a steep long-term cost. This dopamine surplus can also have a significant impact on mood regulation and lead to depression, anxiety, paranoia, and aggression.

The destruction of neuron receptors can also cause users to experience symptoms similar to that of Parkinson’s disease such as tremors, seizures, and brain hemorrhages.

How Cocaine Affects the Nose

Snorting is one of the most common methods of using cocaine, and it is not one without consequence. The initial effects are that of the blood vessels. Cocaine causes these to constrict which lowers blood flow and can lead to permanent damage. Repeated snorting irritates the thin membranous tissue in the airways which can result in inflammation, infection, disruption of blood flow, decay, and eventually tearing. Naturally, the loss of smell (anosmia) is also quite prevalent. Physical deformity caused by these substances is sometimes referred to as “cocaine nose”.

How Cocaine Affects the Heart

Have you ever felt your heart pounding in your chest after being really scared or agitated? Imagine the toll it would take if your heart pounded like that for nearly half an hour. Yes, some of the most dangerous effects of cocaine are the ones it has on the cardiovascular system. This is also why chest pain is one of the most common complaints of cocaine users. 

Cocaine blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine, an important neurotransmitter, chemical, and hormone that works closely with the sympathetic nervous system, a.k.a. our fight-or-flight mode. The increased levels of norepinephrine keep the body in an extended state of excitement which forces the heart to work harder. Heart rate increases, blood pressure increases while oxygen and blood flow to the heart are restricted. It’s a dangerous recipe that can result in a myriad of cardiovascular issues such as:

• Aortic dissection
• Atherosclerosis 
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Myocarditis
• Cardiomyopathy
• Myocardial infarction
• Arrhythmias 
• Tachycardia
• Stroke
• Heart failure

How Cocaine Affects Gastrointestinal Systems

Gastrointestinal distress is a less common side effect of cocaine, but when it occurs, can quickly become life-threatening. Bowel decay is one of the most serious of these and is caused by a lack of blood flow to the intestines. It is most commonly associated with oral use of cocaine. Closely related is intestinal perforation (damage to the bowel wall) that can lead to the contents of your intestines to spill into your abdomen which can cause peritonitis and eventually, sepsis. Nausea and vomiting can be an indication that such an infection has occurred. Other GI issues that can occur are:

• Stomach ulcers
• Abdominal cramps
• Abdominal bleeding
• A decrease in appetite (often paired with sudden weight loss)
• Change in metabolism 

Healing the Damages Cocaine Does To Your Body

Cocaine use affects nearly every major organ group with a focus on the central nervous system. In addition to wreaking havoc on specific parts of your body, cocaine can also lead to a domino effect of complex and compound health complications. Depending on the severity of cocaine usage, some of the damage may be reversible. However, this healing can only occur once you have detoxed and all remnants of cocaine are out of your system. If you are concerned about going through cocaine withdrawal alone, we can guide you through the process and determine the best method of treatment for you.