Alcohol Dual Addiction

In many individuals who are addicted to alcohol it is quite common for them to also become addicted to other substances such as cocaine, heroin, or other types of illegal drugs as well as prescription medications. 

This is known as a "dual addiction" to "AOD" or "Alcohol and Other Drugs". Research has shown that addiction to alcohol and other substances are very similar to each other in that they share many of the same neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms in the brain related to addiction.

One of the reasons an individual may develop a dual addiction is that alcohol when combined with other drugs interacts in such a way that it enhances the effects a user feels. Another reason which has been studied in clinical tests suggests that when individuals use cocaine combined with alcohol it decreases the feeling of anxiety that is often experienced when using cocaine.

It has also been proven that individuals who use alcohol excessively are more likely to also use illegal drugs leading then into a dual addiction. Likewise, the risk for dual addiction increases among illegal drug users who specifically use cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamines. Statistics show that over fifty percent of patients receiving treatment for cocaine addiction also have a dependency on alcohol.

When it comes to treatment for a dual addiction, patients are most often only given medication for one of the addictions due to the fact that there is a lack of scientific information based on an effective treatment for multiple addictions which limits clinical professionals to what is available.

However, research has been done which shows that some of the medications utilized in treating a single addiction for either drugs or alcohol may be effective in the treatment of a dual addiction. If you or someone that you care about seems to suffer from a dual addiction, it is important to set up an appointment with a medical professional for assistance.