Is an IOP Program for Addiction Treatment Right for Me?

Aliya on April 22, 2025

“If you do not change direction, you might end up where you are heading.”

Profound words from the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, they may resonate and ring true if you’ve been battling drug addiction — that continuing down the same path only bores a deeper spiral downward unless you forge a new direction.

That change may mean deciding to enter rehab. A decision that takes bravery, accountability and responsibility, when you recognize the need for treatment, there’s one important choice that can be difficult to make: what type of program will work best for you?

Falling between inpatient and outpatient treatment, an IOP program aims to strike a balance between the two. What can you expect from this more rigorous approach to outpatient rehab? Read on to see what IOP involves and how it stacks up to other outpatient addiction treatment offerings.

What Is an Intensive Outpatient Program for Addiction?

An Intensive Outpatient Program, or IOP program, is a type of structured addiction treatment that allows you to receive care for alcohol or drug use without having to stay overnight at a facility (as you would through inpatient care).

IOPs are ideal when your needs fall somewhere between the rigorousness of an inpatient treatment and the flexibility of an outpatient program. On the one hand, you might not have the time away from work, school, family, and daily life to commit to living onsite at a rehab facility. You might also be entering rehab before an addiction has made life so difficult that you need round-the-clock care.

On the other hand, although your substance abuse hasn’t impeded your day-to-day functioning, you might be very prone to relapsing or lack a positive support network, creating a clear need for a more substantive approach.

An IOP program strives to bridge this gap by incorporating elements of both inpatient and outpatient. If you know you need more support than what a weekly therapy program offers but aren’t able to pause your life for inpatient rehab, an IOP program might be a good fit.

“Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are a treatment model that may address limitations of OP treatment by increasing treatment initiation and retention and addressing perceived barriers,” notes a 2023 study in Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.

What makes an IOP program “intensive” is the higher level of structure and time commitment. You’ll typically attend therapy sessions several days per week, for several hours each day — more than you would in outpatient. A mix of group counseling and individual therapy, your work might focus on relapse prevention, building life skills, and understanding the underlying factors that contribute to addiction — each one important to laying the groundwork for recovery.

“Substance abuse intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are ambulatory services for individuals with substance use disorders who do not meet diagnostic criteria for residential or inpatient substance abuse treatment,” notes a 2014 study, “or for those who are discharged from 24-hour care in an inpatient treatment facility and continue to need more support than the weekly or bi-weekly sessions provided in traditional outpatient care.”

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IOP Program vs Inpatient Treatment for Addiction

The most important element that an IOP shares with inpatient treatment is that both are built with the goal of helping you beat addiction and get sober. But the experience can be different in some ways depending on which treatment path you take:

Aspect	IOP program	Inpatient treatment
Where you live	You head home each night and return for scheduled sessions.	You remain onsite around the clock, with every hour structured by treatment, meals, and recreation.
Treatment intensity	IOP sessions last for several hours a day for multiple days a week.	Inpatient includes a combination of individual and group therapy — five hours a day, seven days a week.
Keeping your routine	An IOP allows you to maintain work, school or family responsibilities while attending therapy.	Inpatient treatment requires you to press pause on all your outside obligations while you devote every aspect of your day to treatment.
Cost considerations	An IOP program is generally lower and more affordable, since this plan includes no room and board.	There may be a higher overall cost due to housing, meals and 24/7 clinical care.
Best fit if …	You have a safe home environment and a stable support network with a low risk of addiction relapse triggers.	You need constant supervision, face severe withdrawal dangers or you lack a supportive home setting or personal life.

What Are the Other Levels of Care in Outpatient Care?

Whereas inpatient care remains on a standard track requiring you to live onsite for the duration of therapy and treatment, there are a few levels of outpatient drug rehab that exist on a spectrum. The more intense IOP program serves as a middle ground between the two other types of outpatient alcohol rehab:

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

PHP stands for Partial Hospitalization Program. What’s the difference between IOP vs PHP? Think of it as the most intensive form of outpatient addiction treatment with a structure similar to an inpatient stay. PHP calls you to commit more time to treatment — here, you’ll attend therapy and treatment sessions at a rehab center for several hours each day, five to seven days a week, but you’ll be enabled to return home at the end of each day.

PHPs are well-suited for people transitioning from living full-time onsite for inpatient rehab, or if you don’t need 24-hour care, yet you may suffer from an addiction where additional medical monitoring and oversight, more rigorous than an IOP program, can benefit you.

Outpatient Rehab Programs

At the opposite end of the spectrum, standard outpatient drug rehab or outpatient alcohol rehab represents the least intensive form of rehab, giving you the most independence in recovery. Many people in recovery find themselves in outpatient, or OP, after completing an inpatient, PHP, or IOP program. They’ve done much of the major therapeutic work and self-discovery to unpack the deeper roots of their addiction, but OP continues this trajectory to set you on a sober path.

Your commitment to an OP treatment plan involves attending individual or group therapy for several weeks or months, but for less time each day and week, after which you can return home in the evenings. OP plans also offer the most flexibility to fit treatment into your schedule around school, work and family responsibilities.

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What to Expect in an IOP Program for Addiction Treatment

Signing up for an IOP program means having a clear-cut, thoughtfully planned treatment structure that covers all aspects and facets of mental health and addiction recovery:

Individualized Treatment Plans

Outpatient addiction treatment remains effective because it relies on clinically proven methods that have been shown to help conquer substance use disorders. Studies show that outpatient care, including an IOP program, leads to better detoxification and abstinence rates, particularly in alcohol use disorder. However, no two recovery journeys are quite the same, and the best outpatient rehab needs to acknowledge and reflect this by developing a plan that’s tailored to your own needs, your addiction history, your goals and any other conditions that may coincide with addiction, like a co-occurring mental health disorder that might necessitate what’s known as a dual diagnosis.

Exceptional Care and Guidance

“Real recovery begins by meeting you where you are” is one of Aliya’s promises — a pledge to go above and beyond in delivering compassionate care with your recovery, our number one goal. And that starts with the quality and level of care you can expect from our outpatient rehab centers. In an IOP program, this means you’ll find yourself under the care of licensed therapists who specialize in addiction treatment; case managers to map out and coordinate your plan; and doctors, nurses and support staff on hand during detox or to administer any necessary medication. Last but not least, the peers you’ll meet in rehab are here to guide each other through the recovery process.

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a type of talk therapy engaging you in conversation with a therapist or counselor to help identify and pinpoint unhealthy and unhelpful thoughts and emotions that may be fueling your addictive behaviors. And when therapy is evidence-based, it means it’s been proven clinically effective in promoting and reinforcing new positive mental patterns, feelings, and behaviors in place of previous ones.

In an IOP program, this takes shape through methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help reframe thought narratives from negative to positive; Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for developing better emotional regulation when impulsive emotions play a role in drinking or using drugs; or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) enabling you to take autonomy and responsibility in your recovery without self-shame or blame.

Holistic Treatment

Our minds, bodies, and spirits make up the wholeness of ourselves, and holistic treatment aims to address this “whole” aspect of recovery. Holistic wellness recognizes that certain aspects of our health are interconnected — and that imbalances in one area can affect overall health and vitality. Activities like yoga, mindfulness meditation, expressive arts therapy, physical fitness, and more go beyond merely the symptoms of addiction and work to help you build mental, emotional, and physical resilience that substance use can dull. In your IOP program, you’ll ideally have a selection of holistic sessions alongside psychotherapy, one complementing the other.

Alumni and Aftercare Support

When you become an alumnus of outpatient addiction treatment, you’re effectively a graduate of your IOP program; you’ve taken the steps to start your recovery, done the work, and are equipped with the tools and mechanisms to live, thrive, and survive in a world without drugs or alcohol. But your relationship with Aliya shouldn’t end there. Alumni and aftercare support is like a type of recovery maintenance, continuing care where we can connect you with everything from transitional housing to 12-Step support groups in your area focused on the addiction you came into treatment for. You can even continue to attend individual and group therapy for regular check-ins. Like developing a healthy diet or new lifestyle, it reinforces the idea that recovery is a lifelong effort, not just a stint in rehab.

What Can Outpatient Rehab Help With?

Outpatient rehab centers — including Aliya’s 19 facilities — can treat a host of addictions. We look forward to taking you under our care and setting you on the path to wellness.

Alcohol Abuse

Nearly 29 million people in the U.S. suffer from alcohol use disorder, a condition characterized by excessive drinking that can affect your physical and mental health, your work, and your relationships. But the structured intensiveness of outpatient alcohol rehab works to guide you through detoxing from alcohol and managing withdrawal symptoms; identifying why you drink and what the underlying reasons are for your addiction; developing coping strategies when faced with triggers; and building a better, healthier sober lifestyle.

Drug Abuse

About 59.277 million people — 21.4% of people over 12 — used illegal drugs or improperly used prescription drugs within the last year, notes the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. From stimulants to depressants, chronic drug use can lead to dependence and addiction, illustrating a need for complete outpatient drug rehab. At Aliya’s centers, an IOP program can treat addictions to:

Opioids such as prescription painkillers and heroin

Stimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs

Cannabis

Benzodiazepines

Mental Health Disorders

It’s estimated that more than one in five adults live with AMI or SMI — Any Mental Illness or Serious Mental Illness, respectively. Left untreated, mental health concerns can worsen and make recovery more challenging, leading to substance abuse that can exacerbate a mental health disorder and vice versa. Our IOP program is designed to incorporate the same level of treatment for some of the most treatable disorders, including:

Anxiety

One of the most common sets of conditions, did you know that anxiety disorders affect 40 million people each year? The comprehensiveness of an IOP program works to incorporate the same trusted therapy and training to help you manage anxiety symptoms, create healthier emotional responses, and navigate life without anxious tension, even when triggers are present.

Depression

Likewise, depression takes many forms, affecting 5% of the entire global population. It’s typified by feelings of hopelessness about the future, low self-worth, diminished energy, and a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. How does an IOP program help? Through talk therapy, individually and in group settings, you can finally start to uncover the who, what, when, where, and, most importantly, why about your depression and start to make tangible changes to your mood, your mental outlook, and well-being you never thought possible before.

Trauma

Unresolved trauma can weigh heavily on your psyche and your mood, impact your physical health and your relationships, and interfere with work and school. Even a single traumatic event can cause one to develop a trauma or panic disorder, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — according to the National Center for PTSD, about six in every 100 people will struggle with PTSD at some point in their lives. If you’re coping with the effects of trauma, a trauma-informed IOP Program can offer specialized therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help you process painful memories safely, reduce triggers, and reclaim a sense of control over your life.

What To Look for in an IOP Program for Addiction Treatment

Is outpatient drug rehab right for you? Remember to choose the best outpatient rehab based on your needs.

When you choose an IOP program, focus on factors that can make a real difference in your recovery experience. Look for programs with licensed and experienced staff who make use of proven, evidence-based therapies. You’ll also have access to support for relapse prevention through aftercare programs and other support networks and inquire about programs for specialty groups.

Lastly, make sure the program feels like a good fit for your needs and goals. Does it offer the care you need while allowing you to engage with your day-to-day life?

Know that by choosing an IOP program from Aliya, you place your trust in our expertise and guidance, our compassionate and comprehensive care. We care about getting you well, where our doors are open and our rehab centers are inclusive to all. And if you’ve decided to make that change, we’re here to answer your questions about our outpatient rehab centers, what they offer, affordable outpatient rehab treatment costs, and insurance coverage. Change your life with one phone call.

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The Dangers of Detoxing from Fentanyl Alone: Why Medical Support Matters

Aliya on April 21, 2025

Fentanyl continues to shape the narrative of the opioid crisis, developing an unintended reputation for a torrent of overdose deaths, many of them high-profile, and drug dependencies.

Some people are introduced to fentanyl for purely prescriptive reasons to manage chronic pain, while others seek it out recreationally beyond its original medicinal purposes. But even when the respective paths to fentanyl are divergent, there’s one constant: when your use stops, withdrawal begins.

And while it might make sense to try and quit cold turkey through sheer willpower alone, the physical and psychological symptoms may become too hard to bear, so much so that continuing down the path of fentanyl addiction makes more sense than dealing with the discomfort.

“Suddenly stopping or significantly reducing regular drug use may … cause withdrawal symptoms that can range from powerful negative emotions to flu-like symptoms to life-threatening emergencies,” says the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). “Many withdrawal symptoms are treatable, though for many, using drugs may feel like the only way to alleviate them.”

If this has become your experience, if your fentanyl use has become problematic, NIDA’s assertion is correct — fentanyl substance abuse is treatable, and detoxing from fentanyl with the right professional help can make recovery a reality.

What Is Fentanyl?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control notes two different types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical and illegally made fentanyl. The former is one of several opioids meant for medical use as a painkiller, mainly for people suffering from intense, chronic pain or following major surgery. Also used to induce drowsiness prior to surgical procedures, fentanyl was introduced as an anesthetic in 1960.

Prescription fentanyl, a synthetic and lab-created opioid, is clinically efficient but prone to misguided recreational abuse among people seeking out its euphoric qualities, meant only for medical settings.

The latter, illicitly manufactured fentanyl — produced in powder, pill, or nasal spray form — aims to capitalize on this. It’s typically smoked, snorted, injected intravenously, or ingested orally.

Fentanyl pills — dubbed “fentapills” — may resemble opioids like oxycodone or anti-anxiety medications like alprazolam, notes the CDC. It’s often mixed with other dangerous narcotics like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines, where fentanyl can’t be seen or tasted, so users may not know what they’re taking.

“It is possible for someone to take a pill without knowing it contains fentanyl,” says the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). “It is also possible to take a pill knowing it contains fentanyl, but with no way of knowing if it contains a lethal dose.”

“Dealers package it to look like a normal prescription pill that you would get at the pharmacy, but nobody can tell what’s in it,” notes Yale University Dr. David Fiellin in an article. “So, someone buys from a drug dealer what they think is Valium, or cocaine, or OxyContin, but it has a small amount of fentanyl in it that the buyer is unaware of. This can cause an overdose because the individual doesn’t have the physical tolerance to fentanyl, even if they have a tolerance to, say, OxyContin.”

Is Fentanyl Addictive?

Next to the risk of overdose is fentanyl’s high likelihood of dependency and addiction. It activates the brain’s reward system by releasing a flood of dopamine, reinforcing the behavior that leads to fentanyl’s euphoric high.

Over time, your brain adjusts to the presence of the drug, and you need more of it — first, to mimic the effects of the original high that have begun to wear off as you become tolerant to the drug, and then, just to feel normal. Fentanyl’s strength means it only takes a minimal amount to become addicted or overdose.

“The pleasure or feeling high that results from taking an opioid can make you want to continue taking them more often and at higher doses,” says the Mayo Clinic. “This can lead to addiction: Your brain and behavior are so badly affected that you can no longer control your use of opioids.”

Opioid Addiction Statistics

Underneath the data points about fentanyl are alarming warnings about its effects:

Fentanyl remains a factor in 53% of overdose deaths.
Synthetic opioids — mainly illegally made fentanyl — were involved in nearly 68% of U.S. overdose deaths in 2022.
42% of pills tested by the DEA for fentanyl — a Schedule II controlled substance — contained at least 2 mg of fentanyl.
Fentanyl, notes the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), contains a 25% recreational drug toxicity, higher than heroin (20%), alcohol (10%) or cocaine (6.7%).
Fentanyl overdoses surpass prescription opioid overdoses by nearly 551%.
One-fifth of states have reported up to a 98% increase in opioid overdose fatalities.

The Dangers of Opioids

Opioids, fentanyl included, have become a frustrating paradox. The very same benefits they deliver in treating pain also make them risky, dangerous, and prone to abuse.

Opioid abuse isn’t new within our societal fabric. Many opioids are naturally derived from the poppy plant, just like opium, which found its way into the hands of 19th-century recreational smokers seeking the same sedative, relaxing, euphoric qualities as modern-day fentanyl.

Within the last half-century, opium’s popularity shifted to morphine and heroin during the 1960s and 1970s, and within the last decade, to fentanyl, up to 50 to 300 times more potent than morphine. It’s fentanyl’s ultimate availability, popularity, and potency that have made it the de facto opioid of recreational choice, driving addiction and overdose rates. The Yale Medicine study specifically points to the diversion of legal fentanyl into the hands of people who began misusing the drug and its ease of manufacturing, where most illicit fentanyl is cheaply produced in underground Mexican labs.

One of the most dangerous — and arguably most significant — aspects of opioid use is just how quickly tolerance builds. You may find yourself needing to take more just to achieve the same effect. As your tolerance increases, so does your risk of overdose. And with fentanyl, that risk is especially high because the margin between an approved medical dose and a lethal one is so small — according to the NCDAS, where 2 mg is a lethal dose, doses as small as 0.25 mg raise the risk of overdose.

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Detoxing from Fentanyl: Here’s What Happens

Entering rehab for fentanyl addiction is a brave step, an acknowledgment that it’s time to seek help and that you’re willing to put in the work to make it happen. And the first step is a detox from fentanyl. Contrary to myths and misconceptions that persist, detoxing from fentanyl doesn’t mean going it alone or sweating out fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, but instead having the support of professionals with a compassionate commitment to making your treatment as comfortable as it is effective.

Medical Detox

How to detox from fentanyl is just as important as when to detox. Instead of a hard stop, detox from fentanyl is the process of gradually weaning and easing yourself away from the drug to help you minimize any health risks. Why is it called medical detox? Detoxing takes place at a rehab facility where you’ll be aided by medical staff — doctors, nurses, addiction support staff — in a clinically supervised setting. Once your body is no longer receiving fentanyl after becoming dependent, your body has to readjust. They’ll monitor your vital functions (like your heart and breathing) to remain stable as your body starts to become acclimated to being without a foreign substance again.

Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptom Management

How long does fentanyl stay in your system, and how long does it take to detox from fentanyl? They’re the two most common questions you might ask as you enter this first phase of rehab. Here’s a general timeline you might experience:

8–24 hours after last use: This is typically when the first fentanyl withdrawal symptoms begin. You might feel emotionally on edge — anxious, agitated, or restless. Physically, early signs may include muscle aches, sweating, yawning, a runny nose, and other flu-like symptoms. These are often manageable, but can grow quickly in intensity.
24–72 hours after last use: Fentanyl withdrawal usually reaches its peak during this time. Symptoms you may have noticed earlier can become more severe, and additional effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, and spikes in blood pressure may set in. These few days are often the hardest part of opioid withdrawal, but know that sticking it out is worth it in the end.
3–10 days after last use: After the peak phase passes, your fentanyl withdrawal symptoms may begin to ease in intensity, though they can still linger. You may continue to feel physically uncomfortable and emotionally drained, but this stage is often more tolerable under medical supervision.
10–14+ days and beyond: While the acute symptoms fade, some milder effects can hang on for several weeks. This is sometimes referred to as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). You may still experience trouble sleeping, mood swings, fatigue, or difficulty focusing, but by this point, the drug has been effectively cleared from your system.

Remember that the time it takes to detox from fentanyl can vary from person to person. The amount and duration you took the drug, if you combined it with other addictive substances, plus your physiology, all play a part in the length of your detox timeline and symptom management.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

While detoxing from fentanyl, certain medications can help ease certain stubborn withdrawal symptoms and cravings, especially if you’re weaning off the drug after chronic, long-term use. This is called Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT. Here are some of the medicines that rehab staff may carefully prescribe for you during your stay:

Methadone: A long-acting drug that eases withdrawal symptoms and reduces fentanyl cravings. It’s often prescribed for people detoxing from heroin. Methadone can be used short-term during detox or as a long-term maintenance medication.
Buprenorphine: Helps relieve withdrawal symptoms and shortens the detox period. In many cases, buprenorphine is combined with naloxone to help prevent opioid misuse.
Clonidine: Commonly used as a medication for high blood pressure, clonidine is prescribed during detox from fentanyl to help reduce withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, muscle aches, sweating, runny nose, and abdominal cramping. (However, it does not reduce cravings.)

Naltrexone: An FDA-approved opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids and can help prevent relapse. Naltrexone should not be administered until opioids are fully cleared from the body, since it can trigger sudden and severe withdrawal symptoms if used too early.

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What Happens After Fentanyl Detox?

Once detox from fentanyl is complete, your body is cleared of the drug, and you can start your recovery with a clean slate. For most substance use disorders, there are generally two rehab options:

Inpatient fentanyl treatment
Outpatient fentanyl treatment

These levels of care offer ongoing care following fentanyl detox to help individuals maintain their sobriety and grow in recovery.

Inpatient Fentanyl Treatment

An inpatient setting offers the opportunity to receive round-the-clock care by allowing you to live onsite at a treatment facility — an intensive treatment model enabling you to focus solely on your recovery, 24/7, where the environment is more structured with full support. Inpatient is ideal for people with more severe addictions who might not be able to cope with living on their own without the risk of relapsing. During treatment, your day is filled with a blend of individual and group therapy and even holistic approaches depending on your tailored schedule, with continuous medical oversight. The goal is to make the most of treatment during your inpatient stay after detoxing from fentanyl.

Outpatient Fentanyl Treatment

Outpatient treatment offers the same level of integrative care as inpatient but enables you to live at home once therapy finishes for the day. It’s ideal for people whose addictions aren’t severe enough to necessitate an inpatient stay or who have personal or professional circumstances that make an extended inpatient rehab stay challenging. Because your treatment plan is customized, outpatient is structured to accommodate your daily routine while making sure that you remain engaged in treatment. Outpatient does require a higher degree of personal responsibility, but with the right support network and regular check-ins, it’s an effective mode of treatment to set you on the path to recovery.

Aftercare Options Following Fentanyl Addiction Treatment

Formal treatment eventually comes to an end, but it’s really just the beginning of your recovery journey. One thing to remember is that you don’t ever need to go it alone, and this is where aftercare can keep you on track. Aftercare is a phase of treatment with the chance to keep attending ongoing therapy or alumni programs, connect with support groups in your area, or stay in a sober living environment before transitioning into your own home.

Detoxing from Fentanyl with Professional Help

A detox from fentanyl with clinical support gives you peace of mind that you can get through the journey of recovery with all the right steps in place. It means being able to detox without worrying about discomfort, side effects, or the possibility of relapse. And it’s the beginning of a therapeutic journey where stopping use of fentanyl is just the first step, since therapy after detox is designed to address how drug use has impacted your mind, your body, and your spirit.

Make it happen by contacting us today. We’re on hand 24/7 to answer any and all questions you may have about rehab, detoxing from fentanyl, insurance coverage, and treatment programs.

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Is It Possible to Get Buprenorphine Without a Prescription?

Aliya on April 21, 2025

There are many opioids, legal and illegal, that share two things in common — how easy it is to become addicted and how difficult it can be to quit. Whether it’s fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone, or even heroin, you may already know how challenging it can be.

You may have also been considering entering, or just begun, rehab and learned of some of the ways that opioid use disorder can be treated, particularly through buprenorphine, proven successful time and again in helping people stay off opioids and streamlining recovery.

In fact, buprenorphine has remained one of the most utilized medications for opioid abuse for the last five years. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2023, there were 4.7 buprenorphine prescriptions per 100 people — more than 15 million total nationwide.

But what is buprenorphine, and how does it combat opioid use disorder? Is it only available through official clinical channels, or can you bypass the process and get buprenorphine without a prescription? Let’s take a closer look at how it works and why obtaining it legally is so important.

What Is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine was first discovered in the 1960s during the growth of methadone clinics set up to help people struggling with opioid use disorder, primarily heroin addictions. Though it existed on the clinical radar for many years, it was in 2002 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially approved buprenorphine as an ingredient in medicines to treat abuse of other opioids and opiates.

Buprenorphine itself is derived from thebaine, an opioid naturally occurring in the opium poppy plant, and it’s prescribed primarily to minimize cravings and withdrawal symptoms for people going through opioid detox during rehab.

What’s known as a partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine, is used in agonist substitution treatment, where a strongly addictive opioid is substituted with a less potent opioid. It binds to the same receptors in the brain as drugs like heroin, fentanyl or oxycodone, but without producing the same intense high — specifically, it acts as a partial agonist in the brain’s mu opioid receptor (similar to methadone) and a full agonist at the kappa receptor. Buprenorphine is about 20 to 50 times more potent than morphine.

Due to its partial agonist effects, some of buprenorphine’s benefits include:

A lower potential for abuse compared to other addictive opioids
Less likelihood of physical dependence
Minimized withdrawal discomfort
A lower “ceiling effect” — even at higher doses, it doesn’t produce significantly stronger effects.
A lowered risk of overdose

“Like opioids, buprenorphine produces effects such as euphoria or respiratory depression,” notes a study from the University of Arkansas Psychiatric Research Institute (UAMS). “With buprenorphine, however, these effects are weaker than those of full drugs such as heroin and methadone.”

Brand Names for Buprenorphine

Suboxone is one of the more recognizable drugs to treat opioid use disorder, a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone (commonly used to reverse an opioid overdose).

Together in tandem, the buprenorphine in Suboxone works to replace an opioid, for instance, heroin, that’s contributed to an opioid use disorder, reducing your cravings and withdrawal symptoms of the drug without making a full, cold stop. Although buprenorphine treatment has that built-in ceiling effect as a safety precaution, Suboxone’s naloxone makes sure the risk of overdosing is minimized.

If you buy Suboxone online for opioid addiction, it comes as sublingual film or tablets that you place under your tongue to dissolve. There was previously a Suboxone implant called Probuphine, but it was discontinued in 2020 due to distribution and financial reasons.

The buprenorphine-naloxone combo is also sold as a film called Bunavil and tablets under the brand name Zubsolv. Additionally, buprenorphine is also an active ingredient to treat chronic pain in the medicines Butrans, Belbuca and Buprenex.

Opioid Addiction Statistics

Opioid addiction is not new. It’s remained a stubbornly prevalent and tragic problem for decades, reaching recent crisis levels due to the availability of certain drugs like illicit fentanyl — synthetic opioids that are cheaply and easily produced illegally or diverted from legal medicinal supplies.

At a high level, more than 10 million people misuse opioids in a given year, a number punctuated by an alarming number of overdose deaths. In 2022, nearly 108,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose, and about 82,000 of those deaths involved opioids — roughly 76% of all overdose deaths, notes the CDC. That’s an average of 224 opioid-related deaths per day.

The CDC adds that in the past quarter century, there’s been a surge of opioid-related deaths in the U.S. that can be broken down into three distinct waves:

Wave 1 began in the late 1990s, driven by rising prescriptions of opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone.
Wave 2 started around 2010, with a sharp increase in heroin-related overdoses.
And wave 3, beginning in 2013, involves synthetic opioids — primarily illegally manufactured fentanyl — and continues to drive most overdose deaths today.

In the nearly 25 years between 1999 to 2022, nearly 727,000 succumbed to fatal opioid overdoses, but with the prevalence of co-occurring addictions, the death rate becomes compounded since in some cases, nearly 43% of drug overdose deaths involved some combination of opioids and stimulants.

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Can You Get Buprenorphine Without a Prescription?

Alongside methadone and naltrexone as FDA-approved opioid use disorder treatments, you cannot legally get buprenorphine without a prescription or suboxone without a prescription — despite some academic addiction experts calling for buprenorphine’s accessibility as a behind-the-counter medication.

How to get a prescription for Suboxone and know how to get Suboxone the right way? You don’t need to visit a clinic to obtain buprenorphine like you might with methadone, but a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant must prescribe buprenorphine since it is a Schedule III controlled substance needing regulation due to its moderate-to-low risk for misuse and dependence.

What Are the Dangers of Using Buprenorphine Without a Prescription?

Attempting to buy Suboxone online without a doctor’s prescription may seem like a fast track to recovery, but it can prove risky for a few reasons:

Unknown source and purity: When you try to procure or buy buprenorphine online, there’s no guarantee of what you’re getting. Counterfeit Suboxone tablets or film may contain any other number of illicit substances, including other opioids — not only putting you at risk of overdose but defeating the purpose of taking buprenorphine in the first place.
Potential for misuse: Obtaining buprenorphine without a prescription makes it hard to know how much you should take or how to take it. Many people may try to facilitate the effects of buprenorphine by taking it intravenously, for example, instead of sublingually, which can prove counterproductive. “When these products are taken as sublingual tablets, buprenorphine’s opioid effects dominate and naloxone blocks opioid withdrawals,” notes UAMS. “If the sublingual tablets are crushed and injected, however, the naloxone effect dominates and can bring on opioid withdrawals.”
Drug and health interactions: For people struggling with opioid use disorder, taking buprenorphine without proper medical guidance can also become risky without the facts at hand. It shouldn’t be taken within four hours of taking another drug or if you have certain medical issues, like liver or kidney disease, alcoholism or mental illness, breathing problems, or have undergone methadone treatment.
Lack of comprehensive care: Finally, buprenorphine is not meant to be taken in isolation to fight opioid use disorder. It becomes most effective when it forms part of a broader, professionally supervised recovery plan. Without the context of comprehensive care, its benefits may show some effectiveness, albeit in a diminished sense. “Medications such as buprenorphine, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of opioid dependency,” says UAMS.

How Does Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioids Work?

Buprenorphine is just one piece of the puzzle to conquering opioid addiction, one reason why it should never be obtained outside of a rehab setting. It’s meant to go hand-in-hand with detox and therapy, which is what MAT is about — using medication to assist your treatment plan so cravings or withdrawals don’t set you back or interfere with your progress. You might be prescribed a buprenorphine-based drug during or following detox during therapy.

Medical Detox for Opioids

When you enter rehab, detox is the first step, the process of clearing an addictive drug from your system. Without detox, the value of therapy would diminish if opioids still had an influence on your physical and mental health. Detox asks you to stay at our rehab center for a certain amount of time while a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists helps to minimize your withdrawal symptoms and minimize your discomfort. This is because addiction experts know what to look for and how to treat them. The medical part of medical detox is when Suboxone or other drugs are used to facilitate the detox steps. The team will make your stay comfortable, monitor your vital signs, and make sure the process is as seamless as possible.

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What Happens After Opioid Detox?

Once detox is complete, therapy for opioid use disorder can begin. In rehab, there are two main options:

Inpatient treatment
Outpatient treatment

These levels of care offer ongoing care following detox to help individuals maintain their sobriety and grow in recovery.

Inpatient Opioid Treatment

The “in” of inpatient treatment means you’ll stay in a rehab facility, onsite, for a few weeks to devote 24/7 focus to recovery. It’s often the right choice for people with more severe drug addictions, especially if they’re prone to triggers in their day-to-day life that can make them relapse or make treatment more difficult. Inpatient therapy is more intensive and structured, where days are filled with individual and group therapy and MAT treatment if needed, but most importantly, with the care and support from staff and others in recovery going through the same journey.

Outpatient Opioid Treatment

Another option is outpatient treatment, which enables you to attend therapy during the day and return home each night — a better plan if you have personal or professional commitments that can’t be overlooked or if your opioid use disorder isn’t as severe and doesn’t need round-the-clock support. Once you’ve finished detox, there are a few outpatient choices:

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

One of the things that makes rehab effective is its flexibility. PHP is a middle ground between inpatient and outpatient therapy when neither option might be focused enough on one’s needs. During PHP, you won’t need to stay overnight at the facility, but treatment during the day is longer and more intensive (usually between five to seven days a week), designed for people who need the level of support and medical attention that inpatient provides, but without 24-hour supervision.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

An IOP program is another option if your needs require a more structured treatment program, but you still need to maintain your regular life commitments. This intensive outpatient care includes therapy sessions for several hours a day, multiple days a week, focusing on group therapy and individual counseling.

Outpatient Program (OP)

A traditional outpatient program (OP) remains an ideal next step if you’re exiting inpatient, PHP, or IOP and you feel confident that you can manage your recovery in your daily environment while attending therapy a few days a week. At the outpatient stage, you’ve learned the necessary coping strategies to avoid relapsing while living your life outside of rehab. It’s also a good choice for people struggling with opioid use disorder who have a strong support network of family and friends to keep them accountable.

What Happens After Opioid Rehab?

After completing opioid rehab, clients are set up with a comprehensive aftercare plan to promote long-term recovery. These plans focus on relapse prevention through a variety of different approaches and resources.

Aftercare and Relapse Prevention

After rehab, particularly after inpatient, it’s OK to feel a degree of uncertainty about staying sober, even after all the therapy — the training — you’ve received. And it’s a myth to think that support ends when rehab concludes. Aftercare services are just as valuable as your time in rehab; like maintenance treatment, you’ll have the chance to keep attending individual or group therapy as needed or be connected with support groups in your area, like 12-Step meetings. If your plan calls for just an inpatient stay, aftercare might involve staying in recovery housing before integrating back into independent life.

What Are the Benefits of Professional Help for Opioid Addiction?

Buprenorphine can play a crucial role in opioid dependency treatment, especially in early recovery, but it’s most effective when supported by professional care through a proper prescription, since in rehab, the medication can be monitored for effectiveness, adjusted if needed, and tailored into your treatment.

Just as important is your treatment plan — whether it’s inpatient or outpatient, it gives you the structure, the therapy, and the support that, together with medication, sets a clear path for sobriety in a safe, supportive environment where healing is paramount.

If you’re unsure what your treatment for opioid use disorder might involve — whether it’s care options, insurance coverage, cost, or which rehab clinic is right for you — our staff is available 24/7 to talk it through. Contact us today to learn more.

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What Does Crystal Meth Look Like?

Aliya on April 21, 2025

Crystal meth is one of those substances you likely recognize by name, even if you’ve never seen it firsthand.

In the past 20 years, it’s a drug that’s become part of our collective consciousness, dramatized in TV shows and movies and fashioned into cautionary tales, like the infamous-yet-haunting “Faces of Meth” anti-drug campaign mugshots — depictions that have made most of us aware of the dangers of crystal meth.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.6 million people reported past-year methamphetamine use in recent years, with nearly 53 percent having methamphetamine use disorder. And research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) finds that overdose deaths from stimulant drugs, apart from cocaine, nearly tripled within the last decade.

But what does crystal methamphetamine look like? What color is meth? For all its cultural and statistical visibility, would you be able to spot it in the real world? Could you identify it in a room, a bag or in someone’s hand if crystal meth was offered to you?

Understanding what does meth look like — from its shape, texture and color — can give you the facts if you’re trying to avoid methamphetamines and protect your health or support a loved one showing signs of substance abuse.

What Is Crystal Meth?

Methamphetamine (known as meth) is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant that acts on your central nervous system, speeding it up by boosting dopamine levels in your brain. It’s this dopamine rush that creates the euphoric high meth is known for, leading you to take more and more of it.

Unlike some other natural stimulants, crystal meth is synthetic, where most of the drug found today is manufactured in makeshift, underground super labs or imported from Mexican drug traffickers.

But this wasn’t always the case. Methamphetamines date back over 100 years, when a Japanese chemist synthesized the first amphetamines. During World War II, they were used to keep soldiers awake and alert during combat. When the potential for misuse became apparent, both the pharmaceutical industry and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency began imposing regulations on chemicals used to make meth.

Since the 1990s, illicit meth production began its expansion, leading to widespread issues with crystal meth addiction. Nearly 2 million people use meth each year, and 500 people try it for the first time every day, notes the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Certain demographics, like people from lower socioeconomic conditions or facing housing and educational challenges, are also more likely to misuse meth.

Is Crystal Meth Legal?

In the U.S., crystal meth is illegal, where it’s classified as a Schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating that it carries a high risk of abuse and addiction. However, according to NIDA, the only legal source of methamphetamine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is a prescription pill.

Because illegal meth is man-made and unregulated, there’s no telling what a supply has been made with. Pseudoephedrine, an anti-congestion ingredient found in many cold medications, is often mixed into illegal crystal meth, which may also contain household product chemicals such as drain cleaner, nail polish remover, paint thinner or battery acid.

Street Names and Slang Terms for Crystal Meth

Slang language is a barrier to detection, and crystal meth’s illicit status means that it’s sold online and discreetly under several clandestine street names, most notably “ice” and “glass” to reflect crystal meth’s physical appearance (which we’ll examine below).

According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, crystal meth has some other common slang variations:

Batu

Blade

Cristy

Crystal

Crystal glass

Hanyak

Hiropon

Hot ice

Kaksonjae

L.A. glass

L.A. ice

Quartz

Shabu

Shards

Stove top

Super ice

Tina

Ventana

Vidrio

Meth vs Crack: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to confuse crack vs meth for a few reasons. Both are potent stimulants that deliver intense highs, both have a similar appearance, and both can be smoked. Most importantly, neither is safe to use.

Despite the similarities between crack vs meth, crack is a derivative of cocaine, naturally sourced from the South American coca plant, whereas methamphetamines are created and synthesized completely from artificial ingredients.

Crack is often preferred by cocaine abusers because it enters the bloodstream more quickly than snorting the drug for a quicker high. However, crystal meth is known for its ability to deliver a longer-lasting high — between six to 12 hours — than other stimulants. In either case, abuse of crack or meth can sustain damage to your brain and body in tandem.

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What Does Crystal Meth Look Like?

Meth comes in many different forms, making it easy to confuse it with other narcotic drugs. Crystal meth usually arrives in three primary versions, each with their own colors, textures and differences in production.

Meth in Crystal Form

The version most people associate with the drug and where the “crystal” in crystal meth comes from, crystal meth in crystal form usually appears as small, irregular shards of bluish-white glass — a bit paler than the bold, turquoise blue portrayed on TV shows like “Breaking Bad.” Crystal meth can vary in translucence, its fragments resembling clear or frosted quartz.

Crystal meth is “cooked” in clandestine drug labs with some of the ingredients we mentioned earlier (such as ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) along with water and other toxic chemicals and solvents. The crystals are formed after heating these elements and extracting the meth.

Meth in Powder Form

Is crystal meth a powder? Crystal meth is not, but methamphetamine, when crushed or diluted, can appear as a fine, almost talcum white or off-white powder, almost similar to traditional cocaine or crushed prescription pills, making it harder to identify at first glance.

Powdered meth is commonly known as “speed,” and while still addictive, is the least potent form of meth. The uncrushed version has a rock-like appearance and can take on a pink or yellow color.

Meth in Pill Form

Meth may also be pressed into speed pills that are often colorful and might resemble (or even be disguised among) other drugs, making it easier to smuggle or sell than crystal or powdered meth. One street name for illegal meth pills is “yaba.”

The only legal form of meth are pills under the brand name Desoxyn to treat obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. “Methamphetamine works in the treatment of ADHD by increasing attention and decreasing restlessness in children and adults who are overactive, cannot concentrate for very long, or are easily distracted and impulsive,” states the Mayo Clinic.

How Do People Use Meth?

From crystal to powder to pill, just as meth comes in many forms, it’s consumed in a variety of ways. And knowing how meth is used in addition to what it looks like can you help you identify it

Eating Meth

Oral ingestion is one way to take meth. People who eat meth may either swallow meth tablets or even mix meth powder into water or alcohol to dilute its bitter taste. Though less common than other methods of consuming the drug, meth powder’s water-soluble nature makes it easy to hide in food or beverages.

Snorting Meth

Inhaling meth powder, crushed down from crystal meth in rock form, draws similarities to how cocaine is often ingested. Snorting it through one’s nostrils is a fast avenue for rapid absorption and a quick onset of its effects. But like cocaine, chronic inhalation of meth powder can cause damage to your nasal passages over time and run the risk of addiction or overdose.

Smoking Meth

One of the most common ways meth is used is by smoking it. Like crack cocaine, users heat meth in a pipe and inhale its vapors. What does a meth pipe look like? Knowing how to identify a meth pipe can help you take action and get a loved one help if you find it among their belongings:

Glass pipes are typically small with a round, bulbous end for heating and a mouthpiece on the other side. Over time, these pipes can crack or chip, posing risks like injury from sharp edges or inhalation of glass fragments.

Plastic meth pipes are also used, but they come with serious health concerns. When heated, plastic can melt and release harmful fumes. Plastic pipes are also harder to clean, which increases the risk of bacterial contamination.

Metal pipes are more heat-resistant and durable, but they still carry risks. Some are made from unsafe metals like lead or copper and emit toxic fumes when exposed to high temperatures.

Homemade meth pipes are often crafted from items like aluminum cans or light bulbs, often used by people who can’t afford a real pipe. Makeshift meth pipes are dangerous and unstable and can lead to burns, respiratory irritation or exposure to noxious substances.

Both powdered and crystal meth can be smoked; however, the latter is often favored by people who have become dependent on it. Injecting it into a vein is colloquially called “slamming”; shooting the drug into one’s anus, “booty bumping.”

“Like powdered methamphetamine, crystal methamphetamine is abused because of the long-lasting euphoric effects it produces,” says the National Drug Intelligence Center. “Crystal methamphetamine, however, typically has a higher purity level and may produce even longer-lasting and more intense physiological effects than the powdered form of the drug.”

Injecting Meth

Taking meth intravenously may be a sign of severe meth addiction, where users dissolve it in a liquid and inject it through a syringe into their vein, leading to a rapid and intense high. However, notes the National Drug Intelligence Center, injecting crystal meth carries several risky outcomes.

“Crystal methamphetamine users who inject the drug expose themselves to additional risks, including contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne viruses. Chronic users who inject methamphetamine also risk scarred or collapsed veins, infections of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and liver or kidney disease.”

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Why Is Crystal Meth Dangerous?

“Crystal methamphetamine use is associated with numerous serious physical problems,” states the National Drug Intelligence Center. And those problems aren’t just the immediate effects and symptoms of taking crystal meth — in the long-term, meth create profound effects on both your body and brain.

Short-Term Dangers of Crystal Meth Abuse

How long does meth stay in your body? Meth appeals to users seeking a quick, intense high, which can be felt anywhere from instantly (injecting or smoking), a few minutes (snorting) to within 20 minutes (swallowing). “Other immediate effects include increased wakefulness, confidence, energy, and sex drive, as well as decreased appetite,” says the NIDA.

But those are just the perceived benefits, offset by a host of potential health dangers that can surface even after smoking crystal meth just once, such as:

Paranoia and hallucinations

Onset of anxiety

Irregular, rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure

Potential kidney damage

Rapid breathing

Chest pain

Dry mouth

Muscle tension

Risk of overdose — fatal and nonfatal

Long-Term Dangers of Crystal Meth Abuse

Adverse long-term effects of any drug extend past merely being addicted — and meth is notorious for taking a toll on the body, internally and externally. For one, street crystal meth can contain any combination of chemicals and residues that can cause damage beyond the drug itself, where impurities and toxins can accumulate in your system.

Some other concerning long-term dangers of abusing crystal meth can include:

Risk of dependency, addiction, and permanent brain damage

Severe dental problems known as “meth mouth,” drug-induced neglect can lead to extensive tooth decay from dry mouth and long periods of poor oral hygiene, notes the American Dental Association

Lesions known as meth sores, often caused by obsessive picking at one’s skin

Risk of developing mental health issues such as psychosis, hallucinations, confusion, and mood disruptions

Decreased cognitive functioning and rational thought, slowed motor skills, and memory los.s

An increase in violent behavior

Risk of stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and damage to other organs

An increased risk of developing hepatitis, HIV, or a heart infection called infective endocarditis — the last two from shared needle use

What Is Meth Addiction Treatment Like?

Studies show that meth is as addictive as heroin and triggers dependency faster than most other illegal drugs. Three times more potent than cocaine, it’s one of the hardest drugs to quit. Entering rehab for meth can help because you have support and don’t need to go it alone. Here’s what you can expect:

Medical Detox for Meth Addiction Treatment

Stopping the use of any addictive drug triggers a series of withdrawal symptoms. It’s the body’s way of responding to the lack of a substance it’s become dependent on. Some of the short-term effects of meth we mentioned earlier are typical of meth withdrawal — so challenging to face on one’s own that it can lead you to keep taking meth just to avoid the symptoms.

However, when you enter treatment, detox is the first step. It lays the groundwork for further treatment, helping you wean off meth and navigate through the withdrawal stages with the help of medical staff equipped to minimize your discomfort. In a medical setting, that means they can monitor your vital signs, administer any medications, if needed, and provide round-the-clock care to see you through your transition off the drug.

Inpatient Treatment for Meth Addiction

Being cleaned of a drug in your system is like having a clean slate, a blank canvas, to build upon. And once detox is complete, treatment can begin. Some people may need a more immersive, supervised experience; they may be prone to relapsing out in the world or more structure if they’ve struggled with a more serious, severe addiction. Inpatient accommodates this by letting you live at one of our centers during treatment. Although guests are not permitted to leave, look at the benefits — you’ll receive complete care with the opportunity to devote your full, undivided and unfettered focus on getting better through individual and group therapy and other activities to help you conquer meth addiction. Rehab becomes a 24/7, transformative experience for you to re-enter the world on the path to recovery.

Outpatient Treatment for Meth Addiction

Outpatient treatment is another option in rehab that enables you to attend treatment during the day and return home from the facility campus each evening. It’s an ideal setup if you’re finishing an inpatient stint and at a point in your recovery journey where you can be home, without supervision, and use the skills you’ve learned to avoid relapse, or for people whose addictions are not severe enough to necessitate an inpatient stay. It’s also ideal if you have work, school, or family commitments.

Aftercare for Meth Addiction

Proper recovery begins when your time in treatment ends — like graduating from school, it’s the moment when you go out into the world, taking all you’ve learned and applying it to your daily sobriety. Today, meth is no longer a part of your life. That doesn’t mean you have no support. Aftercare is essentially continuing treatment where you can keep attending individual and group therapy at our facility on an as-needed basis or make arrangements to live in transitional housing before living on your own again. Most importantly, between your therapist and case manager, they can connect you with support groups in your own community to continue your journey, such as Crystal Meth Anonymous.

Finding a Meth Addiction Treatment Facility

If you or someone you care about is struggling with meth addiction, we have treatment facilities across eight states to choose from for your convenience, each one offering personalized care and a range of therapies — from traditional talk therapy to holistic approaches — to help heal from a myriad of substance use or mental health disorders.

Our programs are designed to meet you where you’re at, whether you’re walking into detox for the first time or looking for long-term support. How do you start? Take the step by contacting us today. We’re on hand, 24/7, to answer your questions about which rehab is right for you, cost, insurance coverage, and more. Consultations with our specialists are free.

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How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your Body?

Aliya on April 9, 2025

If you’ve asked yourself, “How long does cocaine stay in your body?”, it could be coming from a subconscious place of worry or regret or a palpable realization that using cocaine was a mistake.

And there’s good reason to feel that way since it’s well-known that cocaine is one of the most harmful drugs affecting the lives of millions of people. If you’ve used it once or twice, you might be feeling some ill effects and wondering if it’s a sign of something more serious. If you’ve become a regular user, you might have an inkling that you’re getting hooked on the drug and be worried about what will happen if you continue using it.

Or you might question, “How long does it take to pass a drug test after using cocaine?”, concerned about failing a drug screening for a new job that could adversely impact your livelihood in addition to your health and well-being.

These questions point to an awareness and an obvious sign that you’re open to looking at your cocaine use and how the body processes it — important realizations to quitting before cocaine use becomes problematic and seeking help if it does.

What Is Cocaine?

Powerful is a word commonly used to describe cocaine, a stimulant produced from the leaves of the South American coca plant. Cocaine is typically found in three forms:

Powdered cocaine, known for its fine, white appearance, is crushed down from hydrochloride salt and can be injected into a vein, snorted through one’s nostrils, or rubbed onto the gums.

Crack cocaine (named for the sound the cocaine rock makes while being heated) can be smoked in freebase pipe form.

Cocaine paste can also be smoked.

Cocaine works by influencing the brain’s limbic system, which regulates pleasure and motivation and activates your brain’s dopamine receptors. “This dopamine surge, simultaneous with the euphoric effects of the drug, teaches the brain that this reward is desirable and to seek it again,” notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

A cocaine high is fleeting (five minutes to half an hour) but intense, marked by feelings of euphoria, alertness, and confidence.

Is Cocaine Addictive?

One reason why repeated, chronic cocaine use makes it so addictive is the tangible changes it makes to the brain. In a normal functioning brain, dopamine is like a chemical messenger sending signals from neuron to neuron, explains the NIDA.

But cocaine acts as a kind of disruptor. It interrupts and interferes with this process, attaching itself to your brain’s dopamine receptors and flooding them with a surge of the hormone (more than your brain would normally produce) responsible for the drug’s high that leads users to want more of it.

However, the more one takes any addictive drug, cocaine included, the more the body and brain become used to it, leading you to take more of it, more frequently, to match those initial highs when you were new to cocaine.

This tolerance leads to dependence, when you depend on a drug to function. Addiction takes hold when you can’t stop using a drug — even if you want to — without the onset of severe, sometimes life-threatening, withdrawal symptoms. “Many (people) report that as tolerance develops, they fail to achieve the positive effects they experienced when they first began using the drug; thus, they begin to use cocaine with greater frequency and in larger doses,” says the National Drug Intelligence Center.

Can You Overdose on Cocaine?

A cocaine overdose can happen even if it’s your first time trying it, and overdoses are often fatal. Cardiovascular symptoms are often present, like an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, hyperventilation/fast breathing, and an elevated body temperature. During a cocaine overdose, you might also experience stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, and uncontrollable convulsions.

“Individuals who use the drug may become restless, irritable and anxious,” says the Drug Intelligence Center. “Use of powdered cocaine also can result in constricted blood vessels and increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. Heart attack, respiratory failure, stroke and seizure also may result from cocaine use.”

Additionally, your risk of cocaine overdose magnifies when mixing it with other substances, like alcohol or opioids. “People combine these drugs because the stimulating effects of cocaine are offset by the sedating effects of an opioid; however, this can lead to taking a high dose of the opioid without initially realizing it,” says the NIDA. “Because cocaine’s effects wear off sooner, this can lead to an opioid overdose.”

Statistics About Cocaine Use in America

Statistics show that about 2.2 million people use cocaine regularly, with more than half -1.5 million people — meeting the diagnostic criteria for cocaine use disorder. And while cocaine use has actually declined among American adults within the last 25 years, its use among adolescents is rising, as cocaine abuse remains a pressing problem.

Some fast facts about cocaine:

In 2017, 20% of more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths involved cocaine.

The likelihood of developing cocaine dependence from first-time use is 7.1%, compared to just 2% for users of tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana.

Additionally, 15% of cocaine users are likely to develop cocaine use disorder within 10 years compared to 8% of cannabis users and 12% to 13% of people who drink.

There’s a hereditary risk for developing CUD — an estimated 65% in women and up to 79% in men.

Cocaine use is linked to co-occurring mental disorders — 45% of users reported having a mood disorder and 31% an anxiety disorder. (Cocaine use triples one’s risk for depression, doubled for anxiety.)

Studies show that adults not enrolled in college full-time are twice as likely to abuse cocaine than full-time students — a difference of 11.1% to 5.3%.

21% of people diagnosed with cocaine use disorder continue to use the drug weekly — after five years, that number rises to 25%.

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How Is Cocaine Metabolized?

Because cocaine has a shorter half-life than other drugs, the cocaine elimination time is quick. This is the amount of time it takes for a cocaine high to wear off or when withdrawal symptoms begin. Since cocaine’s half-life is only about an hour, your body begins metabolizing and breaking it down quickly to complete the cocaine processing time.

Your liver is the organ primarily responsible for cocaine metabolism, converting it into metabolites — primarily benzoylecgonine, as well as ecgonine methyl ester — which are eventually eliminated through your urine.

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your Body for a Urine Test?

How long does cocaine stay in urine is an important consideration if you’re due for an employment drug test that can make or break your hiring.

Cocaine drug tests using a urine sample are the most common and have the longest detection window, usually up to four days after you’ve last used the drug. That means if you used cocaine on a Saturday and you have a drug test on Monday morning, it will show up on your drug test. However, heavier or more chronic use has been known to remain present in urine levels for a week or more.

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your Body for a Blood Test?

Although urine testing is the most common for cocaine, testing for cocaine in blood is also sometimes utilized. The drug can be found in a blood test up to 48 hours later, and for its metabolites, anywhere from about 5.5 to 7.5 hours.

Blood tests are less commonly used for routine drug screening due to their invasive nature and shorter detection window, and they’re more likely to be used in medical emergencies, post-accident investigations, or legal situations.

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your Body for a Saliva Test?

Cocaine in saliva testing is another method that might be used for an employment drug pre-screening. An easier way to test for the presence of substances through your saliva by swabbing the inside of your mouth (similar to a COVID test), this less invasive method can detect cocaine and metabolites for up to two days (48 hours) after your last use — though this timeframe may be longer for first-time users, since regular or more chronic cocaine users may take longer to metabolize it.

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your Body for a Hair Test?

Surprisingly, cocaine in hair testing has the longest cocaine detection times out of all these methods and is a more preferred method to determine long-time vs. short-term drug use. Cocaine and metabolites can remain detectable in your hair follicles for up to 90 days, or about three months — with one study reporting the finding of cocaine in hair up to six months later.

Why does hair testing have such a long detection window? “The rate of drug incorporation into the hair depends on the melanin content of the hair, the lipophilicity and the basicity of the drug substance as well as the growth phase of the hair,” notes the 2022 study. However, if you were to cut your hair short, it increases the likelihood of removing the strands where cocaine could be identified.

Factors That Affect How Long Cocaine Stays in the Body

Cocaine detection times may vary depending on the testing method, but there are also several variables that can influence cocaine elimination times and drug metabolism:

Genetics and metabolism: Your metabolic rate is influenced by a number of chemical processes within your body’s cells and can play a big role in affecting the cocaine processing timeline. Some people may also have genetic variations unique to them that make them process drugs more quickly or slowly.

Body composition: People with higher body fat percentages may retain traces of cocaine in their bodies longer since cocaine metabolites are fat-soluble and highly lipophilic. That means that cocaine can be stored in fatty tissues and affect your central nervous system, triggering cellular toxicity.

Frequency and amount of cocaine use: The more often you use cocaine and the higher the dose, the longer it takes to eliminate it from your system. Regular, prolonged use, or worse, cocaine use disorder can lead to the accumulation of more metabolites, which can be detected for longer than those of a one-time or infrequent cocaine user.

Method of use: Snorting, smoking, or injecting cocaine affects how quickly it enters your bloodstream and how it’s metabolized. (Injecting cocaine sends the drug into your bloodstream almost immediately, reaching the brain as quickly as 15 to 30 seconds.)

Drug purity: The purity of cocaine — the percentage of a drug’s active ingredient — can determine how fast or slow cocaine remains detectable in the body. For instance, many variants of street cocaine often contain cutting agents and adulterants that may affect metabolism and cocaine elimination time.

Polydrug use: Using cocaine alongside other substances, particularly alcohol, creates unique metabolites that may have longer detection windows. In fact, consuming alcohol and cocaine together produces a highly toxic metabolite in the liver called cocaethylene.

Overall physical and mental health: The healthier you are physically, the more efficiently your body can filter out toxins and metabolize cocaine. Poor mental health may exacerbate cocaine abuse; studies show a high psychiatric comorbidity among crack cocaine users.

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What Is Cocaine Addiction Treatment Like?

Because cocaine is so addictive, treating cocaine use disorder needs to follow a specific trajectory. You can’t skip detoxing from the drug and go straight into therapy or only detox from the drug without pursuing additional treatment. It involves a structured approach that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of dependency.

Medical Detox for Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Detoxification, or detox, is the process of stopping the use of a drug, giving it time to clear from your system, and mitigating and managing any subsequent withdrawal symptoms — for cocaine, this can include depression, fatigue, loss of appetite, agitation, restlessness, and slowed physical activity.

Medical cocaine detox is not quitting cold turkey; it’s a process at a treatment facility where you have the 24/7 guidance and supervision of medical staff, like a doctor, nurse, and staff trained in addiction treatment, to supervise while minimizing any potential health risks. The cocaine detox timeline depends on the severity of withdrawal symptoms; the most acute, immediate withdrawal symptoms last about two weeks.

Inpatient Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Once detox is complete, the next phase of rehab is inpatient treatment, the first step towards greater healing and lasting sobriety. Inpatient treatment calls for you to stay in a treatment facility, where you’ll live onsite and devote your full-time, daily focus to getting sober without relapse triggers, distractions, or stressors. It’s following detox that you have a clean slate to begin inpatient treatment, a setting with round-the-clock support, structured therapy sessions, and a safe environment to begin your recovery.

Outpatient Cocaine Addiction Treatment

An outpatient treatment plan enables you to take advantage of the same benefits of therapy as you would during inpatient treatment, only you’re allowed to return home at the end of the day. Outpatient treatment is often the next step many people with cocaine use disorder take after completing an inpatient stint, or for those whose addictions aren’t as severe and don’t require the same level of intensive supervision. Outpatient is an ideal compromise — a balance between the same high level of care and your ability to fulfill personal and professional obligations.

Aftercare for Cocaine Addiction

Aftercare remains a specific component of the recovery process, reaffirming that treatment doesn’t have to end following your stay in rehab. It involves continuing care and resources after you’ve finished inpatient or outpatient treatment, helping in your transition from the structure of a treatment environment back to your regular life. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to keep attending individual or group therapy sessions or support groups, including in your own community — you may find 12-step programs like Cocaine Anonymous particularly valuable. Aliya can also connect you with transitional housing opportunities, a bridge between treatment and independent living.

Therapies for Cocaine Addiction Recovery

A well-rounded treatment program for cocaine addiction ideally involves a blend of clinical therapy with alternative approaches focused on total wellness:

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

When therapy is evidence-based, it means that it’s been backed in scientific and clinical settings as effective in treating substance use disorders. For cocaine addiction, psychotherapy might include cognitive behavioral therapy.

CBT, for short, sees you talk one-to-one with a therapist to identify your motivations for using cocaine. What are the underlying reasons? Are they linked to any other possible conditions, like depression? CBT aids you in conquering negative thoughts that could be influencing drug use, replacing them with more positive perspectives and a new, positive approach to living drug-free.

Holistic Recovery Options

Complementing traditional therapies, holistic approaches address your whole person — mind, body, and spirit — that can be impacted by cocaine use.

A holistic treatment plan might include yoga or meditation to connect you with a more mindful approach to living, helping you to live more intentionally and completely without the need to use cocaine. Art or music therapy becomes an outlet for expressing yourself in ways where words may initially be difficult in talk therapy. Nutritional and life skills counseling go hand in hand with rebuilding the everyday responsibilities that drug use may have dulled.

Finding a Cocaine Addiction Treatment Facility

No matter where you are, know that cocaine misuse can be treated, whether you’ve had a chronic problem for some time or just begun to notice that your use (or in a loved one) has become increasingly troubling. Aliya Health Group has 18 different treatment centers based in eight states and is experienced in helping people with substance use disorders of all kinds (like cocaine, opioid, or heroin addiction) and mental health treatment.

Knowing how long does cocaine stay in your body is just the first piece of information you need. We can provide you with more on what treatment involves, from what your tailored plan may look like to cost and insurance options. But the change begins with you. Contact us today, either by calling one of our specialists or emailing us — we’re on hand 24/7.

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Tips for College Students: How Does School Affect Mental Health?

Aliya on April 1, 2025

College can be one of the most transitional, transformative stages of life. A rite of passage in discovering your independence and personal and academic growth, moving into higher education is like standing at a crossroads — abundant educational and future career aspirations in every direction you turn, where the sky, seemingly, is the limit.

However, these potential opportunities can bring challenges that can affect students ‘ mental health. You might be just starting undergrad and overwhelmed with living on campus, meeting new people, and acclimating to a heavy courseload unlike anything you had in high school. Or you might be a long-time student pursuing a graduate degree and worried about looming deadlines and high expectations to follow through and succeed.

You’re not alone if you identify with these feelings; studies show that more than 60% of college students potentially experienced at least one mental health issue stemming from school, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

The APA cites another survey where nearly three-fourths of students indicated moderate-to-major psychological distress — insights illustrating the inextricable link between college and mental health.

What can you do to nurture your mental health so your well-being, self-esteem, and academic performance can thrive? Keep reading for some tips.

How Does School Affect Mental Health?

College is a huge time of adjustment. Even though it can — and should be — an exciting time, offering opportunities for learning, self-discovery, and finding yourself as a student and young adult, there are new stressors accompanying it. Transitioning from a structured high school environment to a more independent collegiate atmosphere may conjure uncertainty about the future and intensify feelings of anxiety unlike anything you’ve felt before.

A 2023 study from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation discovered that nearly three in 10 adult college students (40% between the ages of 18 to 24) claim that emotional stress and personal mental health matters are key factors in why they remain unenrolled in classes. Apart from other reasons, they remain the two biggest considerations in halting their coursework within the last six months.

The survey further indicated that 41% of current college students admitted staying enrolled remained difficult and that 44% of associate degree and 36% of bachelor’s degree students considered stopping coursework for at least a semester. Among those students, 55% and 47% further cited emotional stress and mental health, respectively, as determining reasons.

What explains these concerning school and mental health statistics for students who are on the brink of dropping out?

Academic Pressure

“Academic pressure together with stressors typical of starting and attending college may precipitate the first onset of mental health and substance use problems or an exacerbation of symptoms,” states a study published through the National Institutes of Health.

Another study indicates that as many as 87% of college students cited education as their main source of stress. “College students are exposed to novel academic stressors, such as an extensive academic course load, substantial studying, time management (and) classroom competition”

This weight of expectations — either self-imposed or external (such as from professors or parents) — can lead to anxiety and burnout that may result in falling behind academically.

Social Challenges

College isn’t — and shouldn’t — only be about academics, but the pressure to get good grades also gets mirrored in a need to fit in socially on campus. Students ‘ mental health is closely linked to feelings of belonging and acceptance, which is something we all deserve.

Going from four years of high school and the friendships you made can leave you feeling disconnected when starting again in a new school, with new people and new dynamics. Shyness, introversion, or awkwardness around others can make earning new friends a challenge and invoke feelings of loneliness. Even if you’ve forged some close friendships, there’s additional pressure to participate, whether it’s through extracurricular activities, getting involved in clubs, or joining a fraternity or sorority. This environment of constant social comparison might intensify concerns about your self-worth.

In addition, all of this can prove more difficult being away from home and the social network you’ve had up until now.

New Sleep and Eating Habits

Our bodies tend to flourish through habits like a balanced diet and a regular sleep schedule. But your routine in college might look very different. For students and mental health, pulling all-nighters, skipping meals due to back-to-back classes, late-night takeout and inconsistent sleep can throw off everything from your circadian rhythms, your cognitive functioning and your mental and emotional clarity — regardless of if you’re a new undergrad or seasoned grad student.

“Diet, exercise and sleep often fall low on the priority list,” says psychologist Susan Albers, in a Cleveland Clinic report. “Students feel like they don’t have time for them. But those three things are the cornerstones of mental health. It’s like pulling the rug out from underneath someone who’s already struggling to stay balanced.”

Financial Stress

Money becomes one of the biggest negative factors in how school affects mental health. The Gallup/Lumina poll reveals that financial strain is the number one reason many students remain unenrolled (either foregoing college or dropping out) — 55% are concerned about affording tuition and fees, and 45% are worried about inflation’s effect on cost friendliness. “Nobody should have to decide between paying rent, food, gasoline, groceries and paying for education,” one unenrolled student is quoted.

Indeed, even if you’ve received grants or financial aid, they may not be enough to cover the entire cost of tuition, and student loans, with interest, can become costly. Without them, the financial responsibilities of students can exacerbate mental health since tuition, accommodations, and daily living expenses can cause significant worry about managing your finances.

Many students end up juggling part-time jobs to pay their way through college while struggling to keep up with schoolwork. The combination of financial strain/stress with spreading oneself too thin can impact your ability to truly devote focus on academics, self-care, and personal relationships.

Experimentation with Substance Use

On-campus parties and dorm hangouts open opportunities to experiment with substances, from alcohol to other drugs. Occasional social drinking or use might not become problematic if you’re responsible, but substance use can quickly turn to abuse, especially when some students may turn to substances for self-medication to cope with stress, depression, or anxiety.

Unfortunately, even if excess substance use doesn’t develop into abuse, it can still trigger, worsen, or exacerbate student mental health issues. Substance abuse, notes the Cleveland Clinic, makes tangible changes in the brain that can cause someone to develop a mental illness, and with repeated use, the brain’s reward centers are overstimulated, causing you to want to keep taking a substance, a clear pathway to addiction.

According to a recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, substance abuse is linked not only to poor mental health in school but also to long-term health problems. In the study of college students aged 18 to 22:

Nearly 6 million smoked cigarettes within the last month

12 million drank alcohol (with 7.8 million binge drinking)

4.5 million students used cannabis

299,000 experimented with cocaine

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What Are the Most Common Mental Health Issues Students Struggle With?

Looking deeper into the APA’s assertion that six out of 10 college students experience mental health issues (a 50% increase in just over the last decade), how does school affect mental health specifically? The National Education Foundation (NEA) cites the Healthy Minds survey:

44% of students reported suffering from depression

37% said they experienced anxiety

15% admitted they considered suicide

The NEA, citing another study, also mentions that close to two-thirds of college students reported feeling deeply sad, with one-third claiming they felt so depressed that they could not function.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Poor Mental Health?

Though symptoms may vary depending on the nature of the condition, there are several telltale signs that poor mental health share, notes the Mayo Clinic:

Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or despair

Extreme mood swings or irritability

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Changes in eating or sleeping habits

Social withdrawal or isolation

Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed

Increased reliance on alcohol or drugs to cope

Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

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Tips for Maintaining Your Mental Health in College

Taking charge of your mental health in school means being proactive about your well-being and developing some healthy habits.

Building a Routine

College life can be unpredictable, and apart from your class schedule, having a routine often becomes the exception, not the norm. Think of times when you had more consistency in your day-to-day routine, and take the steps to rebuild it. Rather than cramming in studying or completing homework at the last minute, block out a dedicated time for it. Eat meals at the same time each day (and don’t skip any!). And most importantly, set a non-negotiable, lights-out bedtime, and aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night.

Once you’ve built out a workable routine, try to schedule classes for the following semester around these times. If that’s not possible, negotiate with yourself. For instance, if two prerequisite courses are only available on two weekday evenings when you’re normally in your dorm studying, make up the time in the library on Saturday or Sunday.

Practicing Self-Care

“When we practice self-care, we do so with the intention of taking care of our mind, body and soul by engaging in activities that bring us joy and reduce stress levels,” says the Mental Health Coalition (MHC). “Practicing self-care helps us value and love ourselves, ultimately resulting in a more full and vibrant life”.

How can you put self-care into practice and nurture yourself? Listen to what your body and mind need. Start with simple practices like journaling your thoughts when you can. What are you feeling at this moment? Have you noticed patterns when you’re feeling down and sad, and what brings you up? What are you most grateful for? Jot them down. See if yoga or meditation is offered on campus, or just try simple, deep breathing for three to five minutes or taking a walk in nature when you feel stressed.

Using Campus Resources and Groups

Your campus likely offers mental health resources for students. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of counseling services, student support groups, and wellness programs. Check your school’s website or check in at the student center to see what’s offered. Talk therapy sessions are often coordinated through the psychology department or a counseling center.

The MHC encourages reaching out to others, like confiding in a professor you trust if you feel your academic performance is suffering due to mental health; your dorm’s resident assistant, usually an upperclassman who can relate to your experiences; or friends and peers as a shoulder to lean on. “They may be going through something similar,” notes the MHC.

Avoid Drugs and Alcohol

Nearly 60% of college students say that they’ve experienced peer pressure to drink. It can be hard to say no when you want to fit in and make friends. It can be tempting to turn to substances to cope with the stress of college life. But alcohol and drugs aren’t a sustainable solution — they may initially take the edge off, but think of how getting hooked on them can worsen your mental health and make your schoolwork suffer more.

Instead, focus on some of the healthier coping mechanisms above — from better habits to finding someone to talk to — that replace the empty benefits that drinking or drugs offer. At the least, make a compromise with yourself and have a drink only on special occasions, like after you’ve aced an exam, completed midterms, or during spring break.

Where to Find Professional Mental Health Treatment

Your school environment has numerous options meant to address student mental health — it’s a place where everyone is meant to learn, grow, thrive, and succeed. But it’s not the only option.

If you feel your academics, personal life, and mental health have been suffering (or a loved one’s), consider pursuing mental health treatment at a dedicated rehab facility. Even attending therapy on an occasional outpatient basis (where you can go home after therapy is finished) is a positive, proactive step in the right direction with your mental health and well-being in mind.

If you have questions about student mental health issues and treatment, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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Is Drinking Alcohol on Suboxone Safe?

Aliya on April 1, 2025

If you’re taking Suboxone or receiving treatment for opioid use disorder, know that you’re doing the right thing for yourself and your health. It means being acutely aware of how harmful opioid addiction can be — more than 10 million people abuse them each year, and 50,000 succumb annually to opioid overdoses.

As a MOUD, or Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, Suboxone greatly minimizes these risks (reducing fatal opioid overdoses by nearly 50%) and better enables and enhances your chances at recovery. But does being on a Suboxone prescription mean you’re allowed to consume other substances?

For instance, can you drink alcohol and take Suboxone without complicating your progress or, worse, complicating an opioid addiction? Alcohol may still be part of your life — socially, occasionally, or more regularly. But using both can lead to outcomes that aren’t always predictable. What ultimately is the result of Suboxone and alcohol interaction, even if you drink in moderation?

Keep reading to learn more about the harmful effects of Suboxone and alcohol.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is the brand name of an FDA-approved MOUD and combination of two generic drugs, buprenorphine and naloxone. It’s available in tablet form or as a sublingual film that dissolves under your tongue.

Both can serve you well if you’re in rehab and starting medication-assisted treatment (MAT), especially during the detox phase when reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms is a chief goal. Studies have shown Suboxone to be more effective than methadone.

Suboxone imparts additional benefits that speak to your future in recovery — a study of 110 people taking buprenorphine (either on its own or from Suboxone) indicated that they are more likely to be sober, involved in 12-step support groups, and employed while being administered the drug.

How Does Suboxone Work?

When someone has an opioid addiction, it makes changes to the brain, flooding its reward center and causing the person to want more and more of the drug. As Suboxone, the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone work in tandem to replace these opioids, effectively tricking your brain into not missing the original opioids.

How does this happen? Suboxone is a type of opioid, but it works by binding to the same receptors in your brain that opioids attach to. However, because buprenorphine — a painkiller and partial opioid agonist — only partially activates these receptors, it eases withdrawal symptoms and cravings without the full euphoric effects.

The role naloxone plays in Suboxone is as an opioid antagonist. Together with buprenorphine, it attaches to your brain’s opioid receptors to block the effects of other addictive opioids. Naloxone is also effective in reversing opioid overdoses. The naloxone component essentially serves as a built-in safeguard in the medication’s formulation.

Suboxone Abuse

Since Suboxone is also a type of narcotic opioid — albeit less potent than fentanyl, oxycodone, or heroin — is it still addictive?

Buprenorphine, its first active ingredient, is a Schedule III controlled substance, where your risk of developing a Suboxone dependence (when your body begins to rely on a drug) is low to moderate. “Because it is only a partial agonist of the main opiate receptor (the ‘mu’ receptor), it causes significantly less euphoria than other opiates such as heroin and oxycodone,” states a study by Harvard Medical School. “As such, it is less prone to misuse.”

Experts point to the drug’s ceiling effect — after a certain dosage, taking more won’t increase its effects. (Your initial dose may start at 4 milligrams buprenorphine/1 milligram naloxone, with a maximum dosage of 24 milligrams a day.) The naloxone in Suboxone works hard to counteract this possibility. The relationship between buprenorphine and naloxone makes the chances of abuse, addiction or overdose minimal.

“When people do overdose on Suboxone, it is almost always because they are mixing it with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, medicines that can additively impair breathing,” states Harvard Medical School. However, you shouldn’t take more Suboxone than instructed. On its own, too much buprenorphine can lead to abuse and eventual addiction or fatal overdose.

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Is Drinking Alcohol on Suboxone Safe?

Mixing Suboxone with other illicit, habit-forming drugs is not recommended, and alcohol and Suboxone are no exception. Can you drink alcohol and take suboxone? The short answer is no — drinking alcohol on Suboxone is not safe or recommended.

Firstly, if you’re in early recovery, alcohol can act as a trigger for opioid relapse. It lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, increasing one’s risk of returning to opioid use. It works against Suboxone’s goal of making opioid withdrawal easier.

Mixing Suboxone and alcohol primarily creates adverse effects that can prove dangerous even if you drink in moderation:

Enhanced sedation: Alcohol intensifies some of the effects that Suboxone can cause and can lead to extreme drowsiness, lethargy, or even unconsciousness.

Respiratory depression: When taken simultaneously, both drugs — which can slow breathing — increase your risk of respiratory problems.

Cognitive impairment: Driving or operating machinery is not recommended when drinking or taking any drugs, but suboxone and alcohol interaction may impair your judgment, coordination, and reaction times, raising your risk of accidents or injuries.

Increased abuse and dependency risk: You might assume that because Suboxone isn’t a full opioid, the risk of becoming dependent is lower, even with other substances. But mixing suboxone and alcohol can accelerate suboxone and alcohol abuse, leading to higher tolerance and the need to take more Suboxone. This can raise the risk of dependence on both substances.

The Dangers of Long-Term Alcohol Abuse

Combining Suboxone and alcohol together carries its own unique set of risk factors, but chronic alcohol abuse on its own can pose several devastating long-term effects to nearly every organ in your body:

Like other addictive substances, alcohol makes neurological changes to your brain chemistry. It disrupts its communication centers and can impair your thinking, mood, coordination, and behavior. Heavy drinking also increases your risk of suffering ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Even moderate drinking in the long term can place a strain on your heart, leading to heart disease, cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure or increased stroke risk.

Alcohol abuse taxes your liver — the primary organ that processes alcohol — and can lead to everything from cirrhosis, steatosis (fatty liver), fibrosis and hepatitis.

Excessive drinking may lead to the eventual development of pancreatitis, a troubling inflammation of the pancreas that can cause digestive problems.

The risk of cancer — from head/neck, liver, breast and esophageal — increases while your immune system becomes weakened from long-term alcohol abuse.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 178,000 people die each year from the effects of alcohol abuse.

Beyond your physical health, alcohol abuse can impact so many facets of your life. Relationships can deteriorate due to alcohol-related behavioral changes. Your employment and financial stability can become jeopardized when drinking causes your work performance to suffer. Drinking can take a toll on mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, and more.

Polysubstance Abuse Help

Polysubstance abuse is the taking of more than one drug together at the same time or during a short duration. It can be unintentional, like taking an illegal drug unaware that it’s been mixed with another dangerous substance. Or it can be intentional, like drinking alcohol on suboxone.

If you’ve begun mixing suboxone and alcohol after starting opioid treatment, how do you know when you have a problem? You may find it harder to stop drinking while on Suboxone, despite knowing the risks. You might start taking more Suboxone than instructed when drinking. Or, if you find yourself hiding a burgeoning drinking problem from your therapist or family members, it may be time to seek help for abusing both substances.

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Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

A proper, effective addiction treatment program should follow a comprehensive and careful trajectory to address your symptoms and the underlying nature of why and how you’ve developed a substance use disorder — whether it’s alcohol use disorder on its own or a polysubstance use disorder in Suboxone and alcohol together.

Detox

Detoxification is the first step in rehab, the process of ending usage of a drug and waiting for your system to rid itself of every trace while managing Suboxone and alcohol withdrawal. In a treatment facility, you’re not alone, and detox is never a cold turkey affair, leaving you to your own devices. Instead, you’re in the caring, capable hands of a clinical staff, from a doctor to nurses and other addiction specialists, to ensure your stay in detox is as comfortable as possible.

During detox, you’ll receive 24/7 monitoring of vital signs, medications to manage withdrawal symptoms, nutritional support to address deficiencies, and other support. Once a substance has been cleared from your body through detox, it gives you a clean slate to continue with treatment.

Inpatient Treatment

After detox, many people with severe addictions may benefit from inpatient treatment. The “in” in inpatient means you’ll stay for a time at a treatment facility so you can devote your full, undivided, 24/7 focus to getting well, free of distractions or triggers. Like a retreat to become drug- and substance-free, inpatient is a structured approach to treatment enabling you to commit fully to recovery. This is the stage where you’ll begin therapy, either individually with a therapist or in a group setting with other peers fighting similar issues.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient therapy allows you to return home each day after your scheduled treatment is finished. It’s ideal for people who are exiting an inpatient environment and can qualify for less intensive treatment or for those whose substance abuse issues aren’t as severe and don’t necessitate an on-site stay. It’s a best-of-both-worlds opportunity since you can attend therapy and group sessions several times a week while maintaining responsibilities at home or work without having to sacrifice your recovery or your personal and professional obligations.

Aftercare

Rehab is like school; your treatment regimen may conclude, but when you graduate, your education is never actually complete. Aftercare is the equivalent of continuing education once you’ve become a rehab alumnus. Your therapist and case manager can connect you with resources like sober living, local support groups (like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous), and even chances to continue ongoing therapy at your treatment center. Aftercare is designed to keep you accountable for your own recovery and to help you stay in sober shape.

Using Insurance for Addiction Rehab

Suboxone is just one avenue to help treat opioid use disorder; it is effective in easing one’s withdrawal symptoms and cravings and making therapy and life in recovery a tool to help you live your best, sober life. Many people forego rehab because they are afraid of the out-of-pocket expenses. However, we accept most major insurance carriers, and we can work with you to minimize your addiction treatment costs.

That one phone call can change your life to get you on the road to recovery from alcohol and Suboxone abuse, so contact us today; our admissions team is on hand 24/7 to verify your insurance, lay out your options for treatment, and help tailor a treatment plan for you or a loved one.

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Is Outpatient Rehab Right for You?

Aliya on March 25, 2025

One of the most accountable actions you can ever take is admitting you have a problem with drinking or drugs — and that it’s time to take steps toward change. It takes real courage and humility, especially when many people with an undiagnosed substance use disorder remain in denial about how their addiction is affecting them and their loved ones, but few attempt to get treated.

The question is, how do you choose the type of treatment that suits you best? There’s often an assumption that rehab is only on an inpatient basis, checking into a facility and stepping away from life for a period of time.

While this is a smart option for people suffering from very severe addictions, it might not be feasible when you have commitments that can’t be neglected. Outpatient rehab seeks to achieve a balance, striking a middle ground between enabling you to pursue recovery and the commitments that define who you are.

What Is Outpatient Rehab?

Outpatient addiction treatment allows you to receive therapy for an alcohol or drug addiction while still being able to live at home. It’s particularly suited for people who need an intensive level of support but don’t require the 24/7, onsite residential component that inpatient treatment provides.

During outpatient drug rehab, treatment typically involves attending therapy sessions several times a week, a few hours each day — this might be individual, one-to-one therapy with a counselor, or group therapy sessions with other people like you in recovery, very similar to the structure of a 12-step program.

When the day’s sessions are complete, you’re able to leave the facility and go home before returning the next day. It’s the best of both worlds because you get to work toward recovery and fulfill your day-to-day responsibilities without sacrificing or compromising either one.

Inpatient Rehab vs Outpatient Rehab

Both forms of treatment have distinct similarities and contrasts, but knowing which option is best for you really depends on your needs and the nature and severity of your problem.

Inpatient rehab:

Inpatient rehab offers less independence than outpatient rehab, requiring you to stay at a treatment facility 24/7 for about 30 to 90 days. You’re not allowed to leave during this time.

Every aspect of your day and environment is immersive, intensive, and built around recovery, with tight supervision — invaluable if you have a severe addiction, live in a highly triggering home environment, or are prone to relapse.

Easily facilitates the transition to therapy from medical detox, a necessary component to treatment that helps you manage, with staff support, withdrawal symptoms after stopping drug or alcohol use.

Outpatient rehab:

Offers the most independence in drug rehab. Routine counseling sessions during the day follow a flexible outpatient program schedule, enabling you to return home at night and still keep up with work, school, or family obligations.

Treatment may last for several weeks to several months.

Ideal for milder forms of substance use disorder and for people who don’t need round-the-clock supervision or who have supportive families and stable home environments.

Weigh these considerations when looking into drug rehab. Inpatient may serve best people whose drug abuse or drinking has become life-threatening and who need constant supervision and highly structured care in a controlled setting.

Outpatient addiction treatment, on the other hand, may be better if you’ve been able to remain functional despite substance abuse. Additionally, full-time residential treatment might be impractical if you can’t take time off from work or miss school.

Arguably, the most important part of outpatient rehab is that it enables you to take what you’ve learned in therapy and apply those lessons and skills to your life every day when you return home. This opportunity doesn’t exist with inpatient care until the conclusion of treatment when segueing back into independent living.

What Are the Levels of Outpatient Care?

Many people new to rehab might assume that there is only inpatient and only outpatient with no other options existing if they need more scheduling flexibility or treatment intensity. However, one of the most appealing parts of outpatient rehab is that there are different graduated levels of care to choose from.

PHP

A partial hospitalization program, or PHP, is a more intensive outpatient rehab model recommended for people with more severe addiction issues who call for significant clinical support without 24/7 supervision. Partial hospitalization focuses on promoting personal growth and your own autonomy, ideal if you’re transitioning out of an inpatient hospital stay — or if your symptoms are severe and need rigorous daily care but are stable enough that round-the-clock supervision isn’t necessary. In a PHP program, you’ll attend therapy and treatment about five to seven days a week for several hours but with the chance to return home at night — a hybrid between standard inpatient and outpatient.

IOP

IOP stands for intensive outpatient program, and like its name suggests, it’s a type of outpatient rehab that is slightly less intensive than inpatient or PHP care but more engaging and structured than outpatient. Like a PHP, IOP is ideal for people battling addiction who don’t need full-time care, but you’ll receive the same degree of inpatient care while enjoying the benefit of going home at the end of the day — ideal if you have a substance use disorder that needs focused care but also need to balance work, school or family life.

At our rehab locations, IOP will see you attending treatment several hours a day, multiple days a week. In IOP, group and individual therapy and educational workshops teach coping and relapse prevention skills that you can take home with you every day.

Outpatient Programs

Lastly, standard outpatient drug rehab is a less intensive, yet still effective, level of care. With fewer weekly therapy sessions, treatment fits seamlessly into your own personal schedule. For some people whose addictions may be moderate and more manageable, outpatient may be their first and only step needed in a treatment program. For others, it’s the next transitional step after completing an inpatient, PHP, or IOP plan — having detoxed from substances and maintained their sobriety.

Outpatient care usually involves several weeks or months of routine counseling sessions, either one-on-one or group (or both), as you arrive at and return home from therapy each day to give you the full independence in your recovery you deserve.

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What to Expect from Outpatient Rehab

We’ve talked about the different levels of outpatient addiction treatment care and how it stands apart from inpatient, but what features can you expect in outpatient rehab?

Individualized Treatment Plans

Even if the symptoms of an addiction may be similar from person to person, no two people experience it the same way, one reason why individualizing one’s treatment plan may be the most important aspect of outpatient rehab. This means that your treatment, from the time you start to the moment you finish, is tailored for you so you can get the most out of therapy. Working with your therapist, they’ll map out an actionable plan with achievable, reachable goals based on the nature of your addiction, duration, and challenges.

For example, you might have a moderate drinking problem, and your treatment plan will see you set up in an IOP since you don’t need 24/7 care and you run little risk of relapse by being home in the evenings and on the weekends. But you might start showing signs of therapeutic improvement quicker than expected, so your treatment plan is adjusted, moving you along to OP treatment sooner than expected. Yours may call for a mix of individual and group therapy, but if you respond better to the latter setting, your plan may be customized to include more of these sessions and fewer one-to-one appointments.

Exceptional Care and Guidance

In treatment, you’ll cross paths and work with addiction specialists who have one singular goal — to help you heal and get clean and sober. Recovery in the context of the best outpatient rehab remains elevated by a level of encouragement, support, and clinical expertise that’s meant to help you quit drinking or using drugs, manage withdrawal symptoms, and develop a newer, healthier mindset and outlook on life free of substances. Aliya’s treatment centers live by the promise of offering no less than a compassionate, caring environment from the beginning of treatment to the end.

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Alcohol Abuse

Treatment that’s evidence-based means it’s been proven effective through years of scientific research and results in a clinical setting — with the evidence being scores of people who have come out of the other end of addiction healthier, sober, and on a true path to recovery. In outpatient rehab centers, CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is one of the most common types of talk therapy, aiming to help you challenge negative thought patterns that may contribute to harmful, addictive behavior and reframe and change your mental narrative.

CBT, DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy), and other forms of therapy effectively emphasize practical strategies empowering you to address the root causes of drug and alcohol abuse, giving you autonomy over your own recovery.

Holistic Treatment for Alcohol Abuse

The best outpatient rehab incorporates treatment that is integrative and comprehensive — for example, holistic treatments that work alongside psychotherapy to let you approach recovery in multiple ways. Holistic translates to “whole,” and in outpatient rehab, it refers to practices like yoga, meditation, sound therapy, acupuncture, and more, which are meant to heal your mind, body, and spirit, which can be weakened by addiction and substance abuse. Addressing the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of recovery gives you better mental clarity, physical wellness, and inner resilience, which are so important in helping you rediscover and uncover your true essence that drinking or drug use may have buried.

Alumni and Aftercare Support

When your individualized outpatient rehab concludes, there’s a myth that it’s the end of treatment altogether. The truth is that while this marks the first step of maintaining your own sobriety in the real world, treatment doesn’t end here. In fact, the best outpatient rehab will connect you with an assortment of aftercare options — everything from continuing group therapy to access to transitional housing, as well as alumni programs for treatment graduates, meant to strengthen your relationship with the recovery community through 12-step programs and recovery events and activities.

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What Can Outpatient Rehab Help With?

Outpatient rehab centers are built to address various drug or alcohol addictions, mental health issues, or a combination of both, known as a co-occurring disorder.

Substance Use Disorders

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol use disorder affects nearly 29 million people a year. A problem that is one of the most deceptive, abusive drinking remains a problem because alcohol is such a socially accepted substance that can easily become an addictive crutch in one’s life. Therapy at outpatient alcohol rehab Las Vegas and our other locations helps you understand and identify why you drink. What are the underlying reasons? What are your triggers? It’s through accepting the problem and wanting to make a change that you can develop coping strategies when triggers arise and live a newer, happier, more fulfilling life without alcohol.

Drug Abuse

Drug addiction remains so prevalent because it can take on so many different forms — from narcotics, prescription medications, opioids, stimulants, to others. Illicit drugs can pose various short- and long-term damage to the body and the brain, but the lasting, almost irreparable harm is on how drug abuse can affect your life and the people around you. No matter the substance, because addiction rewires the brain, it makes it harder to quit even if you do recognize the damage it’s causing. Outpatient drug rehab meets these problems head-on with a blend of therapy — clinical and holistic — that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction, giving you the tools, skills, accountability, and willpower to kick drugs to the curb and emerge with a commitment to staying sober.

Mental Health Disorders

Anxiety

Did you know that anxiety disorders, in all forms, affect 40 million people a year? According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorder can stem from a combination of risk factors like genetics, neurological reasons, life events, and your own physiological and personality makeup, resulting in symptoms like chronic worry, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. Unfortunately, mental health disorders often coincide with substance abuse as some people abuse alcohol or drugs to self-medicate, worsening them in the process. Outpatient addiction treatment seeks to rectify the underlying issues contributing to anxiety, teaching real, actionable skills to cope with triggers and symptoms without turning to substances.

Depression

Depressive disorders also affect millions of Americans and is a major mental illness that co-occurs with other types of behavioral and substance use disorders. Depression is so much more than just feeling sad — it’s a chronic, unrelenting condition that can affect your motivation, outlook on life, and even your physical health. You may struggle with persistent fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, or difficulty finding joy in activities you once enjoyed with people who care about you. Treatment focuses on structured therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and sometimes medication management to mold a new, optimistic mindset through life skills and coping mechanisms.

Trauma

Trauma disorders impact every facet of life in every waking moment and can be caused by a singular traumatic event at some point in one’s life. Unresolved, untreated trauma — particularly in the case of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, which affects nearly 4% of the population — may lead to hypervigilance, emotional numbness or reliving a past traumatic event. But trauma-informed care in outpatient rehab centers includes therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) or CBT to help you work through past experiences in a safe, supportive environment.

What To Look for in an Outpatient Rehab Center

That accountability in seeking treatment starts with finding the right fit in an outpatient drug rehab. Make sure to find a facility that’s accredited and licensed, offers a range of therapy options (psychotherapeutic and holistic), is staffed with qualified addiction and mental health experts, and, most of all, is an affordable outpatient rehab center.

How can you check all these boxes and discover more about what outpatient rehab can offer? Call us today. One phone call can literally change your life. We’re on hand to answer any questions you have about the fundamentals of rehab, which outpatient treatment is right for you, cost, insurance coverage, and more.

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Is Vaping Marijuana Safe?

Aliya on March 24, 2025

More and more states across the country are decriminalizing marijuana, giving people more access to cannabis than ever before. It’s given dispensaries ample opportunities to diversify their product lines, opening the door to everything from edibles to tinctures to drinks infused with THC, cannabis’ main psychoactive ingredient. Vaping is just one method that’s seen a surge in popularity, especially among young people; according to statistics from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, it increased just over 10% for 12th-grade students between 2017 and 2023, with just under one-fifth of high school seniors reporting vaping marijuana two years ago.

It may seem like a modern, risk-free option to smoking marijuana — perceived as a cleaner, safer, more discreet and convenient alternative. But is vaping marijuana safe? Concerns about brain and lung health, and even the dangers of the vape devices themselves, cannot be ignored.

Cannabis use disorder is still a very real problem that vaping marijuana plays a role in. If you or a loved one frequently vapes marijuana, let’s take a closer look at the risks involved.

What Does Vaping Marijuana Mean?

Since the technology was developed more than 20 years ago, vaping has effectively become the new smoking — it’s a method of inhaling a substance through a handheld, battery-powered electronic device (an e-cigarette for nicotine).

There are a few types of marijuana vaping devices:

Vape pens are slim, portable devices that typically use pre-filled or refillable cartridges with THC oil or distillates. They’re easy to use discreetly indoors or in public places where smoking is disallowed.

Dab pens are small, handheld devices that use highly concentrated cannabis extracts. They’re made from butane and known as butane hash oil (BHO). Dabs’ different textures can range from a sticky liquid to a brittle, glass-like solid.

Vaporizers vary in appearance and size — some resemble USB drives or larger, tank-style devices. Unlike dab pens, they are more versatile and can be used with multiple forms of marijuana, from concentrates to dried flowers and liquids.

Most marijuana vape pens include a battery that powers the device, a heating element that warms the THC, and a chamber or cartridge that holds the THC product.

Instead of burning marijuana like traditional smoking, a vape pen heats it at a lower temperature. Vaping produces no smoke, just vapor, allowing users to use it discreetly indoors or in public places where smoking is disallowed.

How Else Is Marijuana Used?

Recent reports tell us that there’s been a marked increase in sales of marijuana vaping products — but it’s just one way how people consume marijuana:

Smoking marijuana leaves from a joint (a rolled marijuana cigarette) or through a bong (a large glass-tubed pipe) are the most traditional methods.

Edibles, like cannabis-infused gummies and other food (like taffy or brownies) or beverages, like THC-infused seltzers, have become more widespread.

Tinctures and oils can also be used to supplement edibles or taken sublingually (under the tongue with a medicine dropper).

Then there are THC- or CBD-based topicals, initially used with the legalization of medical marijuana for localized pain relief.

However, although vaping is the newest form of consuming marijuana, it’s one of the most popular, presumably because it mirrors the potent delivery and effects of smoking cannabis. In a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly 13% of respondents reported that they smoked marijuana most: 6%, edibles; 4.7%, vaping; 1.9%, concentrates; and 0.8%, topicals.

The study also noted that while smoking remains the most predominant form of taking marijuana, smoking and edibles were the most popular combination, followed by alternating smoking and vaping.

Is Vaping Marijuana Legal?

The legality of vaping marijuana all depends on where you live, with marijuana laws varying from state to state.

As of this writing, Washington, D.C., and 24 states see recreational marijuana (which includes vaping) fully legalized and decriminalized: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

In some states, marijuana legality remains mixed, allowing only for medical use with a doctor’s prescription, while strictly illegal in others.

Note that state laws may also vary regarding age restrictions and the amount of marijuana you can possess at a time.

Is Vaping Marijuana Better Than Smoking?

Vaping marijuana vs smoking — are there advantages to the former against the latter? One pressing concern in states (where cannabis has and hasn’t yet been legalized) is the present danger of unregulated, black-market THC vaping cartridges laced with toxic ingredients.

In reports, some unlicensed vape shops selling illegal cartridges — not tested or approved for sale — were found to contain some mixture of pesticides exceeding legal amounts, mainly myclobutanil, a fungicide that, when burned, can turn into hydrogen cyanide.

This prompted complaints to cannabis regulatory sources from users who complained of vaping THC side effects like headaches and nausea.

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Health Risks of Vaping

It’s well documented that smoking marijuana can cause damage to one’s lungs, unlike smoking tobacco.

“Research shows that smoking marijuana causes chronic bronchitis and marijuana smoke has been shown to injure the cell linings of the large airways, which could explain why smoking marijuana leads to symptoms such as chronic cough, phlegm production, wheeze and acute bronchitis,” notes a report by the American Lung Association.

What are the real health risks of vaping marijuana, though? Many users may advocate that it’s a healthier alternative, at least to the extent that vaping marijuana presents fewer health risks because its vapor eliminates most of the dangerous toxins produced from inhaling smoke.

But it really boils down to a lesser-of-two-evils argument. While it may not carry the same risks as smoking, vaping marijuana creates a whole new set of health concerns.

“No two vape brands are alike,” notes an NPR study. “There is a huge variety of products available on shelves today in the states where marijuana is legal. These vapes contain many other chemicals besides the drug itself that make each product different. And often, it’s those other chemicals that prove problematic.”

Short-Term Risk of Vaping

Vaping cannabis to get high is just one of the effects of marijuana, but it carries its own short-term vaping THC side effects. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers brought together 17 volunteers to smoke or vape cannabis and reported, up to eight hours later, feelings of sickness, anxiety, hunger, sleepiness, restlessness, racing heart, dry mouth and eyes, coughing, and impaired memory.

“Participants who vaped 25 milligrams of THC reported about a 7% higher score on average for anxiety and paranoia, compared with people who smoked the same amount of the compound,” notes the study. “Those who vaped any dose of THC also reported higher levels of dry mouth and dry eyes than those who smoked it.”

Study participants who vaped marijuana instead of smoking also showed higher levels of motor skill impairment when taking a computer test requiring them to track a square on the screen while also monitoring numbers in each of the screen’s corners.

Long-Term Risks of Vaping

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently published cautionary warnings about the presence of vitamin E acetate in many vaping marijuana products, black market and legal, which the CDC has linked to a rash of hospitalizations and deaths from EVALI, an acronym for E-cigarette or Vaping, product use–Associated Lung Injury.

According to the NIH, EVALI can be fatal, causing 68 deaths as of 2023. In an NIH survey of some hospitalized EVALI patients, up to 76% needed additional oxygen, 22% non-invasive ventilation and 26%, intubation and ventilation.

And the American Lung Association states that there’s enough research to indicate that using vape pens to inhale cannabis concentrates or liquids can pose the same respiratory problems as using e-cigarettes. Dabbing may also pose respiratory issues and lung injuries.

Additional long-term health effects from vaping marijuana (or nicotine) can include:

Bronchiolitis obliterans, aka “popcorn lung,” a permanent scarring of the lungs caused by diacetyl, a chemical used in some vape cartridge flavorings

Organ damage to the brain and heart

Cancer linked to certain vaping e-chemicals

An increased likelihood of developing or worsening asthma

Then there are very real and unpredictable dangers from the vaping devices themselves.

“Some devices might explode, resulting in burns and other injuries,” notes the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. (The first e-cigarette death was reported in 2018, when a user’s vape exploded, killing them when shrapnel from the device entered their brain.)

“Most vaping devices contain and release a number of potentially toxic substances, including metals and volatile organic compounds from the devices and solvents used,” says the DEA. “Some of these have been linked to cell and DNA damage.”

Can Someone Get Addicted to Vaping Marijuana?

Surveys show that more than half (56%) of people believe marijuana is socially acceptable, and it feeds into the myth that it isn’t addictive. But cannabis use disorder is real, and the effects of marijuana can leave numerous adverse impacts on your health and well-being.

Can you get addicted to vaping marijuana? Vaping may increase the risk of getting addicted due to the potency inherent to vape pens. According to the NPR study, THC oil can reach a concentration of 95% or more. Compare that to regular cannabis flower, which contains between 17% to 18% THC.

This poses significant problems for young people who assume that vaping is safer or less addictive than smoking — a demographic more vulnerable to becoming addicted and developing health problems from vaping marijuana.

“Cannabis is considered by youth to be one of the least harmful psychoactive substances, in part because it is often perceived as more ‘natural’ than other substances,” says the NIH study.

“Vaping is not considered safe, especially for teens and young adults, since the adolescent brain is still developing and inhaling any substance through these devices may be harmful,” notes the DEA study.

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Are Other Forms of Marijuana Addictive?

Cannabis carries addictive potential in all forms, and excessive marijuana use can lead to dependence and eventual cannabis use disorder. Studies show that nearly 10% of people who begin smoking marijuana will become addicted and that between 22% and 30% of marijuana users have the disorder.

“The strongest predictor of cannabis use disorder is how often someone uses it, but other factors, like a family history of drug use and how long a person has been using cannabis, can also play a role,” says the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Find Help for Marijuana Use

Substance use disorders, regardless of the drug, have one thing in common — they can be treated, and you can carve out a healthier direction in life free of addiction. Marijuana addiction is no exception.

By signing up for treatment, you or a loved one can break free of addiction. From the beginning of rehab, marijuana detox — with the full, compassionate aid of experienced staff — can help you to withdraw from the drug with minimal symptoms and side effects. Rehab at one of Aliya’s treatment centers doesn’t just help you stop using a drug but to understand the nature of why you became addicted, what compelled you to use marijuana, and how you can live life without the need to smoke or vape. Through talk therapy, individually and in a group setting, help and support are here.

Entering treatment for vaping marijuana is a big step, and we’re here, 24/7, to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to get answers about entering rehab, inpatient and outpatient treatment, cost, insurance coverage, and more. You can change your life with one phone call.

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What Is Holistic Drug Rehab?

Aliya on March 24, 2025

For addiction treatment to truly be successful, look at it like a puzzle, where all the pieces fit together to form a full, complete picture of recovery. Some of the puzzle pieces regard psychotherapy. CBT, DBT, and other modalities create opportunities to reframe your negative mental narrative and reshape your relationship with drugs or alcohol. Then, there are the remaining pieces that bring everything into focus, such as holistic drug rehab addiction treatment. Therapies that honor the interconnectedness of your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being complete the picture. Studies show us that nearly 40 percent of people make use of alternative medicine, yet a holistic approach to addiction is so much more than just alternative drug rehab — it’s a chance to heal yourself from addiction by addressing your total self.

If you’ve decided it may be time to get help for a drinking or substance abuse problem, read on to learn how holistic drug rehab can play an important role in transforming your life.

What Is Holistic Drug Rehab?

What does “holistic” mean? Addiction treatment means addressing the whole, complete person instead of certain separate aspects. Whole-person addiction treatment aligns with the theory that substance abuse is more than just a physical dependency — but a multifaceted and complex condition that can affect your mind, your body, and your spirit.

Holistic recovery programs aim to treat these complexities through an equally varied and integrated approach. Integrating alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, art therapy, and more with traditional therapy takes rehab to the next level, helping you not only reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings but also understand the nature of your addiction, cultivate awareness, and emerge with a renewed sense of self and purpose after leaving drugs and alcohol behind.

What Is the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection?

Like a cause-and-effect relationship, your brain, your body, and your spirit are more closely intertwined than we may think when it comes to addiction:

Mind à Body: Stress, trauma, and mental health struggles can drive substance use as a way of self-medication. Over time, drug or alcohol use makes tangible changes to your neurochemistry, compelling you to take more of a drug to mimic its pleasurable effects. This mental reinforcement leads you to become tolerant, then dependent, and then addicted to a substance. Addiction then begins to take its toll on the body.

Body à Spirit: Our bodies can develop any number of life-threatening ailments from drug or alcohol abuse, from lung or heart disease to stroke, cancer, and more, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This long-term physical damage can wear down one’s spirit and affect one’s emotional well-being, provoking feelings of hopelessness, detachment, isolation, and a lack of resilience, fulfillment, or purpose beyond addiction.

Spirit à Mind: These feelings can lead one to develop mental health issues, from depression to anxiety, or fuel existing problems that lead you to use substances in the first place. Without the proper mind-body addiction recovery, the cycle continues, deepens, and worsens until one’s substance use disorder is properly addressed.

Traditional Rehab vs Holistic Rehab

Rehab follows a certain trajectory — an intentional, thoughtfully curated treatment plan where conventional and alternative drug rehab work together in tandem.

Traditional rehab begins with detox, a period of time where you can wean yourself safely off drugs or alcohol and manage, under safe medical supervision, expected withdrawal symptoms. Once detox is complete, formal treatment begins in earnest — usually a form of talk therapy mentioned earlier, like cognitive behavioral or dialectical behavioral therapy, either in an individual setting (one-on-one with your therapist) or in group sessions with others in recovery. Traditional rehab may be either on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

Holistic substance abuse treatment isn’t a replacement for traditional rehab but an indispensable complement. A holistic approach to addiction is meant to build on what you’ve learned and how you’ve progressed in talk therapy.

Here, holistic recovery programs help to strengthen that mind-body-spirit connection through therapies that encourage mindfulness, creative expression, and physical healing and instill pragmatic skills you can take with you after re-entering the world following rehab.

What Are the Benefits of a California Holistic Drug Rehab Center?

When you choose one of the eight holistic recovery centers from our network, you step into an environment that’s dedicated to supporting your recovery through a truly holistic drug rehab approach.

Some benefits include:

Comprehensive, integrated healing: A whole-person approach innately inherent to holistic drug rehab considers your mental health, physical wellness, and underlying causes of substance abuse, strengthening that mind-body-spirit connection.

A restorative environment: Recovery from any addiction happens best in a calm, supportive, and safe space. Our eight centers in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Studio City, and Tarzana offer serene settings to focus on getting well.

The holistic with the evidence-based: The equal combination of science-backed psychotherapy with a holistic approach to addiction offers a balance needed for full recovery from drug or alcohol abuse.

Looking at the long-term: Alternative drug rehab is sustainable because the same therapies at our centers you can keep practicing once treatment is complete, maintaining your sobriety and reducing the risk of relapse.

What Can Holistic Drug Rehab Treat?

Holistic drug rehab takes a whole-person approach to recovery, addressing not just the addiction itself but also the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual factors that contribute to substance use.

Here are some of the substance use disorders holistic rehab can help with:

Alcohol Addiction

Nearly 29 million people in the U.S. suffer from alcohol use disorder, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The World Health Organization states that alcohol consumption plays a role in more than 200 diseases, injuries, and other health problems. Alcohol is accessible and easily addictive, making treatment a necessary human right. Holistic recovery programs work to fill this need, helping you address both physical withdrawal symptoms and emotional triggers that drive alcohol use.

Opioid Addiction

Since opioid abuse reached epidemic levels just a few years ago, more than 10 million people abuse prescription drugs — from fentanyl to methadone and other painkillers — annually. Many people unintentionally become addicted and develop strong physical dependencies that are hard to break without proper treatment. A holistic drug rehab program provides a setting where you can step away from this pattern toward sober wellness.

Stimulant Addiction

There are nearly 5 million people a year who abuse stimulants, notes the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics — a number that contributes to a rising rate of fatal overdoses. Although cocaine and meth push one’s energy and focus to the extreme, their perceived benefits mask a highly detrimental and addictive potential, taking a toll on the mind and the body that one of our holistic recovery centers aims to heal.

Prescription Drug Addiction

Sixteen million — 6% — of Americans over the age of 12 abuse prescription medications each year, and 12% are considered addicted. Prescription medications can feel safe because they’re given by a doctor — but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to quit. Whether it’s painkillers, sedatives, or benzodiazepines, dependence and addiction can develop quickly. Prescription drugs also carry a high risk of overdose.

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What Therapies are Used in Holistic Drug Rehab?

Holistic drug rehab is a tool to weave together those mind-body-spirit connective fibers. The good news is that you can continue pursuing these activities on your own once treatment has finished, but while you’re in rehab, each one delivers its own unique value alongside your inpatient or outpatient programming.

Expressive Arts Therapy

If talking about your feelings and struggles with addiction is difficult, creative expression can provide another way to explore them. Whether it’s channeling yourself through painting, creating music, or writing them down on a page, expressive arts create a safe space for emotional release that is so important for your healing.

Art Therapy

Creating art allows you to express emotions that may be hard to put into words. Painting might speak to you in a profound way, or you might gravitate to drawing or sculpting to create your own artwork that represents your journey toward recovery from addiction. Often, the colors, shapes, or images you create reflect emotions you may not have fully recognized through talk therapy, illuminating deeper insight.

Music Therapy

Music is often like a soundtrack to our lives — imagine creating your own sounds and lyrics to document your experiences with substance abuse and recovery. Through music therapy, you’ll explore these emotions through sound, rhythm, and words. You might create music, play instruments, or write songs as a way to process feelings that are difficult to express in words. Don’t worry — you don’t need to be a musician. It’s about finding new ways to cope with stress in recovery (and discovering new talents along the way).

Journaling

Writing down your thoughts can help you make sense of things when words may fail you verbally. It’s a different type of communication where there are no rules — just write down what comes to you, even if it’s stream of consciousness. Journaling — which may be suggested to you by your therapist — helps you to untangle difficult, conflicted feelings so you can strengthen your self-awareness and reflect on how far you’ve come in your holistic addiction treatment.

Yoga

Yoga can seem intimidating to some people who might feel they don’t have the flexibility for the asanas or postures during a session. Don’t worry — you never need to have taken a yoga class before to enjoy the benefits it brings to your recovery. Signing up for yoga during treatment will see you combine these movements with breathwork and meditation; they not only release tension in the body but also help expand your mind away from the negative mindset that may have influenced your substance abuse. Over time, yoga strengthens that integral connection between mind and body, helping you develop patience, self-awareness, and resilience.

Massage Therapy

Chronic substance abuse can build up stress and anxiety in the body, making muscle tension and restlessness a common malady. But massage therapy helps release that tension, improves circulation, and promotes relaxation. It’s the same as going for a massage at your chiropractor or a massage studio, but in treatment, there are added benefits, like providing relief from the physical discomfort associated with withdrawal.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Together or separate from yoga, meditation is a valuable tool to train your mind and become mindful — becoming fully aware of your surroundings and emotions in each and every present moment. Addiction is often rooted in reactivity and impulsive behaviors, but through mindfulness-based addiction treatment, watch how you become aware of when triggers are coming on, slow down, observe your thoughts, and let them go without acting on them. It’s an effective form of mindfulness therapy that works to master that mind-body-spirit connection and how one can influence others, giving you greater control over your thoughts and actions.

Acupuncture

By stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture — a staple of ancient Chinese medicine — is used in holistic substance abuse treatment to help reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms, calming the nervous system in the process. Many people describe a sense of lightness and relaxation after sessions since treatment encourages your body’s natural healing processes by gently placing the needles on certain pressure points.

Life Skills Training

Life after treatment comes with real-world challenges, and life skills training prepares you to handle them with confidence when addiction has taken you away from managing day-to-day responsibilities. In these sessions, you’ll learn (or relearn) practical skills like creating a budget, building a resume, or preparing for job interviews. You’ll also work on communication strategies for setting boundaries, managing conflict, and maintaining healthy relationships — insights you’ll also have gained in talk therapy. By the time treatment ends you’ll be equipped with the tools to build independence and sustain your sobriety.

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Finding a Unique Path to Drug Recovery

The path to drug recovery needs to be as unique as you and your needs are. Many people go into treatment incorrectly, believing that there’s a cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all approach to therapy that may render itself ineffective in the end, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Individualized Treatment Plans

The goal of rehab is to customize your treatment plan according to the nature and severity of your addiction, plus any other extenuating factors, like co-occurring mental health issues that necessitate a dual diagnosis. Pinpointing and targeting your holistic treatment programs is exactly why they can prove to be so successful for you.

How will this look? During the admissions and intake phase, your case manager will work with you to see if an inpatient or outpatient stint in rehab is the best course of action to take and what kind of therapy best suits your nature of addiction. Will you need CBT, DBT, or motivational interviewing if you’re reluctant to enter treatment? And what types of holistic recovery programs appeal most to you? You have complete autonomy in what you choose.

Evidence-based Psychotherapy

We’ve talked about the myriad benefits of holistic drug rehab, but how does it work alongside psychotherapy? Evidence-based means it’s proven and backed by scientific research to be effective. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, helps you to identify and change harmful thought patterns that may contribute to the development of addiction. Likewise, DBT, or dialectical behavioral therapy, aligns well with meditation in cultivating mindfulness and regulating emotions. Trauma therapy is another example, helping to observe past experiences that may have led you to use substances. Together, they contribute to a well-rounded recovery.

Expert and Caring Staff

Above all else, the staff at holistic recovery centers convey compassion and a commitment to seeing you through to recovery. From doctors and nurses to support you through detox, to counselors to help you make inroads during therapy, to support staff who have your back every step of the way, treatment becomes a pivotal moment in your life — the transition from addiction to sobriety — that brings you in contact with people who care about you and your welfare.

Know that entering holistic drug rehab means you don’t have to go it alone. You’ll have questions about holistic addiction treatment, and we’re here to answer them. Change your life with one phone call, and contact us today to learn more about how Aliya can help.

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What Is Fentanyl?

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