It’s a combination of heroin and cocaine, which are both illegal drugs. Treatment for speedball addiction usually starts with medically supervised detox, which is crucial for managing withdrawal symptoms. Following detox, comprehensive addiction treatment is necessary to address underlying issues and aid long-term recovery. This can be done via an inpatient, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient program. Combining heroin and cocaine in a speedball can increase the risk of overdose, as users may miscalculate the dosage or underestimate the potency of the mixture. Some purposely took fentanyl because they knew of its deadly, potent properties.
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In reality, combining these substances is more dangerous than using either alone because their negative effects can be amplified when combined. However, most stimulants and depressants come with extreme risks of addiction if abused, and none of them are ever prescribed to be taken together. Most people who take or want to take speedball drugs are unaware that combining opposite substances does not cancel each other out or create “middle ground” effects. Stimulants and depressants can mask each other’s side effects, and users can fail to notice respiratory failure, heart attacks, strokes, and overdoses, both in themselves and those around them. The two drugs combined to create speedballs, cocaine and heroin, are highly addictive and can result in withdrawal when no longer taken at the same frequency. Heroin is one of the most addictive substances available today, and cocaine can cause immense psychological dependence in users in a very short time.
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Data from county coroners’ reports show that poly-drug use is driving that increase. Many people, including celebrities, have lost their lives to this combination. Giving your brain drugs that have contrasting effects can cause serious damage physically and even psychologically. When cocaine and heroin affect your nervous system, the cocaine rush can counteract heroin’s effects.
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Overdose is especially likely due to the heroin component of a speedball. It is important to remember that most people, both those who choose to abuse drugs and those who do not, are not highly medically literate. Their information about drugs comes from a variety of sources, including less reputable ones like the general rumor mill or even people who willfully mislead them into buying drugs.
Cocaine is a stimulant that increases your respiration and heart rates. When taken together with heroin in a speedball, the effect can be deadly. The concoction is responsible for the demise of several celebrities, including comedian John Belushi and actors River Phoenix and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. A significant concern for people who speedball is the increased risk of overdose. The aim is to experience the positive effects of both drugs while reducing each substance’s adverse effects.
Stimulants can take heart rate to a dangerously high level, while opioids can bring heart and blood pressure to a fatally low level. As mentioned above, speedballing is the phenomenon of mixing a stimulant and an opioid. Opioids are central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which means that they slow down the brain’s functions. With the long list of dangers that injecting speedballs brings, those who are struggling with the abuse of this substance combination are in urgent need of addiction treatment. Reaching out for treatment could save your life or the life of someone you love.
However, speedballing is a very dangerous form of drug abuse. Second, heroin and cocaine have opposite effects on the body. When combined with those who inject cocaine, the rapid change between energetic and sedated is rough on organs. While cocaine speeds it up, users don’t feel as “high” as they would otherwise when the two substances fight each other. We believe everyone deserves access to accurate, unbiased information about mental health and addiction. That’s why we have a comprehensive set of treatment providers and don’t charge for inclusion.
However, treatment can be tricky because heroin and cocaine affect the brain differently and very little is known about how they interact. While methadone has been used to treat opioid addictions, it hasn’t been as effective against addiction to speedballing. The same is true of buprenorphine, which is used as a heroin substitute during treatment to relieve cravings without providing a high. Once the stimulating effects of cocaine wear off, your slow breathing can be fatal. Once these effects wear off, you will experience the full effects of heroin. Respiratory failure or depression is particularly likely with speedballs.
Speedball users tend to inject themselves with these potent drugs a lot more often than when using heroin and cocaine separately, causing an increase in drug overdoses. The exact effects of speedballing depend on which substances you are combining. While the term traditionally refers to a mixture of stimulants and opioids, some people might use other depressant drugs like alcohol or benzodiazepines.
The integrated approach ensures that individuals receive comprehensive care and appropriate treatment for all aspects of their well-being. Individual therapy is a core component of speedballing addiction treatment. In one-on-one sessions with a therapist, individuals work to identify the underlying causes ambien and alcohol: side effects and overdose risk of their addiction, develop coping strategies, and set goals for recovery. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) may address distorted thinking patterns, manage cravings, and develop healthier behaviors. The treatment process often begins with medical detoxification.
Even if someone feels better while using both drugs at once, the “push-pull” effects on the body can cause lasting internal damage. It’s important to get help for polysubstance abuse before an overdose occurs. ChoicePoint aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling im bored and drinking gives me something to do with substance use disorder and mental health issues. Our team of licensed medical professionals research, edit and review the content before publishing. However, this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
- The purest heroin is bitter-tasting white powder that is difficult to find on the streets.
- Rehab centers will help you undergo detox safely and set you up for a successful recovery.
- While a speedball habit is incredibly dangerous, quitting isn’t easy.
- However, even just thinking about it is already a major step.
Taking a depressant and a stimulant together causes a “push-pull” reaction in the body that can be very dangerous. Cocaine use requires the body to take in and use more oxygen while heroin slows breathing — putting a strain on overactive lungs, heart, and brain and causing confusion and turmoil in the body. In particular, speedballing makes it more difficult for the body to receive the amount of oxygen needed to keep itself safe and balance out the effects of cocaine.
East Coast Recovery doesn’t believe in just providing medication or keeping clients overnight so they don’t relapse. The potent effects of speedballs can quickly lead to addiction, as the intense euphoria 3 ways to pass a urine drug test and stimulation produced by this mixture can create a powerful psychological and physical dependence. Mixing heroin and cocaine increases the risk of overdose or permanent damage to the body.