When someone is addicted to drugs notorious for causing addiction, the worst idea is to combine more than one. Unfortunately, the reason that many addicts mix more than one drug is to achieve the perfect high. Various drugs have unique effects, but generally, they can be categorized as an upper, downer, or hallucinogen. Mixing drugs will make the person feel the effects of one drug for a while, and then to come down or wake up or regain touch with reality, they will use a different one. When an addict uses a drug to counter the effects of another drug, they are playing with fire. Physiologically, the human body is not built to handle increased simultaneously or decreased heart rate, breathing, and neurological responses. In 2020, Drug overdose deaths significantly increased across the United States, especially deaths involving psychostimulants (methamphetamine) and synthetic opioids (fentanyl). (DEA)
What Are the Most Popular Drugs to Combine?
The classic drug cocktail uses a downer and an upper at the same time or within hours of each. Other popular drug combos include methamphetamine and benzodiazepine, alcohol and cocaine, prescription stimulants and prescription opioids, ecstasy and alcohol, crack cocaine and heroin, etc. The pattern is almost always a stimulant and a depressant. The danger of accidental overdose is doubled when the brain is told to perform opposite functions. Often, a person will have a heart attack, brain aneurysm, or become unconscious. Opposite drugs confuse the brain and body. Countless medical emergencies happen every year because of drug mixing.
What Are Upper-Type Drugs?
There are several upper-type drugs, and all of them stimulate the central nervous system. They include cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, nicotine, and caffeine. In some ways, uppers are more appealing than downers because they provide energy, motivation, appetite loss, and weight loss. In addition, they can make a person focus better in controlled doses. Central nervous system stimulants prompt the brain to flood the body with dopamine and, with certain drugs, cause intense euphoria (cocaine, methamphetamine). Still, uppers disrupt the brain’s reward and pleasure mechanisms and cause restlessness, irritability, paranoia, insomnia, and hallucinations.
What is A Downer Drug?
A downer drug is a central nervous system depressant that slows brain and body activity. The downer-type drugs increase the production of the neurotransmitter GABA. It is a chemical messenger that works by reducing the activity of excitatory neurons that release norepinephrine. As a result, people feel relaxed, sleepy, and at ease. Unfortunately, many downer-type drugs also cause people to have diminished inhibitions. Downers essentially describe any drug that depresses the central nervous system and includes alcohol, opioids, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (benzos), muscle relaxers, and sleep medications.
More About Mix Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
Mixing Fentanyl with any drug is always very dangerous. Fentanyl is responsible for daily overdoses that end in death. When someone combines Fentanyl with any drug, it is the Fentanyl that will kill them before the other drug in most cases. Mixing Meth with Fentanyl is deadly. The human body cannot swing from a heavily sedated effect from the Fentanyl towards a tremendous stimulant effect from methamphetamine without having an emotional breakdown or getting very sick. The medical reasons not to mix Fentanyl and Methamphetamine are long, and some proven examples of what can happen to include:
- Coma
- Brain Aneurysm
- Psychotic Break
- Loss of Motor Control
- Vision Loss
- Heat Attack
- Brain Damage
- Seizure
- Vomiting
- Hallucinations
- Overdose
- Death
What Does the Research Say About Fentanyl and Methamphetamine?
According to a study published with the National Center for Biotechnology Information advances in science and health, growing numbers of opioid users (heroin, Fentanyl, prescription opioids) are getting addicted to methamphetamine. The scientists propose that the opioid epidemic and more restrictions on opioid prescription wiring caused the increase in meth use.
Our studies show that there has been a marked increase in the past month’s use of methamphetamine in individuals with a primary indication of opioid use disorder. Qualitative data indicated that methamphetamine served as an opioid substitute, provided a synergistic high, and balanced out the effects of opioids so one could function “normally.” Our data suggest that, at least to some extent, efforts limiting access to prescription opioids may be associated with an increase in the use of methamphetamine. (NCBI)
What Can Be Done For an Upper and Downer Addict?
People addicted to stimulants (uppers) and depressants (downers) require in-depth behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy treatments, also known as medication-assisted treatments. In addition, opposite effects of uppers and downers cause more significant emotional and mental damage, and these individuals need extensive professional support to get through the addiction and into recovery. We provide same-day access to our evidence-based programs. Call now to start your sober journey.
