Gateway Drug Rehab

A gateway drug is believed to be one that is easily accessible in society. It was a phrase that was adopted in the 1980s during the height of the war on drugs. Those who believed in the gateway drug theory thought that when someone felt the effects of marijuana, it gave them “a taste” for drug use and they would progress to more potent substances. A multitude of studies exist on the subject, yet there is no proof either way due to the fact that addiction is also based on other factors. Cannabis is not as easily obtained in Japan as in the United States, and approximately 83% of people who used drugs recreationally had not used marijuana first. Another study, however, showed that people who had used marijuana before the age of 18 were more likely to abuse other drugs as an adult.

Many other factors are involved in someone who becomes addicted to drugs, such as environment and genetics, so alleged gateway drugs affect everyone differently. There has been a significant amount of data that shows individuals who take prescription pain pills may eventually have a heroin addiction. This is seen in the fact that 86% of heroin users had previously misused prescription opioids. An additional study had results with 90% of cocaine users previously having smoked nicotine. With environment and genetics being part of the equation, the question remains as to if a person’s character was actually the main component in the result. For those who find that they have fallen into the statistic of needing rehab because they have proceeded in a process started by a gateway drug, there is always help available when they need it.

What is the gateway hypothesis?

Gateway drugs are merely those that pave the way for someone to use more dangerous drugs. They are typically used in combination (polydrug use) until someone tries using the stronger one on its own. Some people can use any substance on a casual basis while others are genetically susceptible to becoming rapidly mentally or physically addicted.  The possibility of any substance being a gateway drug is a topic that is passionately debated in the industry. It can be dangerous for someone to try new drugs if they are unaware that one drug can exacerbate the effects of another. The gateway hypothesis also states that drugs have a distinct hierarchy, with abuse occurring in stages.

Can any substance be a gateway drug?

Alcohol is easily available to anyone over the age of 21. It is socially acceptable to drink at almost every social gathering, as well as sitting outside at night enjoying the cool breeze on a hot day. Someone who decides to inhale their first bump of cocaine or inject heroin for the first time is typically not a first-time drug user. They have most likely used a mind-altering substance in the past. Some of the most common substances that are socially acceptable and legal lead some people down a path of addiction. The most common ones include:

• Nicotine and tobacco
  • Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of illness and death. Hospital admissions due to conditions caused by tobacco use stand at about 40% of people filling the beds. Over one billion people smoke, which is approximately 20% of the world’s population. Whether someone inhales tobacco in a traditional rolled form or they vape, it would not be a far leap to feel a joint between their lips. Even taking a hit off of a bong is still just inhaling another substance in their minds. Vaping was marketed as an effective way to wean smokers off of the habit; however, it has accomplished the opposite with the younger generations picking up the vaping habit due to the range of flavors. Studies have also found that people aged 12 to 17 who smoked cigarettes in the past month had about a nine times higher use of illicit substances when compared to those who did not smoke.
• Marijuana, or Cannabis
  • When people talk about a gateway drug, marijuana is the one that comes to the minds of most people. Recent decades have witnessed the legalization of marijuana after hundreds of research results have proven the beneficial aspects of marijuana in any form. No deaths are attributed to marijuana use. There is evidence that marijuana users are, indeed, more likely to dabble in harder drugs, like cocaine and ecstasy, since the dealer they get it from typically has access to a wide selection of substances. Despite popular belief that marijuana cannot lead to addiction, it is simply not true. It can be abused just like any other mind-altering substance.
• Alcoholic beverages
  • Alcohol is available at most social occasions, from weddings to backyard BBQs. Beer, wine, and hard liquors are some of the most commonly ingested mind-altering substances. For anyone over 21, it is legal and easily found. AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder) runs rampant in America with one in eight Americans meeting the criteria to be considered an alcoholic. It is the third leading cause of preventable death. An astounding 88,000 people die each year due to an alcohol-related illness. Drinking alcohol lowers inhibitions and if someone is under the influence and friend offers them a pill or a tab of acid, they may just agree to experiment. Alcohol has just become their gateway drug.

Is drug addiction treatment effective?

While someone may have made the decision to take that first hit of drugs, continuous use causes changes in the brain, rendering them useless to fight the cravings. Detox is not the only step that will heal someone. They may need long-term counseling to overcome their addiction.

Most drug rehab centers operate similarly. They use scientifically based evidence that has formed treatment protocols and been proven to be effective over the past few decades.  Detoxing from each substance has its own procedure, but they are all essentially the same and best used in combination with one another. Withdrawal can be life-threatening with opioids and alcohol, so medical monitoring around the clock is the best way to handle it. With over 20.7 million people in the United States having the symptoms that would be considered in need of substance abuse therapy, over 2.5 million actually seek out the necessary treatment to regain control of their addiction. The basic properties must accomplish the following:

• The cessation of drug use
• Remaining sober
• Becoming productive among family, work, and society

Each addict has a different story of how they spiraled down the tunnel of addiction. They will, therefore, forge a different recovery story. Their plan for sobriety is dependent upon the severity of the addiction, which is based on the frequency and duration of use. During assessment to be admitted into a facility, a customized plan will form and determine the future course of action. One of the decisions is whether someone will benefit more from residential treatment or rehab from home. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages?

• Inpatient drug addiction treatment
  • This is perfect for those with severe addictions, as well as co-occurring mental disorders in those who need dual diagnosis treatment. Living in a dedicated facility, people have the opportunity to focus solely on stabilizing their mental processes and find a way to stay sober. It offers a structured and intense curriculum with a variety of psychological counseling sessions and activities. Some examples include:
    • Therapeutic communities where patient and therapist live together in a group setting. This is an effective treatment method for those with long-term mental illness, personality disorders, and drug addictions.
    • Short-term residential treatment program focuses of detox and intense counseling while surrounded by those going through similar circumstances.
    • Sober living homes and halfway houses are temporary living situations with peers also attempting to remain sober. Transitioning back into one’s family and society is not always easy and can be done gradually from a recovery house.
• Outpatient drug addiction treatment
  • The patient lives at home but has a consistent schedule of visiting counselors for group and individual sessions. Treatment may be intense in the beginning and lessen in frequency as the previous user progresses and stabilizes. Some examples of the counseling utilized includes:
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps an addict identify, avoid, and cope with the triggers that lead them to use drugs.
    • Motivational Interviewing (MI) taps into the reasons behind someone wanting to get sober and helps them to focus on them. It helps them take full advantage of productive behavior.
    • Motivational Incentives (contingency management) uses positive reinforcement to help people stay sober, such as clean drug tests and attendance to their counseling sessions.
    • Multidimensional Family Therapy helps improve how a family functions together. This was initially established for adolescents with abuse issues and a problematic home life.

Substance is damaging to someone’s social, familial, and financial existence no matter what drug or drugs are abused. A few of them are more severe in their repercussions than others when they are being eliminated from the body. People tend to begin abuse with ones that are more accessible; however, their risk of becoming addicted is also based on factors such as genetics and environment. One neighborhood may have people with more access to alcohol, and in another, someone may only be able to find weed. Getting control of your life and being a productive member of society is important and can be done when someone takes advantage of the services of a gateway drug rehab.