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What Does Cross Addiction And Cross Dependence Mean?
Answer
Cross Addiction and Cross Dependence mean that a person is addicted to more than one substance. When a person is addicted to multiple substances, they are said to have a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. Dual diagnosis means that two or more disorders occur at the same time. Co-occurring disorders can include addiction and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
When two or more disorders exist within the same person, it is called comorbidity. Comorbidity can make treatment for either disorder more difficult because each illness affects the other. For example, if a person has an addiction and also suffers from depression, treating the addiction will be more difficult because the depression needs to be treated as well.
Physical dependence and, frequently, addiction to multiple substances is known as Cross Addiction. One drug’s adverse effects or symptoms may be relieved by another. When individuals struggling with heroin addiction switch to methadone but become addicted to that opioid drug, addiction may be transferred to a new medication, such as when people battling heroin use move to methadone.
Some people become addicted to Heroin after taking it for a short period of time. Users who inject the drug are more likely to develop dependence, according to experts, as opposed to those who smoke it or snort it. The illness may also be caused by drugs that act similarly on the brain, such as heroin and prescription opioid pain relievers, or by medicines with varied effects, such as cocaine and benzodiazepines.
The Importance of Cross Dependence in Recovery
A physician may utilize cross dependence during treatment to assist with detoxification symptoms depending on the drug of abuse. Substances that operate in similar regions of the brain, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, or various types of opiates, will work in tandem to reduce some withdrawal symptoms.
However, it is critical for medical specialists to keep an eye on cross dependence during detox and rehabilitation since persons addicted to one substance may develop a dependency on a second, similar substance that alleviates withdrawal symptoms.
The recovering addict will be more inclined to stick to their drug tapering plan if they are using medication management to quit physical dependence. Alternatively, if it is more desirable, the patient may not be prescribed cross-dependence medicines at all; instead, they will receive less intoxicating over-the-counter, herbal, or holistic treatments to lessen withdrawal symptoms.
During withdrawal, the requirement for cross-connected substances varies from person to person, but they should not be used unless absolutely required. Rehabilitation is critical because learning to stay clean and developing good sobriety habits are essential parts of recovery. However, many people do require medication management, so these should be given when necessary with medical supervision if no other treatments are available.
