Helping your friend overcome addiction to spice and smoking blends

Safety of spice and smoking blends is a dangerous myth. It has already been proven that spice addiction forms instantly.

However, addicts usually ask for help only when they are in despair after an accident that happened due to their addiction. As a friend or a family member, you need to do everything in your power to help your loved one overcome this addiction.

Let’s see what you should do to make the situation better and help your loved one return to a healthy lifestyle.

Contents:

1. Realizing the problem
2. Effective ways to help
3. Effects of detox
4. Helping your loved one during treatment
5. Supporting a friend

Realizing the problem

This problem usually becomes known in one of the following situations:

1. Clinical interview between an addict and a psychologist.

2. Straight talk proposed by a close friend or relative.

3. A conversation started by a co-worker. People in these situations voice their concerns about changes in the other person’s behavior.

If you decide to go down one of those paths, be ready for the addict’s resistance. They might react with: 

• anger,
• hostility,
• offense,
• aggression and violence.  

Due to this, we would like to offer you several pieces of advice on starting a conversation about an addiction. [1]

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Basic advice: 

1. Pick the attendants carefully. Spice addicts display multiple side effects to their psychological and emotional behavior. You must fully trust people that will participate in conversation. If you aim for a positive result, emotional reaction might get in the way.
2. Consult a specialist on addiction or an experienced medical professional before you decide to discuss a problem with your friend or relative. A specialist can highlight the important points in your future conversation and give advice on interaction during your interference.
3. Plan your conversation. Blaming will have no effect. It goes without saying that you want to help your loved one to solve the problem and recover. That is why it is increasingly important to set a proper mood. Some people find it hard to talk with their addicted friends, as they are also hurt by the whole situation. You need to let your friend know why you decided to interfere and emphasize your love and support. Do not escalate emotions.
4. Be ready for anything. You cannot know for sure how a person will react to interference. Some people can be understanding, while others will be violently opposed to it. Consider both the mood of the person and the time of your interaction. You need to prepare yourself for any reaction and understand what would be a proper conduct in that situation.
5. Finish your business. Your conversation will be only the first step on their path to recovery. Walk this path together and support your friend from the very first day of treatment. Family therapy can also help. 

Effective ways to help

There are various methods of psychological help for spice addicts. The goal of those methods is to help the addicts recover back to their normal well-being, free from drug abuse.

Spice addiction is mainly psychological, which is why psychology is effective in overcoming it.

Behavior therapy techniques, which are focused on changing behavior patterns, are especially effective. That is what our 7Spsy behavior modification technique does.

In certain cases a doctor may prescribe medication to stabilize patient’s mood. This might happen in the first 3-6 months of treatment.

Specialists recommend to combine behavior therapy aimed at changing behavior patterns with a detox course.

Effects of detox

Detox from spice is not as painful as from other narcotic substances, like opioids or alcohol. This happens mainly die to the fact that the addiction is psychological rather than physical.

Nevertheless, the effect of spice intoxication removal is similar to that of other substances. [2] In general, during detox addicts experience the following physical symptoms:

• uneasiness and irritability;
• craving;
• depression;
• excessive sweating;
• headaches;
• insomnia;
• loss of appetite;
• mood swings;
• constant vomiting, nausea, diarrhea.  

Even though patients rarely display common signs of abstinence after spice withdrawal, there are data about benzodiazines and quetiapine, an atypical neuroleptic, easing the patient’s condition. Please remember that these medications must be prescribed by a doctor. Furthermore, we should not forget about the danger of dehydration when treating people in detox. [3] Make sure your friend drinks enough watter in small portions. This will help their body return to its natural functioning.

Relatives of spice addicts in treatment are often worried about their mental state. Spice is a psychoactive drug, so it affects psyche the most. Any problems that appeared at the stage of detox become even more evident during further treatment.

Helping your loved one during treatment

In order to help your loved one get the most out of their treatment, you can do a variety of things. For example:

1. Work on your behavior in relationship. As you might have already noticed, it is important to support an addict on their endeavor to get rid of their obsession. The source and the cause of the craving might lie in their relationships.

It is important to pay attention to any troubles that appeared during the person’s addiction period in personal relationships and work on them.

2. Promote healthy lifestyle. Aside from therapy and medication, another support for overcoming addiction can come from friends and relatives who promote healthy lifestyle and suggest new hobbies. It can be anything: physical exercise, yoga, meditation, creative activities, etc. Suggesting such things shows your support and lets your loved one switch their attention.
3. Always be by their side. Treatment is hard. A person receiving it is often overwhelmed by guilt, shame and remorse. They have to go through all kinds of treatment, suffer from withdrawal symptoms and get ready for a new life. It is important for them to have you, a person who supports them, by their side. They will notice your sympathy and concern, and that will motivate them.

Supporting a friend

The following recommendations can come in handy if the one addicted to spice is your friend. Remember: it is important to make them stop interacting with other spice addicts. You can also provide several pieces of information to let your friend know your concerns. This is but a tiny part of what you can do.

Even after treatment a person might relapse. Many people turn to drug abuse because they live in unfavorable conditions. In such case, it is important to motivate them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

We will help you to give up smoking

Make for consultation WATCH VIDEO

7Spsy behavior modification technique will help your friend or relative learn to live their life to the fullest without spice. This technique is based on behavior psychology. It is scientifically grounded, and it has already proven its effectiveness.

You don’t have to go to a drug therapist, and you can take the course anonymously. The course lasts 2-6 weeks, and you can start any time.     

You will help your friends and relatives greatly if you support them in their desire to develop useful habits..

References:

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); Office of the Surgeon General (US). Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2016 Nov. CHAPTER 4, EARLY INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
2. Cooper Z. D. (2016). Adverse Effects of Synthetic Cannabinoids: Management of Acute Toxicity and Withdrawal. Current psychiatry reports, 18(5), 52.
3. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2006. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 45.) 4 Physical Detoxification Services for Withdrawal From Specific Substances. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64116/

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