When something is “designer,” we typically associate it with high quality and an even higher price tag. Is this also true for designer drugs? The short answer is no, but the full answer is more complicated than that.
As of 2023, there are thought to be over 1,000 different drugs, with the rapidly changing nature of designer drugs being a huge contributor to that number. That makes managing and treating designer drug addiction uniquely challenging.
Thankfully, we’ve never backed down from a challenge at Wolf Creek Recovery. We have the designer drug addiction treatment that will help you or your loved one take your life back.
What We Treat: Designer Drug Addiction
Designer drug addiction is a little different than the standard picture of a substance use disorder. These substances have ingredients and effects that can vary greatly from batch to batch. It’s very rare for designer drugs to ever be the same, even when they’re marketed under the same name.
That lack of consistency means you can’t target one specific substance use disorder – you have to tackle the underlying cause that motivates the person to take substances at all.
For some people, it’s an escape from pain and stress in their lives. Others use them in social settings under the illusion that they’re a safer alternative to illicit substances. Some may even consider trying different designer drugs and experiencing their effects as a hobby.
Everyone is different. That’s why Wolf Creek’s individualized treatment plans are so effective and necessary to recover from the dangerous and damaging lifestyle of designer drug addiction.
What Are Designer Drugs? Defining Differing Substances
Designer drugs are substances “designed” to mimic illicit substances, without the properties that make them illegal. They’re constantly changing to evade the authorities trying to identify them and put a stop to their use. Their status of technically not being explicitly illegal makes them easily accessible, and they are often wrongfully considered safer than other substances for this reason. In reality, the ingredients of designer drugs are unpredictable, unregulated, and can be very dangerous.
How We Treat: What to Expect From Designer Drug Rehab With Wolf Creek Recovery
When you arrive, you’ll undergo an assessment to determine what treatment will benefit you most, including if dual diagnosis mental health treatment might help.
You’ll then have a wide variety of therapeutic activities to choose from. These range from classics like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to team sports and camping. They’re all built to help you develop the skills, coping mechanisms, and mindset you need to conquer your designer drug use disorder. We’ll get to the bottom of it together, and address every aspect comprehensively so you can heal.
Once you finish treatment at our facility for the day, you’ll head to on-site housing provided by Wolf Creek. How long our program lasts depends on what you need, and we encourage you to stay as long as you can.
Types of Designer and Synthetic Drugs and Their Common Names
There are seven different types of designer drugs recognized by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Countless different substances fall under each category. We’ll list a few examples for each category below:
- Synthetic cannabinoids – Spice, K2, Bliss, Black Mamba
- Phenethylamines – NBOMes, Bromo-Dragonfly
- Phencyclidines (or arylcyclohexamines) – PCE, TCP, PCPy
- Tryptamines – DMT, psilocybin
- Piperazines – BZP, TFMPP
- Pipradrols – 2-DPMP, D2PM
- N-ring systems – AH-7921 and MT-45
While not one of the seven clear types acknowledged by the DEA, synthetic cathinones are also a widely known type of designer drug. These stimulants are often referred to as “bath salts.”
Why to Fear These Unknowns: Health Risks of Taking Designer Drugs
As we mentioned earlier, designer drugs are highly unpredictable and unregulated. There’s no telling what is in each designer drug, or what effect it might have. Psychosis is a significant risk with most types of designer drugs. Psychosis is a combination of symptoms causing you to disconnect from reality such as hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
Substance use in general is also known to make existing mental health conditions worse, and designer drugs are no exception to this. Death is associated with every type of synthetic drug, too – especially when people take different ones together, which is common.
Because these substances are always changing, it’s hard to conduct meaningful research on them. That means we don’t know much about their long-term health effects, but they’re likely similar to the controlled substances they attempt to mimic.
The Important Signs You or a Loved One Need Designer Drug Addiction Treatment
Because the effects of designer drugs can vary so greatly from one to the next, it’s hard to list any physical symptoms or signs of designer drug addiction. There are some important questions you can ask to identify if you or your loved one need help, though, including:
- Have you tried to stop taking designer drugs before unsuccessfully?
- Do you take more designer drugs than you intended to?
- Do you spend a lot of time obtaining, using, and recovering from designer drugs?
- Do you keep taking designer drugs, even though they’ve had obvious negative consequences on your life?
If the answer to these questions is yes, for you or your loved one, it’s a good idea to consider designer drug addiction treatment.
Get Started With Wolf Creek’s Arizona Designer Drug Addiction Treatment Today
If you or your loved one have a designer drug addiction, help is available with Wolf Creek Recovery. We offer the comprehensive, compassionate care you deserve as you strive for a substance-free life. We hope you’ll contact us to get started on your road to recovery.
Wolf Creek Recovery, located in Prescott, Arizona, offers substance use disorder and dual diagnosis treatment. Our staff is in recovery, too, so we know exactly how you’re feeling, and exactly what it takes to overcome addiction and build a life you love. Call us at 833-732-8202 today for more on how we can help.
