Local Rehab Explores Effects of Alcohol & Opioids

Wytheville, VA – ReVIDA® Recovery’s recent blog explores the effects of mixing alcohol and opioids. Their goal is to provide free, educational tools for the Appalachian communities to learn about opioid use disorders.

“Alcohol and opioids on their own can affect the body in different ways. For example, doctors may prescribe opioids to help control pain. Sometimes, people will take opioids illicitly to produce euphoria. Taking too many opioids can result in an overdose. On the other hand, alcohol can also impact the body as it can only break down one serving of alcohol in 1 hour. Drinking more than this can result in the backup of alcohol in the body, which may result in liver disease, dehydration, and malnutrition, to name a few.

When you combine alcohol with other substances, especially with opioids, it can be hazardous. The substances can be unpredictable when they combine more so than alone. The use of alcohol and opioids together can result in overdose, injury, violence, and risky behaviors,” the article reads.

Mixing alcohol with opioids is always dangerous and can result in many side effects. As little as one serving of both alcohol and opioids can result in slow or stopped breathing. When this happens, the brain does not receive the oxygen it needs, and different organs may shut down. People who mix alcohol and opioids may experience coma or even death.

Short-term symptoms of alcohol and opioid mixing include nausea and vomiting, resulting in dehydration. Dizziness and loss of consciousness are also common. Changes in blood pressure can exacerbate these symptoms as well.

“People can also experience more serious, long-term effects due to mixing alcohol with opioids. It can increase heart concerns, or you may encounter a coma or death. Regular use of mixing alcohol and opioids may put you at an increased risk of seizures. It can also result in long-term damage to your liver, heart, and brain. You may also experience long-term memory loss that may look similar to or eventually lead to dementia with repeated uses. This memory loss occurs because alcohol and opioids make it challenging to form new memories on their own. When you combine them, this can cause the side effects to be worse,” the article continues.

Those experiencing an overdose may show several symptoms. They may not be able to provide responses and appear drowsy. Some may experience a seizure when alcohol and opioids have been combined. Those experiencing an overdose will have shallow breathing or not be able to breathe at all. Wheezing sounds may be present. Because alcohol is present, nausea and vomiting are common and can cause choking. Lay them on their side to prevent this. Though rare, those who have combined alcohol and heroin may experience temporary hearing loss during an overdose.

ReVIDA® Recovery is a leading provider of opioid use disorder treatment in Tennessee and Virginia. They offer medication-assisted treatment and outpatient therapy with flexible scheduling. Commercial insurance as well as Medicaid are accepted to cover costs of treatment. Personalized assistance is available for finding jobs, court letters, applying for government aid, securing housing, child services cases, and food insecurity. Their team is well-versed in a variety of backgrounds and will welcome any patient back if a return to use occurs.

To learn more about ReVIDA® Recovery, call 423-631-0432 or visit their website.