Effective Strategies for Overcoming Addiction to Party Drugs

Many kinds of different drugs come to market and find their way onto the streets. These drugs are often not regulated and can be laced with deadly amounts of unknown substances. Party drugs are an encompassing term for psychoactive drugs that are commonly handed out in clubs and parties. These drugs are shared among party-goers and often have social pressure to engage in usage of them. 

Party drugs have varying effects but can make a person disoriented and act in ways that they are not intending to. Some of these drugs can have dangerous effects when used together. Addiction to party drugs needs intervention and treatment to overcome. West Coast Recovery Centers aims to provide adequate treatment and effective strategies to get through addiction to party drugs. 

What Are Party Drugs?

Medline Plus states that club drugs (party drugs) are “a group of psychoactive drugs. They act on the central nervous system and can cause changes in mood, awareness, and behavior.” These drugs are commonly found being used in social situations such as parties, nightclubs, or concerts. Party drugs have different street names between different areas, but are commonly considered to include the following drugs:

• MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), commonly called Molly or Ecstasy
• GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate), widely called Liquid Ecstasy
• Ketamine, commonly called K or special K
• LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), commonly called acid
• Methamphetamine referred to as speed or ice
• and Rohypnol, or roofies

These drugs are often passed around at parties. People may find themselves addicted to these substances, dependent on them to reach a high or to enhance social situations and experiences. These drugs can be dangerous because of their chemical makeup. They lead people to do things that they might not do normally. While people may not get addicted after a first dosing at a party, continuous engagement in this behavior can lead to addiction. 

Some of these drugs can also be used in nefarious ways, sometimes called date rape drugs. These drugs mess with your perception and memory and leave users in a vulnerable state. Due to these drugs often being handed out at parties, they are not regulated, tested, and are often laced. Different types of party drugs also can be very dangerous when taken together. Many addictions to party drugs start because of the social pressure to use them.

Addiction and Social Pressures

Social pressure plays an integral part in all addictions. We act or behave a certain way when we are with certain people. If you hang out with someone who often engages in using party drugs, you are more likely to use them as well. Some people use drugs in social situations to fit in, and some people feel pressured. This social pressure may set an expectation within certain friendships to always be available to use at parties. The pressure from social expectations makes people act in many ways they might not regularly.

Peer pressure works by setting a norm within your social group. When you feel trapped, you turn to substance usage to engage with the crowd. Over time, this can cause you to form a dependence on these drugs. When you choose to get sober and live a healthier life, it means that you may have to make changes to your behavior, and who you spend your time with. Getting treatment for addiction to party drugs can teach you how to do this, and help you build effective strategies to overcome this addiction.  

Treatment for Addiction to Party Drugs

The first step in getting treatment for addiction to party drugs is to find a treatment facility that is educated on these types of substances. West Coast Recovery Centers has many treatment options and clinical approaches to treating substance misuse and abuse. We can treat many different substance addictions, and have a clinical team that is prepped for the process. While the treatment will be personalized depending on which drug you are receiving treatment for, treatment follows a similar process.

Addiction treatment will often start with going inpatient into detox. In detox, you will come off of the substance(s) of abuse. Many of these drugs will cause withdrawal symptoms, which we help manage in detox. As you come off of physical dependence on these substances, we start to work therapeutically with you. Much of addiction to party drugs is due to social pressure, and behavioral choices. Through therapy, we can teach you the skills you need to make healthy choices, even if your peers are choosing substances. 

We will also teach you how to turn away from these unhealthy situations and fill your time with healthy hobbies. After treatment, it is important to find a healthier group of people to surround yourself with. An example of this is alumni groups, which put fellow recovering addicts together to build a community focused on recovery. All of the things that you learn in treatment will set you up for success after you go home. While it can be hard to overcome addiction to party drugs, an educated treatment facility will help you achieve recovery.

Party drugs can be dangerous in long-term usage and addiction. Many of these drugs are dangerous when combined. Due to these drugs being heavily passed around at parties, they can't be regulated or checked for dangerous contaminations. These drugs are often combined with heavy social pressure. When people around you are using it, it can be difficult to resist. Getting treatment for addiction to party drugs is integral. In treatment, you will learn the therapeutic skills to keep you healthy and sober. If you are interested in learning more about how West Coast Recovery Centers can help with an addiction to party drugs, give us a call today at (760) 492-6509.