Research Chemical Rehab

Research chemicals are widely available online, through companies that claim the products they sell should be used for plant food or for research purposes. Unfortunately, most people who buy these products have no intention of breaking out the test tubes to conduct experiments, nor do they hope to make their plants grow stronger and healthier. Instead, they hope to experience an altered version of reality through the use of a drug that is considered “legal.” This use can quickly become compulsive, as an addiction to these powerful drugs can take hold.

In a research chemical rehab program, experts help people to understand why the drug use is dangerous, and what can be done to keep the person sober for the rest of life. While rehab programs may not sound exciting, and people who go into these programs might not ever describe them as “fun,” the work can be intensely rewarding, as it can help people to stop abusing drugs and start living their lives in a more healthful manner. Read on to find out more.

Understanding the Drugs

The term “research chemicals” is a catchall phrase, used to describe drugs made in a laboratory and sold to people using the clever marketing techniques described above. The content of research chemicals can vary widely, depending on the ingredients the producers have on hand and the legal status of the ingredients they’d like to use. For example, research chemicals in England once contained the ingredient 2-DPMP, which produced a euphoric feeling in people who took that drug. However, according to an article in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, when use in England began to explode in the summer of 2010, that ingredient was rendered illegal. As a result, some producers began removing that specific ingredient from the research chemicals they made.

Since the ingredient list is malleable and always changing, it’s difficult for addiction experts to develop specific medications that could be used in the fight against addiction. They cannot develop a drug to assist with cravings for these drugs when they’re not quite certain what the drugs really are. Where many rehab programs for addictive drugs contain the use of medications for addictions, these are often not provided in research chemicals rehab programs. Instead, people addicted to these drugs need to rely on traditional therapy to help them overcome their addictions.

Assessing the Damage

People who use research chemicals may take them at varying dosages and at varying frequencies. In general, however, people who are addicted to these drugs take them regularly. In a study in the Journal of Substance Abuse, 11 percent of people studied took so-called “legal” drugs like research chemicals, and 3 percent reported that they would take the drug on the day they were polled. This seems to suggest that the use and abuse of research chemicals is somewhat uncommon, but that those who are addicted feel completely unashamed of their use, and are willing to discuss it. This may be beneficial, as people who take these drugs might not hide their use and abuse of the drugs. When approached, they might simply admit that they’re taking the drug and need help in order to recover. Entry into a rehab program might be quick and painless as a result.

In a research chemicals rehab program, experts attempt to determine the extent of the drug use by asking the person questions, such as:

Questions Asked in Research Chemical Rehab

• How often do you take research chemicals?
• How much do you take each time?
• Do you need to take the drug in the morning?
• How do you feel when you’re not taking the drug?
• When was the last time you took it?

With this information, experts can determine the extent of the addiction, and understand how the person might react when the drugs are removed. Some people experience depression, insomnia or other unpleasant side effects as they attempt to stop taking research chemicals, and experts want to be sure to help these people overcome their discomfort so they will move forward with treatment and not relapse to drug use. Over-the-counter medications, as well as some prescription medications, might be helpful in this effort.

Obtaining Care

Research chemicals rehab programs can be provided on an outpatient basis, which allows people to continue to live at home while receiving care. Women with small children might jump at the chance of entering a program like this, as they’ll be allowed to continue to care for their children while their addiction care moves forward. However, not all women have stable home lives that would allow them to live at home while struggling with addictions.

Living with an addicted partner, or walking by a dealer selling research chemicals, could force these women back into drug use.

In an inpatient program for addiction, people move into a facility and receive around-the-clock care and supervision. Drugs are simply not allowed within the facility, meaning that it would be extremely difficult for addicted people to obtain drugs while they receive care. For those addicted to research chemicals who feel as though a relapse is right around the corner, an inpatient program might be a better option than an outpatient program, where the temptation to relapse might be too hard to bear.

Addiction programs can provide care for both genders, housing men and women in separate wings but allowing all people to participate in group therapy sessions and support group meetings. Other programs provide care just for women, excluding men from the care these programs provide. According to a study in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, women who participate in women-only programs tend to have more significant addiction-related problems, yet they spend more time in treatment and are more likely to complete their treatment programs for addiction. In other words, their problems are so severe that experts believe that they’re at high risk of dropping out and relapsing to drug use, but in a women-only program, these women feel safe enough to stay enrolled. For many women, specific care tailored just for them is the right option.

Therapy Options

Addiction treatment therapy is tailored to meet the needs of the individual addict. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment made for a research chemicals addiction. Instead, therapists attempt to determine what might have led the person to use drugs in the first place, and what might be the best approach for that person’s addiction issue. For women, these conversations may revolve around loss. According to a study in the journal Qualitative Health Research, women turn to illicit drugs due to the loss of a spouse, the death of a loved one or some type of abuse. Instead of dealing with these issues, the women turn to drugs of abuse. In therapy, women might have the opportunity to address those hidden hurts, and the temptation to use research chemicals might wane as a result. When the issue is dealt with, instead of repressed with drug use, real healing might take place.

Therapists might also use cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques to help people addicted to research chemicals. According to an article produced by the University of Utah, these techniques can help people learn to:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Improve relationships
• Identify situations in which a relapse is likely
• Recognize drug cravings
• Spot and fix harmful thought patterns
• Correct problematic behaviors
• Manage problems
• Talk openly about thoughts and feelings

The therapy is designed to help people identify the issues that lead to drug use, and then develop skills they can use to correct the problems and move forward without drugs. Therapy sessions that use this technique don’t delve into past problems or prior traumas. Instead, these sessions focus on the future, allowing people to develop new skills and new techniques they can use in the fight against addiction.

Therapists might also require their clients to attend 12-step support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous. While there are no programs that have been specifically designed to help people deal with an addiction to research chemicals, the lessons these programs teach, involving letting go and moving on, can be helpful for almost anyone who needs to kick a habit to an illicit drug. And, these meetings are often held for free in the community, providing ongoing care for the addiction that could be vital for the person’s long-term success.

Time to Get Started

While living with an addiction to research chemicals can be difficult, and improving alone can seem like a task that’s almost impossible to complete, treatment can make a world of difference. Here, people can pick up the tools they’ll need to maintain their sobriety for the rest of life, and leave these dangerous drugs behind. If you’re a woman addicted to research chemicals, we’d like to help you. At The Orchid, we utilize group therapy as well as one-on-one counseling techniques to help women understand their addictions and learn to build up their lives in healthy ways that don’t involve drugs. Please call our toll-free line now to get started on the enrollment process.