| Cross addiction is one of the leading causes of | | | | 6. Cross-tolerance is a component of changing drugs |
| relapse in early recovery. Cross-addiction involves | | | | of choice. When the addict changes drugs, a certain |
| being addicted to all mood altering drugs. The | | | | amount of "tolerance" transfers to the new drug of |
| following are illustrations of cross addiction. | | | | choice. Tolerance means that more the chemical is |
| 1. Some people become cross-addicted in their | | | | needed to achieve the same effect or that the |
| efforts to camouflage their addiction. Alcoholics may | | | | same amount achieves a reduced effect. |
| change to a different drug of choice to hide the | | | | 7. The effects of cross addiction can include a) return |
| smell, or the impairment of fine motor skills. | | | | of cravings for "original" drug of choice, b) a return of |
| 2. Cross addiction can occur in the process of | | | | defenses that makes it ok to use that drug again, c) |
| withdrawal mediation. This is where you use a | | | | putting you back in "using" environments, d) simply |
| different drug to avoid or reduce the symptoms of | | | | switching drugs of choice, e) never actually achieving |
| withdrawal. | | | | abstinence. |
| 3. The effects of a drug may change over time and | | | | Changing mood altering drugs of choice is not |
| cross addiction can be a response to these changing | | | | recovery. Trading one for another prevents you |
| effects of the drug on his/her body. | | | | from recovering from the effects of drugs. Relapse |
| 4. Addicts often trade drugs of choice in an attempt | | | | is a process and an event that involves a return to |
| to take control over their addiction. They choose a | | | | old thinking, old feelings, and old behavior. This |
| different drug that they believe will have fewer | | | | process occurs over time and by the time that you |
| negative consequences. | | | | switch one drug for another, you are in the relapse |
| 5. Addicts can also use different drugs for different | | | | event. |
| purposes and may use them in a predictable pattern. | | | | |