A gateway drug is a habit-forming drug that may lead to other addictive substance use. This is a common theory, but not necessarily scientific fact. Today, some researchers and healthcare providers discount the existence of gateway substances. Whether these gateways to addiction are real is something you can decide for yourself.
Gateway drugs are generally the least powerful of the addictive substances. They may only be slightly habit-forming or cause mild withdrawal symptoms in comparison to other types of drugs. A gateway drug often leads users to experiment with stronger, more dangerous substances.
If you’re wondering whether a gateway drug you’re using is leading you toward addiction, it’s important to learn more. Call us at 866.262.0531 to find out if you’re in danger.
What are Gateway Drugs?
The most common gateway drugs are those that have some degree of social acceptance and anonymity. These types of substances do not always lead to addiction, but can increase a person’s risk for it.
Many people believe that some substances lead users to other, more dangerous drugs. The most popular gateway drugs are marijuana, nicotine, and alcohol. People who use these substances may find it easier and more enticing to try heroin, cocaine, and meth, according to the gateway theory.
Your dopamine levels increase when you use substances like alcohol, marijuana or nicotine. This boost brings pleasure and makes you want more of that pleasure, even through other substances. The promise of a stronger pleasure boost lures people into using stronger drugs.
Peer pressure and social acceptance are two of the biggest factors when it comes to determining if someone will use gateway substances. For example, if everyone in your friend group is doing it, it may be hard to say no.
Using these types of drugs with friends can also increase the likelihood that you’ll become addicted because you’re more likely to continue if you’re in a social setting.
For a long time, anti-drug programs claimed substances like marijuana lead to heroin addiction. The term “gateway” then became highly popular during the 1980s, when cocaine use was at an all-time high. Although anti-drug programs have been making these claims of gateways into drug abuse for many years, many people have stopped using the gateway theory when talking about drug abuse. This is due, in part, to new research into addiction and its causes.
How Gateway Substances Lead to Other Drug Abuse
The argument that gateway substances lead to other drug abuse still circulates in many schools and drug prevention programs. You may have heard about gateway substances in high school classes. But today, it’s more common for educators to explain how other risk factors can lead to addiction.
These other risk factors include:
- Genetics
- Past abuse
- Depression
- Social life
- Environmental factors
There’s no concrete evidence that shows gateway substance use leads to other drugs. Still, many people believe these gateways exist and use the argument even today.
In today’s terms, a gateway to heroin abuse may exist through prescription painkillers. After all, many people turn to heroin when they’re no longer able to obtain their more expensive prescription drug. They still want their high, so they turn to heroin even though they know it’s a dead-end path.
Inhalants may be another gateway substance today. Studies show that people who sniff glue or other intoxicants move on to other drugs like cocaine and heroin. Many people also believe that energy drinks are a gateway to substance use since these drinks produce physical and psychological changes that many people enjoy and seek through other substances.
Closing All Gateways With Drug Rehab in Portland
Regardless of whether a gateway drug can lead to addiction or not, the reality is that recovery from drugs or alcohol can be long-term. This means you can shut the gateways of your drug abuse forever if you put effort into your sobriety. Through the right type of addiction treatment programs, you can live long and well without ever using another drug again.
The keys to your lasting recovery exist in the quality of your treatment. For complete recovery from alcohol or drugs, you need a variety of therapies. These therapies may include individual counseling, group therapy, and family counseling. You’ll also benefit from experiential therapy and holistic methods.
In Portland, Oregon, all of these therapies and others are part of the treatment programs at Crestview Recovery. Available programs include:
Intensive Outpatient Program
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a treatment option for people struggling with addiction who want to live at home and continue working or going to school while getting help for their substance use disorder. IOPs provide many of the same services as inpatient programs, but on a less intensive level.
Partial Hospitalization Program
A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a type of addiction treatment that provides intensive, structured care while allowing patients to live at home and continue working or attending school. PHP typically lasts for six to eight weeks and is designed to transition patients from inpatient to outpatient care.
PHP typically requires patients to attend treatment for five to seven days per week, for four to six hours each day. Patients in a PHP program may also be required to take medication to help manage their addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
Outpatient Programs
Outpatient programs for addiction are designed to provide treatment to people who are struggling with substance use but cannot commit to a residential program. These programs typically involve weekly meetings with a therapist or counselor and may also include group therapy, medication management, and other supportive services.
Outpatient programs can be very helpful for people who have a strong support system in place. This includes family and friends who can provide emotional and practical support during treatment.
Don’t Let Gateway Addiction Take Control of Your Life
Through the right treatment, you can shut those gateways to addiction. If you’re ready to end your active addiction to drugs or alcohol, call Crestview Recovery in Portland at 866.262.0531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
