Peter Lever

There are a wide variety of different and repercussions of drug abuse.  Such consequences affect a person’s relationships, education, career and other things within their life.  But one consequence that many addicts ultimately become subject to is that of legal problems.  The reality is that addiction and legal issues often go together.

If you are having addiction problems and need help, it may be worth attending an IOP or other treatment problem before you encounter problems with the law.  There are many IOP in Philadelphia who can help you before it is too late!  There are many addicts you told themselves and others that they would just have “one more”, and the consequences were that they are now languishing in jail.  Do not make yourself one more of these statistics!

Addiction causes a person to behave in ways that they would not if they were sober.  Whatever the case by case may be, the point is that addiction brings about a series of actions which can mean that a person gets in legal trouble.

Theft

There is a common happening when a person struggles with drug addiction.  Addiction can completely take over a person’s life, which brings about situations where they do whatever they have to do to obtain their drug of choice.  Addicts are often low incomes and funding a drug habit soon becomes expensive.  This can cause them to steal money from co-workers, strangers, family or friends. 

While friends and family might not press charges (although sometimes do), the general public and co-workers often do.  Theft varies in the punishment which is received depending on the value of what was stolen, and the crime ranges from misdemeanor to felony

Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence (DUI) is one of the most common illegal acts that people take part in when they are addicted to drugs or alcohol.  A person can feel that they are fine to drive, or just assume that they won’t get caught. 

There is the additional factor that some may not even think about the legal ramifications as they are in a different states of mind due to their intoxication.  Driving under the influence is very dangerous for the driver, passengers and any other people on the road.  The reality is that a great number of people die very year from either crashing while under the influence, or from hitting another person. 

Most DUIs are attributed to the use of drugs, but 16% of vehicle crashes involve substances other than alcohol.  The penalties for DUIs vary from state to state, but the first offense tends to be a few nights in jail and DUI classes, and perhaps suspension of the person’s license. 

Repeated offenses can be a felony and end up in long durations in prison or jail.  If you wish to avoid this, check out an IOP program, that can help you free yourself of drugs or alcohol.  IOP in Philadelphia can give you the tools which you need to avoid facing penalties such as these.

Prescription drug addiction

There are many crimes which can be involved with prescription drug abuse.  Someone addicted to prescription drugs might sell or give out their medications to people who are not prescribed them, or fraudulently obtain prescriptions.

Prescription fraud is a serious offense.  Breaking this law is a felony and people who are convicted can face 5 years in jail.

Dealing and possessing drugs

Many arrests and legal consequences come from dealing or possessing certain types of illicit substances.  Of course, dealing is illegal, and dealers can end up with significant legal problems.  There is also the factor of possession.  While it is not a crime to possess medication for which you have a legal prescription, those possessing medications which they have not been prescribed, or who possess illicit substances can be arrested and prosecuted for mere possession of these drugs. 

The penalties for activities such as these vary depending on whether the person was selling the drugs, what the substance was, and how much of the drug they had on their person.

Seeking help for drug or alcohol addictions

It is tough for people who are struggling with addictions, and it can also be very stressful for the family members of their person to see their loved one struggling.  There is help to assist the individual in overcoming their addiction.  Addiction requires treatment, and there are different types of modalities of treatment on offer.

Psychedelics have been used to treat both alcoholism and addiction for hundreds of years, with substance which range from psilocybin to belladonna used in an attempt to prevent substance abuse or excessive drinking. 

Today, the trend of using psychedelics to help with addiction is on the rise again, with people advocating the use of plant-based psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin, ibogaine and mescaline and many more to either “cure” or help in the fight against addiction.

While studies vary in terms of scientific validity, there are some solid scientific studies in using psychedelics to help treat addiction and substance abuse.  Treating AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder) with psychedelics which include mescaline and LSD are the most studied, with several trials involving mice and rates showing results that looked promising, and a few more with human patients which also showed results. 

However, there is still much to consider for people who are struggling with substance abuse problems, as psychedelics are not a cure and the studies that have been carried out usually pair ingestion of the drugs with other forms of treatment, including behavioural therapy.

Using psychedelics for spiritual experience

Substance abuse is considered a disease of the brain, with its roots in behaviour and habit.  The most common treatment involves removing the substance, changing the habits of the users, and working to change the behaviour of the person who is using the substances. 

Recovering addicts are given the conditions to change, or a different environment that can force change. 

Regardless of these, some people do not fully recover or find the motivation to stay clean of all substances until they have gone through a “spiritual awakening”, which is the finding of something bigger to live for, and the changing of focus and priorities to believe in a higher power.  This process is sought after as a motivation within science-based recovery programs.

Psychedelics share a common role, with people often experiencing what can loosely be described as a spiritual experience of deep emotions and inner peace, with the realization of the person’s relate insignificance when looked at the world as a whole. 

Experiences like these can be pivotal in helping individuals to move away from substance abuse and helping them to gain deeper insight into their emotions, living without nicotine, alcohol or any other drugs

Psychedelics can cause changes in brain activity, increasing communication in some areas while decreasing activity in other areas, especially the areas which are related to the ego. 

The result can be a softening of the sense of self, which results in deep emotional processing, where individuals can look at the aspects of their lives which were being suppressed, as they no longer subject to the same level of ego which was defending it.

Clinical trials

LSD was tested extensively and used to treat alcoholism between the 1950s and 1970s, with patients involving themselves in trials which were conducted by Humphry Osmond and Abram Hoffer.  The two used the substances mescaline and LSD to treat patients’ alcoholism.  Studies ceased when LSD became popular as a recreational drug and was in turn scheduled as a schedule 1 drug in 1971.

Interest in psychedelics to treat addiction is again resurfacing.  The work of Michael Bogenschutz suggests that LSD has a great impact in the continued sobriety of the patients involved in his experiments in treating alcohol use disorder.

There have been similar trials conducted using Ibogaine, a plant-derived psychedelic.  The drug was shown to be effective in both reducing the symptoms of opiate withdrawal, and also cravings for opioids for up to 12 months after usage.

Are psychedelics a viable alternative to rehab?

If you live in Virginia, addiction might well be a part of your life.  You may have friends or family who have been affected by addiction, or you yourself may have had problems with addiction. 

You might even have gone to rehab.  Virginia is not alone in the widespread drug problems which residents encounter, and Virginia addiction rates are comparable to the rest of the United States.

While psychedelics show promising results in the treatment of substance abuse, people must exercise some caution.  Psychedelics can be dangerous, with some, such as Ibogaine, having a risk of death that comes with taking them. 

If you have an addiction problem and have not yet attended rehab, Virginia state welcomes you to attend any of its rehabs, as it can be difficult getting clean or sober on your own.