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Drug abuse has been a longstanding problem globally. It has affected billions of lives regardless of age, race, or social background. To further understand how drug use affects our mind and body, we at Transcend Recovery Community shed light on one of the most common questions asked regarding drug abuse, “How long do drugs stay in your system and how to recover?”
Continue reading below to find out the answers and gain more information about drug abuse in general.
Depending on many factors and the type of drug an individual has ingested, the duration from which substances can be traced in your body may vary. But to have a clearer idea of how they are, here are some drug detection periods for different drugs. Note that these figures are estimates and should only be used as a guide:
Alcohol – 3 to 5 days in the urine and about 10 to 12 hours in the bloodstream.
Amphetamines –1 to 3 days in your urine and 12 hours in your blood.
Barbiturates – 2-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
Benzodiazepines – 3-6 weeks in urine and 2-3 days in blood
Cannabis – 7-30 days in urine and up to 2 weeks in blood
Cocaine – 3-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
Codeine – 1 day in urine and up to 12 hours in blood
Heroin – 3-4 days in urine and up to 12 hours in blood
LSD – 1-3 days in urine and up to 2-3 hours in blood
MDMA (ecstasy) – 3-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
Methamphetamine (crystal meth) – 3-6 days in urine and 24 - 72 hours in blood
Methadone – 3-4 days in urine and 24-36 hours in blood
Morphine – 2-3 days in urine and 6-8 hours in blood
There are many things to consider when it comes to our body’s metabolizing drugs and other various chemicals. Often, factors such as an individual’s age, health conditions can influence their metabolic rate in processing drugs in the body. For good measure, always remember that the higher a person’s metabolic rate, the shorter a drug can be detected in their body.
When someone has developed tolerance from continuous drug use, the body metabolizes the chemical quickly. Therefore, detection times may be shorter than usual in their system compared to infrequent or first-time users.
One thing experts look at is how frequent an individual’s use of a drug and the amount that they ingest. If it’s only one-time use, expect the drug to stay within your bloodstream for a short period. While long-term drug users can have chemicals detected within their bodies for extended periods.
Body mass, physical activity, and hydration will also affect how long drugs stay in someone’s body. The drug may stay for an extended period for people with fatty tissues as some drugs may accumulate in those tissues.
Testing may vary depending on the availability and the type of drug in question. But the typical specimens that are collected include:
Tests cater to five drug categories: amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, and phencyclidine (PCP). And most of the time, companies and businesses conduct mandatory and random drug testing on their employees.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or (SAMHSA) have put in place drug testing resources where people can consult about the different drug tests that people may use or employ in their business. To ensure the accuracy of a test result, HHS-certified laboratories should test the specimens with a medical review officer (MRO) to verify and interpret these results.
Note that laboratories and offices may have different requirements in mandatory testing, so make sure that you can comply with these requirements to proceed to the testing process right away.
The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) defines a drug’s half-life as “the time it takes for half of the drug to be metabolized and eliminated from the body.” The process may be different as there are many factors to consider yielding variable results. For some, it may just be a few hours to a few days, which may even lead to weeks. Regardless of the dosage and drug type, you’re on and the duration you’ve taken it, the fact remains that its half-life is always the same.
It is crucial to understand a drug’s half-life as a short half-life may mean more withdrawal problems, while a long half-life equates to fewer withdrawal problems. Commonly, it would take approximately five times the drug’s half-life to establish stable levels within a person’s body. As soon as the drug level within your system becomes stable, early side effects a person may experience will start to diminish.
The good news is that individuals suffering from drug abuse may see hope to recover from their condition. Mental health and rehabilitation partners, such as Transcend Recovery Community, offer medication management and addiction treatment support for people suffering from recurring substance and drug abuse. People with milder symptoms and a more manageable case may opt to enroll at an outpatient drug rehab program to help them recover.
For more severe cases, an inpatient program may help them so that recovery specialists and therapists monitor their progress in a regulated environment. Meanwhile, people who have successfully completed their rehabilitation program may continue their progress through relapse prevention, ensuring that they are on track for long-term sobriety. By doing these things, individuals may get a second chance in life, where their condition will continuously improve.
As detoxification is a way for the body to rid itself of chemicals and impurities, the same goes for an overall detox from their addiction. Its sole purpose is to assist the individual in managing their withdrawal symptoms safely as they wean themselves from drug dependence.
Detoxification involves three main steps:
Evaluation – doctors and medical professionals assess the patient’s physical and mental health condition to determine the treatment and medication to be used.
Stabilization – the patient will now undergo medical and physiological therapy to help them stabilize and avoid any form of harm that may happen to the patient.
Preparation for Treatment – the patient is carefully prepared and briefed on the treatment they will undergo and what to expect while this happens.
If you or your loved one is suffering from drug abuse, there are many ways for you to seek Help across the country. Transcend Recovery Community has a network of partners and affiliates, which may include sober mentoring, to help provide the adequate support needed for long-term sobriety to take place. With locations in Los Angeles, New York, and Houston, individuals may check out the nearest facilities and consult with a recovery specialist to start their treatment program right away.
For decades MDMA or “Molly” has been a staple largely in the nightclub scene, particularly in all-night dance parties or “raves.” Lately, people have found creative uses in discreetly incorporating substance use as a form of recreation. It enhances the effects of their euphoric state, hence earning the nickname “ecstasy.” In this blog, we tackle useful information that one must know about this addictive drug, such as how long does Molly stay in the system and how can someone recover from it, particularly with the help of recovery partners, such as Transcend Recovery Community. Continue reading to find out more.
Molly, also known as MDMA, can be detected in body fluids for one to three days following use. In rare cases, though, it can be recognized for up to five days or longer. More surprisingly, it can be detected in hair for several months, just like other medications.
The time it takes for you to be detected depends on the last time you took the medication. The detection window can be extended by taking numerous dosages over several hours. Meanwhile, the majority of fluid-based detection windows use a single dosage of 50 to 160 milligrams. It may take longer for higher dosages to exit your system.
Some people resort to chemical substances to elicit feelings of happiness, albeit temporarily. However, others incorporate alcohol in their MDMA intake to extend the “high” derived from this combo.
What is alarming about this is that the liver metabolizes both substances. With too much alcohol in your system, the removal of Molly from your body slows down, resulting in a buildup of toxins. As a consequence, it will yield stronger side effects or adverse reactions to the user.
As both substances linger in one’s body, their awareness and discernment are vastly affected, resulting in movement and coordination problems. With that in mind, activities like walking or driving can be challenging and unsafe, as you may have difficulty accurately judging distances. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs has been known to be a cause of road accidents. In a report released by Governors Highway Safety Association, 43.6% of drug abusive drivers died from motor accidents, with over half of them positive for more than two drugs.
Usually seen in parties with a predominantly younger demographic, Molly is often taken and mixed with other drugs. It is more common on college campuses where mixers or rave parties are prevalent. In recent data released by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, over 43% of students use illicit drugs—a clear indication of how common drug use is among the youth.
For instance, Molly and marijuana are usually paired together and are frequently a staple among collegiate circles. With weed and MDMA taken simultaneously, users report an intermingling of side effects that would yield a blend of euphoria, calmness or relaxation, or increased happiness together with a surge in energy.
When taken together with hallucinogens, such as LSD, vivid and heightened visual and auditory hallucinations may detach the user from reality and themselves. It yields varied experiences for many people, with others reporting a rather pleasant feeling. In contrast, others report traumatic and negative hallucinogenic episodes
Apart from these mentioned substances, drugs usually attributed to pain relief are paired with Molly, such as heroin and morphine, leading to opioid addiction
While Molly may enhance your feeling of alertness, euphoria, and a perceived boost in stamina and focus, there are many alarming risks and side effects that may permanently damage one’s body if continued long-term.
The usual side effects that users would often feel upon use are:
· Impulsiveness
· Excessive sweating and thirst
· Nausea
· Increase in heart rate
· Restlessness
· Insomnia
· Irritability
· Anxiety
As MDMA produces stimulant effects in a user’s body, they may feel potentially fatal side effects, especially when used in a hot environment, taken in combination with several drugs, or when ingested in large doses.
The usual symptoms that cause deaths for MDMA users include:
· Cardiovascular collapse
· Dehydration
· Hyperthermia
As Molly causes an upsurge of serotonin, a “feel-good” hormone in the body, the brain may take days or even weeks to restore this hormone. During that time, a user may sense an altered sense of reality resulting in poor decision-making. People are highly prone to accidents, fatalities, and injuries during this altered state, especially after parties when these substances are largely available.
Getting better from molly addiction can be done in many ways, with some options not resorting to intense medical treatments. Others attributed their recovery to behavioral therapy for their addiction problems and may employ outpatient drug rehab as some of the services to help them in the process of long-term sobriety.
Different therapy modalities may help in these addictions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) uses discussion to reprogram a person’s cognitive and emotional processes. It aims to reframe an individual’s negative feelings and perceptions which will ultimately transform their behavior.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, meanwhile, is used for more complex cases of addiction, especially if it involves co-occurring psychological disorders. It is developed to improve a person’s stress management and communication skills while promoting self-confidence and motivation to alleviate likely triggers in an individual’s waking life.
Many specialists are trained and highly skilled in helping people suffering from Molly addiction to better their lives. They would also involve the help of a sober companion or mentor to monitor their progress, especially post-rehab, to make sure that they are on track with their recovery goals.
Anyone suffering from Molly or ecstasy addiction still has the hope to change their lives for the better. Armed with knowledge such as knowing how long Molly stays in your system and identifying ways to recover from it are beneficial in your path to sobriety.
If you are personally suffering from molly addiction and are committed to taking that crucial first step or want to help a close friend or loved one recover from this addiction, know that you are not alone in facing this challenge.
Recovery partners, such as Transcend Recovery Community, are dedicated to providing all the support an individual needs to get them back in shape. Our recovery specialists are one call away and are ready to listen to you and provide you with everything you need to know to start your recovery journey. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at (800) 208-1211 today.
If you or someone you know needs help navigating the road to recovery in Los Angeles, New York, or Houston, get in touch with one of our confidential Admission Specialists.
