The Myth of "Cross-Addiction" Debunked
For decades, the conventional wisdom and clinical lore in rehab facilities and recovery communities has warned against the risks of so-called "cross-addiction". "Be careful," they say, "you're at-risk of picking up a new addiction now that you've kicked one habit." Heroin addicts are warned against developing an addiction to alcohol, and cocaine addicts are warned against developing an addiction to opiates, Cross-addiction can even occur to things like exercise or sugar, according to pamphlets and even therapists who have worked in the field for years and years. But is it even true? Is the notion of cross-addiction supported by empirical evidence - or does it fall on its face under scientific scrutiny? According to a new report, published September 10 in JAMA Psychiatry, the answer is a resounding, "No." The study, " Testing the Drug Substitution Switching-Addictions Hypothesis ," analyzed data from the National Epidemiological ...