Synthetic Drug Addiction Treatment

Comprehensive Synthetic Drug Addiction Treatment Near You in NJ, PA, & NY

Synthetic drugs can be extremely potent, addictive, and dangerous. If you or a loved one is addicted to synthetic drugs, seek comprehensive treatment at Rubicon Recovery Center. Serving individuals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, we provide outpatient rehab programs to treat substance use disorders (SUDs), including synthetic drug addiction. Explore our synthetic drug addiction treatment near you in Watchung, NJ, and learn more about synthetic drugs.

Key Takeaways

• Synthetic drugs are artificially made in a laboratory, and they include synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, synthetic opioids, and synthetic hallucinogens.
• Symptoms of a synthetic drug addiction include mood swings, dizziness, confusion, violence, anxiety, paranoia, psychosis, breathing problems, and more.
• Diagnosing synthetic drug addiction involves an in-depth clinical assessment, which includes medical exams, psychological evaluations, and screening tools like the 11-point checklist from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
• Treatments for synthetic drug addiction include medically supervised detox, behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and holistic therapies like mindfulness and meditation. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) may be used for synthetic opioid treatment.
• Rubicon Recovery Center provides 3 levels of outpatient treatment programs for patients in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York with synthetic drug addictions.

Understanding Synthetic Drug Addiction

Synthetic drugs, also known as designer drugs, are laboratory-created chemical substances that are designed to mimic the effects of natural or illicit drugs. These drugs are highly unpredictable because their chemical structures are purposely modified to dodge drug laws. Common synthetic drugs include:

• Synthetic cannabinoids: Also known as K2 or spice, these are lab-made chemicals that are sprayed onto plant material to imitate the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis. However, they are often much more potent and, therefore, dangerous.
• Synthetic cathinones: These are drugs known as bath salts or flakka, which are stimulants made to mimic the effects of drugs like cocaine or ecstasy (MDMA). They can lead to intense paranoia, psychotic episodes, and violent behavior.
• Synthetic opioids: These are intense lab-created painkillers that are significantly stronger than morphine. They include fentanyl and nitazenes, and they often result in fatal overdoses.
• Synthetic hallucinogens: Also known as N-bomb or smiles, these are chemical compounds that are created to replicate the visual and auditory effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or mescaline. They are much stronger than standard LSD and can lead to seizures, cardiovascular problems, and even death.

These laboratory-made drugs typically target the brain’s reward centers more powerfully than natural drugs, making them highly addictive. When a person becomes addicted to synthetic drugs, they will prioritize their use over other responsibilities, experience withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing use, and often experience negative effects on their health, relationships, social life, and career.

Prevalence of Synthetic Drug Addiction

Throughout the nation and in New Jersey, there is an increasing prevalence of synthetic drug abuse. It is often attributed to factors like easy accessibility, perceived legality and safety, affordability, and high potency.

One of the most abused synthetic drugs is fentanyl, and it is one of the deadliest. According to research from National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), 69.3% of all overdose deaths in the U.S. are attributed to synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. In New Jersey specifically, synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, are involved in 93.4% of all opioid overdose deaths. Research on other synthetic drugs, such as K2, spice, and bath salts, is more limited, but there is a growing concern about the prevalence and potency of these drugs.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Synthetic Drug Addiction?

When someone is addicted to a synthetic drug, they will often experience telltale signs and symptoms that indicate a problem. Although the symptoms can vary depending on the type of synthetic drug used, they often include:

• Behavioral symptoms: These can include agitation, irritability, confusion, concentration problems, violent behavior, and more.
• Psychological symptoms: These may include anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, suicidal thoughts, and psychosis.
• Physical symptoms: These can include dizziness, breathing problems, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, seizures, loss of consciousness, and more. People may also experience withdrawal symptoms when they reduce or cease their drug use.

Long-term use of synthetic drugs can also result in various health risks, including cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure and increased heart rate, gastrointestinal problems, kidney failure, muscle damage, and even coma or death. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these signs, seek immediate medical attention.

How Is Synthetic Drug Addiction Diagnosed?

Like most drug addictions, synthetic drug addiction is not diagnosed through a single blood test or toxicology screening. The diagnostic process requires a thorough clinical evaluation that typically contains:

• Physical exam: This lets the provider see any physical effects of drug use, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Blood tests and toxicology screenings may be used to see levels of drugs, but they aren’t used as standalone diagnostic tests.
• Psychological evaluation: This helps the provider determine whether the patient is experiencing any psychological effects of drug use, or if their drug use may be triggering a mental health condition.
• Assessment tools: The provider will typically use the standardized criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) to formally diagnose a patient with addiction if they meet at least 2 of the 11 criteria within a 12-month period.

Through this comprehensive process, a diagnosis of synthetic drug addiction can be confirmed or ruled out.

What Does Synthetic Drug Addiction Treatment Involve at Rubicon Recovery Center?

Seeking treatment for a synthetic drug addiction can be overwhelming, but it helps when you know what to expect. When you come to Rubicon Recovery Center, you’ll receive a warm welcome and a tour of our facility. We’ll then perform a comprehensive clinical assessment to understand your addiction history, health history, and treatment goals. This helps us determine which of our three programs will be right for your needs and design a personalized treatment plan.

Once we have this information, you will begin one of our outpatient programs. Our programs include:

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): This is our most intensive outpatient program, which typically lasts 30–45 days. It runs for 6 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): This program acts as a middle ground between PHP and OP. It typically lasts for 10 to 12 weeks and runs for 3 to 5 days a week, 3 hours a day.
• Outpatient Program (OP): This is our lowest-level program, which runs for 2 to 3 days per week with 1 hour of treatment each day. It is typically only for current patients who need to transition from IOP or PHP.

What Are the Treatment Options for Synthetic Drug Addiction?

Once you’ve been enrolled in a program and your treatment plan has been customized to your needs, the process of recovery begins. At Rubicon Recovery Center, we use various therapies and methodologies to address each patient’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs. Treatment options include:

Medical Detoxification (Detox)

Medical detoxification (detox) may be required for some synthetic drug users. Medically supervised detox provides a safe and secure environment for people to wean off substances under the care of a medical team. It helps manage withdrawal symptoms, which can be especially intense for synthetic drugs like fentanyl and synthetic cannabinoids.

At Rubicon Recovery Center, we don’t provide detox services at our facility. To ensure continuity of care, however, we provide referrals to trusted medical detox facilities that our patients can attend to detox before starting their program.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Medication-assisted treatment is often used for treating opioid use disorder, which includes people who use fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. It combines certain medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with behavioral therapies, to help patients manage withdrawals and triggers, and avoid relapse. Medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are often used for treating fentanyl addiction. At Rubicon Recovery Center, we can coordinate MAT for patients when clinically appropriate.

Behavioral Therapy

To treat synthetic drug addiction, individual, group, and family therapy are often used. They help patients understand the root causes of their substance use, manage their triggers, and develop better coping strategies to prevent relapses. At Rubicon Recovery Center, we often use:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a skills-based type of psychotherapy that helps patients identify negative thoughts and behaviors and understand how they can affect recovery.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This is a subset of CBT that is specifically designed for people with intense emotions. It uses techniques like mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance to help patients manage strong emotional responses that could trigger relapses.
• Motivational interviewing (MI): This is a collaborative style of communication that is based on the belief that lasting change comes from within. It aims to increase a person’s desire for and commitment to change.
• Group therapy: These are sessions run by a licensed therapist that allow peers the chance to share stories, connect, and provide each other with support.
• Family counseling: These sessions involve the patient’s family members in therapeutic discussions to help rebuild relationships, improve communication, and foster well-being.

A combination of these approaches is typically used to provide patients with the skills they need to manage lasting recovery.

Supportive Holistic Therapies

Supportive and holistic therapies are also an integral part of synthetic drug addiction treatment. Rather than only treating surface-level symptoms of addiction, the team at Rubicon Recovery Center wants to help heal the whole person by addressing their mind, body, and spirit. We do this by offering a range of holistic therapies, including:

• Yoga and other mind-body practices
• Breathwork
• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Nutritional therapy
• Creative arts therapies, such as art therapy and music therapy
• Nature therapy

Many of these therapies are integrated into our patients’ treatment plans, helping them restore balance in their lives, manage triggers, and improve their overall well-being.

What Are the Recovery Expectations for Synthetic Drug Addiction?

When it comes to addiction recovery, it’s essential to understand that there isn’t a set timeline, and recovery is an ongoing process. Even after a person finishes a treatment program, they may relapse or require additional treatment. Although recovery is a journey, there are certain aftercare support and resources that people can utilize to help themselves maintain their sobriety post-treatment. These include:

• Continuing to attend individual and group therapy sessions
• Participating in support groups or alumni programs
• Living in sober living homes 
• Taking life skills training or coping skills training courses

At Rubicon Recovery Center, we offer various aftercare and relapse prevention resources to help give our patients the best chances for lasting recovery.

Why Choose Rubicon Recovery Center for Synthetic Drug Addiction Treatment?

Synthetic drug addiction is serious, and it requires comprehensive, high-quality care. At Rubicon Recovery Center, we provide evidence-based, whole-person treatment for substance use disorders, including synthetic drug addiction. Reasons to choose our facility include:

• Individualized treatment plans: Each patient receives a personalized treatment plan that combines behavioral and holistic therapies to provide person-centered care that accounts for their substance use history, personal circumstances, family situation, and other important factors.
• Experienced staff: Our center is run by a compassionate, non-judgmental team of licensed addiction counselors, therapists, case managers, and rehab professionals. Each member of our staff is passionate about helping patients rediscover their strengths and create a life worth living that’s free from harmful substances.
• Updated, comfortable facility: Our facility opened in March 2024, so it’s up-to-date and comfortable, offering three large group rooms, 12 clinical offices, a conference room, and a lounge area.
• Housing assistance: We work with semi-private supportive housing options that have 24/7 staff for patients who need safe environments to live in.
• Insurance acceptance: We want to make treatment as accessible as possible, so we accept most major insurance providers, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and more. We also offer a convenient insurance verification process to quickly determine your coverage and possible out-of-pocket expenses.
• Medical detox placement: For patients who need medically supervised detox, we offer referrals to reputable detox facilities to ensure they can wean off substances safely and get a strong start to recovery.

At Rubicon Recovery Center, we also aim to meet patients where they are. Whether they meet standard acceptance criteria or not, we accept and support patients from all walks of life, providing them with the tailored care they need to thrive in recovery. Explore our patient testimonials to learn more about what previous patients have to say about Rubicon Recovery Center.

Find Synthetic Drug Addiction Treatment Near You in NJ, PA, & NY

Rubicon Recovery Center is the place to turn to when you need synthetic drug addiction treatment near you in New Jersey. We serve individuals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York with evidence-based, comprehensive substance use treatment programs. Our outpatient design allows patients to get structured support while still managing daily responsibilities. To connect with an admissions specialist, call (908) 274-0015 or contact us today to learn more about our synthetic drug addiction treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Synthetic Drug Addiction

What are synthetic drugs?

Synthetic drugs are those that are artificially created in a laboratory. They are different from drugs that occur naturally, such as marijuana or morphine.

What are the most abused synthetic drugs?

The most abused synthetic drugs include:

• Synthetic cannabinoids, such as K2 and spice
• Synthetic cathinones, including bath salts and flakka
• Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and nitazenes
• Synthetic hallucinogens like N-bomb and smiles

Why are synthetic drugs so dangerous?

Synthetic drugs are dangerous because they are created in underground laboratories with no quality controls. Manufacturers often mix random chemicals with rapidly changing formulas, meaning these drugs are highly unpredictable and often extremely potent.

Can someone recover from synthetic drug addiction?

Yes, people can recover from synthetic drug addiction, especially with professional treatment.

How long does synthetic drug rehab take?

There is no set timeline for synthetic drug rehab. However, it typically ranges from a few weeks to a few months. Some people may need even more time.

Is outpatient treatment sufficient for synthetic drug addiction?

Outpatient treatment can be sufficient for treating synthetic drug addiction, especially partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), which provide continuous, structured support.

What withdrawal symptoms can occur with synthetic drug addiction?

Withdrawal symptoms will depend on the specific synthetic drug used, but they can include:

• Insomnia and sleep disturbances
• Paranoia
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Agitation and irritability
• Mood swings
• Rapid heartbeat
• Intense cravings
• Aching muscles
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Fever
• Sweating

What is the role of therapy in treating synthetic drug addiction?

Therapy is a cornerstone in addiction treatment, including synthetic drug addiction. It helps the person recognize and modify unhealthy thoughts and behaviors related to addiction, manage their triggers, and develop better coping strategies.

How can family members help someone with synthetic drug addiction?

To help a family member with a synthetic drug addiction, you should start by educating yourself and other family members about addiction. It’s not a choice, and relapses don’t mean failure. You should also provide non-judgmental emotional support and encourage your loved one to seek treatment once they’re ready.