What Are The Dangers?

The risk of accidental overdose, which is relatively low when taking pain pills alone, becomes very real when pain pills in large doses are combined with even small amounts of effect multiplying alcohol.

Alcohol and pain pills when taken together can also increase the toxicity of the corresponding substance. For example, when vicodin in high doses is taken with small to moderate quantities of alcohol, the danger of acute acetaminophen toxic effects on the liver are increased. These liver effects can be both chronic and acute, and unfortunately, it only takes a single incidence of excessive acetaminophen and alcohol consumption to induce liver failure and with it the likelihood of an eventually fatal condition.

The dangers of dependence and deepening addiction are maximized when the intoxicating effects of opiates are enhanced through the use of alcohol. With greater perceived pleasurable affects the psychological addiction strengthens, and drug taking behaviors become increasingly entrenched and difficult to eliminate.

Research has additionally shown that poly drug addiction induces significant cognitive declines, far worse than those induced by the abuse of a single drug. When cognitive declines are increased, whether these declines are permanent or eventually reversible, the treatment and necessary internalization of the lessons of rehab and teachings of abuse avoidance are complicated and eventual recovery is more challenging.