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How we look to treat spice addiction?
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What is spice addiction?
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What are the signs?
How we look to treat spice addiction?
At HARP Private Rehab, we understand how difficult it can be to overcome a spice addiction. You don’t have to face it alone; we’re here to help. Our holistic and pragmatic treatment programmes are designed to support you through a safe detox from spice, address each underlying cause of the addiction, and restore your health.
What is spice addiction?
Spice or K2 are the street names of synthetic cannabinoids, also referred to as synthetic marijuana. This drug is a synthetic form of marijuana, mimicking the psychoactive effects of marijuana but much more dangerous and unpredictable. It consists of herbal mixtures that are soaked in various chemicals, then sold under names such as “moon rocks” or “skunk”. It can cause feelings of relaxation and well-being, but higher doses may result in confusion, rapid heart rate and agitation.
This substitute for marijuana can be purchased legally without prescription, making it popular among teens and young adults. However, despite its legal status, it is not safe or harmless and its use can lead to various dangerous consequences. As well as mild side effects such as nausea, vomiting and headaches, it can lead to more serious consequences such as seizures, heart attack, kidney failure and overdose .
While the chemical compounds in spice are largely unknown, it is clear that they can be highly addictive. This may lead to severe physical and psychological dependence as well as many psychological issues. If you take the drug over an extended period, the brain will adapt, and the individual will need higher doses to get the same effect. This effect is known as tolerance.
If you have developed a spice, you can overcome it. However, it can be challenging to detox from spice without professional, structured support. Often, the only way to do this is to undergo a medical detox to manage the physical withdrawal symptoms and to work with mental health experts to manage the psychological withdrawal.
Through our combination of medical, psychological and personal care, we are proud to be the only clinic in the world that addresses co-occurring conditions and every possible root-cause of spice addiction. In doing so, we can help you recover in a matter of weeks, rather than years or months.
What are the signs?
Symptoms of a spice dependency include:
- Continuing to use spice despite a wish to stop.
- Needing to increase the dosage to achieve the desired effects.
- Partaking in dangerous and risky behaviour to obtain the drug.
- The development of withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, irritability, agitation, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and tremors when not taking the drug.
- Isolating yourself from friends or loved ones.
Additional symptoms include:
What are the physical symptoms of spice addiction?
- Rapid heart rate and potential cardiovascular complications.
- Severe drowsiness, fatigue or feeling ‘out of it’.
- Nausea and vomiting associated with spice use.
- Uncontrollable sweating without physical exertion.
- Tremors, muscle spasms, uncontrolled shaking or twitching.
- Dilated pupils or changes in eye appearance.
- High blood pressure.
What are the psychological symptoms of spice addiction?
- An intense urge or compulsion to use spice, even when it causes you harm.
- Euphoria or heightened pleasure during use.
- Anxiety, paranoia and feeling fearful, or suspicious of others.
- Confusion, disorientation, and a difficulty making sense of reality.
- Delusions, hallucinations, and psychosis.
- Agitation, aggression, heightened irritability, or violent outbursts.
- Mood swings: extreme changes in mood, from euphoria to depression or anger.
What are the behavioural symptoms of spice addiction?
- Using spice despite the negative consequences to your finances, career, and relationships.
- Spending significant time and effort acquiring, using, or recovering from spice.
- Seeking multiple sources for spice to maintain supply.
- Risky behaviours: mixing spice with alcohol or other drugs, increasing the risk of overdose.
- Constantly thinking about spice.
- Neglecting work, school, or family responsibilities due to drug use.
- A loss of interest in relationships, activities and hobbies that once brought you joy.
If these signs sound familiar, we can help guide you toward recovery.
Our approach considers the whole person: mind, body and soul
We understand that everyone’s journey is different, which is why we never take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Instead, we carefully tailor each programme to meet your unique needs. While we prioritise the latest treatment methods and holistic care, it’s your individual circumstances that ultimately shape how we work with you.
As part of your recovery from spice addiction, we offer a carefully monitored withdrawal process, incorporating medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and IV therapy to ease withdrawal symptoms. A key aspect of our approach is comprehensive testing, which helps us uncover the underlying factors contributing to your dependency. With this knowledge, we create a personalised treatment plan designed to address the root causes of your addiction and support lasting recovery. Your bespoke programme will include a diverse range of therapies, such as biofeedback, nutritional therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), sleep therapies, trauma-focused therapy, acupuncture, equine therapy, and art therapy.
Alongside addressing the core causes of your addiction, we also focus on the broader effects of spice abuse, such as neurological or physical damage. Our holistic approach combines intensive psychotherapy, biochemical restoration, and complementary therapies, with the aim of reducing stress, promoting healing, and supporting a sustainable path to recovery.
15+ team members, all dedicated to your health and well-being
We are the only residential drug treatment centre in the world to provide a minimum of 15 dedicated professionals to each client.
Our team is made up of world-renowned doctors, therapists, and addiction specialists, including a Nobel Prize-winning board member. With an unparalleled team to client ratio of 15:1, our team provides around-the-clock support to manage your withdrawal and get you on the road to recovery. A live-in therapist will also be available for 24/7 emotional support. No matter the unique blend of treatments you receive, they will be delivered with the Swiss medical excellence we are known for.
Comprehensive programmes as unique as you are
At HARP Private Rehab, we curate a comprehensive and intensive treatment programme that works for you. Driven by our core principles of pragmatism and empathy, we design a treatment programme based on your unique needs. Those needs may be physical and psychological, e.g. if our team identifies nutritional deficiencies or signs of other addictions during the assessment period, your programme would be shaped with these in mind. However, those needs can be practical too, such as when a client needs to work or travel during their stay with us.
We can provide treatment for spice addiction and any co-occurring dependencies and mental health conditions at our discrete addiction treatment centre in Zurich.
