
GHB
{G, Liquid E/X, Fantasy, Goop, Salty Water, Soap, Easy Lay, Everclear, Cherry Meth}
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Risks
GHB addiction
As use of GHB became more prevalent, a picture emerged showing that GHB can be highly addictive. Studies have shown that frequent, heavy use over a few weeks can lead to a physical dependence. It’s unclear why some people will develop an addiction and others won’t, but there is a risk of addiction for anyone who takes GHB regularly.
Many people with a GHB addiction are unable to see that their habit has gone from controlled to excessive. The typical symptoms of GHB addiction listed below, if you notice these symptoms in yourself or a friend, help is needed.
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
- Thinking about taking GHB regularly
- Taking GHB regularly, once every few days or daily
- Ignoring the negative side effects of GHB
- Making GHB use a priority
- Neglecting your family and friends, to take GHB
- You need more GHB to feel its effects
There’s no official or recommended method for treating a GHB addiction. However, if you’re planning on coming off GHB and you’ve been taking it for a while, it’s best to slowly reduce your GHB intake. Take a smaller dose less frequently each week until you’ve reduced your dose to zero. This is currently the safest way to quit GHB; NEVER quit cold-turkey because the withdrawal symptoms can be fatal.
Talk to your doctor about coming off GHB, they can often provide a good insight and point you towards the best support centres in your area. It’s also important to be honest with your family and friends about your addiction, if they don’t know how can they help you stay off GHB and support you in your recovery?
References: Brunt et al., 2014; Project GHB; drugrehab.com
GHB Withdrawal
Taking GHB consistently then suddenly stopping can induce withdrawal. For some people, this can come on after just 7 days of persistent use. If you use GHB heavily for long periods of time, you MUST NOT quit cold-turkey. Your withdrawal symptoms will be more intense and can be life-threatening, see our section about GHB addiction if you’re planning to quit GHB.
Symptoms of withdrawal can come on a few hours to several days after the last dose of GHB and they usually last for 12 days but sometimes longer. Some people can continue to experience some withdrawal symptoms, like anxiety, depression and insomnia, for months or even years after their last dose of GHB.
Symptoms:
Mild
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Elevated hr
- Sweating
Moderate
- Elevated bp
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tremors
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhoea
Severe
- Confusion and paranoia
- Delirium
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
Less common
- Lack of appetite
- Nightmares
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory problems
- Increased sensitivity to touch and sound
- Elevated body temp
- Dehydration
References: Busardo & Jones 2015; Brunt et al., 2014; Kamal et al., 2016; drugrehab.com; Perez et al., 2006; Wojtowicz et al., 2008
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