Bath salts are sometimes referred to as “zombie” or “cannibal” because it was speculated that a person who engaged in cannibalism as part of an assault might have been intoxicated on the substance. There is no single test that indicates someone has bath salts use disorder with complete certainty. Therefore, health care professionals diagnose this condition by thoroughly gathering medical, family, and mental health information. The practitioner will also either perform a physical examination or request that the individual’s primary care doctor do so. As opposed to any specific direct causes, there are a number of biological, psychological, and social factors, called risk factors, which can increase a person’s likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. The frequency that addictions to any drug, including bath salts, occur within some families seems to be higher than can be explained by the addictive environment of the family.

Multiple types of regulated treatment are available to aid them in their journey. Taking bath salts has many risks, drug addiction and the disability benefits you can get but stopping can be even more difficult. Dependence on the substance can lead to tolerance and addiction.

1. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.
2. Drug effects can include a short-term increase in energy and mood and acting strangely friendly to others.
3. A person can take bath salts in various ways, such as snorting or smoking them.
4. Call 911 if you have any loss of muscle control, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, or if you or someone you know overdoses.
5. Social risk factors for bath salt use, as for any type of drug use disorder, include male gender, age 18 to 44 years old, unmarried marital status, and lower socioeconomic status and high levels of community violence.

These drugs and are chemically similar to stimulant chemicals like cocaine or amphetamines. MDPV or MDPK also have chemical similarities to hallucinogens like Ecstasy, which is a street name for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Substances that cause the “high” (intoxication) often referred to as “bath salts” include methylone, mephedrone, and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV or MDPK).

A person may also dissolve the bath salts into a solution to inject into their veins. This is very important alcohol use and cancer american cancer society because of the dehydration bath salts cause. Drink plenty of water before and during your time on the drug.

Balt salts can lead to serious, and even fatal adverse reactions. The drug effect is a high or “rush” that is similar to methamphetamine (speed). They are often sold on the street as cheap substitutes for other stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine. Bath salts only have recreational purposes and have no recognized medical application. Their potency and recreational nature make them prone to misuse and abuse, often leading to addiction.

These drugs may cause a person to feel euphoria and alertness when ingested. However, they can also cause serious side effects, such as psychosis or death. Certain synthetic cathinones are used in medications to treat specific conditions.

Can science keep up with designer drugs?

These active ingredients come from drugs called cathinones, which come from the East African plant called the Catha edulis. These substances are often sold over the Internet, as well as over the counter (without prescription and having no medical use) in convenience and tobacco stores, gas stations, truck stops, pawn shops, in tattoo parlors, and on the street. In an attempt to avoid the legal consequences of the banned substances found in bath salts, drug dealers have apparently developed bath salts with other active ingredients.

Therefore, most substance-abuse professionals recognize a genetic aspect to the risk of this and other drug addictions. Mental health symptoms caused by bath salt use disorder include mood disorders like depression or anxiety. Social risk factors for bath salt use, as for any type of drug use disorder, include male gender, age 18 to 44 years old, unmarried marital status, and lower socioeconomic status and high levels of community violence. According to statistics by state, people residing in the West tend to be at higher risk for chemical dependency.

What is the history of bath salts?

Focusing on the bath salts-addicted person’s role in the family likely becomes even more urgent when that person is a child or teenager. Dual diagnosis of bath salts addicted individuals indicates the need for treatment that addresses both issues in an integrated fashion by practitioners with training and experience with helping this specific population. The rate of abuse of bath salts rapidly increased from 2010 to 2011.

Like other manufactured drugs, bath salts may contain additional unknown substances. This can make them very dangerous, as a person cannot be sure what they are consuming. Emotional complications of bath salts abuse can include panic attacks and violence against oneself (suicidal thoughts or actions, or self-mutilation, as in cutting or burning oneself).

Are Bath Salts Addictive?

In 2020, the maximum prison sentence for a person found guilty of trafficking Schedule I substances was between 20–30 years. The drug doesn’t contain any ingredients from bathwater products. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Unfortunately, any of the complications described do not require long-term use of the drug in order to occur. Treatment for bath salt addiction while still under research, typically involves medication and therapy. Various treatment options are available for substance use disorders like bath salt addiction. The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA is a biomedical research organization and does not provide personalized medical advice, treatment, counseling, or legal consultation.

The drugs’ packaging often states “not for human consumption” in an attempt to circumvent drug prohibition laws.[6] Additionally, they may be mislabeled as plant food, powdered cleaner, and other such products. Some of the other many street or slang names for bath salts include plant food, Red Dove, Blue Silk, Vanilla Sky, Purple Wave, Ivory Wave, Bliss, White Lightning, White Dove, Super Coke, Tranquility, Zoom, Flakka, Cannibal, and Magic. Mephedrone also has street names like meow, drone, and meph. People take these so-called designer drugs by ingesting, smoking, sniffing, or injecting them.

Interaction with alcohol

If you or someone you know experiences these effects, visit the emergency department immediately. Overdosing on bath salts requires close medical monitoring due to a lack of antidote for overdose cases. Using bath salts can trigger intense cravings and lead to drug binges, making cessation alcohol and anxiety challenging. Regular use increases tolerance, necessitating larger doses to achieve the same effects. A person can take bath salts in various ways, such as snorting or smoking them. People sometimes refer to bath salts by numerous street names, such as bliss or meow meow.

The initial stage of treatment manages the drug’s immediate side effects, including temperature regulation and aggression. Healthcare providers also screen for co-occurring mental health conditions and devise a treatment plan based on medical advice. In 2011, former president Barack Obama classified it as a Schedule I controlled substance, including substances like mephedrone, methylone, and MDVP.