Treatment for a bath salts addiction is similar to what might be seen with other substance use disorders. Rehab centers typically employ behavioral therapy techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and contingency management. Withdrawal side effects from bath salts aren’t considered life-threatening as with other drugs. However, as mentioned the exact chemical make-up of bath salts can vary and chemicals can cause unknown and unexpected reactions. In addition, severe depression and suicide are common with bath salts withdrawal. For these reasons, it’s highly recommended that anyone who is addicted to bath salts and wants to stop seek professional help to do so.
How Do Bath Salts Affect the Body?
Salt is added to these foods during manufacturing or cooking to enhance taste. For example, a single-serve bag of salted pretzels can contain over 1,000 mg of sodium, which is over 43% of the DV. Here’s everything you need to know about sodium, including how it benefits health, dietary sources, daily needs, and the downsides of consuming too much. These compounds smell bad and have the potential to cause serious burns. Amines are not the nicest of substances (that’s why we are generally repulsed by the smell of amines—they have a strong fishy odor,) and these impurities can even induce severe allergic reactions.
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator
Recently, khat use has spread to other countries, and much stronger, man-made (synthetic) cathinones (marketed as “bath salts” to circumvent laws regarding controlled substances) have become drugs of abuse. These products, which are frequently labeled “not for human consumption,” are not used for bathing. Should bath salts wane in popularity, authorities say they have no doubt new psychoactive designer drugs will take their place. “Whatever supplants bath salts will likely be just as dangerous,” says Goldberger.
Types of Drugs & Their Effects
Consuming high amounts of sodium leads to elevated sodium levels in the body, which causes the body to retain water. This increases blood pressure and puts extra stress on the kidneys. Excess sodium also harms bone health by increasing urinary calcium excretion, weakening the bones. These include mephedrone (a popular and problematic drug in the UK), pyrovalerone and methylenedioxyprovalerone (MPDV). While these are three of the most common chemicals sold as bath salts, there are dozens of others that may be used.
For centuries, people there have chewed the leaves for their mild stimulant effect. In those regions, chewing khat is often a social activity, similar to coffee drinking in other societies. In addition, drug makers can easily skirt the ban on MDPV and mephedrone by turning to other cathinone acute and chronic effects of cocaine on cardiovascular health pmc derivatives, of which there are many. “The game with this stuff is that the labs that make it change the ingredients, the packaging, the name, and the color to create confusion so it can’t be controlled,” says Ryan. Bath salts can be ingested orally, snorted, smoked, plugged or injected.
Eating too much sodium may also lead to low levels of other nutrients in the body. Diets too high in sodium cause your body to excrete calcium, which can harm bone health. Consuming how long does marijuana stay in your system blood, urine, and hair too much salt may also increase the risk of stomach cancer by stimulating the production of inflammatory proteins and damaging cells in the gastrointestinal tract.
The effects of bath salts are reported to be similar to other types of psychostimulants. The chemical composition of bath salts can vary widely, producing a range of drug affects—both short and long-term—from using bath salts. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that MDPV, a common synthetic cathinone found in bath salts, is ten times more powerful than cocaine, is very similar to Ecstasy in how it makes the user feel.
The U.S. government passed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act (SDAPA) in July 2012. This act listed mephedrone, methylone, and MDPV as Schedule I controlled substances. These effects may develop due to taking high levels of bath salts or using them chronically.
Though sodium is necessary for health, consuming too much sodium through high-salt foods can significantly harm health and increase disease risk. Your body needs a small amount of sodium to perform vital processes. Sodium is one of the body’s most important electrolytes (minerals with an electric charge). Electrolytes regulate fluid and blood volume, support nerve function, maintain normal heart rhythm, and play many other critical roles in your health. In addition to effects above, reports of death from individuals abusing drugs in this class indicate the seriousness of the risk users are taking when ingesting these products. They may feel driven to do whatever they can to keep getting high, including taking risks.
This designer drug’s name was derived from its similar appearance to Epsom salts used in the bath. However, despite the similar appearance, this drug has a different chemical makeup. Bath salts are also available in tablet or capsule form, which can be taken orally. A person may also dissolve the bath salts into a solution to inject into their veins. Synthetic cathinones are similar to certain substances found in the khat plant.
While adding a pinch of salt to water remains below the Recommended Daily Allowance, it’s important to be mindful of overall sodium intake and losses. At rehab facilities, addiction experts use evidence-based techniques to help clients quit synthetic cathinones, includingflakka. The team of experts develops treatment plans that address each patient’s specific needs. Regular use of bath salts can result in a severe substance use disorder. Addiction is a brain disease that causes people to engage in compulsive drug-seeking behavior despite knowing the consequences. Those addicted to syntheticcathinones need to take increasingly higher doses of the substance to achieve their desired high.
- Other names, including brand names, for bath salts include White Lightning, Cloud Nine, Red Dove, Cotton Cloud, Bloom, Vanilla Sky, Lunar Wave, White Snow, Ivory Wave, and Scarface.
- Bath salts come in powder form and are usually light in color; white, off-white, or slightly yellow in color.
- Teens and young adults may be more likely to abuse and become addicted to synthetic cathinones after repeated use.
- Even a person who sees that they are experiencing harm from abuse of these drugs may not be able to stop himself.
For most people, adding salt to water for hydration isn’t necessary as diets usually provide adequate sodium, sometimes more than needed. Excessive sodium intake can lead to health issues like high blood pressure, affecting vascular health. “Many people could benefit from consuming more potassium-rich foods like fruits and vegetables to counteract excessive sodium intake and promote better vascular health,” adds Braddock.
The fine powder in small packets doesn’t even resemble the large crystals intended for a soak in the tub. The drug merely borrows the name of an innocuous product so it can be sold openly. You’ll finasteride need at least one person who will stay drug-free during the session. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records.