GHB - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

The effects of GHB on the human body are dose related. As Olive pointed out, "The difference between getting high and ending up in a coma can be only a few drops." The makers of illegal drugs like GHB often know little about the strength and quality of the ingredients they are mixing. GHB and other syntheticMade in a laboratory. drugs are typically brewed in a kitchen sink from an Internet recipe. One batch is never the same as the next. Furthermore, as Elizabeth Russell Connelly noted in Psychological Disorders Related to Designer Drugs, "the toxic chemicals used in the synthesis of GHB may cause chemical burns to the esophagus, mouth, and throat."

Fast-Acting and Potentially Deadly

At low doses, GHB is said to produce a high similar to the early stages of drunkenness. Users report feelings of well-being, relaxation, and increased sociability. They may also experience an increase in sex drive and a heightening of the senses, which makes sights, sounds, and tactilePronounced TAK-tuhl; relating to the sense of touch. feelings more intense.

Usually, people under the influence of higher doses of GHB become less aware of their surroundings and begin to feel out of control. Confusion, aggressive behavior, and impaired judgment often result. GHB is a fast-acting drug. Its effects can be seen within fifteen to twenty minutes and last for about three to six hours. The drug can cause respiratory depressionA slowed breathing rate; severe cases can cause a person to slip into a coma or even stop breathing entirely., slowed heart action, and extreme grogginess. Nausea and vomiting, tremors, and a lowered

To avoid becoming a victim of GHB poisoning, experts suggest making a pact with friends to look out for one another. Friends can watch to be sure that no one tampers with a drink and can call for emergency medical help if someone begins acting
To avoid becoming a victim of GHB poisoning, experts suggest making a pact with friends to look out for one another. Friends can watch to be sure that no one tampers with a drink and can call for emergency medical help if someone begins acting unusual or passes out. © Don Mason/Corbis.

body temperature may also occur. Patients who have overdosed may need to be restrained because of seizure-like activity and combativeness. If breathing rates go down to a dangerously low level, or if there is a chance that patients will choke on their vomit, intubation may be necessary.

In cases of overdose, GHB can bring on seizures, periods of unconsciousness, coma, and death. Most users who live through an overdose suffer severe memory loss and may not even realize what has happened to them.

The Risk of Addiction

Some people take GHB as a recreational drug—a drug used solely to get high, not to treat a medical condition. Those who take GHB recreationally run the risk of experiencing a number of problems. Because the drug is so unpredictable, users risk a deadly overdose every time they take it. The danger of a fatal overdose is increased when GHB is combined with alcohol.

Some GHB users become hooked on the drug to such an extent that they need a dose every few hours. Frequent users who stop taking the drug may experience a set of severe withdrawal symptoms known as GHB withdrawal syndrome. These symptoms include: 1) extreme anxiety; 2) confused thinking; 3) hallucinations—visions or other perceptions of things that are not really present; 4) paranoia—abnormal feelings of suspicion and fear; 5) insomnia—a sleep disorder; 6) tremors; 7) convulsions; 8) dangerously high blood pressure; and 9) possible death.

Avoid Being a Victim

As of 2002, GHB was being used more often than Rohypnol in drug-related sexual assaults. But women are not the only victims of GHB poisoning. Men have been knocked out by GHB as well, usually before being robbed. Here are some ways to avoid becoming a victim of GHB poisoning:

  • Don't accept a drink from someone you don't know.
  • Drink only from cans or bottles that you've opened yourself.
  • Never take a drink from a punch bowl. It's very easy for a drug to be slipped into a communal drinking source.
  • Don't leave your drink unattended. If you haven't kept an eye on your glass because you've been dancing or you took a trip to the restroom, dump the drink.
  • Make a pact with friends to watch out for one another. If you begin to feel ill after taking a drink, let someone you trust know about it immediately.
  • The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes that GHB use often causes "slurred speech, disorientation, and drunken behavior without the odor of alcohol." If you notice these symptoms in yourself or your friends, call 911 right away and try to save a sample of the drink that caused these behaviors.