Club Drugs Addiction

A substance that depresses the nervous system, used medically to treat narcolepsy, a disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness. Its effect on the body is rapid and its remains dissipate within a short time, making it difficult to detect in laboratory tests. Some people report that in low doses it causes a feeling of euphoria and even increased sexual desire.

• Common names: Liquid, date rape drug, Gina, G.
• Common forms: Colorless liquid, white powder.
• Common methods of use: Ingestion (usually consumed with alcohol or other beverages).
• Short-term effects: Euphoria, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, memory loss, loss of consciousness, slowing of heart rate and breathing, decreased body temperature, seizures, coma, death.
• Long-term effects: Unknown.
• Health and social aspects: May be used as a rape drug, for example, in dates. A difficult withdrawal syndrome may occur, similar to alcohol withdrawal.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Nausea, breathing problems, the depressant effects of alcohol are significantly increased.

A depressant, a drug from the benzodiazepine family, similar to tranquilizers such as Valium. Adolescents and young adults tend to abuse the drug in recreational settings, such as pubs, clubs, shows, and parties. This substance is used in sexual assaults because of its ability to calm and paralyze victims.

• Common names: Date rape drug.
• Common forms: Tablet.
• Common methods of use: Swallowed (as a tablet or dissolved in a drink), snorted.
• Short-term effects: Drowsiness, sleep; forgetfulness, temporary memory loss; reduced anxiety; muscle relaxation; impaired reaction time and coordination; impaired cognitive functions and judgment; confusion; aggression; hyperexcitability; slurred speech; headaches; slowed breathing and heart rate.
• Long-term effects: Unknown.
• Other health aspects: Unknown.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Loss of consciousness, decreased heart rate and breathing, which can lead to death.

A dissociative drug used in veterinary care. Dissociative drugs cause hallucinations and a sense of detachment from reality.

• Common names: Vitamin K, Special K, Lady K, K, Cat Valium; falls into the date rape drug category.
• Common forms: Liquid, white powder.
• Common methods of use: Injection, snorting, smoking (adding the powder to tobacco or marijuana cigarettes), swallowing.
• Short-term effects: Problems with concentration, learning, and memory; dreamlike states, hallucinations; confusion; memory loss; increased blood pressure; loss of consciousness; dangerously slow breathing.
• Long-term effects: Bladder ulcers and pain; kidney problems; abdominal pain; depression; memory impairment.
• Health and social aspects: Sometimes used as a date rape drug; there is a risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases due to sharing needles.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Increased risk of harmful effects.

Stimulants. A synthetic, psychoactive drug, similar to the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogenic mescaline. MDMA is the active ingredient in ecstasy. The drug causes users to feel high, increases openness, and releases inhibitions (the “love drug”).

• Common names: Ecstasy, Love Potion, Wheel.
• Common forms: Colorful tablets with printed logos, capsules, powder, liquid.
• Common methods of use: Swallowing, snorting.
• Short-term effects: Reduced inhibitions; increased sensory perception; increased heart rate and blood pressure; tense muscles; nausea; tendency to faint; chills or sweating; a sharp increase in body temperature that can lead to kidney failure or death.
• Long-term effects: Long-term confusion; depression; problems with concentration, memory, and sleep; increased anxiety and impulsivity; reduced interest in sex.
• Other health aspects: Unknown.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Ecstasy slightly reduces some effects of alcohol. Alcohol can increase the concentration of ecstasy in the blood, which may increase the risk of ecstasy’s toxic effects.

A highly addictive stimulant drug from the amphetamine family.

• Common names: Crystal, Ice, Speed, Meth, Crystal meth.
• Common forms: White powder or tablet. Crystal meth looks like shiny blue-white pieces of glass or “rocks” of various sizes.
• Common methods of use: Swallowed, snorted, smoked, injected.
• Short-term effects: Increased alertness and physical activity; decreased appetite; increased breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature; irregular heartbeat.
• Long-term effects: Anxiety; confusion; insomnia; mood problems; violent behavior; paranoia; hallucinations; delusions; weight loss; severe dental problems; intense itching that causes sores on the skin.
• Other health aspects: Risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from sharing needles; in pregnant women, it may cause premature labor, placental abruption, low birth weight, fatigue, and heart and brain problems.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Hides the depressant effects of alcohol, which may increase the risk of alcohol poisoning; may increase blood pressure.

A hallucinogenic drug made from an acid found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It causes feelings of euphoria and arousal, disturbances of consciousness (hallucinations), and “trips”.

• Common names: Trip, Acid, Stamps, Cartons, Hoffman.
• Common forms: Tablet; capsule; clear liquid; small, decorated squares of blotting paper soaked in liquid.
• Common methods of use: Swallowed; absorbed through oral tissues (paper squares).
• Short-term effects: Mood swings; distortion of the user’s ability to recognize reality, think logically, or communicate with others; increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature; dizziness; loss of appetite; tremors; dilated pupils.
• Long-term effects: Frightening flashbacks (known as “Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder”); prolonged visual disturbances; disorganized thinking; paranoia; mood swings.
• Other health aspects: Unknown.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Unknown.

A highly addictive stimulant drug, produced from the leaves of the coca plant that grows in South America.

• Common names: Coke, Crystal, Up (for cocaine), Bests (for crack).
• Common forms: White powder, white crystal.
• Common methods of use: Snorting, smoking, injecting.
• Short-term effects: Vasoconstriction; dilated pupils; increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; headaches; stomach aches and nausea; euphoria; increased energy and alertness; insomnia; restlessness; anxiety; unpredictable and violent behavior; panic attacks; paranoia; psychosis; heart rhythm problems; heart attack; stroke; seizure; coma.
• Long-term effects: Loss of sense of smell; nosebleeds; nasal damage; swallowing problems from snorting; infections and death of intestinal tissue due to decreased blood flow; poor nutrition and weight loss; lung damage from smoking.
• Other health aspects: Risk of HIV infection, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases due to sharing needles; for pregnant women: premature labor; low birth weight; problems with regulation and concentration in school-age children exposed to the substance during pregnancy.
• Effects when combined with alcohol: Higher risk of cardiac toxicity than either substance alone.

• Sleep disturbances: Sleepless nights, fragmented sleep, or chronic fatigue early in the week.
• Weight changes: Weight loss or gain.
• Recurrent physical injuries: Falls, bruises, wounds, especially in ketamine users.
• Signs of fatigue, dehydration, or increased sweating.
• Impaired short-term memory and attention.
• Autonomic symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, tremors, and unstable blood pressure.

• Sharp mood swings: Euphoria during the weekend versus depression and anxiety at the beginning.
• Emotional sensitivity, irritability, or a feeling of "emptiness".
• Dissociation or an experience of emotional detachment (especially with ketamine use).
• Decreased ability to derive pleasure from activities unrelated to use.

Patterns of use

• Frequent or daily use, especially of GHB.
• Transition from social use to solitary use at home.
• Combining substances to improve sexual function.
• Increasing doses.
• Increased preoccupation with substances: regular purchase, carrying vials, bags, or dosage measuring devices.

Functional impairment

• Lateness to work or decreased performance on Sunday and Monday.
• Decreased concentration; abandonment of tasks or projects.
• Repeated cancellations of social gatherings at the beginning of the week.

Change in relationships

• Creating relationships around use only.
• Conflicts in relationships around suspicion of one partner using drugs or around sexuality while dependent on the substance.

• Increased spending on weekends.
• Borrowing or financial inconsistency.
• Frequent purchases via Telegram or delivery services.

• What has your weekend been like in the last few months?
• Are there any substances that you use to enhance your party experience?
• Do you also use substances to change your mood on a daily basis?
• Have you ever woken up without remembering part of the evening?
• Does your use affect your work or functioning at the beginning of the week?
• Do you sometimes use alone at home?
• Have you tried to cut down on your use and failed?