Synthetic drugs

Synthetic drugs are taking the world of drug usage by a storm. Theseare chemically altered or laced substances mimicking marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamines and sold over the counters in shops.

The packaging of the drugs always indicate “Not fit for human consumption” but are blatantly sold.
Every 2-3 weeks a new altered synthetic drug hits the market even

before the authorities can test them to know their effects and danger or even legislate to decide their illegality . The loopholes are first figured out in the regulations by replacing a banned chemical compound in a synthetic cannabinoid or cathinones as some are called with a new formulation unknown to authorities . So consumers are totally unaware of the reactions of some of these chemicals .. Thus they are very dangerous as they contain chemicals that can be several times more stronger than the original chemical compound they are mimicking. There have been several fatalities linked to use and abuse of synthetic drugs.

Some of the Synthetic drugs and their effects:

Synthetic Marijuana-
Sold as incense, products like Spice, G-Four, K2 ,Yucatan fire, Skunk, Moon rocks, Mojo etc.These are chemicals mimicking as cannabinoids sprayed on random herbs/ leaves and sold . Effects- extreme anxiety, nausea, paranoea, confusion, hallucinations. It has also been associated with elevated blood pressure, reduced blood supply to the heart.
Long term effects- affects short term memory, motivation, emotional instability, reasoning, learning and stamina are adversely affected.

5 –MeO-DMT
Is made synthetically and also derived from the venom sac and skin of a type of toad Bufo alvarius. It is vaporized, insufflated or injected. The experiences are immersive, like a rushing sensation , a shifting of perspective, of short duration , there is an experience of a void, dissociation . Excessive usage can also result in death.

LSZ Lysergic acide 2,4 dimethylazetidide
It is an ergoloid or synthetic form of LSD Effects –can result in severe paranoea.

MXE
MXE is a “replacement dissociative” that mimics the effects of drugs like Ketamine and PCP. Dissociatives disrupt the actions of the brain chemical glutamate at certain types of receptors on nerve cells
throughout the brain causing the distortion of perceptions of sight and sound and producing a feeling of detachment from the environment and one’s self. Dissociatives can impair vision and the hearing, cause anxiety, memory loss, impaired motor skills, numbness, and many other
unpredictable symptoms that can last for hours and sometimes days.

Flakka and bath salts
Flakka and bath salts also called cathinones are”replacement euphoric stimulants and empathogens” and are meant to mimic the effects of both amphetamines and hallucinogens. It can also contain mephedrone.. -Bath salts are sold as crystalline powder in a small bag with names such as Ivory Wave, Blow, Red Dove, Vanilla Sky Aura, Zeus 2, Zoom, Bliss, Blue Silk, White Lightning, Ocean, Charge,White Dove and others. Flakka contains alpha-PVP, a
of cathinone, the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts which was banned in 2011. These drugs cause a surge in two chemicals: the feel-good chemical dopamine (responsible for the euphoric sensations) and norepineprhine (which raises heart rate and blood pressure and can make us more alert).
-Excessive use has been linked with feelings of extreme anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and violent behavior., seizures, insomnia, chest pain, self mutilation.

- Users frequently describe the high as “horrible” and report seeing demons, monsters, foreign soldiers or aliens. Some have symptoms for 2-3 days. Some require long term psychiatric care because their symptoms don’t improve.

Long term physical effects- Kidney failure, Liver failure, Increased risk of suicide , long term mental illness etc.

In India as in other countries ,these drugs are available through mail order sites where they are sold as research chemicals. As a result they are not marked as scheduled drugs in India nor covered in the NDPS act due to which they get cleared at customs . Thus they enter the country
legally ready for consumption.

Awareness about the solution to addiction is as important as awarenessof the problem- ie treatment in a voluntary, confidential, conducive,
compassionate environment.

ACCEPTING HELP

The need to  “fit in” is an universal human trait - most youth do several things-dress alike keep up with the trends etc some of them being  drinking and smoking cigarettes- like a “rite of passage” and lo! It is an entry into the world of parties –being part of, etc.. the shy gangly adolescent turns into a sauve happening kid popular amongst the guys and girls alike.  The intake begins in a small manner as that is enough to give a high, loosen the tongue and the inhibitions. In the flush of youth, studies are managed and the drinks increase to 6-7-8 . from weekends to two or three times a week.
The increase is noted by friends, warnings are issued but ridiculed by the young man - “ be a man-drink like me !”  Is help accepted? Life is going great guns, the studies are done, the girls are there one or many .. more often one too many than one.  The new job is gotten, a fat pay packet to boot.  The alcohol flows, the money too flows generously “friends “ benefit.
Slowly the hangovers take over... waking up with heavy heads become a norm…  the drinks are tried to be controlled now, the hangover hidden with coffee and soon enough through a drink to get over the hangover as the body and mind is in shambles ... focus is lost.. meetings are missed, absenteeism sets in... one tries to “ cut down to two or three drinks” succeeds for a few days then one fight at the office or home front, the three becomes 10 in no time and without any inkling as to how it reached there... the intention had been just have the three drinks and pacify the girlfriend/wife [This is the compulsive nature of an addictive mind taking over]  After three all intentions get drowned in the bottle... the next morning one wakes up with absolutely no memory of what transpired the night before- a blackout . The blackout starts becoming frequent. [Is help accepted here?] The mind remains more befuddled...The thinking changes… It becomes more grandiose, emotions are exaggerated, mountains are made out of molehills- though alcohol s temporarily not there because it is untreated the mental habits do not change.  Everything triggers an emotional reaction either expressed or in expressed. Life revolves around planning to get the next drink or start drinking.  [The obsession takes over]
Friends start avoiding as Dr. Jekyll turns to Mr. Hyde post a few drinks.. Friendships are lost.. guilt and remorse sets in.. and to forget it , guess what- more drinks are drowned.. but does one forget? No- cause the drink only magnifies the hurt existent real or imagined. [is help accepted now]
Again the decision to stop drinks.. but in the next one day, one hour or next five minutes the man finds a glass in his hand and a half a bottle down. It is baffling! How did that happen? [it is a cunning baffling disease- and the time from a thought of a drink to an intense thought to craving to obsession and compulsive drinking can take a few seconds to minutes to hours or days ] Help accepted?
The family intervenes. The hands are unsteady the body tremors cannot hold a glass; yet the thought” I can handle it” The liver is fired – on the verge of cirrhosis on the hospital bed- and yet the thought “I can handle the bottle” the struggle goes on; the life revolves around controlling the drink and going back to “social drinking” of 2-3pegs, a futile illusionary dream! [ this is the denial of dependency] The family tries to control the drink- drink wine- drink at home- I will drink with you- you are taking advantage of us! Another futile illusionary dream! [ the denial of the co dependent] Is help accepted?  For, now it has reached the stage of Addiction – “first the man drinks the drink, then the drink drinks the drink, then the drink drinks the man. “
 The drinking that was fun at a point  and solution at times now has become a problem!
But one is unable to stop for long on one’s own... people around “society” at large think that the man is a drunk ..he can stop on his own but he is selfish and wants to enjoy life at the cost of his family. However, the person addicted drinks now to keep away pain- physical and psychological and there is no more “fun” in it. [ is help asked for and accepted?]He/she is sick and tired  of feeling sick and tired
 The family approaches psychiatrists or an experiential addiction counselor for help ... the person who is chemically dependent now meets the counselor. An experiential counselor is one who has lived a life of addiction to drugs or alcohol and has accepted treatment and gone beyond the need to use alcohol or drugs for a substantial length of time. The light is seen at the end of the tunnel... identification is established... he understands my story, as my story has been his story... and if he can do it then I too have hopes of reaching where he has reached today and he will guide me into doing the things he did to arrive at where he is.
Help is finally looked for in the right place and accepted. Thus it is seen that one cannot predict when a person can ask for and accept help.
This is half the battle won.
We at Anatta are here to help those who accept help and to enable those who resist to arrive at a decision to accept help. We have our rehabilitation centers scattered in most parts of India like rehabilitation Center in Pune, rehabilitation center in Nagpur and drugs and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Delhi. Come to us and we will help you see life in a new way without alcohol and drugs.