Bizarre Side Effects of Flakka
There have been stories on the news about people behaving in a bizarre manner when high off a certain designer drug. Reports of individuals barking in the street, cutting themselves, attempting to scale the fence of a police department, and also other strange occurrences can be traced back to a drug known as Flakka. Flakka’s popularity amongst drug abusers is due to the potent and long-lasting high it produces and also the cost.
The cost of Flakka is cheap, being around five dollars to produce a high. However, the cheap and also powerful high that Flakka produces comes at a risk. Flakka can cause psychosis and extreme delirium in individuals who abuse the drug. Individuals who abuse Flakka have been known to experience hallucinations and also delusions that can result in acts of violence.
What is Flakka?
Manufacturers sell Flakka, a synthetic drug, on the streets, with its origins traceable to areas in South Florida. Drug users can swallow, smoke, snort, or inject the drug, which appears as pink or white salt-like crystals. The chemical composition of Flakka is very similar to the drug known as Bath Salts. Alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (the chemical name for Flakka) acts in a similar manner to methamphetamine in how it affects users of the drug. While Flakka is similar in many ways to methamphetamine, it can be even more addictive to those individuals who abuse it, while also having more dangerous and severe side-effects.
The high from Flakka can last one hour or several hours. These highs can cause what people describe as “excited delirium”. People under the influence of the drug in this state of “excited delirium” have been known to attack others, make strange noises, and exhibit other alarming and odd behaviors.Individuals high on Flakka may exhibit freakish strength in some cases, and in one instance, an individual broke down reinforced doors of a police department, which were made to withstand hurricane winds. Law enforcement officials and medical professionals have warned of the numerous dangers associated with Flakka abuse. Apart from the change in mental status and delirious actions exhibited, the use of the synthetic drug is also associated with many health risks.
The following are side-effects of Flakka abuse:
- Damage to the kidneys
- Permanent neurological damage
- Overheating (Flakka can raise body temperature to 105 degrees or more)
- Psychosis
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Delusions
- Seizures
- Harm to self and also others
- Liver failure
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Damage to the heart muscles
- Death
Flakka Addiction in New Hampshire
Considered by many drug abusers as the new generation of Bath Salts, Flakka’s euphoric effects and cheap cost are what lure individuals to it. Unfortunately, much like other stimulant drugs such as Bath Salts and crystal meth, Flakka is highly addictive. While the drug gained headlines in Florida as recently as 2015 , it had spread to other states, including New Hampshire. While Flakka is not as widely abused as other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, authorities still observe its presence in New Hampshire.
The highly addictive designer drug is difficult to stop abusing once an individual has started. Flakka addiction needs to be addressed in a professional setting as the individuals struggling with Flakka abuse need clinical intervention to cease use. Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire’s inpatient drug and alcohol detox facility, located in Antrim, NH, will help those suffering from Flakka addiction get over the physical dependency from the drug.
The inpatient drug and alcohol detox at Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire’s medical and clinical team will provide the Flakka addicted individual with the care needed to remove the drugs chemical grip from their brain. However, physical dependency is only one part of Flakka addiction. The mental addiction due to intense cravings will still need to be addressed. The clinical team at Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire provides an effective treatment through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other therapeutic modalities with their Flakka Medical Treatment Program
Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire’s Flakka Treatment Program
While the first step to recovery from Flakka addiction is to stop using and remove yourself from the physical dependency from the drug, you will need to learn to identify triggers and develop coping skills. The Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire’s Flakka Treatment Program utilizes a combination of group therapy and individual therapy to help the addicted individuals learn to live without the drug.
The benefits to the Flakka Treatment Program at Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire are:
- Safe environment
- Supportive and structured living at our inpatient residential facility, the Antrim House
- Access to recovery meetings and support groups
- Experienced and highly trained staff
- Individual therapy with licensed and certified counselors
- Residence at an established sober living community
If you are looking for assistance with Flakka addiction in New Hampshire, the team at Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire is here to help you achieve recovery. Call (603) 808-0185 to contact us today if you with to learn more about Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire’s Flakka Medical Treatment Program in Antrim, NH.