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Many people take GHB in club and party settings as it can lead to euphoric feelings, increased sex drive, and a general sense of tranquillity.
Some people combine GHB with other drugs – for example, MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine, and alcohol. Combining GHB with other substances can heighten the effects of the drug – although some drug combinations can be lethal.
The length of the effects of GHB can vary – however, the effects usually begin around 15 minutes to 30 minutes after taking it, and can peak after around an hour.
GHB Addiction Explained
You may be wondering ‘is GHB addictive?’. In short, yes – GHB is an addictive substance. Frequent GHB abuse can lead to your body developing a tolerance to the drug, meaning you’ll need to take more of the drug to feel the same effect.
This can lead to you developing a physical dependence on the drug as well as psychological addiction. Drug addiction is widely recognised as a chronic and relapsing disorder. Drug addictioninvolves the lack of control over taking drugs and drug abuse.
People with drug addiction and dependence may continue taking drugs despite the adverse effects they can have on health, finances, relationships, and general well-being.
Drug addiction, including GHB addiction, is considered a brain disorder as it affects the circuits in your brain.
This can impact the areas of your brain responsible for stress, reward, and self-control. These changes in the brain can take a while to get back to normal, even after stopping taking drugs.
If you are physically dependent on GHB, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking it. Read on to learn more about GHB withdrawal symptoms.
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What Are GHB Withdrawal Symptoms?
GHB withdrawal symptoms can include both physical symptoms and psychological symptoms. For example, high blood pressure, tremors, trouble sleeping, and anxiety. Some more severe symptoms of GHB withdrawal include hallucinations and paranoia.
The severity of GHB withdrawal can vary depending on a range of factors, such as the severity of your addiction and your medical history.
If you think that you or a loved one has a GHB addiction, you’re in the right place. Our team at Help4Addiction have been helping those with drug addiction and alcohol addiction for years by connecting them with the right rehab clinic – and we can do the same for you.
Addiction can impact all areas of your life – your relationships, family unit, finances, career, and of course, your physical and mental health. If you can’t stop using GHB, or have tried to stop but struggled to, then you will benefit from GHB addiction treatment.
But what exactly is GHB, and what is GHB addiction? And more importantly, what does GHB addiction treatment entail? That’s what we’re going to explore on this page.
Read on to learn more about GHB, GHB addiction and withdrawal symptoms, as well as the GHB treatment process, from detoxification to secondary treatment.
What is GHB?
Gamma hydroxybutyrate, known simply as GHB, classes as a central nervous system depressant. It was classified as an illicit substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and reclassified by the UK Government as a Class B drug back in April 2022.
Sharing similarities to Rohypnol, GHB is often used as a date rape drug. It is an odourless and tasteless drug that can lead to memory loss and unconsciousness.
Despite its sedative effects, GHB is also used recreationally as a club drug/ party drug. It has many street names, including liquid ecstasy, liquid X, grievous bodily harm, and soap.
GHB abuse can lead to a GHB overdose, which can result in unconsciousness, a comatose stage, and even death. Likewise, GHB can make people pass out, which can put them at risk of sexual assault and rape.
GHB works by increasing the activity of GABA (a neurotransmitter). This ultimately reduces brain activity, leading to effects such as relaxation, amnesia, and drowsiness. It can also induce sleep, and lead to a coma or even death.
In some cases, withdrawal from GHB can be life-threatening. If you are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, we recommend that you seek medical help.
Some people may attempt to self-detoxify using substances such as alcohol or benzodiazepines. However, this can actually worsen the withdrawal process and lead to coma, respiratory depression, and even death.
You may be prescribed medications such as benzodiazepines and antihypertensive medicationsduring GHB detoxification – but these will only be used with medical assistance.
Baclofen may also be used during GHB withdrawal, and could potentially lower the risk of severity and complications during GHB/ GBL withdrawal.
GHB Addiction Treatment Process
At Help4Addiction, our friendly team of addiction experts have years of experience helping people with serious addiction issues find the right alcohol and drug treatment for them – and we can help to find the right facility to treat GHB addiction.
It’s not just GHB addiction we can help with – we can connect you with rehab facilities that specialise in prescription drug addiction, cocaine addiction, crack addiction, methamphetamine addiction/ crystal meth addiction and many more.
With so many rehab options available, it can be tough finding the right one for you and your situation.
We can run you through your options and connect you with the right facility for you, whether it be private rehab, NHS rehab, residential rehab or outpatient rehab. Check out this page to learn more about the difference between inpatient and outpatient rehab.
Drug addiction treatment can vary depending on the clinic, the drug, and your personal circumstances.
However, the key stages of drug treatment generally remain the same – detoxification, therapy, and aftercare. Continue reading to learn more about the treatment options for GHB addiction.
GHB Detoxification
The first stage of rehab typically involves a thorough drug detox. A GHB detox aims at dealing with physical dependence – so during this stage, all access to drugs and alcohol will be cut off.
This is the part of the rehab process where the withdrawal symptoms will begin. Depending on the severity of your addiction, you may benefit from a medically-assisted detox.
Detoxification alone doesn’t address the psychological, social and behavioural aspects of addiction – this is something that therapy explores.
GHB Addiction Therapy
Therapy in rehab has numerous benefits – and isn’t just for people with dual diagnosis and existing mental health issues.
Addiction therapy can help to build your confidence and well-being, as well as give you a further understanding of yourself and your addiction.
Different clinics will have different therapy options available. CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is a common form of therapy used to treat addiction. It is based on the belief that your thoughts, behaviour, and feelings are linked.
Therapy can also teach you valuable and effective coping skills that can ultimately help to prevent relapse.
Some other forms of therapy include one-to-one counselling, group counselling, group therapy, DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy), interpersonal therapy, and many more.
Some private rehab clinics will offer holistic therapy – for example, sports therapy, art therapy, as well as mindfulness-based treatments.
Secondary Treatment
Once you have completed your primary GHB addiction treatments, you don’t have to stop receiving support. At Help4Addiction, we can source the best secondary treatment for you.
Secondary treatment, also known as aftercare, aims at providing you with ongoing support throughout your addiction recovery journey. This can significantly benefit your recovery and help to ease the transition from rehab to your everyday life, and ultimately help to prevent relapse.
Secondary care can include telephone support, online support, ongoing counselling and therapy, and more. Some people choose to attend support groups, which can help to connect with other people in recovery. To learn more, check out this page all about secondary treatment.
About Author
Nicholas Conn
Nicholas Conn is a leading industry addiction expert who runs the UK’s largest addiction advisory service and is regularly featured in the national press, radio and TV. He is the founder and CEO of a drug and alcohol rehab center called Help4addiction, which was founded in 2015. He has been clean himself since 2009 and has worked in the Addiction and Rehab Industry for over a decade. Nick is dedicated to helping others recover and get treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. In 2013, he released a book ‘The Thin White’ line that is available on Amazon.
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