Bath Salts Treatment and Rehab
Bath Salts Info
Abusing Bath Salts over a long period of time will lead to numerous health related dangers. The best way to escape these dangers is to get treatment for your addiction. Treatment for Bath Salts addiction is available and involves a medically assisted detox, combination medications, rehab and therapy, as well as ongoing care.
If you or a loved one are struggling to break free from addiction to Bath Salts, you can get help. Recovery is a life-long battle that can be difficult to face, but you can overcome your addiction and live healthily again. Do not hesitate to seek help, as suffering in silence may make it more difficult to quit in future.
If you’re confused about what to do, consult a counsellor. Remember that facing addiction requires a firm and resolute decision on your part, as well as all the help you can get. Your doctors will provide all the help required to achieve full recovery, from medication to ease your withdrawal, to psychological support for encouragement.
Bath Salts are a dangerous, habit-forming drug that can enforce a tough physical and psychological dependence. Knowing what Bath Salts are, how they affect the body, and what your options are for treatment will help you to break free of your addiction. We will cover these topics and more to ensure you make an informed decision concerning recovery.
Bath Salts addiction treatment – How It Works
The effects of Bath Salts on the brain are so powerful that you will begin to depend on the drug for normal function in the long run. This will make you exhibit erratic behaviour – sometimes violent – from time to time. There are even adverse effects of the drug that can be life-threatening. If you continue depending on Bath Salts, you’re putting your physical and mental health at risk.
Adverse effects of taking these substances regularly include nosebleeds, nausea, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, panic attacks, liver failure, brain swelling, kidney failure and complications that may lead to death.
When Bath Salts are ingested, they travel through your bloodstream to the brain, increasing the production of neurochemicals such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are responsible for regulating moods, motivation and certain impulses that make you happy or sad. As a result of the overflow, you will begin to feel energised and euphoric.
When you repeatedly use this drug for a long period of time, your brain will begin to see the increased presence of dopamine and other neurochemicals as the new norm. It will consequently adjust to this present state and significantly give up its duty to produce and regulate these chemicals. This will lead to its reliance on Bath Salts for normal function. This state is known as dependence.
If you’ve become so dependent on Bath Salts that you begin to exhibit obsessive and compulsive behaviours towards the drug, you’re said to be addicted. Addiction occurs when your brain loses the ability to function without Bath Salts because of the increased, constant presence of the drug in your system.
When you attempt to quit using Bath Salts – or have no access to it for a while – your body will start to react through a series of distressing symptoms. This is known as withdrawal. To stop these symptoms, you will do anything possible to get your hands on Bath Salts again. This behaviour is what is recognised as addiction.
Quitting the drug can seem impossible, because you will be faced with Bath Salts withdrawal when you attempt this. However, while treatment will be difficult, the right recovery plan will set you on a path that leads to freedom from addiction.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Why treatment for Bath Salts abuse and addiction is a necessity
Addiction is generally classed as a brain disease. This is why part of the treatment for Bath Salts addiction includes rehabilitation.
Detoxification can help your body flush out every trace of Bath Salts and see you through the worst of withdrawal, but your brain will still be craving the drug’s effects.
You will have vivid memories of the intense pleasures you enjoyed whilst taking the drug. Naturally, you will have powerful urges to enjoy those feelings again. Even if you can try on your own to resist the pull – and tolerate the symptoms of withdrawal – it will be hard to stay drug-free without addressing the psychological roots of your addiction.
That is why rehab is the answer if you want to live free from addiction. The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to a healthy state of being. It will teach you certain behavioural changes and help you see Bath Salts for the dangerous substances that they are. This will be achieved through various therapeutic activities.
If you also suffer from other co-occurring mental conditions (either caused by Bath Salts or those present before your addiction), they will be taken care of during rehabilitation.
Effective treatment for Bath Salts addiction
Your treatment will start with a medically assisted detox. This process will help you get through your withdrawal phase and introduce you to rehab in a drug-free state. Your doctors will chart a course of treatment based on your individual condition to make sure you are off to a flying start.
From detox, you’ll move on to rehab where you’ll be taught life-changing skills through various therapeutic activities to help you cope without Bath Salts. Following rehab, on-going support will help you to live a drug-free life.
Treatment for addiction to Bath Salts is not always 100% safe and effective. You will naturally experience difficulties from withdrawal that can be quite discouraging, but psychological support will help keep you on the path to recovery.
Specialised treatment and therapy options
You will experience addiction uniquely. As such, you will require an individualised treatment plan. Sometimes, you may have a mental condition that occurs simultaneously with your addiction. You might have a medical condition that needs to be accounted for while you’re going though treatment.
These situations will typically call for the attention of specialists, depending on which conditions are present. A dual diagnosis, for instance, requires the input of a qualified addiction and healthcare specialist. The same is also true in cases that involve rare and sensitive medical conditions.
When you go through treatment in a competent addiction treatment facility, rest assured your case – no matter how complex – will be referred to the appropriate specialist.
Inpatient and outpatient rehab for Bath Salts addiction
Treatment types involved in treating Bath Salts addiction are inpatient and outpatient treatment programmes.
These programmes both involve medical supervision, but on a different level when it comes to timeframe and frequency of supervision. You’ll be treated as a residential patient when you go through an inpatient treatment programme and will be classed as a visiting patient under an outpatient programme.
You’ll choose a treatment plan depending on your personal situation. Most people go through detox as residential patients and then transition to outpatient care when they move on to rehab.
Which should you choose: Inpatient vs. outpatient
If your dependence on Bath Salts is mild, you may be allowed to go through an outpatient detox programme. Also, if your doctor believes you’re free from potential withdrawal complications, you’ll be allowed to go through treatment remotely.
Inpatient programmes are considered the best, because you’ll receive round-the-clock assistance, especially during detox.
It is especially important that you go through detox as a residential patient, due to the nature of Bath Salts. Medications that may be administered to help with your withdrawal symptoms come with their own risks and require close monitoring.
It’s advisable to go with the option recommended by your doctor when choosing between inpatient and outpatient programmes.
The benefits of an inpatient treatment programme are that you’ll get the highest level of care and one-on-one support, since you’re going through treatment whilst living in the facility.
On the other hand, outpatient care will be ideal if you have responsibilities to take care of that don’t give you the freedom to live away from home, like your job or having a family to take care of. You can also resume your normal activities once detox is complete. This can be arranged through an outpatient rehab programme.
What to know about Bath Salts clinics
Choosing the right rehab centre will have an important role to play in the success of your rehabilitation. You could go through detox in a treatment facility that also offers rehabilitation or even detox in a dedicated detoxification clinic.
Whatever the case, it’s advised that you go through rehab in a facility that resonates with your personality, meets your needs for discretion and proximity and possesses adequate facilities and qualified personnel that will help you break your addiction to Bath Salts.
If you’re not sure how to start when it comes to finding a rehab centre that works for you, there are addiction counsellors that can point you in the right direction.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Duration of treatment
The duration of rehab will depend on the circumstances that surround your addiction and how you respond to treatment. It’s advisable you stay in rehab as long as recommended by your doctor.
Generally, rehab can take as long as 30, 60, or even 90 days to complete, depending on your situation.
The adverse health effects and toxicity of Bath Salts cannot be fully anticipated, because of the diverse, varying ingredients and different formulations of the drug. Therefore, the duration of rehab can vary depending on your individual situation.
The stages of Bath Salts treatment
Your treatment for Bath Salts addiction will typically follow four different stages. These stages are intake, detox, rehab, and aftercare.
The intake phase comprises the process where your treatment plan is devised, based on how you have experienced addiction, your medical history and state of health (both mental and physical).
The detox stage involves cleansing your body of all traces of Bath Salts, managing your withdrawal symptoms (with the help of medications and psychotherapy) and stabilising you for rehabilitation.
Once your detox is complete, you’ll be transitioned to rehab. This is the part of your treatment that utilises behavioural therapies to break your psychological bond with addiction and prepare you for a healthy life, free of Bath Salts.
Following rehab, your treatment facility will provide support and aftercare to ensure you continue to enjoy life free from addiction.
How you go through treatment (your experiences, duration and outcome) will depend on you. Please make efforts to adhere to the recommendations of doctors and therapists so you can have a successful treatment process.
Psychological therapy
Your treatment may differ from that of others trying to overcome Bath Salts addiction. You’ll be on a treatment regimen that mirrors how you have gone through addiction and your general health status.
There are different therapies available for treating Bath Salts addiction. Although there are no established therapies specifically targeted at treating Bath Salts addiction due to a lack of research on the drug, therapies used to treat addiction to other stimulants have proved effective.
Psychologists understand how Bath Salts tamper with the brain, and as such, understand how to attune your sessions to address your addiction to the drug. The therapy you’ll be put through will be recommended based on the level of your psychological dependence on Bath Salts and the mental difficulties you have been facing.
The general goal of these therapy options is to help you see things differently. If there is a condition present that stemmed from your addiction or led to your abuse of Bath Salts, it will be taken care of.
Behavioural Therapy
This therapy directly works to affect changes in your behaviour. It will help by evaluating unpleasant and unhealthy behaviours and also identify the conditions that facilitate the continued presence of these behaviours.
Certain interventions will be employed by your therapist to see that these situations are dealt with. You’ll be educated on the consequences of going back to Bath Salts, trained on effective ways to communicate and how to drop aggressive methods of interacting with others, be guided on how to find mental and physical peace via relaxation techniques training, be taught how to analyse situations that may draw you back to using Bath Salts and how to avoid them, and equipped with skills that will help you stand your ground on abstinence, even when faced with relapse triggers.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT follows a process similar to that of behavioural therapy, but also provides the same focus it affords behaviour to feelings and thoughts. At its core, this therapy is founded on the premise that there is interconnectedness between feelings, thoughts and behaviour. Namely, that negative thought patterns can bring about behaviours and feelings that are unwanted, and negative behaviours can cause undesirable thoughts and feelings.
Your therapist will help you to understand which thoughts and feelings facilitated your drug use and how, as well as the feelings and thoughts that occurred as a result of your drug use.
Your therapist will closely study how your substance dependence derailed your cognitive function or how any mental issues you had led to you using Bath Salts. From there, a plan will be formulated together, to see that these negative and flawed cognitive functions are addressed.
Withdrawal from Bath Salts
Abusing Bath Salts comes with withdrawal symptoms that can be very distressing. These symptoms will serve as discouragements whenever you attempt to quit. They occur as a result of your brain’s dependence on the drug for normal function. Without the drug for a number of hours (usually 12-24), your body will begin to react.
These symptoms include headaches, irritability, fatigue, tremors, anxiety, depressed memories, depression, erratic behaviours, delirium, insomnia and intense cravings. Medical supervision can help you to get through withdrawal without relapsing.
Paying for Bath Salts addiction treatment
Your rehab centre will have its own method of payment. Private medical insurance payments are accepted by most rehab facilities. If you don’t have cover, you can make enquiries through the appropriate channels.
The cost of rehab will depend on the facility where you undergo treatment. There are luxury, standard and budget rehab centres, but all are run by qualified specialists. Your rehab duration will also be a factor when it comes to how much you’re likely to spend.
Live a drug-free life again
Addiction can destroy your life and cause damage to your relationships and health, but it isn’t impossible to overcome. You can break free and live healthily again. While recovery may be difficult, it is achievable.
The first step towards living a drug-free life is to make a decision and stay true to it. You will receive all the help and support you need once you take the bold step to contact a counsellor. Rest assured that from start to finish, you’ll be taken care of.
Relapse prevention
You will still be faced with different relapse triggers once you’ve completed treatment. You’re not immune to further cravings for Bath Salts simply because you’ve undergone treatment. Your treatment will break your addiction bond and prepare you for what’s ahead.
When you’re back in society and have resumed your normal activities, you should apply the skills you’ve learnt through therapy sessions in order to combat relapse triggers. Ensure you avoid stress, stay committed to your abstinence, avoid company and environments that foster drug use and , importantly, always seek help from support groups, therapists and loved ones whenever you feel vulnerable.
Continuing care: what comes next?
When your rehabilitation is concluded, you will continue to receive care on an outpatient basis to ensure you’re properly re-integrated into society and can fight off imminent relapse triggers.
Detox and rehabilitation are not the end of your addiction battle. Recovery requires a lifelong commitment, but you can get help in the process. That is why aftercare is made available by your rehab clinic. Types of aftercare provided could include:
Family Therapy
This therapy comprises a therapeutic process that will involve members of your family. It will work to address the shifts and disturbances your addiction has wreaked on the family dynamic.
Your therapist will also look into family issues that may have led to your Bath Salts addiction and work with you to address them.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational interviewing works to help you identify a personal desire and drive to enable you to take the right steps concerning your addiction and maintain abstinence. This course of treatment will be handled by a qualified therapist to help you find those personal motivations, rather than force you to make decisions through guilt or legal action.
Contingency Management Intervention
Contingency Management is an incentive-based programme where you’ll be rewarded with gifts like vouchers and items when you reach certain set abstinence milestones. This therapy has motivated lots of addicts over the years to maintain an indefinite stretch of abstinence by instilling a winning mentality when it comes to staying off drugs.
12-step Programme
The 12-step programme is a therapy plan, devised under the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. This programme helps people struggling with stimulant addiction as well as other drugs. It is aimed at making you believe you’re powerless to fight your addiction on your own and that a higher power has control over your situation. It also helps you recognise your previous behaviours and how bad they have been, and ensure you take steps to amend the wrong you have done to others.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
FAQs
Can abuse and addiction to Bath Salts be treated?
Yes. There are recent programmes that have proven effective for Bath Salts addiction. If you’re struggling to kick your Bath Salts habit, all you need is professional help to get on the right track to recovery. Treatment involves a medically assisted detox, rehabilitation and continuing care.
Do I need addiction treatment?
If you have used Bath Salts for a considerably long period of time, have grown dependent on the drug and notice you can no longer function properly without it, you need urgent treatment. With treatment, you can work to reverse the effects that Bath Salts have had on your life.
What should I expect?
Your treatment will start with detox, which can be very unpleasant because the process is accompanied by withdrawal symptoms. However, you will be treated for the symptoms that appear during withdrawal, to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible. Other stages involve rehab, where you’ll go through various forms of behavioural therapy to help you psychologically, and aftercare.
Which type of Bath Salts addiction treatment is right for you?
The right Bath Salts treatment for you will be determined by your level of addiction and state of mental and physical health. Your individual life situation will also be accounted for.
If you are heavily dependent on Bath Salts, an inpatient treatment programme is ideal. However, if you are faced with a mild addiction and would rather undergo treatment as you carry on with your normal day-to-day activities, a part-time outpatient programme is the best option.
Above all, please ensure you follow your doctor’s recommendations.
How much does treatment cost?
The cost of your rehab programme will depend on the kind of facility where you undergo treatment, the duration of your rehab and whether you choose inpatient or outpatient treatment. Your level of addiction and how you respond to detox and rehab will also affect the cost of your treatment.
What support is available after you leave the programme?
You will receive continuing care to help you stay on your feet until you can fight off triggers on your own. This phase involves you being treated as a visiting patient and will include individual therapy sessions as well as support group meetings.
Sources
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts
- https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/bath-salts-rehab/
- https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/bath-salts-addiction-treatment-options/
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts
- https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/synthetic-cathinones
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts_(drug)
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.