Bath Salts Withdrawal and Detox

Bath Salts Info

• Bath Salts Addiction and Abuse
• Bath Salts Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Bath Salts Treatment and Rehab
• Bath Salts Withdrawal and Detox

Withdrawal and detox from Bath Salts can be difficult and potentially dangerous. Because of the complex nature and varied forms of this substance, abusing Bath Salts can induce many negative and unpredictable withdrawal complications. These debilitating withdrawal symptoms will keep you hooked, as reusing this substance may seem like the only way to stay comfortable and maintain normal body function.

However, continued use will only lead to more serious effects, as an overdose can claim your life. If you have been abusing Bath Salts and have noticed that your body has grown dependent, please consult your doctor right away.

Bath Salts affect the brain in a similar manner to other central nervous stimulants such as methamphetamines and mephedrone, and the temptation to continue taking the substance is also similar. This is because Bath Salts affect the brain in a similar manner, though they could be more potent, as they are synthesised with varying, possibly more powerful substances.

What is Bath salts withdrawal?

Withdrawal is a series of uncomfortable and debilitating symptoms that occur when you suddenly stop taking Bath Salts or decrease your usual dosage drastically after a long period of abuse and addiction. The withdrawal phase naturally acts as a deterrent to quitting.

Withdrawal is triggered because your body will fail to adapt when it’s denied more doses of Bath Salts. You may experience stronger withdrawal effects than others, depending on how long you’ve been taking these drugs. Withdrawal is often accompanied by depression, hallucinations, and suicidal ideations, amongst other adverse symptoms.

To ensure you get through this stage without relapsing, you need a firm resolve to recover, and all the help you can get. Withdrawal will remove any pleasant feelings you experienced when you initially took the drug, and present you with the extreme opposite symptoms.

What causes Bath Salts withdrawal?

Withdrawal occurs as a result of your body’s dependence on Bath Salts. When ingested, the drug travels to your brain to alter neurochemical activity. It creates a spike in the production of brain chemicals responsible for controlling the motivation, reward and mood regions in your brain. These chemicals include dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.

The surge in chemical activity in your brain will lead to pleasurable and energised feelings that may tempt you to use these drugs again when the effects wear off. As you continue to use these drugs, your brain will begin to handover production of these chemicals to Bath Salts, until it completely begins to rely on them for this process.

As time goes on, you will grow tolerant to the drug’s effects, which means that you’ll need a higher dose than before to recreate the original feelings of pleasure and euphoria.
Withdrawal symptoms will be triggered when you don’t take more Bath Salts after a few hours of your last dose. If your brain can’t produce the levels of dopamine and other chemicals it has grown used to, then adverse, telling effects will begin to manifest.

Whether you choose to quit or temporarily don’t have access to Bath Salts, withdrawal will take hold. Your symptoms can be very extreme if you’ve been using these drugs in large doses prior to withdrawal. Complications can also occur if you abused these drugs in combination with other substances.

Phases of Bath Salts withdrawal

Bath Salts withdrawal can be different from other cases of substance abuse. This is due to the chemical composition of these drugs. Your withdrawal experience is also likely to differ from that of another person that has abused these drugs.

The phases involved in withdrawing from bath salts will vary as well, though they are known to be consistent with those of other stimulant drugs, with only slight differences. There are no established stages of Bath Salts withdrawal, but clinicians have identified phases amongst previously treated patients that follow the pattern of withdrawal from stimulants.

The first stage of withdrawal is generally known as the acute phase. This is where you will go through the worst of withdrawal. Your symptoms will begin to manifest a few hours after your last use and peak within the first few days. After the first week, the severity of your symptoms will begin to dissipate. The acute phase usually ends after detox.

Next is the protracted phase, which includes mild symptoms, occurring weeks, months and even years after your last dose. You will experience cravings and mild mood disturbances, both of which can be triggered by environmental and social factors. This phase may follow you from detox into rehab, when you’re going through treatment.

After long-term abuse, quitting is your only option in order to lead a healthy lifestyle again. When you decide to quit, there are challenges that you will face. Withdrawal symptoms are just one of these challenges.

These symptoms will affect you on a physical and psychological level. Their severity will vary, depending on factors such as:

These are the withdrawal symptoms you should expect when you stop use or significantly reduce your dosage of Bath Salts:

Severity of withdrawal

There are more side effects that occur from taking bath salts, as well as further adverse withdrawal symptoms. Side effects include: nosebleeds, nausea, sweating, breakdown of muscle tissue, high blood pressure, chest pains, panic attacks, and increased body temperature.

Other severe withdrawal symptoms can include:

Your symptoms may grow in severity if you have abused Bath Salts in combination with other substances such as alcohol and other stimulant drugs. This may also increase your risk of an overdose, which could be fatal.

If you also have a co-occurring mental disorder alongside your addiction to Bath Salts, your psychological withdrawal symptoms may worsen significantly.

Withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant and could make you question your decision to fight your addiction. However, with medical aid, your symptoms will be managed and mitigated, helping you to safely make it through withdrawal and move on to the next stages of your recovery.

Timeline of Bath salts withdrawal

Though no established timeline for Bath Salts withdrawal exists, clinic reports show that the timeframe follows the general process involved with typical stimulants.

You will still experience withdrawal uniquely. From the onset and progress of withdrawal symptoms to severity and duration, your withdrawal phase will depend largely on your own personal condition and circumstances.

Your symptoms and timeline may also vary greatly, because of the diverse substances used in synthesising different Bath Salts products. However, the general timeline that you should expect to go through during withdrawal from Bath Salts should include the following:

12 to 24 hours

Expect the onset of symptoms including irritability, fatigue, mood swings, depression and intense cravings. Depressed mood occurs as a result of depleted dopamine levels in your brain, which happened because you failed to take another dose of Bath Salts.

Days 2 to 3

Symptoms will progress and peak at this stage. Thereafter, they will begin to gradually subside. You will experience strong cravings and intense depressed moods that may induce suicidal thoughts.

Days 5 to 7

Symptoms will generally begin to fade going into the second week, though you may continue to experience minor symptoms such as cravings and mood swings.

Remember that this is a generalised timeline, typical in withdrawal from stimulants and reported cases of Bath Salts withdrawal. You will likely experience these symptoms and occurrences differently, depending on the extent of your Bath Salt addiction and abuse.

What is Bath Salts detoxification?

Your body will naturally attempt to flush out all remnants of Bath Salts from your system in a bid to readjust and regain balance, but this process can be very turbulent. This is because your system is adjusting to life without a substance it has grown to rely on for normal function.

Withdrawal symptoms always accompany the detoxification process. This is why you need a medical professional to oversee your progress through both phases, as they occur separately and simultaneously.

You will experience detox according to how you abused Bath Salts: the amount you consumed, the frequency at which you took them, and the duration of your abuse. Your experience during this stage will likely differ from that of others going through Bath Salts detoxification as well.

If you quit all at once, there’s a likelihood your symptoms will manifest in full force. You’ll also be prone to severe symptoms during detox if you abused these drugs alongside other addictive substances.

Detox will last anywhere from a few days to a number of weeks, depending on your situation. The best and surest way to undergo detoxification is via a medically assisted detox programme in an inpatient or outpatient facility.

The detox phase is always the first stage of your general treatment plan, whereby you’ve made the decision to kick your Bath Salts habit and recover from addiction. This stage’s primary goal is to prepare you for the rest of your recovery journey. When detox is complete, you’ll move on to rehab in a sound and drug-free state.

Please understand that detox is not the only treatment required to overcome your addiction. There are other vital stages of recovery, as detox is just the ushering process into these treatment phases. However, it’s important that you stay focused during detoxification and see it through. Your journey to recovery starts with detox. The success of your detoxification will affect the results of your general recovery. Your body has to regain balance if it will function normally again. To achieve this, the remnants of Bath Salts have to leave your system to make way for your brain to resume the production of dopamine and other neurochemicals, at healthy levels.

While going through detox is of the utmost importance, this phase can be quite challenging. However, you still have to go through it, which is why medical supervision is also necessary.

Detox typically involves three sub-stages:

Transition to rehab

When you’re stabilised, doctors will prepare you for the rest of your treatment. You’ll be educated on the need for rehabilitation and informed of the risks of not going through it.

Medically supervised Bath Salts withdrawal detox

Medically supervised detox and withdrawal for Bath Salts is the best first step to recovery. This process involves stabilising and preparing you for the next phase of your treatment.

Withdrawal symptoms (which can be quite unpleasant) will be managed and alleviated with the help of pharmaceutical drugs to enable you to undergo this the phase as safely and comfortably as possible.

Detox will always follow an individualised plan, devised by your healthcare provider to tackle your symptoms and how you personally experience them. You may be tapered off Bath Salts to help soften your withdrawal episodes, depending on the level of your addiction.

Psychotherapy may also be provided alongside your detox medications if you have any co-occurring disorders ailing you. Furthermore, your doctor will devise an integrated detox programme to help wean you off multiple substances if you have abused other drugs alongside Bath Salts.

Whatever your situation, rest assured you’ll receive a detox treatment plan that will help your body expel all drug-related toxins and return to its functional state.

Medications used during Bath Salts withdrawal and detox

The following medications may be administered during detox:

• Antidepressants (like Benzodiazepines) for anxiety and depression
• Antipsychotics for hallucinations or psychosis-type symptoms

Due to the risks that come with pharmaceutical intervention (including cardiac), it is vital that you’re monitored round-the-clock by medical experts.

This is one of the reasons residential detox for Bath Salts is often preferred to outpatient detox.

If you want to quit using Bath Salts, ensure you weigh up your options by consulting a doctor before taking any further steps. Your healthcare provider will conduct a medical examination to confirm if you can go through detox at home, and make sure that you aren’t at risk of withdrawal complications.

The best route through detox is a medically supervised process in an inpatient facility. However, if you’d rather undergo this phase at home because of responsibilities and time restraints, make sure you do so under remote medical supervision.

Support from family and friends can also help you negotiate this phase successfully. You should also ensure that you keep up with appointments and follow your doctor’s directions.

If your addiction is severe, your doctor will strongly recommend that you undergo a residential detox. Please endeavour to put time aside to comply if this is the case.

Withdrawing from Bath Salts: Treatment methods and options

Treatment for Bath Salts withdrawal can be carried out through an inpatient detox clinic or on an outpatient basis.

Inpatient treatment involves being treated for your withdrawal symptoms as a residential patient. This is considered the best method of detox, because you will receive round-the-clock supervision and any complications will be identified and resolved as they occur (should they materialise at all).

On the other hand, outpatient treatment involves being treated for your withdrawal as a visiting patient. This method is ideal if you have responsibilities that won’t allow you to reside in the clinic. You’ll be given approval to withdraw from home if your addiction isn’t severe and you’re deemed free of potential withdrawal complications.

Guided Bath Salts therapy

Therapies for helping you through recovery from Bath Salts involve various forms of behavioural therapy, aimed at getting to the root of the psychological causes of your addiction. Therapy will also teach you the necessary skills for living and coping without Bath Salts.

You’ll be assisted in making lifestyle and behavioural changes that will help you lead and maintain a drug-free life. These therapies will also help resolve issues concerning any co-morbid mental conditions present.

Live a drug-free life again

Addiction to Bath Salts should not define who you are. Withdrawal symptoms (no matter how arduous) shouldn’t confine you to a life of addiction and agony. You can break the barrier of withdrawal, defeat your addiction and live a healthy, drug-free life again.

With treatment options provided by competent detox clinics, you can beat withdrawal and make it through to the other stages of treatment. The first step towards recovery is making a firm and resolute decision to kick your addiction habit and call for help.

While medical detox and withdrawal are the first stages in your general treatment plan, you’ll be over the worst once you successfully get through these stages.

Please ensure you get in touch with a professional to kick start your recovery journey.

Preventing relapse

Tips for handling cravings

Here are some tips that can help you handle cravings whenever they occur:

Find a treatment centre

Finding a treatment centre can be complex, as choosing the right clinic that resonates with your personality and provides for all your needs requires carrying out a lot of research. To make the right choice, make sure you understand what to look for. If you can’t do this all on your own, consult an expert counsellor today.

FAQs

Sources

• https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts
• https://mha.ohio.gov/portals/0/assets/initiatives/public-private/updatedpresentationaddictionconference.pdf
• https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/synthetic-cathinones
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts_(drug)
• https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/bath-salts