While substance use among teenagers and young adults is nothing new, a category of recreational drugs — club drugs — rose in popularity throughout the 1990s. These substances often produce a euphoric effect or cause hallucinations and are meant to make parties and other events more “fun.” However, the reality is that club drugs can pose a serious risk to your health and cause dependency issues. Learn more about the most common types of club drugs and the potential problems they can cause below.
What Are Club Drugs? Common Types and Effects
Club drugs, also known as party drugs, are illegal or controlled substances that are most commonly found at parties and in nightclubs and bars. Young adults have the highest usage rate for club drugs, with 20% of people using these substances at least once by the time they reach the age of 26.
Some of the most common club drugs and their effects include:
- GHB, which can cause relaxation and impair muscle coordination and thinking
- LSD, which can cause perceptions of reality to be more intense, leading to hallucinations
- Ketamine, which can cause euphoria, decreased pain sensitivity and hallucinations
- MDMA (Ecstasy), which can increase feelings of happiness, enhance energy and distort perceptions of reality
- Rohypnol, which is known as the date rape drug because it decreases reaction time and coordination, often leaving individuals semiconscious and with memory loss
The Risks of Club Drug Use: Physical and Mental Health
Club drugs are often cut with other substances, making it impossible to know for sure what’s in them or how someone will react to the drugs.
Other risks of recreational party drug use include:
- Dizziness and loss of muscle control that can lead to falling and injury
- Blurry vision
- Feeling extremely drowsy, which can put someone at risk of sexual assault or robbery
- Nausea and vomiting
In some cases, club drugs can cause serious physical health issues, such as changes in blood pressure or heart rate and seizures.
While club drugs often have an immediate euphoric effect, they negatively affect your mental health in the long term. Impaired judgment and reduced inhibitions can lead you to do things you wouldn’t normally do, which can cause guilt, shame and decreased self-confidence when you sober up. You may have difficulty sleeping for weeks or even months after taking club drugs, and the hallucinations may be ongoing. It’s also common to experience problems with memory and cognitive functions.
Recognizing the Signs of Club Drug Abuse
Recognizing that drug use has become a problem for someone you love or yourself is the first step toward getting help. Physical signs of club drug abuse include changes in pupil size, slurred speech and poor coordination.
Behavioral signs can also indicate someone may be struggling with substance use, including:
- More frequent mood swings
- Secretive behavior
- Spending more time in nightclubs or at private parties
- Lack of memory about events from the night before
- Financial problems due to spending money on drugs
- Problems maintaining relationships
- Issues with performance or attendance at work
If you recognize these signs in yourself or someone close to you, help is available. Calling the National Rehab Hotline can be a first step.
Treatment Options for Club Drug Addiction
While the point of substance abuse treatment is to help you get clean and move forward with your life, there are multiple ways to make this happen. The first step is generally to go through detox under medical supervision to ensure you’re as safe and comfortable as possible as your body acclimates to life without drugs.
The next step is generally an inpatient or outpatient substance abuse treatment program. With either option, you’ll spend time working with trained mental health care providers to identify the issues that led you to use recreational drugs. You’ll also work on developing better coping skills for long-term sobriety.
While counseling is a main tenet of these programs, different approaches are available, including cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. In some cases, your care team may also recommend medication-assisted treatment to help with withdrawal symptoms and ensure any co-occurring mental health conditions are treated.
There Is Help Available
If club drugs have taken a toll on your life and you want to stop using them but aren’t sure how, talking to a trained, compassionate professional can help. When you call the National Rehab Hotline, you can talk to someone about what you’re feeling and experiencing. They can help connect you with local support services and mental health professionals. It’s never too late to get better. Call today.