It “takes the form of a white or pink, foul-smelling crystal,” the National Institute on Drug Abuse says in its advisory about the drug. It’s dubbed the street version of bath salts, concocted in labs overseas and shipped into North America. The what is flakka drug wikipedia latest synthetic drug garnering attention is called flakka and it induces paranoia, psychosis and extreme aggression. As alpha-PVP is a stimulant, a state of hyper-stimulation, hallucinations and paranoia that could result in self-injury and violent aggression are possible. This drug has the combined effects of methamphetamine and cocaine without the price tag. In some of the documented delusions, individuals’ experiences are of a typical paranoia, where the drug users feel they are being chased by a large group of people trying to kill them.

Flakka Addiction & Abuse

The DEA defines the Schedule I status as drugs with no medical value and a high potential for abuse. Like cocaine and methamphetamine, Flakka stimulates the release of feel-good brain chemicals such as dopamine and norepinephrine, Hall said. The drug also prevents neurons, or brain cells, from reabsorbing these brain chemicals, meaning the effects of the drug may linger in the system longer than people anticipate. Flakka is a dangerous drug, and seeking help is crucial if you suspect someone is using it. If you or someone you know needs assistance, consider reaching out to a professional or a helpline. Tolerance to many of the effects of α-PVP develops with prolonged and repeated use.

Flakka Effects and “High”

Considered a new psychoactive substance (NPS), Flakka is part of a collection of black-market, lab-made drugs imported to the United States from China. It may be mixed with or sold as other illicit substances ranging from cocaine to ecstasy, LSD, methamphetamine, and more. If you or a loved one are struggling with Flakka addiction or any other substance use disorder, contact us at Avenues Recovery, where we will walk you through the different treatment options available. The first step in recovery is feeling hope that Flakka addiction is treatable and that sobriety is an attainable goal. Leaders in addiction rehabilitation, our sensitive and experienced addiction counselors will be at your side at all times until you are able to live a life free from addiction. We will partner with you, accept you, and encourage you on your road to recovery and living the life that you deserve.

• Dealers range from college kids needing some extra cash to street gangs who hire younger children to sell to their friends.
• Flakka is a dangerous drug, and seeking help is crucial if you suspect someone is using it.
• In some parts of the country, it is also called “gravel” because of its white crystal chunks that have been compared to aquarium gravel.
• This method of ingestion can make it particularly easy to overdose on flakka.
• The epicenter of the flakka epidemic was Broward County, Florida, which includes the city of Fort Lauderdale.

However, it generally involves a combination of detoxification, group and individual therapy, educational presentations, and aftercare planning in order to ensure long-term recovery. Upon arrival at The Detox Center of L.A., you can expect our professionally trained staff to create an individualized treatment plan based on your needs and treatment goals. “Baths salts” is a term used to refer to synthetic cathinones as a whole, some of which may cause far more intense hyperstimulation than others. Flakka is a powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system and causes effects similar to those of cocaine, including intense euphoria, increased energy, and alertness.

Flakka (Alpha-PVP) Overview, Effects, Abuse, Addiction, & Treatment

However, since Flakka mimics methamphetamine and cocaine, its long term effects may rival the two mentioned illicit drugs. Flakka simulates the combined effects of methamphetamine and cocaine. Because it is 10x more potent than cocaine, is cheap and accessible online, this drug has become very popular to college-age adults. The euphoria effected by this drug is quite intense and getting off takes longer than cocaine or meth. In recent news, Flakka was behind a man stabbing and allegedly attempting to eat a Florida couple. This could be a possibility as aside from causing violent behavior, the drug also boosts a user’s physical strength.

Flakka Addiction

• This condition occurs when there’s an excessive influx of sympathetic activation.
• Users have reported that the drug use of flakka can trigger intense and uncontrollable urges to ingest the drug again.
• It is common to hear reports that it takes multiple people to restrain and sedate these patients.
• Because Flakka is a synthetic, lab-made drug, its effects are unpredictable.
• Bath salts is a colloquial term used to refer to a variety of synthetic cathinones.
• It is distinct from other synthetic cathinones, including those found in bath salts.
• Recently, the abuse of synthetic drugs has re-emerged as a significant worldwide issue.

Α-PVP’s structure consists of a cathinone core with a propyl group substituted at the alpha carbon, and a pyrrolidine ring at the amino group. Despite the detrimental effects due to the use of flakka, the big question arises on why one would dare use this highly risky drug. One of the primary reasons is that it is inexpensive and stimulates a high feeling equated to cocaine. Cocaine snorting results in a high that lasts up to half an hour, while flakka high tends to last up to five hours. Flakka may also lead to hyperthermia, whereby the temperature of one’s body rises to 105 degrees.

Flakka (Zombie Drug) vs. Bath Salts

Yes, Flakka is highly addictive and it is crucial to receive professional help for a Flakka addiction. Synthetic cathinones, in general, are addictive, and the longer an individual uses Flakka, the higher their tolerance level becomes, leading to compulsive cravings. Flakka, the colloquial name for α-pyrrolidopentadione (a-PVP), is a synthetic cathinone drug. Sometimes referred to as “gravel” for its gravel-like appearance, it is commonly referred to as the Flakka drug. “I would say of all the drugs I’ve seen — cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, Oxycontin — this is the absolute worst,” ER doctor Dr. Nail El Sanadi told NBC earlier this month.

Therapy

We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness. We want to give recovering addicts the tools to return to the outside world completely substance-free and successful. While psychoactive substances like alcohol, opium, and cannabis have been around for thousands of years, many other drugs appearing on the streets in 2021 are far more recent and far less well understood. So what if you come across someone who is under the influence of Flakka? Their signs of intoxication will be consistent with a CNS Stimulant, and possibly a hallucinogen. You may see hyperactivity; dilated pupils (with the pupils having a minimal reaction to light); an elevated body temperature; elevated pulse; possible increased respiratory rate; paranoia; and hallucinations.

He was naked and shouting that he was hallucinating, according to the Broward Palm Beach New Times. Broward County told Health Day the drug has been tied to 10 deaths. There are as many as 20 “excited delirium” cases per day in local emergency rooms there. Some people deal with heart problems, muscle breakdown or even kidney failure. The NIH says its been linked to deaths by suicide and heart attack. Alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone is a synthetic cathinone that acts as a stimulant similar to amphetamine, the active ingredient in certain ADHD medications.