As such, the continued presence of flakka in the market may continue to wreak havoc on the physical and psychological health of users. People who find themselves addicted to the stimulant should seek professional treatment as soon as possible. Law enforcement and community activists were instrumental in limiting the damage done by the drug’s dangerous effects. Most reports of flakka after 2016 turned out to be other similar chemicals in the bath salt family. 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. These patients are a threat to themselves, the people around them, and the first responders (police, EMS) who are there to help them.
Why It’s Called Flakka Zombie Drug?
The drug takes on the form of a pink or white, nasty-smelling crystal that can be snorted, eaten, injected or even vaporized in an e-cigarette. When vaporized, overdosing on the drug may happen as the drug quickly enters into the bloodstream. Flakka is dose-specific that even a minute amount will give the user his desired effect. Similar in form to broken glass, Flakka is a crystal-like substance, usually white or pink in color. Its street name, gravel, accurately describes its appearance in both texture and size. Part of the problem of controlling Flakka’s street appearance is that until recently, its chemical components were not illegal in China.
What are the side effects of Flakka?
Moreover, the vasoconstrictive properties of Flakka can result in reduced blood flow to the skin, potentially leading to skin discoloration or tissue damage. Flakka is a very powerful psychoactive stimulant that is similar to MDPV and pyrovalerone. It is abused mostly for its euphoric effect, alertness, excitement, improved productivity, strength and endurance. This compound has been available online as recreational designer drug. 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.
What is Flakka Drug? Flakka Drug Effects Pictures. Flakka Zombie Drug. Flakka Drugs Addiction.
There, what does flakka smell like the khat plant is widely chewed, and its natural effects create a mild euphoria. The synthetic version produces something akin to amphetamines, which amplifies the natural effects into a psychotic rage. Agitated patients can go into a state called “excited delirium,” which is a medical emergency. In the excited delirium state, restrained patients struggle to free themselves, scream, flail, and can even have seizures.
The DEA classifies the flakka drug as a Schedule I substance, making it illegal in the United States. Schedule I drugs are considered to have no acceptable medical purpose and a high potential for abuse and addiction. 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. Begin with a free call to an addiction & behavioral health treatment advisor. The We Level Up Treatment Center Network delivers recovery programs that vary by each treatment facility.
What are the symptoms of flakka abuse?
- Calling the drug “bath salts” is an intentionally misleading attempt to draw attention away from their illegal status so that they won’t get confiscated by authorities.
- In connection, long term effects of this drug are yet to be published.
- 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.
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- The texture can range from fine powder to larger crystals, similar to rock candy.
Do not engage or try to control the individual because he or she may become extremely violent. This stimulant can also cause psychological problems in those with no history of a mental health disorder. A study published in the journal Case Reports in Psychiatry (2016) indicated that a teenage girl with no past psychiatric disorders experienced psychotic episodes after using flakka. Alpha-PVP induces a rush of dopamine in the brain, resulting in an intense high comparable to cocaine and methamphetamine. Flakka use elevates energy, alertness, and mood, but it can also lead to agitated delirium and, in extreme cases, psychiatric hospitalization. Flakka is a dangerous drug that has many bad side effects, mostly including changes in behavior or mood.
- Contact healthcare professionals, addiction helplines, or substance abuse treatment centers for your needed support.
- The appearance of flakka is crystalline like bath salts and crystal meth, it is delivered in small, clear, or pink pebble crystals; a reason it is referred to as gravel.
- 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.
- These drugs are all related to a broader group of chemical compounds known as synthetic cathinones, chemically similar to a substance found in the khat plant, which is known for its amphetamine-like stimulant effects.
The repeated use of flakka use can produce cravings and result in compulsive drug-seeking behavior in users despite the incurrence of health, social, financial, and legal consequences. The term “Flakka drug zombie” gained attention and popularity in the media due to sensationalized reports and anecdotes depicting individuals under the influence of Flakka exhibiting bizarre and zombie-like behaviors. Like other abused stimulants, the flakka “high” comes with the flakka “low,” when the drug is eliminated and the user feels drained and depressed. This starts them on the path to addiction with all of its consequences. Brain chemistry alterations encourage users to take larger and larger doses to get the same high. The practice of jump-starting a cycle of Flakka used to counter negative come downs will eventually lead to tolerance to the drug.
Flakka has sometimes been referred to as the “zombie drug.” People who are high on alpha-PVP may suffer from an altered mental state that is hallmarked by psychosis. The synthetic substance can also produce extraordinary physical strength. In some instances, several police officers have been required to restrain someone high on flakka. While the use of alpha-PVP in Florida has mostly disappeared, the dangerous drug continues to devastate the lives of people in other areas of the U.S. A recent study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that nearly 1% of high school seniors reported using flakka.
Schedule I drugs are defined as substances with a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. This classification means that it is illegal to manufacture, distribute, or possess flakka. There is a lack of scientific research on the long term effects of Flakka. However, as psycho stimulant, this drug can cause paranoia, hyper stimulation and hallucinations. There are news stories indicating the irrational behavior of people high on Flakka. In combinations with other drugs, A-PVP has been linked to overdoses and suicides.
Abusing Flakka can have a range of adverse effects on users, both physically and cognitively. Be Honest–Lies and addiction often go together, because most have to lie about getting drugs, using it, and hiding its physical and health consequences. By the time addiction has fully developed, lying has fully become part of life.
This can lead to extremes in behavior that are straight out of a horror movie. In one of the most well-publicized instances, a man gnawed the face off of a live victim. Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible. We never ask for personal or private information like names, email addresses, or credit card numbers.
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Look for strange crystals and notable changes in behavior as the tell-tale signs of its use. As with any drug, education on its dangers may provide a disincentive for its use. While some popular drugs like MDMA (known as “molly” or “ecstasy” on the street) induce a warm, friendly feeling, Flakka is the polar opposite.
Flakka is classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, which indicates a drug with a high potential for abuse and no real functions as medical treatments. The chemical components were banned as far back as 2011, but it has taken until now for Flakka to become a street drug. Investigators at The Scripps Research Institute found that the potency and addictiveness of alpha-PVP are similar to those of its chemical cousin, bath salts.
In some cases, individuals may appear to be dancing or engaging in repetitive, jerky movements. Flakka acts primarily as a potent reuptake inhibitor of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, leading to increased neurotransmitters in the brain. This stimulation of the central nervous system can result in intense euphoria, heightened alertness, hyperactivity, hallucinations, and harmful mental and physical health effects. Some say the name could be a variation of the Spanish slang word “la flaca” which means “skinny girl”. Some say the term is random and quite fittingly describes what a person high on this drug feels. A popular street name for A-PVP is “gravel” as the pink and white crystals look like those placed in fish aquariums.
