However, the results are becoming apparent as more people seek medical advice after suffering health effects. Sold as a street drug in white or pink crystal form, users get high by swallowing, snorting, injecting, smoking, or vaping it. Some dealers add topical numbing agents like lidocaine, causing users to feel an instant numbing effect in the tissue it comes in contact with, like the gums, nose, or veins. Young people are especially vulnerable to synthetic drugs because they are cheap and widely available at gas stations and convenience stores, giving the false impression they are safer than other illicit drugs.
Cathinone has stimulant effects similar to Amphetamines, Ephedrine, Methcathinone, and Cathine. Alpha – Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) is the active chemical ingredient in Flakka. It causes excessive synaptic activation and a condition known as agitated delirium.
- However, if the users fall into patterns of drug abuse, the long-term effects on your brain chemistry and your body can prove catastrophic.
- His research has earned recognition from institutions such as the African American A-HeFT, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and studies focused on pediatric leukemia outcomes.
- You can learn vital information from these sessions about your substance use problem and long-term healing strategies.
Relationship OCD Symptoms, Causes, Coping and Therapy Treatments
- Such conditions can severely impair a person’s life and require ongoing medical care and treatment.
- Our mission is to transform lives damaged by addiction through individualized treatment tailored to your success for lasting recovery.
- The combination of these effects, coupled with the extreme behavioral changes that often accompany flakka use, makes overdose particularly challenging to treat in emergency settings.
- If you or someone you know is struggling with flakka addiction, it’s important to seek professional help.
- Flakka use can cause a range of short- and long-term effects, both mental and physical.
- Some complications of flakka drug abuse can happen while the drug user is acutely agitated if they were to harm themselves or others; however, medically, the severe consequences of the agitation caused by the drug appear later.
Recreational workouts may also be a helpful diversion from detox symptoms. Medical detox is an essential first step in developing a comprehensive and personalized recovery plan from Flakka addiction. Acknowledging your addiction’s warning signs and acknowledging you need treatment are crucial. To determine the best course of action, this often involves having a trained addiction specialist assess you for substance use disorder. Even if you have failed previously and relapsed, or are in the middle of a difficult crisis, we stand ready to support you.
The key difference lies in its chemical structure — alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) creates more intense effects on neurons than older bath salt compounds like MDPV or mephedrone. Users often experience more severe side effects, including dangerous spikes in body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Healthcare providers report that flakka tends to cause more intense psychotic episodes and violent behavior compared to traditional bath salts. They induce extreme mental alterations in humans and cause uncontrollable violent behaviors. Flakka is popularly known as a zombie drug due to the extremely violent zombie-like behavior (tendency to eat people) observed in people after its addiction and overdose. Harmful components present in Flakka can cause unpredictable effects on humans.
The Four Horsemen of Excited Delirium:
Flakka is a man-made drug that is created from a synthetic version of a stimulant in the cathinone class known as alpha- Pyrrolidinopentiophenone. Cathinone is a chemical substance that is naturally found in khat plants, where the leaves of the plant are chewed on to produce a mildly stimulating effect. As you detox from Flakka, maintain your healthy diet and exercise practices. Your body and mind need this healthy lifestyle to overcome detox challenges. To help with your treatment and recovery, our rehab amenities provide a range of activities, rejuvenating meals, and peaceful surroundings.
Underground chemists make Flakka with a process that binds the active ingredient α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone, a-PVP for short, to hydrochloride salt in crystal form. Synthetic drug makers frequently substitute active ingredients and additives to avoid detection from law enforcement, so each batch of Flakka is different. Many people in the United States first became familiar with the Flakka drug when a Florida man who took it suffered a psychotic break, attacked another man, and ate parts of his face.
Flakka typically appears as white or pink crystalline rocks similar to aquarium gravel. This synthetic cathinone can be crushed into powder using various methods. The appearance can vary between batches since illegal labs produce it with different chemical compositions. Law enforcement reports that dealers often package flakka in small plastic bags or foil packets, sometimes marketing it under different street names to avoid detection. The drug causes extreme hyperthermia, with body temperatures soaring past 104 degrees.4 This intense fever can trigger multiple organ failure, causing permanent damage or death. The cardiovascular system faces particular strain, with many experiencing life-threatening heart problems and severe hypertension.
Is Flakka illegal?
Even in very low doses, it will induce a state of euphoria (prolonged state of excitement). People will start consuming more and more amounts to prolong this state of euphoria and end up in addiction and toxicity. Withdrawal symptoms like tremors, anxiety, sleeping issues, and depression are seen with synthetic cathinones.
While they may come from the same family, the scale of destruction is vastly different. The intense paranoia and agitation often lead to violent outbursts and self-destructive behavior.5 This commonly results in severe injuries, confrontations with law enforcement, or accidents caused by impaired judgment. Many experiencing a flakka high have been documented displaying extremely dangerous behavior, such as running into traffic or attempting to break through glass windows. Flakka and bath salts are related substances, but they are different. Flakka, also known as Alpha-PVP, is a specific synthetic cathinone, which is a type of amphetamine. On the other hand, “bath salts” is a broad term that refers to a group of synthetic drugs that often contain cathinones.
From a mental perspective, they can expect severe paranoia, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and more as a result of prolonged use. Prolonged flakka use impedes our ability to process specific transporter proteins in the brain, flooding your head with increased levels of dopamine and serotonin — the two main substances tied to our internal reward center. The term zombie drug emerged after numerous documented cases of excited delirium and extreme behavior among users. The Drug Enforcement Administration noted instances where people exhibited violent aggression, hyperthermia, and psychosis – often running naked through streets or displaying seemingly superhuman strength. These effects, combined with the drug’s impact on the central nervous system, can cause users to appear disconnected from reality and unresponsive to pain or commands from law enforcement.
Street Names for Flakka
Following detoxification, treatment typically involves intensive therapy addressing both addiction and any co-occurring mental health conditions at the same time. Modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy have shown effectiveness in treating stimulant use disorders, helping people understand their triggers, and developing healthier coping mechanisms. Group therapy provides crucial peer support and shared experiences in recovery.
As the high begins to wear off, the steep drop in these “feel-good” chemicals can cause extreme agitation, anxiety, and depression as well as intense cravings for more of the drug. A combination of drug detoxification and behavioral therapy can be used to manage Flakka’s addiction. Our modern detox facility and round-the-clock nursing care ensure a safe and comfortable environment for rest and recovery. During detox, you can participate in on-site We Level Up Texas facility programs, such as lectures, workshops, and group therapy.
From medically assisted interventions to harm reduction policies, a multi-layered approach can help individuals and communities manage and prevent this dangerous drug. Norepinephrine buildup triggers “fight-or-flight” responses, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and hyper-alertness. Many flakka users become agitated or panicked, sometimes exhibiting violent outbursts.
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. Flakka is a dangerous drug that can have serious and long-lasting effects on the user’s how does flakka affect your brain brain.
His research has earned recognition from institutions such as the African American A-HeFT, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and studies focused on pediatric leukemia outcomes. Board-eligible in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, Dr. Scott has over a decade of experience in behavioral health. He leads medical teams with a focus on excellence in care and has authored several publications on addiction and mental health.
