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Flakka Side Effects

Man asking another man about Flakka side effects The Bluffs Addiction Campuses
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Flakka is the street name for alpha-pvp, a synthetic drug that is chemically similar to bath salts or amphetamines. Flakka, which is also called “$5 Insanity,” gives the user an extreme high. The drug is typically marketed to younger people in the party or nightclub scene. As with most other illicit drugs, flakka use can lead to various mental and physical health issues. If you or a loved one is struggling with flakka addiction, early intervention and addiction treatment is the best course of action.

The Bluffs in Sherrodsville offers a wide variety of programs and services for the treatment of substance abuse disorder. Our compassionate and experienced staff use evidence-based therapies that ensure genuine recovery and lifelong abstinence. If you are ready to start your journey toward a healthier future, contact us at 850.374.5331 today.

How Does Flakka Work?

Flakka is a synthetic cathinone and is usually sold as coarse white or pink crystals. People can ingest, snort, smoke or inject this drug. Once flakka is in the body, it prevents the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, resulting in an intense feeling of euphoria.

The use of flakka results in a condition called excited delirium. This condition is accompanied by paranoia, hyperstimulation, aggressive behavior, and hallucinations. There is a link between Flakka use and cases of self-harm and, in the worst cases, suicide. Apart from these, flakka can also raise a person’s body temperature to dangerous levels and can lead to heart attack, kidney damage, and even death. When someone is under the influence of flakka, they may display the following symptoms:

  • Dilated pupils, flushing, sweating
  • Being lethargic, apathetic, or immobile
  • Tremors, shaking or twitching
  • Seizure-like movements
  • Being extremely talkative and sociable
  • Being paranoid, delirious, or grandiose
  • Out-of-character psychotic behavior

What Are the Side Effects of Flakka?

Flakka has been likened to methamphetamines or cocaine but at a much lower price point. This makes it more popular with younger people. However, like most designer party drugs, long-term chronic use of flakka can result in serious, and sometimes permanent, side effects. A few of these side effects are:

  • Agitation, violent or aggressive behavior, increased risk of self-harm
  • Raised blood pressure and heart rate
  • Panic, psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia, or delirium
  • Hyperthermia, dehydration, and kidney failure
  • Seizures
  • Overdose
  • Death

Flakka is believed to be up to ten times more potent than cocaine, and an overdose can happen when someone takes even just a little more than 0.1 grams of the drug. Additionally, flakka remains in someone’s system for longer than cocaine, which increases possible brain damage. It is possible that someone who survived an overdose of flakka may wind up with lifelong kidney failure.

Weaning off of drugs is the best way to have a long and healthy life. However, this may not be so easy since flakka can alter the way someone’s mind works, causing withdrawal symptoms once they attempt to detox from the drug. A few of the more common symptoms of flakka are:

  • Altered moods, agitation, and anxiety
  • Depression with suicidal ideation
  • Irregular or increased heart rate
  • Tremors and seizures

Because of these withdrawal symptoms, detox from flakka needs to occur under the supervision of experienced medical professionals. Respected rehab facilities, like The Bluffs, can provide patients with the proper guidance and support to ensure safe and successful detox.

Get Substance Abuse Treatment at The Bluffs

While detoxing from substances may seem like a daunting and dangerous task, help is available from The Bluffs. Our welcoming facility in Sherrodsville provides a safe environment for patients to detox and recover. Our team works with each patient to create individualized treatment programs using evidence-based therapies that result in long-lasting sobriety. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, contact us at 850.374.5331 to learn more about how we can help.

The Bluffs is a private alcohol, substance abuse and mental health treatment facility located in central Ohio.

The central Ohio location means we are also just a short drive (or even shorter flight) from Pittsburgh and other parts of Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan.

We offer alcohol and drug detox services, dual-diagnosis addiction treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and more.

Our goal is always to minimize the out-of-pocket costs for patients coming to The Bluffs. We work with many major health insurance plans and providers such as America’s Choice Provider Network, Anthem, Beacon Health Options, BlueCross BlueShield, First Health Network, Humana, Magellan Health, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Mercy Health, OhioHealth, Prime Healthcare, UPMC Health Plan, and the Ohio Department of Veteran Services

Contact The Bluffs Now

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