bath Salts – Is This A New Type Of Addiction?

Bath salts are popular as a category of alternative designer drugs. The full name is salts of lavender essential oil, although bath salt is also known as dead sea salt. The brand name derived from the various cases in which the substances were disguised as bath salt.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse conducts studies every year showing the number of people using bath salt to get high. This was a surprising turn of events considering that bath salt is used as a form of relaxation. The study did not specifically state whether it was the bath salt that prompted users to use it for drugs or it was the associated message associated with the bath salt. It is, however, indicative that this is a growing drug abuse problem and there has been an increase in searches for information on how to buy bath salt online.

New bath salts hitting the retail market include a new type of cathinone called HPV-15. This new type of cathinone is a derivative of the synthetic cathinone known as Methylxanthines. While HPV-15 does exhibit all the positive physical and mental side effects of traditional cathinones, it displays the darker side of addiction as well. Users of bath salts will most likely experience all the positive effects associated with traditional cathinones, including the uplifting sensations, but will also develop depersonalization or a lack of human feeling.

Other positive bath salts users will experience will include increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, increased blood sugar levels, and enhanced sexual experiences. These positive effects are typically experienced within the first three minutes of inhalation. The bath salts user will not be aware of their chemical surroundings as the effects begin to take effect because it is so much more subtle than other substances. The body initially does not feel the effects of the synthetic cathinones and users can go through their day unaware that they have just taken a bath salts but with all the health problems that come along with this.

With bath salts being so much more accessible and affordable than ever before, it is easy to see why this form of addiction has flourished in recent years. It is a cheaper alternative for many people to obtain and they can purchase multiple doses at once which allows for more frequent trips to the bathroom. Because the bath salts user does not have to worry about the dangers of long term health care use, the risk of developing addiction increases greatly. It is believed that over twenty five percent of people who try synthetic stimulant drugs for the first time will develop a dependency over time and will turn to bath salt addicts for a steady supply of the drug.

Psychosis, depression, mania, and agitation are common occurrences when someone starts using bath salts on a regular basis. These symptoms are often linked back to the use of bath salts and it is believed that the high amounts of dopamine in the user’s system lead to these symptoms. The user may start out with minor irritations such as itching, dry mouth, and muscle spasms but eventually the user will experience hallucinations and delusions which can include things such as delusions of driving a car, see dead people, and even are hearing voices in their heads. Psychotic episodes can also occur as a result of long term bath salt use and users should seek medical assistance immediately.

This new type of addiction has all the hallmarks of a chemical dependency but is different because it is a mental health issue. While bath salt addiction has all of the physical symptoms of an addiction, users have turned to it as a way to numb themselves emotionally. By injecting large amounts of the new chemical into their bodies, users can feel almost euphoric which leads them to use even more when the effects of the bath salt wear off. This new type of addiction is quickly moving from the streets to the internet where bath salts are being offered for purchase and some dealers even offer custom design options.

When bath salts are taken in small quantities, there is no evidence of harm as the body adjusts to the new chemical. In fact, the only real danger is not from the chemical itself but from the abuse of the cathinone ingredient. Because the cathinone drug can cause a strong calming effect, it can be extremely tempting for users to take more than the recommended dosage. When this happens, serious issues can arise such as depression and psychosis as the brain tries to fight off the strong effects of the bath salts.