What are Bath Salts? Understanding the Risks

“Bath salts” is a slang term for a group of substances known as synthetic cathinones. They are man-made and derived from the khat plant in East Africa and Southern Arabia.[1] Unfortunately, when the khat plant is synthesized into bath salts, the effects become incredibly potent and unpredictable, causing a wide range of adverse effects.

If you’ve heard of bath salts, it’s probably due to the case in Florida where a man high on the substance attempted to eat someone’s face.[2] This notorious case sheds light on the dangers of abusing these drugs. Bath salts can lead to aggression, delusional thinking, and substance-induced psychosis, putting you and others around you in danger.

There are other dangers associated with abusing bath salts, including physical health concerns like liver failure, kidney damage, and heart problems. It is also possible to experience a life-threatening overdose when you consume a high dose of bath salts.

In this article, you will learn:

• What are bath salts and what effects do they cause
• What are the signs of bath salt addiction
• What are the risks of long-term bath salt abuse

What are Bath Salts?

Bath salts are considered to be central nervous system stimulants. They are synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of other stimulants like methamphetamine. While the United States has taken action to criminalize the sale and use of bath salts, some stores have them for sale with the words “not for human consumption” printed on the packaging.[3]

The side effects of bath salts may include:

• Increased talkativeness
• A rush of euphoria or pleasure
• Heightened energy and focus
• Excited delirium
• Hallucinations
• Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia
• Blurry or double-vision
• Increased heart rate and high blood pressure
• Sweating and chills
• Anger or aggressive behavior

According to the CDC, 35 people attended the emergency room due to bath salts ingestion in Michigan during the year 2011. Among those people, the main symptoms experienced were agitation, tachycardia, and delusions or hallucinations.[4]

Signs of Bath Salts Addiction

If you or a loved one abuses bath salts, you might be wondering how to tell if you are addicted. Sometimes addiction can be difficult to spot in yourself, making it important to be aware of the signs.

The main signs of bath salt addiction include:

• Sudden weight loss or malnutrition
• Sores near the mouth from smoking bath salts
• Frequent nosebleeds from snorting the drug
• Track marks from injecting the substance
• Frequent and unexplained energy
• Excessive sweating
• Poor hygiene
• Slurred or disorganized speech
• Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Social isolation and changes in friend groups
• Mood swings that include excessive happiness or hostility
• Experiencing uncontrollable urges or cravings to abuse bath salts
• Needing to increase your dose of bath salts to experience a high
• Dealing with withdrawal symptoms when you stop using bath salts

If you are addicted to bath salts, you should seek help from a professional drug rehab program. Doing so will prevent you from experiencing the long-term physical and mental health risks of abusing the drug.

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What are the Dangers of Using Bath Salts?

Bath salts contain substances like mephedrone and MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone). When you abuse bath salts, the mephedrone causes a dopamine response similar to methamphetamine, while the MDPV mimics cocaine. As a result, your brain is flooded with high concentrations of dopamine, making bath salts highly addictive despite the scary and dangerous effects the drug causes.

Abusing bath salts can lead to a wide variety of risks, including:

Mental Health Risks

Research shows that bath salts cause intense and worrisome mental health effects. A study outlined many of the odd and terrifying cases that were linked to bath salt abuse, including:[5]

• A man who injured himself trying to remove “wires” from his body
• A mother who left her “demon-ridden” 2 year old in the middle of a highway
• A 21-year-old who shot himself after 3 days of acute paranoia and psychosis

All of these cases have one thing in common: bath salts. Each person who consumed bath salts experienced substance-induced psychosis that caused them to behave in violent, self-harming, or strange behavior that would not have occurred without the substance abuse.

Physical Health Concerns

Bath salts can also cause damage to your physical health, including various organs. This occurs after repeated and long-term use of the drug.

Some of the long-term effects include:

• Bone pain
• Weight loss and malnutrition
• Loss of coordination and dizziness
• Ulcers and infections
• Liver damage
• Kidney failure
• Heart complications

Overdose

Lastly, abusing bath salts can lead to a life-threatening overdose. Because bath salt highs often lead to delirium, you might continue to take more and more of the substance without realizing what you are doing. Unfortunately, this could quickly become fatal.

The symptoms of a bath salt overdose include:[6]

• Rapid heartbeat
• Hypertension
• Hyperthermia
• Dilated pupils
• Breakdown of muscle fibers and leaking into the bloodstream
• Teeth grinding
• Excessive sweating
• Headaches
• Palpitations
• Seizures
• Death

If you believe someone is overdosing on bath salts, contact 911 immediately. After they are treated for their overdose symptoms, it is best to get them into a drug addiction treatment program to help them achieve long-term sobriety.

Find Help for Bath Salts Abuse and Addiction

If you or a loved one suffers from bath salt addiction, it’s time to seek help. The Mandala Healing Center offers a combination of medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and relapse prevention planning. In other words, you will get the tools and support you need to achieve long-term recovery.

Contact us today for more information on our South Florida addiction treatment center.

References:

1. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Synthetic Cathinones
2. NPR: ‘Bath Salts’ Drug Suspected In Miami Face-Eating Attack
3. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): Bath Salts
4. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Emergency Department Visits After Use of a Drug Sold as “Bath Salts” — Michigan, November 13, 2010–March 31, 2011
5. JAMA Network: A Trip on “Bath Salts” Is Cheaper Than Meth or Cocaine But Much More Dangerous
6. Science Direct: Bath Salts Ingestion: Diagnosis and Treatment of Substance-Induced Disorders