“G”. Fantasy, grievous bodily harm or GBH, liquid ecstasy, liquid E, liquid X, salty water, Georgia Home Boy, soap, scoop, cherry meth and blue nitro.
GHB
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) is a depressant drug.
AKA (common names)
Low - moderate doses
- feelings of euphoria
- increased libido
- lowered inhibitions
High doses
- A high dose of GHB can cause an individual to overdose. This means that the individual has taken more GHB than their body can cope with.
The effects can include:
- vomiting
- sweating
- seizures
- irregular or shallow breathing
- confusion
- irritation and agitation
- hallucinations
- blackouts and memory lapses
- unconsciousness that can last 3-4 hours
- loss of coordination
- respiratory arrest
- death
Signs of overdose
The risk of overdose increases when GHB is combined with other drugs or alcohol. Combining GHB with alcohol can lead to nausea, vomiting and unconsciousness, even at low dose levels.
Signs of overdose include:
- Person appears to be asleep but cannot be woken.
- Person is incoherent, sweating profusely, vomiting and has irregular or shallow breathing.
- Person is not able to stand, has involuntary muscle contractions or both.
GHB that is not manufactured correctly may result in an extremely toxic mixture of GHB and sodium hydroxide.
Route of administration & onset
- GHB is generally swallowed or snorted although some individuals inject it.
- The effects of any drug also depend on the amount taken. This can be very hard to judge as the quality and strength of drugs can vary greatly from one batch to another. This is a particular concern with GHB, as there can be a very small difference between the dose required for a “high” and an overdose.
- The immediate effects of GHB may start to be felt within 15-20 minutes and last for approximately 3-4 hours.
Duration of effect & 'come down' (half-life)
The drug is rapidly absorbed orally, with an onset of action within 15 minutes. Roughly 95 percent of GHB is metabolized in the liver, and it’s half-life ranges from 30 to 60 minutes. Only five percent of the parent drug is excreted via the kidneys. Detection of GHB in the urine may be difficult after 24 hours due to it’s short half-life
Mechanism of action (on the brain)
- GHB is a naturally occurring metabolite of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA; their structures are very similar.
- GHB is a weak agonist at GABAβ receptors (inhibitory), and stimulates the 5-hydroxytryptophan systems and dopamine release; higher concentrations inhibit dopamine release.
- There are ‘GHB receptors’ in the CNS, activation of which increases levels of glutamate (excitatory) in the brain; thus GHB can have both CNS depressant and stimulatory effects.
- It has weak analgesic actions, but enhances the actions of narcotic analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents. (Bryant et al, 2011)
Tolerance (dependence) & withdrawal
- People who use GHB on a regular basis may become dependent on it.
- They may also develop a tolerance to GHB, which means they will need to use larger amounts to get the same effect.
- Dependence on GHB can be physical, psychological, or both. People who are dependent crave GHB and find it very difficult to stop using it.
- People who are psychologically dependent on GHB may feel an urge to use it when they are in specific situations.
- Physical dependence occurs when a person’s body adapts to GHB and gets used to functioning with GHB present.
- If a dependent individual ceases GHB use, they may experience withdrawal symptoms because their body has to get used to functioning without the drug present. Withdrawal symptoms usually start approximately 12 hours following the last dose and can continue for about 15 days.
Some of the withdrawal symptoms experienced may include:
- confusion
- agitation
- anxiety
- panic and feelings of doom
- paranoia
- insomnia
- muscle cramps
-
tremor
- confusion
- hallucinations
- tachycardia
Sudden withdrawal from high doses may also result in bowel and bladder incontinence and blackouts, and may require medical assistance.
Short-term harms & risks
- memory lapses
- drowsiness
- sleep
- dizziness
- headache
- tremor
- decreased body temperature
- decreased blood pressure
- decreased heart rate
- nausea
- diarrhoea
- urinary incontinence
Long-term harms & risks
Little is known about the long-term effects of GHB use but it is possible to become both physically and psychologically dependent on it.
Further Resources
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