Sober after 7 years, Bath Salts destroyed my life
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 8
Sober after 7 years, Bath Salts destroyed my life
Hello, so I guess for about 3 weeks now I've been completely sober after 7 years. I started smoking cigarettes at 14, as I grew up I starting smoking weed, drinking, doing MDMA, Shrooms, Acid, Painkillers, though the last three I didn't do very often.
I smoked cigarettes and weed everyday until the end of 2010 when a horrible experience with Bath Salts messed my entire life up. After that I've had horrible anxiety and panic.
I tried going back to smoking cigarettes and weed but it just wasn't the same after my night on Bath Salts. Everything made me panic and have anxiety and those things just made it worse. I kept trying with the weed until about March of this year, haven't touched it since, and gave up cigarettes finally about 3 weeks ago.
So basically the batch of Bath Salts I did was confirmed to have both Mephedrone and MDPV in it, and basically the combination of the two in your brain act like Meth and Cocaine at the same time! The Mephedrone acts first and there is some sort of time delay in effect that eventually triggers the MDPV, and from the research after the MDPV get's activated it doesn't let go of your dopamine receptors, which causes them to flood the brain with dopamine until they die off.
So one night on this stuff was the same as being a long term Meth addict except instead of slowly killing my dopamine receptors over time, the Bath Salts did it in one night instantly making me very emotionally unstable and sending my brain into major unbalance.
Considering the damage it did in one night, and even though I tried here and there to get back to smoking cigarette's, alcohol and weed, I couldn't come anywhere close to the amount I used to use of these drugs because they would just make my panic and anxiety worse cause they would add to the damage already done by the Bath Salts.
So it was like basically having to stop cold turkey all my old drug habits ON TOP of the major damage these Bath Salts did to me. All the sudden the very habits I depended on for happiness and emotional security were ripped right out from under me with no choice in the matter. I literally couldn't turn to drugs anymore, even though I tried it just made it worse.
Leading to today, which is almost 2 years later, it will be in December. Now, like I said before I'm officially sober from everything since about 3 weeks ago when I had my last cigarette. I haven't touched weed since March, and as for the harder stuff such as MDMA and the psychedelics I haven't touched that stuff since before my night on Bath Salts. So it's been years for those.
So I'm here because I need support because the only thing I can really do is wait it out and let my brain get back to normal and considering the almost Non-existent amount of research available on the Mephedrone and MDPV that was in the Bath Salts I took, I have no idea how long it will take for me to completely get back to normal.
It has been almost 2 years and though I am a lot better, I still have a lot of anxiety and panic and emotional instability, though having only been free from the effects of weed for just a few months and cigarettes for 3 weeks now I would assume that would have interfered with the process. I have been going to therapy which has helped some, and I've been taking things like vitamins and fish oil to help the healing process.
Hopefully now that I'm completely sober my brain finally has a real opportunity to put the pieces back together. Anyway sorry for the long post! It took a lot to fully explain my situation. I'm not quite sure what to do with my situation so any support or advice from any of you would be greatly appreciated as I sure need it! Thank you in advance.
I smoked cigarettes and weed everyday until the end of 2010 when a horrible experience with Bath Salts messed my entire life up. After that I've had horrible anxiety and panic.
I tried going back to smoking cigarettes and weed but it just wasn't the same after my night on Bath Salts. Everything made me panic and have anxiety and those things just made it worse. I kept trying with the weed until about March of this year, haven't touched it since, and gave up cigarettes finally about 3 weeks ago.
So basically the batch of Bath Salts I did was confirmed to have both Mephedrone and MDPV in it, and basically the combination of the two in your brain act like Meth and Cocaine at the same time! The Mephedrone acts first and there is some sort of time delay in effect that eventually triggers the MDPV, and from the research after the MDPV get's activated it doesn't let go of your dopamine receptors, which causes them to flood the brain with dopamine until they die off.
So one night on this stuff was the same as being a long term Meth addict except instead of slowly killing my dopamine receptors over time, the Bath Salts did it in one night instantly making me very emotionally unstable and sending my brain into major unbalance.
Considering the damage it did in one night, and even though I tried here and there to get back to smoking cigarette's, alcohol and weed, I couldn't come anywhere close to the amount I used to use of these drugs because they would just make my panic and anxiety worse cause they would add to the damage already done by the Bath Salts.
So it was like basically having to stop cold turkey all my old drug habits ON TOP of the major damage these Bath Salts did to me. All the sudden the very habits I depended on for happiness and emotional security were ripped right out from under me with no choice in the matter. I literally couldn't turn to drugs anymore, even though I tried it just made it worse.
Leading to today, which is almost 2 years later, it will be in December. Now, like I said before I'm officially sober from everything since about 3 weeks ago when I had my last cigarette. I haven't touched weed since March, and as for the harder stuff such as MDMA and the psychedelics I haven't touched that stuff since before my night on Bath Salts. So it's been years for those.
So I'm here because I need support because the only thing I can really do is wait it out and let my brain get back to normal and considering the almost Non-existent amount of research available on the Mephedrone and MDPV that was in the Bath Salts I took, I have no idea how long it will take for me to completely get back to normal.
It has been almost 2 years and though I am a lot better, I still have a lot of anxiety and panic and emotional instability, though having only been free from the effects of weed for just a few months and cigarettes for 3 weeks now I would assume that would have interfered with the process. I have been going to therapy which has helped some, and I've been taking things like vitamins and fish oil to help the healing process.
Hopefully now that I'm completely sober my brain finally has a real opportunity to put the pieces back together. Anyway sorry for the long post! It took a lot to fully explain my situation. I'm not quite sure what to do with my situation so any support or advice from any of you would be greatly appreciated as I sure need it! Thank you in advance.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,044
Wow, that is scary. I hear about bath salts on the news, but never really knew what they were, or the extent of the damage they can do. Are you working with a doctor to help you with the anxiety?
Thinking about you
Thinking about you
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
Hi and welcome Deep Truth
I've heard many stories about BathSalts - all very similar to yours.
I can only hope you'll find more improvement as time goes on.
I think you've made a great decision to stay sober, and I know you'll find a lot of support here - I'm really glad you've found us
D
D
I've heard many stories about BathSalts - all very similar to yours.
I can only hope you'll find more improvement as time goes on.
I think you've made a great decision to stay sober, and I know you'll find a lot of support here - I'm really glad you've found us
D
D
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 8
Delilah: Yeah it isn't fun, I only did it once so I can't imagine the people who went on those multi-week binges on the stuff! I have not seen a doctor for my anxiety because I can't really afford it, and I know the doctor will only give me antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication which I don't want. While I know that those things help lots of people, I don't think introducing an antidepressant into my already unbalanced brain will help, and I use various calming herbs for my anxiety which help a lot without the side effects. 
Also considering that scientists hardly know the effects of Bath Salts and have no idea of the long term effects, I don't know if a doctor would be of much help. I'm pretty much on my own. 
Dee: I'm glad I am sober too, I only just discovered the research on the effects of what was in those Bath Salts I took, which is what led me to quit cigarettes because it's my dopamine that's all messed up and smoking cigarettes is only gonna add to that mess.
I thought before I just developed an anxiety disorder from the bath salts but now I know for sure that while I probably have developed some mental issues with anxiety that the major problem is the damage that was done to my brain, and the truth is that I CAN'T feel normal right now until my brain does it's thing with neural plasticity and compensates for the damage that was done. So healing can only come with time and any support in the mean time is much needed!
Also considering that scientists hardly know the effects of Bath Salts and have no idea of the long term effects, I don't know if a doctor would be of much help. I'm pretty much on my own. 
Dee: I'm glad I am sober too, I only just discovered the research on the effects of what was in those Bath Salts I took, which is what led me to quit cigarettes because it's my dopamine that's all messed up and smoking cigarettes is only gonna add to that mess.
I thought before I just developed an anxiety disorder from the bath salts but now I know for sure that while I probably have developed some mental issues with anxiety that the major problem is the damage that was done to my brain, and the truth is that I CAN'T feel normal right now until my brain does it's thing with neural plasticity and compensates for the damage that was done. So healing can only come with time and any support in the mean time is much needed!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 8
Yeah it is amazing, just takes time. I've never had a stroke but I imagine it isn't pleasant, I'm glad you got through it though. Oh also do you have any suggestions on how to get my post seen by more people and get more replies? As much advice and support I can get and vice versa would be great.
Oh also do you have any suggestions on how to get my post seen by more people and get more replies? As much advice and support I can get and vice versa would be great.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
Newcomers is our busiest forum - it's just a bit quiet everywhere right now...it's night in Europe and with the aftermath of Sandy on the east coast...
we also have a substance abuse forum tho that you may be interested in?
Substance Abuse - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
D
we also have a substance abuse forum tho that you may be interested in?
Substance Abuse - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
D
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