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Substance use is an ongoing issue in the United States, and around half of all people age 12 or older have used an illicit drug at some point in their lives. Club drugs such as LSD, ecstasy, and methamphetamine are some of the most commonly used substances. Men are more likely than women to use these substances, but no demographic is completely immune. The highest prevalence of drug use is in 18 to 25-year-olds, and this is also a common age to be part of the club scene.
Party drugs are popular at both clubs and less formal gatherings, where party-goers use them to get high, release inhibitions, and make social situations easier to deal with. It’s common for people to use these drugs to make things more “exciting” or to dissociate from the world around them in favor of a more psychedelic effect.
While it’s true that these drugs may help you feel more free, they come with serious potential side effects and a significant risk of dependency. Learn more about the most common types of party drugs, their effects, and what you can do if you’re dealing with a substance abuse problem….
What Are Club Drugs?
Club drugs, also known as party drugs, are generally psychoactive drugs that change how you perceive your environment. They affect your mood, often making people feel less inhibited or ecstatic, and can make you behave in ways you normally wouldn’t.
Club drugs often go by nicknames that can change by generation. For example, ketamine may be called “Green K,” “Special K,” “K-land,” “Kit Kat,” or “Vitamin K.” Other psychoactive drug examples commonly used in club settings include meth, LSD and shrooms. Date rape drugs, such as Roofies, are also included in the club drug category.
Common Types of Party Drugs and Their Effects
The most popular party drugs tend to change by generation and location. For example, MDMA was more popular in the ’80s, while the ’90s saw an increase in GHB usage. Some of the most common types of party drugs include:
- Ecstasy. Scientifically known as 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine — more commonly known as MDMA — ecstasy is one of the most popular party drugs because it has both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. Users take the drug orally or snort it, often in combination with other substances such as marijuana or alcohol. Ecstasy makes users feel more energetic and euphoric and can change how they see and feel the world around them.
- Rohypnol. Also called Roofies, R2, or roach, Rohypnol is known as the date-rape drug. It’s generally added to someone’s drink without their knowledge. It is a sedative that leaves the person feeling groggy, unable to control their body, and with limited or no memory of what happened.
- GHB. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid is a prescription medication health care providers use to treat narcolepsy. It’s also naturally present in the brain in much smaller quantities. GHB can make the user feel more relaxed, which can make it easier to socialize. It’s also known to lower inhibitions and increase sex drive. Other potential physical effects of GHB include loss of coordination, dizziness, hallucinations, and amnesia.
- Ketamine. This drug has legitimate medicinal use as an animal tranquilizer, but human party-goers may use it for its hallucinogenic effects. In some cases, these hallucinations can be distressing, which can lead to anxiety and other physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate and difficulty breathing.
- Methamphetamine. Other names for this drug include ice, crystal and meth. It’s a stimulant that increases alertness, often making it so that users can stay up all night. It’s also an appetite suppressant. It delivers an instant high, which makes it extremely addicting.
- LSD. Short for lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD has been a popular psychedelic drug since the 1960s. It alters how you perceive the environment, changing how things look and feel and affecting your mood and cognitive processes. LSD can produce both positive and negative hallucinations, making it one of the less predictable drugs on this list.
Other substances, such as marijuana, magic mushrooms, and cocaine, are common in these environments.
Short-Term Risks and Long-Term Consequences
While many people use party drugs recreationally and may not think of themselves as suffering from a substance use issue, the truth is that these drugs carry serious risks. Party drugs can:
- Increase or decrease your heart rate or cause an irregular heart rhythm
- Make it harder to breathe, negatively affecting your blood oxygen levels and potentially creating a life-threatening situation
- Make you more aggressive and less inhibited, which can increase the likelihood of dangerous behaviors, such as unprotected sex or driving while impaired
Many of these drugs are also highly addictive, meaning even just a few recreational uses can be the start of an ongoing substance abuse problem. When used over the long term, these drugs can have even more serious effects, including:
- Organ failure
- Difficulty sleeping
- Psychotic thoughts
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Increased risk of sexual assault
- Depression
- Delirium
- Ongoing memory problems
- Seizures
Those who use these substances frequently or over an extended period of time or who combine substances are also at an increased risk of death.
Signs of Use and Dependency
The first step in getting help is recognizing that you have a problem. It’s easy to justify substance use when someone is “only” using it at parties. However, the presence of these signs indicates that you are becoming dependent on a substance and need professional help to overcome it:
- Spending more money than you can afford on drugs
- Difficulties completing work or school assignments
- Relationship strains due to your drug use
- Preoccupation with obtaining your drug of choice
- Needing to take more of a substance or take it more frequently to get the desired effect
- Increase in risk-taking behaviors
- Losing time due to blackouts or memory loss
- Previous unsuccessful attempts to stop using
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not taking the substance
If any of the above apply to your life or your friends and family members have expressed concern about your behavior or substance use, it can indicate a dependency and the need for addiction treatment.
Seeking Help for Addiction to Party Drugs
If you wake up the morning after with regret about your substance use or feel like you are no longer in control of your actions, it’s possible that you’re dealing with an addiction to party drugs. Overcoming substance abuse issues isn’t easy without professional help. A detox and rehab treatment can ensure that you safely remove the substance from your body while supporting your system through withdrawal — and have the tools and supports you need to be successful in recovery.
At FHE Health, our trained counselors are here to ensure you get the help you need. Contact us today to find out more about our services and programs and how we can help you reclaim your life.
