Understanding the what and how of “date rape drugs” improves your odds of avoiding it. Psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, explains what roofies are, how to spot them in action and what to do if you or somebody you know is drugged. If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault or rape and need guidance and support, it is important to speak to a rape crisis team in your area. They will be able to offer counseling, arrange health screenings, and advise about pursuing criminal charges against attackers.
Personal or group therapy for trauma survivors can provide stability, peace, and healing after the event, so you can enjoy your life again. Check-in with trusted friends or family members who can bring you to doctor’s appointments, help with day-to-day tasks, and help keep your spirits up. If you believe you or someone else has been roofied, get to a safe place. Try to alert your friends about the danger and stay where people can see you until help arrives. Victims may experience headaches, muscle aches, sensitivity to light, and an upset stomach. Survivors who were raped or assaulted may feel sore or experience a sense that they have had sexual intercourse.
It’s typical (and frightening) to have partial or total memory loss after a roofie attack. If somebody sexually assaulted you or you sustained an injury while sedated, you may have other medical issues, too. Unfortunately, because date-rape drugs aren’t always easy to detect ― they blend in too well with drinks ― many victims don’t realize they’ve been drugged or assaulted until hours later.
Be sure that they will investigate and attempt to find out who drugged you. Tell them where you were and when you believe you were drugged so they can visit the crime scene and ask staff or witnesses if they noticed anything unusual. If you were at a bar, club, or public event, the police may be able to check the video footage to try to identify the perpetrator. The symptoms of being roofied can vary depending on the drug used, the dose, and how it has been mixed. These are some of the effects that can follow when roofies are mixed with alcohol or other beverages. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) is a central nervous system depressant that is sometimes prescribed to treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder.
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The situation can worsen if this happens around people who don’t know how to spot symptoms of being roofied and get medical help. Learning these symptoms in advance can go a long way in preventing severe side effects of being roofied. Following these preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of being roofied and ensure a safer social environment for yourself and your friends. If you suspect someone has been roofied or given a date rape drug, there are a few critical steps you can take to ensure their safety and well-being. Assailants use them to incapacitate their victims and ensure they can’t make accurate police reports after the assault.
The signs and symptoms of being roofied
If you can identify the ongoing feeling of sedation and find it odd since it’s still early into the night, then it’s important to communicate your concerns since it could mean you got roofied. Roofies refer to date rape drugs used for people to intentionally get them unconscious. Any person who has been roofied should drink as much water as possible to try to dilute the drug and flush it from the body. If possible, only drink from freshly opened bottles or from bottles that are visible on the shelf of a reputable bar or establishment. After regaining consciousness, some people who were roofied may only recall what happened before the drug took hold signs and symptoms of being roofied and never recall what happened after they were drugged.
Unusual Drowsiness or Unconsciousness
Depending on your state of residence, there may be multiple resources you can explore to obtain the support and direction you need after experiencing sexual assault of any kind. RAINN provides a convenient chat feature as well as the National Sexual Assault Hotline for those who believe they have fallen victim to sexual assault. Even in a seemingly innocuous state like Utah, public health data resources suggest that one in six women experience rape (a figure that also includes attempted rape) during their lifetime.
Which Drugs Are Used?
Their experience ensures that your rights are protected and that you can seek justice for the wrongdoing you’ve endured. This step is critical for addressing the immediate health concerns and aiding in potential legal actions. Classified as a Schedule IV substance, Rohypnol is infamously recognized as a date rape drug due to its potent effects and the ease with which it can be administered without detection. While roofies are not approved for medical use in America, manufacturers still produce Rohypnol. But to mitigate the drug’s misuse, pharmacies changed the appearance of the drug into a green, oblong tablet with a blue speckle found at its core.
Along with the initial symptoms, you may feel sick to your stomach or nauseous. Muscle relaxation or weakness as well as headaches are also common after being roofied. People casually involved in drug addiction to cope with their trauma from date rape can seek help either via inpatient or outpatient drug rehab. Staying at a halfway house also helps them not just to process their addiction but gives them an idea that there is a bright future ahead of them despite the horrors of their past. Recovering from Adderall addiction is not the same as recovering from being roofied.
- Doctors in countries outside the United States sometimes administer Rohypnol as anesthesia before surgery.
- Some common instances of “brain fog” manifest as a sense of “spaciness,” disorientation, or confusion, all of which can be mistaken for the intoxicating effects of alcohol.
- This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.
- If you think you were the victim of a date rape drug, it is not too late to get help.
- It is also important not to wash yourself or any clothing from the night before to avoid damaging potential evidence.
Victims also experience disorientation, difficulty focusing and concentrating, loss of muscle control, the sensation of paralysis and a feeling of extreme drunkenness. Some people may feel nauseated, and nearly everyone who’s given these drugs experiences lapses in memory. Rohypnol, GHB, ketamine and the many other drugs predators use in roofie attacks are extremely dangerous. Some of these drugs can be fatal in high doses — especially when combined with alcohol, prescription medications and other substances.
The day after being spiked, a person may feel very confused, nauseous, drowsy, and anxious. Roofies usually don’t have a taste, which can make it difficult to tell if a drug may have slipped into your drink. It is also important to note that a substance can be slipped into a drink almost instantly, especially if it is in powder form. A roofie attack is when a perpetrator spikes a drink of an intended victim in order to take advantage of them.
- One small tablet of Rohypnol can cause a person to pass out and forget what happened to them while under the influence.
- The strongest physical effects are usually felt within the first 6 hours and typically wear off around 12 hours after ingestion.
- Because these drugs incapacitate victims, they may fall or be unable to protect themselves, leading to injuries they cannot remember acquiring.
- Yes, date drugs like Rohypnol and GHB can cause short-term memory loss, so a person may not remember things that happened during the time that they were unknowingly under the influence.
- When CNS depressants like Rohypnol, GHB, or Ketamine are ingested, they disrupt normal brain activity, causing significant impairments.
- Additionally, if symptoms are severe or if there’s a risk of overdose, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Benzodiazepines, including Xanax and Valium, are potent depressants that affect the central nervous system. They are known for inducing drowsiness, confusion, and memory loss beyond the expected effects of alcohol consumption. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), also known as liquid ecstasy, is a central nervous system depressant notorious for its ability to cause sudden weakness, muscle relaxation, and blackouts. Ingestion of these substances without consent can lead to serious consequences, including loss of consciousness and potential sexual violence.
Sometimes, people who engage in excessive binge drinking may “blackout” and not remember certain things that happened throughout the night the next day. One way to tell between the two is that someone who is roofied may appear to be extremely drunk only after one or two drinks. Some people who don’t drink often may become drunk faster than others, but typically not to the point where they become unconscious. Being roofied can leave the victim with feelings of shame, paranoia, self-blame, depression, and anxiety. These symptoms can last long after the physical effects of the drink wear off and make it difficult to function in their daily life. If a person has been sexually assaulted after being spiked, they may experience depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), flashbacks, or suicidal thoughts.
After the side effects of the drug have worn off, people usually struggle to recall the details of what happened. Some of them will also completely block out the memory because of the shock, although a medical examiner can still detect the signs of physical assault. Since the drug affects your muscles and how they respond, you might not be able to breathe well, especially in crowded places. But, again, this can be the excuse your assaulter will use to get you out. Understanding the symptoms of being roofied in both your person and for others around you is key to preventing you, a friend, or a family member from experiencing sexual assault. Although it is a prescription medication used in specific medical care, its misuse as a roofie highlights the need for awareness and caution regarding the potential for drugs to be used in criminal acts.
This step ensures you receive the necessary medical care while addressing any symptoms of being roofied, facilitating your physical recovery, and collecting evidence for any potential legal action. In the context of drug-facilitated sexual assault, other drugs are often used alongside or as alternatives to the more well-known date rape drugs. These substances are specifically chosen for their ability to incapacitate victims, making it easier for perpetrators to commit sexual assault without resistance. Recognizing these signs of being roofied is the first step in seeking help and preventing further harm, underscoring the importance of awareness and education in combating such heinous acts.
However, due to its association with drug-facilitated sexual assault and other forms of misuse, its availability is heavily restricted in many places. As the drug takes further effect, you’ll feel an increase in the symptoms. You may also experience memory impairment and the inability to recall events. In extreme cases, it can cause the person to lose consciousness or blackout. Transcend Recovery Community family of sober living homes provides a safe place for those undergoing mental health and addiction treatment to live with like-minded peers. It’s important to seek help from trusted and supportive friends, family, and therapists after an assault.
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