The chemical dependency clinicians at Cottonwood rehab, Arizona have recently noticed that a highly dangerous recreational stimulant has arrived on the scene tagged with the improbable name, “Bath Salts.” Never intended for any bathtub and still legal in some states, this deadly concoction is sold in smoke shops, convenience stores and over the Internet under a variety of names for synthetic drugs, including “Ivory Wave” and “Vanilla Sky.” The use of Bath Salts has gained a perverse popularity in all parts of the country and bath salts addiction is now on the rise. The tally for calls to state poison control centers related to the toxic effects of Bath Salts was over 2700 for the first six months of 2011.
Bath Salts’ powerful stimulant effects usually last 3 to 4 hours. But this describes only a “good” experience. When Bath Salts turn on the user, it produces agitation, psychosis and suicidal thoughts – suffering that can go on for days. Psychopharmacological researchers do not yet understand synthetic drugs, especially why a Bath Salts trip can go so suddenly and horribly bad or what kind of psychological conditions or personality traits might put a person at risk for a bad and potentially deadly Bath Salts trip.
At Cottonwood’s behavioral health and addiction rehab in Arizona, our clinicians realize that users’ nervous systems might need time to recover from the toxic effects of Bath Salts addiction before they can fully engage in insight-based therapy. If there are lingering thought disturbances, our psychiatric team can manage these safely and effectively. Then, our treatment team works hard to create an environment of safety and structure in which those suffering from Bath Salts addiction can be treated effectively.
