Alcohol & Health
Treatment
Helping Alcoholics
Medically Reviewed by Dr P. E. Pancoast, MD
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Bath salts are “designer drugs” containing synthetic cathinones. Cathinones are plant-derived stimulants that inhibit the dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake system.
These stimulants create feelings of:
When drugs interrupt the dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake system, they prolong these effects and lead to addiction.
The primary ingredient in bath salts is methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). It’s a psychoactive drug with the same stimulant properties as cathinones found in the khat plant, native to the African and Arabian regions.
MDPV is structurally similar to methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a Schedule I hallucinogenic substance and stimulant.1 Its properties also act similarly to the chemicals in cocaine.
Bath salts resemble a white or off-white powder and may look similar to cocaine. Some variants of bath salts contain other substances known for amplifying perception, including PCP, ecstasy, and cocaine.
Depending on where you live, there are multiple names for bath salts. Common street names for bath salts include the following:
Bath salts are typically sold in small plastic bags or foil packages and advertised on the Internet as “legal highs.”
You can also find them in head shops. These head shops sell legal substances like marijuana but often sell other illegal drugs off the record.
Because bath salts are labeled Schedule I substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), they cannot be sold or prescribed for medical purposes. Thus, possessing them is illegal in the U.S.2
Users often snort bath salts through the nostrils. They can also be smoked, swallowed, or administered intravenously by combining them with a liquid vessel.
A typical rush or high from bath salts lasts 4 to 8 hours. Some users can take up to 2 days to come down.
Like most mind-altering or psychoactive substances, bath salts are dangerous because of their powerful addictive potential.3
The more frequently someone engages in bath salt abuse, the more likely they are to develop tolerance and require higher doses to achieve the same high.
The dangers of taking bath salts include the following:
Some users may develop excited delirium, where the body becomes dehydrated, breaking down muscle tissue and causing kidney failure or death.4
A typical high from bath salts may involve the following short-term mental effects:
Those lucky enough to survive an overdose may still experience long-term effects like hallucinations, paranoia, and psychosis resembling schizophrenia.
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Unlike bath salts, alcohol is a depressant, slowing the functionality of the central nervous system. Combining bath salts and alcohol increases the risk of negative or lethal side effects.5
Like other amphetamines (psychostimulant drugs) and illegal drugs, bath salts alter the body’s chemical composition. It disrupts neurotransmitters that control a person’s well-being.
As tolerance increases, the body becomes accustomed to the presence of drugs and takes longer to adjust. At the same time, the body ‘expects’ to have these abnormal chemicals and may react to their absence through withdrawal symptoms.
The side effects of combining alcohol and bath salts are often unpredictable because the body receives conflicting messages when processing a stimulant and depressant.6
Concurrent bath salt and alcohol abuse may be suspected with these (relatively common) physical signs and symptoms:
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Treatments for concurrent bath salt and alcohol addiction are available through dual-diagnosis rehab programs.7 Patients suffering from drug abuse must undergo detox, especially if they have developed a tolerance for both substances.
Gradual detox helps manage sudden withdrawal, identifiable through the following symptoms:
Seek immediate help for substance abuse if you or someone you know exhibits the following signs:
Recovery is a very long process. It involves a combination of medical detox and supportive treatments to help a person cope with any problems that arise during the process.
How long it takes to detox from an addiction to mixing bath salts and alcohol will depend on the following factors:
Most rehabilitation centers offer 28-day addiction programs, with detox periods lasting between 7 and 10 days.
The treatment protocol for alcohol, bath salts, and other drugs looks like this:
While medical detox programs are effective for patients with drug addiction, the best chances of success come with concurrent, long-term programs.
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If you don’t have an appointed primary care physician, you can look up nearby:
Consult with your appointed medical professional. They can refer you to the appropriate program. Alternatively, you can seek addiction specialists in your area, contact a helpline, or find help within your community.
Mixing Epsom salts and rubbing alcohol does not increase solubility. It is unlikely that the Epsom salts will dissolve completely. While occasionally suitable for human consumption, Epsom salts can cause severe diarrhea, bloating, and an upset stomach.
Users can suffer from a fatal overdose of bath salts, especially when mixing them with an additional substance like other stimulants or a depressant, such as alcohol.
Mixing bath salts and alcohol may provide temporary euphoria but also lead to intense cravings and, eventually, addiction or death.
You can avoid the dangers of alcohol and bath salts by understanding how they negatively impact health and seeking help as soon as possible. While treatment can be grueling and take some time, it can provide long-term improvement.
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