Trauma-informed therapy can be highly beneficial in helping individuals process these experiences and regain a sense of safety. A roofied drink occurs when a drug has been slipped into a person’s drink without them knowing it. The word ‘roofied’ is short for ‘roofie,’ the slang term used for the CNS depressant drug Rohypnol. However, roofies are just one type of the many drug used to perpetrate sexual crimes, such as date rape. It’s also crucial to report the incident to law enforcement, especially if you suspect foul play or assault. Both of these items are environmentally friendly methods of ensuring the safety of beverages.
Substance Use and Being Roofied: When the Lines Blur
Recognizing and responding to being roofied is crucial to your safety. The signals may be minor at first, but understanding what to look for can allow you to respond swiftly. If you or someone you know is experiencing drug-related symptoms, seek medical attention immediately and inform others.
If possible, you must seek a therapist who specializes in trauma, or a group counseling session for trauma survivors, with the understanding that it must be monitored by a mental health expert. There are numerous resources for locating the type of support that seems right for you; there are also direct hotlines for quick assistance. You may likely develop what we refer to as acute stress disorder 4 weeks after the assault. This is a type of anxiety that arises within the first month after a traumatic event. Roofied individuals should be conscious of their fluctuating emotions over the next few days as they analyze the experience. After a period of numbing or shock, relief at having endured may make room for sadness and anger at the knowledge of having been violated.
Which Drugs Are Used to Roofie?
- If you experience these signs, or notice them in a friend, seek help right away.
- Roofied individuals should be conscious of their fluctuating emotions over the next few days as they analyze the experience.
- Going to a hospital can help ensure a person gets proper care and monitoring to make sure they are safe.
Thus, alcohol is the most common and readily available date rape drug. Predators spike drinks to lower their victims’ defenses or cause them to fall unconscious. Once their victim is what to do if you have been roofied defenseless, they can rob or physically or sexually assault them.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Common drugs used to spike drinks include Ketamine, Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate). These substances are fast-acting, colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making them nearly impossible to detect in a drink, especially in dark environments like clubs, bars, and parties. If you have been roofied, it is important to remember that it is not your fault.
- Offer support, notify a friend or staff member, and, if needed, call emergency services.
- Recovering from being roofied can be a physically and emotionally challenging experience, but with immediate medical attention and support, individuals can begin to heal.
- They can monitor for adverse drug reactions and ensure you do not vomit, have seizures, stop breathing, or experience cognitive problems such as mood changes or disorientation.
- If you are ever out and experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or any other unusual sensation, seek emergency medical attention.
Roofied Symptoms
The effects can be frightening, often leaving the individual confused, scared, or even in danger. Sadly, these drugs are frequently used in situations involving sexual assault or theft. Recognizing what happened is the first step toward safety, recovery, and, when necessary, seeking treatment for substance use disorders. Unfortunately, these drugs can result in permanent cognitive impairment in some cases, particularly if seizures occur. However, it’s more common for victims to experience psychological issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. This can lead to struggling with work and school obligations, an inability to form and maintain positive relationships and using drugs and/or alcohol to self-medicate.
If you suspect you’ve been roofied, it’s important to seek medical help immediately for testing and support. Being “roofied” refers to the act of someone unknowingly or deliberately ingesting a drug that impairs their memory, motor skills, and judgment. Often, these drugs are used for malicious purposes, such as to take advantage of an individual. The term “roofied” commonly refers to the use of substances like GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid), Rohypnol, or other sedative drugs.
The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. If you’re not sure whether you were sexually assaulted, a medical examination can help determine if that occurred. Taking pregnancy prevention medication is usually advised in this scenario, and hospital staff can use a rape kit that can help prove the guilt of the person who assaulted you.
Going to a hospital can help ensure a person gets proper care and monitoring to make sure they are safe. Several products are available to assist ladies in determining whether their beverage has been tainted. This is a little test tablet, dubbed the “SipChip,” that detects drugs in 30 seconds to 3 minutes only with one drop in the drink. If someone appears suddenly disoriented, overly drowsy, or unable to stay awake, stay with them and provide support.
Rohypnol, or Flunitrazepam, is a central nervous system depressant that belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. We can resist the rudeness in the world by restoring ourselves with open-minded companions and experiences that enrich our sense of openness and wonder. Most of all, we can restore our own open-mindedness, for the sake of our own minds. Greater Boston Addiction Centers provides a safe, compassionate environment for individuals seeking help for substance use disorders and trauma-related issues. With tailored Addiction Treatment Programs and specialized support in Addiction Therapy Programs Boston, our treatment center offers a comprehensive approach to healing. Date rape is described as a sexual assault committed by anyone you know, such as a partner, or somebody you recently met, such as an acquaintance.
Seeking immediate medical attention also helps if the victim decides to pursue legal recourse. If the person has been sexually assaulted, they’ll need to go to a hospital so the facility’s sexual assault team can collect forensic evidence. The word “roofied” refers to getting drugged without your knowledge or consent.
It is not uncommon for date rape medicines to be slipped into a woman’s drink when she is not looking. Often, the drug is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, leaving the woman unaware she is taking an illicit substance. Roofie is derived from one of the most often used date rape medicines, Rohypnol. This is a pharmaceutical benzodiazepine that will make you disoriented, forgetful, and unable to control your body.
