Hamilton student addicted to legal highs

The recent decision to suspend the sale of synthetic cannabinoids has encouraged a recovering Hamilton addict to share her struggles in the hopes it will encourage other users to seek treatment.

The 23-year-old student, who asked to remain anonymous, has been clean for almost a year.

Her addiction started in 2012 when a friend suggested trying legal highs in place of marijuana, which she would smoke socially a few nights a week but which at the time was hard to obtain.

She was instantly sold on the idea of a “legal weed that cost $20 and we only needed two puffs”, she said.

“Right after two puffs, me and my friend were very chatty, happy, and giggly.  It lasted around 40 minutes and was euphoric, unlike marijuana.”

But within two weeks she was smoking two packets a day.  “It was the first thing I would do when I woke up, I didn’t want to do anything without smoking first.”

The initial euphoric effects of the drugs wore off quickly. She would be “happy or chatty” for a very short time and then “it was fuzzy and you keep having more and more”.

By mid-2012 after barely passing the semester at university, she realised she was hitting a low point and decided to get her act together but she didn’t expect the intense withdrawal symptoms. “I couldn’t eat or sleep and I constantly threw up.  If I hadn’t had friends I don’t know how I could have done it,” she said.

Things started to look up, she dedicated more time to her studies, but on New Year’s Eve she relapsed.

“I was doing really well and I thought one time won’t hurt me.” But within three days she had spiralled back into full addiction.

It didn’t help that her flatmate was also an addict.  “We would smoke until we passed out.”

Once a top student, she was now failing all her classes.  “I wasn’t handing anything in, I missed tests and only went to two classes the whole semester.  I kept thinking, what’s wrong with me, this isn’t like me.”

She attended the student health centre on campus but said the doctors had no understanding of how to deal with an addiction to synthetic cannabinoids and she now thinks they should have sent her to an addiction service.

When she began vomiting up blood and went to the hospital, she was told by doctors that her vomiting was due to the drug use, but again was offered no treatment options.

By June 2013 she realised she would not be able to get clean in her current living environment so she decided to move back to live with her mother.

It took over three months to physically and mentally recover from withdrawals and by October 2013 she enrolled back into study and started a part time job.

Looking back now, she doesn’t know if making synthetic cannabinoids illegal is the best answer, since some people are going to use it regardless because it is addictive.

But she does think there should be a lot more education around the risks and effects of legal highs, and more education for medical professionals on how to treat addicts.

“If I knew all the dangers would I have done the same thing?  Maybe, but maybe I wouldn’t have.  Shop owners would talk up the products, offer discount cards. And healthcare didn’t know how to treat me.

“Most addicts turn to drugs as a result of some underlying issues, but for me it was the drugs that were my underlying issue.  I just want people to know that it’s not just the down and outs who are affected, it’s strong people too.  Experiencing it was a hard and terrible lesson but it made me focus,” she said.

“It was a big part of my life; I never want to be back there.  I almost lost it, but now I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.  Back then I couldn’t enjoy anything without being high.  I couldn’t watch a movie or go to a gig without being high on something.  Now it doesn’t even cross my mind to get high.”

The Ministry of Social Development does offer treatment to those struggling with substance abuse and “interventions may be contracted through Work and Income providers”, said a ministry spokesperson. “These include detoxification programmes, short and long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes, and community-based counselling services.

“People with drug and alcohol addiction problems are encouraged to access appropriate services, often as a broader package of assistance to help them move into employment.”

According to the Ministry of Health “people can call the nationwide toll-free helpline service and a trained counsellor will take your call, and can advise on where you can get further help.“

For more information on synthetic cannabinoids or to get help for substance abuse you can call the Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797 or visit http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/addictions/alcohol-and-drugs/synthetic-cannabinoids