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2C-I/2C-B Abuse

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Treatment for Three Decades and Counting

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The two strange, new drugs known as 2C-I and 2C-B came about through experimentation done by a biochemist and pharmacologist who worked for Dow Chemical. This expert, Sasha Shulgin, was asked to develop a pesticide, but as he worked with volatile chemicals in his lab, he stumbled across pairings of elements that could transform the user and that user’s experience. He wrote about his experiences in a long, detailed book that was published in 1992, and for some drug dealers, that book has become a source of recipes for 2C-I and 2C-B that they can make and sell to curious drug users.

Families might not need to know the specifics of the chemical components that make up 2C-I and 2C-B, as they might never be required to make a batch in the home for someone who is addicted. But they should know what the drug looks like and what it can do, so they can provide an appropriate level of help in a crisis. This article will provide that vital information.


2C Confusion


2C-1 abuse

Drugs that begin with “2C” are incredibly deceptive for users. On the one hand, the drugs provide symptoms that would be similar to those produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms. When users take in these substances, they feel loopy, unusual and suffused with sensations they might not otherwise experience. Those sensations can persist for hours, and if the user had taken in mushrooms, there would be no risk of overdose, as these substances don’t work on the vital systems the body uses in order to stay alive. Their breathing rates might not change, and neither might their heart rates or body temperature. They might feel unusual, but they might not be putting their lives at risk.

Someone who takes 2C-I or 2C-B might experience these same sensations and think the drug is similarly safe, but drugs in this class do work on vital systems. They do interfere with portions of the brain that deal with heart rate and breathing, and in some cases, people who take these drugs experience absolutely devastating symptoms that could be life-threatening.

For example, in an article in the Journal of Medical Toxicology, common physical symptoms attributed to drugs in the 2C class include:

  • Hypertension
  • Fast heart rate
  • Seizures
  • High body temperature

These people are dealing with a huge spike in serotonin caused by their 2C ingestion, and it can lead to death. Unfortunately, these users are likely experiencing other symptoms, including hallucinations and the urge to commit violent acts, and that might keep them away from treatment facilities that could help them.


Hidden Cause for 2C Alarm


It can be difficult for users to know about the risks they’re taking when they ingest 2C drugs, simply because the drugs are so new. Those who hop online to read up about the drug might find many first-person accounts from people who took the drug, and those accounts are invariably skewed toward positive experiences, but they might find it hard to scrounge up scientific information about the dangers of these substances.

Similarly, those who buy the drug may find it hard to know about the dangers from their drug-dealing sources. In most cases, the drug is made in overseas laboratories, and it might contain a sheaf of paperwork that contains information about what the drug is and what it should do. Unfortunately, according to a study in Pharmacy World and Science, much of the information supplied in these packets and leaflets is misleading or at least partially incorrect.

Even if the paperwork was generated by some kind of chemist or expert, the drug that’s actually contained in the package might be radically different than the 2C drug the user expects. These drugs aren’t legal to manufacture in most parts of the world, and there are no strict controls enforced regarding quality and purity. As a result, a user could get a batch of drugs that contain some other drug altogether, and that replacement might be either stronger or weaker than the substances the user expects. All of this could lead to even more physical or mental health distress.


2C Drug Use Signs


According to an article produced by the University of Minnesota, drugs in this class aren’t typically associated with violence or unusual outbursts. But people who are under the influence might:

  • Talk to people who aren’t actually there
  • Describe sensations that others don’t perceive
  • Seem sweaty or hot, even in a cold room
  • Find it difficult to focus during a conversation

Since the drug is often taken in a party context, users might leave the home seeming serene and happy and might return home after the party in a completely distorted state. In the morning, they might seem returned to normalcy.

In some cases, however, users in the midst of a so-called bad trip might seize or thrash about, and they might be somewhat violent or agitated. These people should go to the hospital immediately, even if that means the family needs to call an ambulance or the police department in order to ensure safe transport.

2C-B abuse signsSome people who take 2C drugs just once might be hard to spot, unless they appear intoxicated. But those who take the drug habitually might store supplies in the home for their return use. While the drugs might be wrapped up in almost anything, they tend to be sold in pill formats and users tend to hide those pills from family members. Searching an addicted person’s private belongings might bring those stashes to light. If families do find stashes of 2C drugs, or they do witness an episode in which the person is under the influence of 2C, they’ll need to take action. They might begin in an informal discussion in which they outline their concerns and ask the person to make an appointment with a medical or psychiatric provider. This is a low-stress, low-impact approach that might be just the ticket for people who are experimenting with this drug and who may not be engaging in behaviors that experts would place under the banner of addiction. However, if these gentle talks don’t result in a change in behavior, more severe consequences might be in order. Families should then consider working with an interventionist who can help them to pull together a formal discussion about addiction and how it can be treated. These discussions tend to be much more motivating than a simple one-on-one talk, as they force an addicted person to really confront the pain and suffering the addiction is causing the whole family.

After an intervention like this, we hope you’ll consider Michael’s House for your loved one’s 2C-I and 2C-B addiction treatment. Our California facility offers separate quarters for men and women, and our tranquil campus provides the perfect place for healing. We also provide outpatient care for those patients who find it more beneficial to heal while living at home. Please call us at 760.548.4032 and our admissions coordinators can help explain the difference between these two treatment options and how you can benefit. Start your recovery from 2C-I and 2C-B abuse or addiction today.

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