Being Roofied: Signs, Prevention, and What to Do

The phrase “Roofied” alludes how to tell if i have been roofied to the usage of drugs such as Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), GHB, or ketamine, which are commonly used in drug-related assaults. The trauma of being roofied can have enduring effects on both physical and mental health. If you suspect someone has been roofied, offering help can save their life and make them feel less alone during a frightening experience. These symptoms may vary according to the drug used, the dosage, and whether it was mixed with alcohol. The symptoms of being roofied don’t stop when the drug wears off. The effects often start within minutes of consuming the spiked drink, leaving you feeling completely out of control.

Another indicator that someone has been roofied is if they have been talking to strangers shortly before effects present themselves, especially if said strangers have bought them drinks. The onset of roofies is very quick, which means victims may feel excessively drunk as though from nowhere. Regardless of why roofies are used on others, any instance of someone using the drug on another person is a criminal offense. Amusement - It may seem cruel and unusual, but some victims of being roofied have had it done to them just for the enjoyment of other people. Roofies have become so synonymous with rape that the act of drugging someone's drink with any substance is collectively called “roofying”.

Common Drugs Used as Roofies

His medical expertise is wide ranging and he has extensive experience working with patients with active substance abuse issues and those in recovery. While it is never the victim's fault for being exposed to roofies, some steps can be taken to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. As roofies cause gaps in memory, it is often difficult to recognize if you have been a victim the following day. Rohypnol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which means that if you have been roofied you will often feel overly relaxed, sleepy, disorientated, and calm. Violent assault - Incapacitating a victim's ability to defend themselves gives an attacker an advantage when wanting to hurt them physically There are many reasons a criminal may want to spike someone's drink with roofies in order to take advantage of them.

Understanding the Drug and Its Effects

“If we were all more aware of roofies, we might be better able to spot or prevent attacks,” she says. That’s part of the reason sharing your experience can be so powerful. “These incidents happen to more people than we realize,” Dr. Albers concedes. And some survivors develop a type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) called rape trauma syndrome.” “Being roofied is an unexpected and destabilizing occurrence,” Dr. Albers empathizes.

The recovery process

Transcend Recovery Community provides supplemental care and support that a person needs during these crucial times. Try to alert your friends about the danger and stay where people can see you until help arrives. Their experience ensures that your rights are protected and that you can seek justice for the wrongdoing you’ve endured. You suddenly feel that everything is blurry and that you can no longer think or act normally. Additionally, if you notice any physical symptoms or changes in your well-being, document those as well. However, other substances like GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and Ketamine are also used for similar purposes.

This amnesia (memory loss) is more likely to occur when a roofie is mixed with alcohol. One small tablet of Rohypnol can cause a person to pass out and forget what happened to them while under the influence. In the sections that follow, you’ll find important safety information that will help you better protect yourself from the dangers of being roofied.

• If you feel like you have been roofied and you are feeling its effects, you must seek medical attention right away.
• In high doses, a person can become unconscious and how to recover from being roofied may not remember what happened to them.
• Drinking culture typically brings on images of confused or disoriented people struggling through the crowd.
• Mental health treatment can help victims to feel safe, heard, empowered, and healed as they recover from the experience of being roofied.
• If you suspect you’ve been roofied, alert someone nearby, get to a safe location, seek medical assistance, and preserve any potential evidence.
• Detection of Rohypnol is possible up to 60 hours after the drug is ingested.

Your symptoms may not seem out of the ordinary until after the fact. Yet only a small percentage of people being tested immediately suspected foul play. They can help you in situations if you ever feel vulnerable or violated. Rohypnol also causes amnesia or memory loss which makes it difficult to remember any details of what happened causing more distress in the victim. Now that we have understood the impact of Roofies or Rohypnol it’s just as important to know how to keep yourself out of harm’s way.

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He has served as a clinical director, clinician, and supervisor for mental health pro- grams in acute, sub-acute, and outpatient facilities, and in primary care. Dr. Nelson has worked in the behavioral health field for more than 22 years. Reach out to us anytime to receive compassionate mental health care. By taking the above preventative measures and knowing the signs, you can better protect yourself.

Physical effects include:

If you are with a friend who you suspect has been roofied then it is important to stay with them and make sure they are safe. Urine samples need to be collected in just 72 hours, and saliva and drug tests are normally ineffective in under 24 hours. Traces of Rohypnol leave the body very quickly, making it difficult to be detected in most standard drug tests. This is a major red flag that an individual has been spiked, especially if they have not consumed much alcohol.

That means that however it happened, you can expect to feel a wide range of complicated emotions. The people perpetrating these crimes are always adapting. Nobody deserves to be violated in that way, and it can happen to even the most cautious people. Whether you decide to undergo an exam or not, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about emergency contraception, STI testing and post-exposure prophylaxis. If you’re not sure whether you were raped, you may think a forensic exam is unnecessary.

Symptoms of Being Roofied

As chief Clinical Officer at FHE Health, a nationally recognized behavioral health treatment provider, he ensures quality, innovation, and comprehensive treatment for patients. Chris Foy is a content manager and webmaster for FHE Health with years of experience in the addiction treatment industry...read more The mental and physical health consequences of being roofied can be serious. Seeking immediate medical attention also helps if the victim decides to pursue legal recourse. If you suspect someone’s been roofied, the first thing you should do is have them drink as much water as possible.

Get treatment for a wide range of substance use disorders. Bring all of the people involved in the test to the clinic to be tested. Follow the directions in the Home DNA Test Kit to collect samples from the of the people to be tested. If you can’t remember how you got from one place to another, this is a particularly concerning symptom of being roofied. Most people notice the gaps the next day, or fail to recall the prior evening in its entirety. It’s important to remember that alcohol isn’t the only explanation for unusual behavior and shouldn’t be your first assumption.

All of these drugs are dangerous because of their rapid onset of action. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reveals that millions of individuals experience sexual violence annually in the United State]. Being roofied is much more common than many people realize. The effects of being roofied can set in quickly—sometimes within 30 minutes—and may last for hours. They affect the brain’s ability to process information and control the body, leaving victims feeling weak, confused, and unable to defend themselves. These drugs are usually tasteless, colorless, and odorless, making them almost impossible to detect.

• Although it does seem to be more prevalent among the college crowd than among the population as a whole, middle and high school students, as well as older adults, have all reported being roofied.
• Feelings of euphoria, mood elevation, and extreme happiness can be common as the drug begins to take effect, especially when it is mixed with alcohol.
• However, roofies work differently and can leave lingering effects long after the initial dose.
• As a date rape drug, roofies are designed to be inconspicuous, making it challenging for individuals accepting drinks to recognize when their own drinks have been tampered with.
• Victims also experience disorientation, difficulty focusing and concentrating, loss of muscle control, the sensation of paralysis and a feeling of extreme drunkenness.

How can Greater Boston Addiction Centers help in recovery?

This means the onset of effects on the body can appear within 20 minutes of being ingested and can last for over six hours. The sedative effects of Rohypnol are up to 10 times stronger than Valium. If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

How Common Is Being Roofied?

They will be able to offer counseling, arrange health screenings, and advise about pursuing criminal charges against attackers. If you are worried for their safety or feel they are being coerced or manipulated against their will, then notify authorities or interject if safe to do so. If you see someone you don’t know but suspect may have been roofied, then notify security or a member of the bar staff. If interaction with first responders is required, describe what you know they have consumed and accurately estimate your friend's alcohol consumption.

Blood tests can identify these drugs, but the window for testing is usually short—several hours. If you’ve been roofied, it’s critical that you get help and support as soon as possible. Create a buddy system to prevent one person from getting separated from the group and, if necessary, take your drink to the bathroom with you. It’s also important to seek medical care afterward if you wake up the next day suspecting you’ve been roofied. Because you may lose consciousness very quickly in this situation, acting fast is essential at the onset of any signs you’ve been roofied.