How to Tell if You’ve Been Roofied

If you think you might’ve been roofied, it’s important to take action right away. This unsettling experience can be incredibly confusing and scary, but there are steps you can follow to protect yourself and seek the help you need. Have you ever felt completely disoriented or found yourself in a situation that doesn’t add up? It’s unsettling to think about, but recognizing the common signs that indicate you were roofied is crucial. Understanding these signs can help you regain a sense of clarity and take the necessary steps towards your safety and recovery.

Roofies have become so synonymous with rape that the act of drugging someone’s drink with any substance is collectively called “roofying”. Other substances that are often used in date rape offenses include Ketamine (K, Special K) and Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) as they have similar effects to roofies. They are also undetectable, having no smell, color, or taste when dissolved in liquid. Most criminals who use roofies on rape victims will do so by picking targets in bars or clubs and spiking their alcoholic drinks with the drug.

How Long Does It Take To Get Roofied?

• If you don’t receive a consent form to sign before starting treatment, ask for one.
• Supporting survivors of being roofied is crucial in their healing process and can help raise awareness as well.
• For further help and support with the aftermath of rape, speak to one of the many charities that specialize in helping those who have been the victim of sexual assault.
• If you see someone you don’t know but suspect may have been roofied then notify security or a member of the bar staff.
• The mental and emotional fallout from being attacked can last for years after the event, especially if it is not addressed with the help of a professional.

If you’re worried about being drugged against your will and without your knowledge, there are some precautions you can take. It’s important for everyone to be aware of the signs of being drugged and to take precautions while clubbing. Our Addiction Treatment Programs address both the trauma and any resulting substance use, ensuring a holistic approach to recovery. People who have been roofied often seem to be aware of their surroundings and enjoy themselves normally until the drug takes effect.

Since then, the concept of roofieing has come to refer to several drugs used for this same purpose. With any luck, this practice will expand to include more of the substances commonly used to spike drinks. Predators spike drinks to lower their victims’ defenses or cause them to fall unconscious. Once their victim is defenseless, they can rob or physically or sexually assault them. The word “roofied” refers to getting drugged without your knowledge or consent.

Immediate Actions to Take If You or Someone Else Is Roofied

Long-term misuse can lead to dependency, with withdrawal symptoms such as severe anxiety, tremors, and seizures. Additionally, its impact on mental health can result in depression, cognitive decline, and an increased risk of self-harm. Its effects, like sedation and memory loss, usually last symptoms of being ruffied 6 to 12 hours. In blood, it can be found for about a day, and in urine for a few days.

These signs may indicate that you or someone around you has been roofied. Blurred sight, tunnel vision, or double vision are all common symptoms of being roofied. The first signs of being roofied include dizziness, disorientation, and difficulty concentrating, which develop into an intense brain fog. If you notice these symptoms, seek immediate help and stay away from the person you think is trying to assault you. These effects become more significant when this drug is mixed with alcohol.

Dangers of Getting Roofied

The drug that has been slipped into your drink can cause nausea, especially when you’ve been drinking. Many people who have been roofied reported that they felt like their bodies weren’t responding to them. Some victims also explained that they sensed some sort of paralysis. It helps you keep a record of the event, which can be useful if you decide to pursue legal action in the future. It is essential to write down as many details as possible, including the date, time, location, people involved, and any other relevant information.

Are you concerned about being roofied while you’re out enjoying drinks with friends? Roofies are also known as date rape drugs, and they can alter a person’s ability to make good decisions. In fact, a study in San Francisco in 2015 estimated that date rape drugs were used in sexual assaults in 33 percent of cases. Date rape among those younger than 18 and young adults ranges from 12 percent to 68 percent, not accounting for the use of roofies. The most common date rape drugs are Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine, and these drugs are most often put into the victim’s drink.

• When combined with alcohol, it can increase the effects of being drunk.
• Sadly, owing to the rapid nature of roofies affecting the victim and their sedative properties, many people do not realize they have been drugged until it is too late.
• This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

Supporting Survivors

Traces of Rohypnol leave the body very quickly, making it difficult to be detected in most standard drug tests. Urine samples need to be collected in just 72 hours and saliva and drug tests are normally ineffective in under 24 hours. More elaborate hair follicle testing can be conducted after 72 hours but may produce a false-positive result if other benzodiazepines are present in the system. A roofie is a central nervous system depressant that, much like the prescription medicine Valium (diazepam), slows down the brain and relaxes the body. The important difference is that a roofie is much stronger than Valium.

It might be unpleasant — especially if you’re nauseated — but it’s crucial to drink lots of water if you’ve been roofied. The more you drink, the faster you’ll be able to dilute and flush the drug from your system. Once you’re in the care of first responders, they’ll take over this process.

In the sections that follow, you’ll find important safety information that will help you better protect yourself from the dangers of being roofied. We’ll cover the signs of being roofied, its prevalence, what to do if you suspect you’ve been a victim, and other roofie prevention tips and considerations. The act of being drugged without your knowledge or consent is commonly called “being roofied.” The term “roofie” originated as a way to describe the drug Rohypnol and its role in date rapes.

GHB is also known as liquid X, liquid ecstasy, liquid E, easy lay, Georgia home boy, Gib, Goop, G, G-riffic, organic Quaalude, salty water, soap, scoop, or fantasy. It can be found in dissolvable powder or liquid form and has a salty taste that can be masked by other strong flavors in a drink. Effects take hold within 15 to 30 minutes and can last up to six hours. Unfortunately, being roofied is quite common as the drug is easy to obtain.

Since some drugs take more than 10 hours to leave the system, the doctors may be able to detect the exact roofie drug that was administered and provide the appropriate treatment. Since spiking a drink aims to make the victim helpless, most drugs used to roofie cause muscle relaxation. Thus, alcohol is the most common and readily available date rape drug. Someone who’s been roofied may suffer from memory loss, making it hard to remember events that occurred even before ingesting the drug.

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. 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. You can read more here about how long GHB lasts and how to spot signs of GHB spiking.

Since many date-rape drugs leave the body quickly — within 12 to 72 hours — it’s important to act fast. Seek care in the emergency room, preferably one that has sexual assault nurse examiners to conduct a medical forensic examination, Riviello said. The mental and physical health consequences of being roofied can be serious. By taking the above preventative measures and knowing the signs, you can better protect yourself. If you’re struggling to recover from the trauma, FHE Health may be able to help.