More and more young people who go into rehab and ultimately sober living homes, are now being admitted after suffering the effects of a new class of drugs – and they are in fashion.

For the young and hip, there are designer bags, shoes and dresses if they have money to burn so why not add designer drugs to a list of ‘things’ that they can purchase. Designer drugs can be described as drugs that have been manufactured in a laboratory. These laboratory-made drugs usually come from organic drugs like cocaine, morphine or marijuana.

The reason why these lab-tweaked drugs are also called ‘club drugs’ is they’re usually taken as a form of entertainment drug to heighten club experiences. That’s why in the 90s these drugs were almost inseparable from parties called ‘rave’ where the youth danced to techno music.

But there are indications that though they may give a faster and more potent ‘high,’ these drugs may also be more toxic. The reason they are thought of as more toxic is they are often created illegally in underground laboratories so it is difficult to determine their potency and the ingredients that go into them.

What’s certain is; there have been a number of high profile deaths that have resulted from ingestion of these drugs. And what’s more, newer drugs are being created to supply a youthful market eager to get their fixes, highs and kicks. Recently, an up-and-coming actor named Johnny Lewis (actor in the popular cable series “Sons of Anarchy”) died and in addition is a suspect in the murder of his landlord, Catherine Davis. It is reported that he was under the influence of a ‘club drug’ named Smiles, a new trend in synthetic drugs hitting the youth community.

The youth community (members of the digital generation) has certain qualities in common, and those are impatience and recklessness. In their zeal for the fastest and most potent high, they patronize designer drugs like aminotaldalafil, aildenafil, methasterone among many others. The euphoria they experience from such synthetic classes of drugs is said to be 10 times more powerful than the organic drugs they imitate.

What the youth don’t see is that regular ingestion of these types of drugs will lead to physical effects.

  • Sweating
  • Chills
  • Parkinson-like tremors

The psychological effects are as follows.

  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations
  • Psychotic episodes
  • Reality distortion
  • Loss of hunger, sleep and sex drives

If you notice your child exhibiting any of the symptoms stated above, it is best to get him or her into rehab as soon as you can. If you sense that there may be a problem getting him or her into rehab, then consult a qualified counselor who can help you stage an intervention. During rehabilitation he or she will go through abstinence from the drug as well as detoxification. Depending on how long he or she has been on the drugs, withdrawal and withdrawal symptoms will be experienced. After rehabilitation (where counseling services and group therapy are offered), it is in your child’s best interest to enter a sober living home. While in a sober living home, your child will learn the tools to cope with temptation when he or she re-enters the real world.