They may use this plant independently or as part of a ritual or ceremony. Users may also ingest it by smoking salvia extract in a bong or pipe or using it in a vaporizer pen. It may also be purchased as seeds, dried or fresh leaves, whole plants, plant cuttings, or a liquid extract. Salvia leaves may be chewed or brewed in tea, and dried material is commonly smoked through a bong or in cigarette form. If you or someone you love is struggling with the devastating side effects of misuse and addiction and are unsure of where to turn, call us today at . Our inpatient drug and alcohol rehab in Mississippi offers various levels of care, as well as guidance from our rehab admissions navigators.
Is Salvia Addictive?
Mazatec shamans brew a tea from the leaves and drink the vision-inducing mixture during religious ceremonies. Also, it has a low addiction potential, people can easily obtain it, and they do not consider it highly toxic. Salvia has become popular as a recreational drug among adolescents and young adults. It is fast acting and thought to have a low incidence of side effects.
A research study using rats suggested salvia abuse may lead to memory issues, difficulties with learning new information, and other cognitive problems. While more research is needed to determine if this is a risk for humans, some experts believe it is likely. This page will explain what salvia is, the potential risks, and how to get help if you’re concerned about drug or alcohol use.
Take the first step of your recovery journey by contacting us today. Most people in the US and Europe who abuse salvia purchase the substance over the Internet. Various websites may sell seeds, whole plants, cuttings from plants, fresh or dried leaves, or extracts made from the plant, which can be exceedingly dangerous due to much higher potency.
Instead, salvia is only legal to use in less than half of the states. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased. Currently, salvia isn’t approved for any medical use in the United States.
This means that someone may begin using salvia regularly in order to relive the intense experiences, even if it causes distress or disrupts daily life. The pursuit of altered states of consciousness can lead to compulsive use, making it harder to stop. The most notable side effects when misusing Salvia include visual distortions, physical disorientation, and feelings of depersonalization. Reducing or stopping the consumption of Salvia can often alleviate these symptoms. In extreme or prolonged use cases, individuals might experience more severe psychological impacts, including intense paranoia, anxiety, or memory issues. It’s crucial to approach Salvia cautiously, recognizing its potent effects and understanding that the full range of long-term consequences is still being researched.
Can salvia cause long-term psychological issues?
The hallucinatory effects of salvia are said to be highly dose dependent, with larger doses causing significant hallucinations. Research suggests that doses as small as 4.5 micrograms per kilogram of body weight as well can salvia kill you as relatively large doses of 8 milligrams both result in hallucinogenic experiences. Salvia divinorum, or salvia for short, is an herb in the mint family often used for its hallucinogenic effects. While salvia is not considered physically addictive, it can lead to psychological dependence, where individuals may continue using the drug in search of its effects.
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- If you use salvia or have considered trying it, it’s a good idea to know what the drug is, what the potential risks are, and what you can expect when you take it.
- Reducing or stopping the consumption of Salvia can often alleviate these symptoms.
- If you or someone you love struggles with salvia abuse or other forms of substance use, you are not alone.
- Although, some studies concluded that saliva might be a trigger for mental illness and depression in some individuals.
Therefore, it’s important to understand your insurance coverage before beginning treatment. Rehab insurance is a type of health insurance that covers the cost of addiction treatment, including inpatient and outpatient rehab programs, counseling sessions, and medication-assisted treatment. Most insurance providers offer some form of rehab insurance, either as part of their standard coverage or as an add-on policy. People who exhibit symptoms of salvia addiction can benefit from the structure and support of a comprehensive treatment plan. Getting the right support can help people safely stop using salvia and move forward into a healthier future.
FAQs on Salvia Use and Treatment
It is the initial step in overcoming addiction and paving the way for a healthier, substance-free life. During detoxification, the body works to metabolize and eliminate the toxins accumulated from prolonged substance abuse. Because salvia is legal for sale in some areas, people may assume it is safe. However, people may develop signs of addiction to salvia or develop other complications. It is important to understand the potential dangers of using this drug and seek treatment if you need it.
- If you or someone you love is struggling with the devastating side effects of misuse and addiction and are unsure of where to turn, call us today at .
- People usually experience the most intense effects within 2 minutes after smoking.
- Recreational use of salvia has been a concern because it contains the strongest naturally-occurring hallucinogen.
- Instead, new plants are grown from cuttings from the parent plant, which originally came from Mexico.
While there are hallucinogens that exist that are addictive, it is not fully known if salvia in particular can become addictive in the same capacity. However, that does not mean that an addiction to it cannot develop. But it was also used medicinally for the management of issues like headaches, diarrhea, upset stomach, rheumatism and anemia. These potential benefits of salvia have not been tested on humans yet, so there’s no clear answer about its effects and proper dosage.
Treating Salvia Addiction
It is currently unclear whether a person can overdose on salvia; however, the hallucinogenic and psychedelic effects may trigger psychosis, which could lead to emergency hospitalization. This mental break from reality may be temporary and resolve with appropriate medical treatment, or it could trigger a mental illness like schizophrenia, leading to long-term healthcare needs. It’s the short duration of the herb’s effects that may be what makes it more attractive to users than other hallucinogens, like LSD.
Contact our intake team to explore our programs or schedule an appointment. Because salvia isn’t controlled by the Controlled Substances Act, individual states have to decide whether or not salvia use is allowed. While some states have outlawed selling, buying or possessing salvia, it’s still considered a legal drug in many areas of the U.S.
Scientists still wonder if this plant is in its original form or if it was combined with another plant or varieties of plants to create a hybrid species. In applications where it is smoked to produce a hallucinogenic effect, the leaves rather than the flowers are dried and ground. When they are dry, the leaves turn nearly black in color rather than their original shade of dark green. There are many versions of this woody, flowering plant globally, but perhaps the rarest is indigenous to Mexico. Salvia divinorum is the psychoactive variety that was categorized by Carl Epling and Carlos Jativa in 1962.
Salvia is typically consumed either as dried leaves or as a liquid extract. When smoked, akin to marijuana, users often utilize pipes to inhale the dried leaves. This method results in a swift onset of effects, peaking within 2 minutes and generally subsiding around 30 minutes post-consumption. Another reason salvia abuse is often difficult to detect is that the effects are so short-lived. Most people remain high on salvia for only a few minutes, which can make it difficult to catch someone in the act of getting high on salvia. While there aren’t many research studies on the long-term effects of Salvia abuse, it is known that prolonged Salvia use can affect learning and memory.
Nonetheless, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) labels Salvia as a “drug of concern” because of its possible misuse. More recently, people have been known to chew its fresh, smoke-dried leaves or consume Salvia as an extract. The onset, duration, and intensity of its effects can vary depending on the method of consumption. Reach out to us today to learn more about our substance abuse treatment programs in San Antonio or to get started with a confidential, risk-free assessment.
Ingesting salvia can cause significant physical side effects, including changes in heart rhythm, nausea, and hallucinations. Combining salvia and other drugs or alcohol can increase the risk of these unwanted side effects. People abuse drugs and other addictive substances for many reasons. People may experiment with certain drugs, including hallucinogens, for their pleasurable effects. Salvia is currently illegal in approximately 20 countries globally. It is still legal in Mexico, and many people bring it into the country for distribution illegally.
