GHB has gained a widespread reputation as the "date rape drug," but it turns out there is a lot more to worry about with this substance than its potential to knock out unsuspecting victims. Its use to knock girls out so they can unknowingly be forced into sexual encounters is a huge problem, but there is also such thing as GHB addiction in which people intentionally take the drug to knock their own selves out or to get a momentary high.

There has been some new research that may open the door for GHB to be used legitimately in medical settings as a potent anesthesia, which just shows how powerful this drug can be. There are some advocates for using the drug for serious weightlifters because it has some notable affects on fat metabolism within the body, but at this time there are no legitimate uses for it. It is completely illegal, so those who develop a GHB addiction have to obtain their supplies through criminal means.

Those who use this drug can end up with a serious GHB addiction within a few doses. Just as commonly happens with most types of drug addictions, many people do not realize that they have a GHB addiction until it starts to interfere negatively with their daily life. At that point, it is an engrained habit and their body will constantly crave more, which makes it extremely difficult to detox off of the GHB addiction.

Essentially, this drug is a depressant that has the potential to deliver a powerful high and a feeling of overall well being and extreme happiness. Before it was officially declared illegal, school aged children were known to use this drug in order to improve their body weight and muscle tone so they could perform better in sporting activities. While that has greatly been reduced in recent years, GHB addiction still occurs far too often with kids who want to be their best. Ultimately, GHB addiction sets in and it creates far more problems for their performance than it ever solved.

Some of the more serious effects that can occur from taking this drug include a serious drop in blood pressure and respiration rates, dizziness, and nausea. Many people who routinely use the drug tend to be cold often and may start to have hallucinations over the course of the GHB addiction. There may even be some long term effects in some users, and death is always a possibility.

In current times, GHB addiction is not as prevalent a problem as it used to be. It is best known for its unlawful use as the date rape drug, with many people not even realizing it can be used for recreational purposes. The fact that it knocks people out is about the extent of knowledge that many people have today.

While it is good that many people are not aware that GHB addiction is a problem, it can be a bad thing as well. Parents need to be well aware that it is still out there and that it holds more dangers for their children than they ever imagined.