Author: Charles Frank
How to Tell if You’ve Been Roofied
Sadly, owing to the rapid nature of roofies affecting the victim and their sedative properties, many people do not realise they have been drugged until it is too late. As roofies cause gaps in memory, it is often difficult to recognise if you have been a victim the following day. Roofies have become so synonymous with rape that the act of drugging someone’s drink with any substance is collectively called “roofying”.
The term “roofied” stems from the common nickname for Rohypnol, “roofies.” Rohypnol is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine or central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Also known by the generic name flunitrazepam, this drug is not approved for medical use in the United States. It is often used by cocaine addicts to alleviate undesirable side effects and to commit sexual assault. Rohypnol or roofies look like oblong olive green tablets that can be swallowed, crushed and snorted, or dissolved into a liquid.
You might experience blurred sight, or some form of tunnel vision or double vision, Michonski said. Suspecting she’d been roofied ― or that something else was seriously wrong with their new co-worker ― Hansen’s group acted fast, calling an ambulance to pick her up. Also referred to as cherry meth, GHB is a prescription medication for the condition known as narcolepsy. Effects are felt within 15 to 30 minutes of ingestion and last for up to six hours. If the emergency services are required, then speak to the attending paramedic and let them know what you know they have consumed as accurately as you can.
You have gaps in your memory.
If you suspect someone has slipped you an illicit drug, it’s imperative that you call 911 immediately. Try to stay around as many people as possible until help arrives, and drink as much water as you can to help flush the drug from your system. Because you may lose consciousness very quickly in this situation, acting fast is essential at the onset of any signs you’ve been roofied. Just the mere idea of experiencing roofied effects or sexual assault is terrifying. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can practice date rape drug prevention and stay safe when you go out with friends or meet new people.
Read here to find out more about how long drugs and alcohol stay in your system. 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 might experience blurred sight, or some form of tunnel vision or double vision, Michonski said.
- If you don’t know who to go to, or how you’ll afford therapy, call your local rape crisis center.
- “I just want people (especially women) to know that date rape drugs are not some rarity that only come out at frat parties,” she wrote in the thread, which went viral on the platform.
- Suspecting she’d been roofied ― or that something else was seriously wrong with their new co-worker ― Hansen’s group acted fast, calling an ambulance to pick her up.
- However, it’s more common for victims to experience psychological issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
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. For further help and support with the aftermath of rape, speak to one of the many charities that specialise in helping people who have been the victim of sexual assault.
Signs of Being Roofied: Drink spiking and how to stay safe
“Getting roofied” means you’ve been dosed with Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) or a similar drug. Because roofies are tasteless, odorless, colorless, and easily dissolvable, the most common way sexual assaulters drug victims are by putting these drugs in their drinks. In addition to Rohypnol, other common date rape drugs include Ketamine (Special K) and Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB). It’s also important to seek medical care afterward if you wake up the next day suspecting you’ve been roofied. If you’re not sure whether you were sexually assaulted, a medical examination can help determine if that occurred.
Thirteen percent of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through “physical force, violence, or incapacitation,” according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, or RAINN. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.
Why would someone roofie a drink?
Unfortunately, drugs like Rohypnol are often used to facilitate sexual assault, including committing sexual acts with someone who has not given their consent or is incoherent or unconscious. “Date rape” is a term that refers to a person forcing someone who they’re socially, romantically, or casually involved with to have sex without consent. This type of sexual assault is often facilitated through the use of date rape drugs or roofies. As a drug rehab in Naperville, IL, that’s aware of the dangers of drug use, we wanted to share some tips on how to know if you were roofied so you can stay safe.
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.
Some of the residual effects, such as memory loss and confusion and can last 12 hours or more after administration. They are also undetectable, having no smell, colour, 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.
Because of the powerful effects of these drugs, many people don’t realize they’ve been roofied until the next day. It’s not uncommon for those who’ve been slipped drugs to never really know what actually happened to them. If you’re concerned about being a victim of date rape, then you should know the roofied side effects and signs to stay safe. Below are some common after-effects of getting roofied and tips on how to tell if you were roofied.
Other substances that are often used in date rape offences include Ketamine (K, Special K) and Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) as they have similar effects to roofies. To be “roofied” or “getting roofied” refers to an instance of sexual assault or rape where the victim has been spiked (given a substance without their knowing) with Rohypnol (flunitrazepam). “I just want people (especially women) to know that date rape drugs are not some rarity that only come out at frat parties,” she wrote in the thread, which went viral on the platform. Although there are tests and gadgets designed to let you test your drink for the presence of date rape drugs, these are still in the experimental stage and should never take the place of common sense caution.