What is the CAT drug? And no, this has nothing to do with felines. CAT or khat is a naturally-occurring stimulant drug that comes as an off-white powder. As a stimulant, the drug interacts with the central nervous system (CNS) to produce several negative effects that can interfere with one’s cognition, coordination, movement, memory, and more. Today, we’re taking a closer look at khat overdose symptoms, the amount of khat that can be fatal, and how our Southern California rehab can help those addicted to this drug recover.
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What Does Khat Look Like?
Khat usually looks like dried leaves that can be chewed, brewed into a tea, sprinkled on or in food, or smoked. If you’re familiar with how marijuana looks, it can easily be confused with khat, which could result in accidental intoxication or overdose.
Although the stimulant chemicals in khat are most potent while the leaves are fresh, the leaves are usually dried and ground into a powder when imported to the U.S. This may dampen the intense high that khat can produce, so dried versions are usually less dangerous, although we don’t advise the use of this drug at all.
Being able to identify drugs and drug paraphernalia can prevent accidental intoxication and even fatal overdose. In cases where the CAT drug and cannabis can easily be mixed up, CAT’s stimulant properties can have very different and intense side effects.
Drug dealers are also lacing drugs with fentanyl and other potent substances to make their products more addictive and potent. Fentanyl is a very powerful synthetic opioid that can cause an overdose in small doses and is unfortunately used for lacing many street drugs.
Can You Overdose on Khat?
You can overdose on khat, although this isn’t thoroughly researched by professionals yet. Typically, CAT drug overdose symptoms are most common in people who have struggled with a long-term CAT drug addiction.
People who abuse khat long-term develop a tolerance to the drug and need to use it more frequently and at higher doses to experience the same effects. Common khat overdose symptoms include:
- Delusions
- Confusion
- Appetite loss
- Trouble breathing
- High blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Liver damage
- Heart problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
Stimulants like khat speed up the CNS, making an individual feel energized, euphoric, confident, and jittery. As a result, stimulants can have a severe impact on the heart and blood pressure as well as one’s mental health.
Stimulants normally increase dopamine levels in the brain as well as norepinephrine levels, the former of which are linked to improved mood, pleasure, motivation, and reward. As a result, a person who’s going through either CAT drug overdose symptoms or withdrawals might experience mental health problems like depression or anxiety.
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Stimulant Addiction Treatment at Banyan
Stimulant abuse can lead to long-term consequences in one’s physical and mental health as well as their finances, relationships, employment, and more. If you or someone you care about is battling drug addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Our Palm Springs rehab offers substance-specific detox in California that addresses withdrawal symptoms and helps clients slowly wean off of substances with medical support. Our facility also offers treatment programs for various types of substance use disorders to ensure each patient has a plan that works for them.
For more information about our California rehab programs, call Banyan Treatment Centers Palm Springs today at 888-280-4763.
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