Phenibut Withdrawal Symptoms, Dependence, Dangers

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Phenibut is a substance that acts on the brain and can cause dependence and addiction.

Stopping phenibut suddenly after regular use leads to a withdrawal syndrome with potentially serious health consequences.

What is Phenibut?

Phenibut is a central nervous system depressant that was developed in Russia in the 1960s.

It is used medically in some countries to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions.

Phenibut is not approved for medical use in the United States or most Western countries, but it is available without a prescription as a nutritional supplement.

Phenibut acts on the brain in a way similar to medications like Valium or Xanax.

It causes feelings of calmness and euphoria by increasing the effects of a neurotransmitter called GABA.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that allow brain cells to communicate with each other.

Some people use phenibut recreationally to get high or to self-medicate for anxiety or sleep problems.

With regular use, tolerance develops and users need to take more to get the same effects.

Stopping suddenly after heavy use leads to withdrawal symptoms.

How Does Phenibut Work in the Brain?

Phenibut works primarily by increasing the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning it slows down brain activity.

It produces calming effects and helps regulate anxiety, fear, muscle tone, and sleep.

Phenibut enhances the effects of GABA mainly by binding to and activating GABA-B receptors.

GABA-B receptors are protein molecules on brain cells that GABA attaches to in order to transmit its signal.

Phenibut makes the GABA-B receptors more sensitive, increasing GABA’s calming effects.

Phenibut also binds to and activates dopamine receptors in the brain.

Dopamine is involved in mood, motivation, and pleasure.

What Are the Effects & Dangers of Phenibut Use?

At lower doses, phenibut produces anti-anxiety and sleep-promoting effects.

Users report feeling more social and uninhibited.

Higher doses create euphoria and intoxication.

With regular use, tolerance develops quickly and users need to take more to get high or reduce anxiety.

Dependence and addiction can occur rapidly. Some effects of phenibut on mental function are similar to alcohol intoxication.

Physical effects can include drowsiness, loss of coordination, nausea, and vomiting.

Heavy use of phenibut is associated with severe withdrawal when the drug is stopped.

Withdrawal can also occur with short-term use of moderate to high doses.

Suddenly stopping phenibut throws the brain into a state of imbalance that requires medical management.

Signs & Symptoms of Phenibut Withdrawal

Within 12-24 hours after the last dose, early withdrawal symptoms appear such as:

  • Anxiety, panic attacks
  • Agitation, restlessness
  • Insomnia
  • Heart palpitations
  • Sweating, chills
  • Tremors

Over the next few days, more severe symptoms emerge:

  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real)
  • Delusions (false beliefs)
  • Paranoia
  • Rapid heart rate and blood pressure
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Muscle spasms, jerky movements

Severe phenibut withdrawal can also cause dangerous complications:

  • Seizures
  • Delirium (extreme confusion)
  • Psychosis (losing touch with reality)
  • Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown)
  • Respiratory distress

Why Does Phenibut Withdrawal Occur?

Phenibut withdrawal occurs because the brain becomes dependent on the drug’s effects.

With regular heavy use, the brain reduces the number of GABA receptors in an effort to maintain balance against the over-activation caused by phenibut.

When phenibut is stopped, the remaining GABA receptors are not enough to maintain normal brain function.

There is too little GABA activity relative to other neurotransmitters like dopamine and glutamate.

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This throws the brain into overdrive, causing the agitation, anxiety, tremors, and other symptoms.

The brain eventually restores balance on its own, but this process takes several days or weeks after phenibut cessation.

The initial week is typically the most severe period of withdrawal.

Some post-acute withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and cravings can persist for months.

Managing Phenibut Withdrawal Symptoms

Phenibut withdrawal should be managed under medical supervision.

People who were using large amounts of phenibut daily are at risk for dangerous complications like seizures, psychosis, and delirium.

For mild cases, treatment may involve tapering down the dosage over a period of weeks before fully stopping.

This allows the brain time to readjust GABA activity gradually.

Supportive care at home can help manage symptoms during the taper.

With moderate to severe withdrawal, hospitalization may be required for close monitoring and administration of medications.

The main goals are controlling agitation and vital signs, preventing seizures and psychosis, minimizing muscle breakdown, and easing nausea.

Common medications used to treat phenibut withdrawal include:

  • Benzodiazepines: These medications enhance GABA activity like phenibut does. They help calm the overexcited brain and control seizures and agitation during withdrawal. Commonly used benzodiazepines include lorazepam and diazepam.
  • Baclofen: This muscle relaxant activates GABA-B receptors directly like phenibut. It can help restore GABA-B signaling.
  • Antipsychotics: Haloperidol, olanzapine, and other antipsychotics may be used short-term to control agitation, hallucinations, and other psychotic symptoms.
  • Anti-nausea drugs: Ondansetron and promethazine help relieve severe nausea and vomiting.
  • IV fluids and electrolytes: Fluid and electrolyte imbalance can occur due to vomiting. IV fluids help stabilize hydration and electrolyte levels.

Hospital monitoring continues until the most severe symptoms resolve, usually within 5-7 days.

Ongoing outpatient care focuses on managing any residual anxiety, insomnia, or cravings.

Addiction counseling and support groups are recommended to prevent relapse.

Risk Factors for Phenibut Dependence & Withdrawal

Certain factors put people at increased risk of becoming dependent on phenibut and experiencing withdrawal problems:

  • Taking high doses
  • Using phenibut daily or almost daily
  • Having a history of substance abuse or addiction
  • Taking phenibut long-term (more than 2-4 weeks consecutively)
  • Having a mental health disorder like anxiety, depression, PTSD
  • Taking other substances that affect GABA activity, like alcohol, benzodiazepines, or gabapentin
  • Having reduced GABA activity genetically

To avoid addiction and withdrawal, doctors caution against taking phenibut for more than 2-4 weeks continuously.

Extended “drug holidays” are advised between cycles of use to prevent physical dependence.

Staying Safe with Phenibut Use

Phenibut should be avoided entirely by people in recovery from addictions.

Anyone choosing to use phenibut should follow strict limits on dosage and frequency:

  • Take no more than twice per week
  • Do not exceed 250-500 mg per day
  • Take periodic 2-3 week breaks from use
  • Do not mix with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other depressants
  • Discontinue immediately if experiencing adverse effects

With disciplined, short-term use, phenibut can be taken safely by some people.

But sustained daily use almost always leads to dependence and very difficult withdrawal.

Being aware of the risks allows making informed choices about using this powerful substance.

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