People suffering from drug addiction put themselves at risk in many ways. Drugs are toxic to the body, and eventually, they can overwhelm a person – causing irreparable damage.
Some drugs are more dangerous than others, though. One of the scariest drugs you can find is krokodil. If you or someone you know is going through addiction, you should know about the krokodil drug, the devastating effects it can have on your health and what help is available to you.
What is Krokodil?
Krokodil is the street name for desomorphine, a synthetic opioid that was first synthesised in 1932. It was initially used in medical settings as an effective pain relief drug, but its side effects, short duration and highly addictive nature have outweighed any of its advantages.
The krokodil drug has earned a reputation as a zombie and flesh-eating drug due to the severe tissue it can cause to users. The drug first became known recreationally in Russia as a homemade and cheap alternative to heroin. The use of it spread to Western Europe and the USA around 2013. In 2019, the first British person was hospitalised due to krokodil.
The drug is illegal in the UK. It is a Class A Drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – which carries a maximum 7-year prison sentence for possession.
How is Krokodil Made?
Krokodil is a homemade drug made cheaply with over-the-counter ingredients. The krokodil drug is created from codeine tablets and other toxic chemicals such as paint thinner, iodine and red phosphorus from matchboxes. Battery acid and gasoline may also be used as a solvent.
The resulting mixture is an injectable brown liquid.
The severe health complications from using krokodil happen due to the drug’s homemade nature. Toxic by-products are created due to the impurities in the manufacturing process.
Why is Krokodil So Dangerous?
Krokodil has the reputation of being the “flesh-eating drug” due to its corrosive nature, which leads to users’ scaly skin that can turn green and black.
The severe side effects of krokodil happen because the drug has intense but short-lasting effects. Users need to inject the drug frequently, and this increases the chance of developing skin infections and their skin becoming scaly.
The skin scaling is a sign of skin necrosis – tissue death. This is serious and can result in:
- Open wounds and ulcers
- Gangrene, leading to amputations
- Organ damage
- Blood poisoning (sepsis)
Another major danger of Krokodil is the risk of overdose; due to its potency, Krokodil is ten times stronger than morphine, and someone who overestimates their tolerance may take more than they can handle.
Physical and Psychological Effects of Krokodil Use
People turn to krokodil because of the immediate effects it supplies. Krokodil can give users a feeling of euphoria and is an effective pain relief medication. Also, in the immediate, it can cause drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and slow down your heartbeat and breathing.
If abused long-term, krokodil can cause severe skin damage that resembles burns. You may also get infections and abscesses on your skin that may result in amputation being needed. Kidney and liver damage, along with other organ failure, is a distinct possibility.
Krokodil can also affect you psychologically. Addiction can take hold quickly, and this can worsen mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The drug can also lead to cognitive impairment, memory loss and poor concentration.
Is Krokodil Addictive?
Due to its opioid properties, krokodil is very addictive. As stated above, its short lifespan of effects means that it has to be taken frequently. This allows tolerance to develop quickly, and soon, the user is taking more and more to get the same effects as when they injected the first time.
This heightened tolerance quickly leads to a dependence on the drug.
The withdrawal symptoms also make it hard for people to come off of the drug. Like people with heroin addiction, krokodil users do not want to go through the symptoms, which include:
- Muscle and bone pain
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
- Depression and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Intense cravings
All this means that it is very hard to get off Krokodil without professional intervention.
Recognising Signs of Krokodil Addiction
If you are worried about someone you know suffering from krokodil addiction, you should be aware of the signs.
Physical signs include:
- Skin lesions, sores or rotting flesh
- Extreme weight loss and malnutrition
- Slurred speech
- Dry mouth
Behavioural signs include:
- Secretive behaviour and being more absent
- Financial difficulties due to drug buying
- Neglecting responsibilities and personal hygiene
- Changes in mood
As krokodil is an opioid, many of the signs are similar to the symptoms of heroin addiction. What sets Krokodil apart is the skin lesions, so be on the lookout for them.
Treatment Options for Krokodil Addiction
Due to Krokodil’s severe health impacts, you should seek professional help sooner rather than later.
A medical detox with 24/7 monitoring is needed to manage withdrawal and stabilise your physical health safely. Therapies and counselling are utilised, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to address your psychological addiction. You will also take part in group therapy sessions to gain access to peer support and connect with others over shared experiences.
Holistic treatments such as mindfulness, yoga and meditation are available to promote emotional healing and improve mental health.
You’ll get access to aftercare programmes that provide you with long-term support that can help prevent relapse and sustain recovery in the long term.
How to Seek Help for Krokodil Addiction
It may be difficult to ask for help, but you have to take the first step. Professional support is available, and at Addiction Advocates, we can make sure this process is as stress-free as possible.
We provide free and confidential assessments to determine what sort of treatment is right for you. This means that we connect you to the right treatment that’s tailored to your unique situation. We also consider many factors, such as what you are addicted to, your health needs, and your addiction history – to find the correct path forward.
Krokodil can cause irreversible damage to your body, so early intervention is vital. With swift action, you can improve outcomes and give yourself the best chance of achieving your recovery goals.
Find Support for Synthetic Opioid Addiction
You may have to come to this article asking, “What is krokodil?”. Now that you have the answer, hopefully, you never want to go near it. It is an incredibly dangerous drug that is highly addictive with devastating physical effects.
If you are struggling, it’s never too late to get help. Recovery is always possible, and with the proper support and treatment, you can achieve long-term recovery.
If you want help with finding support, get in touch with our team today.
