Walking zombies, erratic movement, violent behaviours: Kpod use can quickly snowball into addiction, but the recovery process is a hard pill to swallow.
Move aside, traditional nicotine vapes. Kpods, a new, more dangerous type of vape, have come to town.
A form of vape solution mixed with drugs like etomidate and ketamine, Kpods are the newest drug trend to hit Singapore. Despite efforts to crack down on their distribution, the easily accessible nature of the laced vapes continue to cause headaches nationwide.
With new efforts rolled out to discourage users from vaping, some Kpod users have quit vapes entirely with the assistance of various Kpod addiction recovery programmes. But what will it take to overcome this highly addictive substance?
What Makes Kpods So Addictive?
Despite the world’s best efforts to eliminate cigarettes, nicotine consumption has only come back stronger in the form of electronic vaporisers, also known as vapes. Marketed in colourful and creative packaging, vapes work by heating a liquid solution containing nicotine and other ingredients that are inhaled.
In most situations, vapes contain nicotine. But in recent months, vape juice laced with drugs like etomidate and even ketamine have flooded the market.
As highly addictive substances, they have become very accessible through online chat groups and sellers at lucrative prices. Once addicted to the short-lived drug high, users can quickly become Kpods abusers.
The Ingredients Of Kpods
Etomidate is the most common ingredient in these laced pods. It is a fast-acting anaesthetic that is commonly used in medical procedures. It is also classified as a poison under the Poisons Act, restricting its use to licensed medical professionals. When inhaled through vapes, it can cause confusion, tremors, unsteady gait, and eventually the failure of vital organs.
Ketamine is a similar type of anaesthetic, but it is also an infamous party drug. When taken, it can cause side effects like hallucinations, disassociation, impaired motor skills, and memory loss. It is also sometimes found in vapes, although not as common as etomidate.
Compared to nicotine, the use of etomidate or ketamine in vapes can cause almost immediate damage to the body. Those high on these vapes can look like zombies, often walking around with an unsteady gait. They are unresponsive to attempts to interact with them, and seem completely disconnected from reality.
The Science of (Kpod) Addiction
Addiction is broadly understood to be a kind of brain disease. Whether it’s triggered by alcohol, nicotine, or gambling, it develops when the pleasure circuits in the brain get overwhelmed.
This is linked to the reward system in the brain, which reinforces behaviours needed for us to survive. For example, when we eat food, a chemical called dopamine is released, making us feel happy and satisfied. In order to experience this feeling again, we are incentivised to continue eating.
In the case of addiction, instead of a simple surge of dopamine, an addictive behaviour or substance releases a flood of dopamine. Once the brain remembers this surge of happiness or pleasure, it associates it with the addictive substance and starts to crave it.
However, with chronic use of the substance, it may become harder and harder to hit that same level of dopamine over time. Addicts may then have to consume more and more of the same substance just to reach that high again. This forms the basis of addiction.
In the case of Kpod addiction, this leads to an endless loop of Kpod abuse once users become addicted to the short-lived high they experience. As their tolerance increases, their occasional use of Kpods becomes frequent, leading to an endless cycle.
Without intervention, Kpod abuse has severe consequences.
At best, it causes the destruction of marriages or family relationships. At worst, it can cause death due to overdosing on the drugs found within the vapes.
What Recovery Looks Like For Kpod Addiction
Many former addicts have credited Kpod addiction recovery programmes with helping them to get clean. When facing strong withdrawal symptoms after going cold turkey, they may be key in weaning users off the drug-laced vapes.
Medical Intervention
The first behaviour to deal with when it comes to recovery is often withdrawal symptoms. Users who quit Kpods may experience feelings of lethargy or pain in the body. This may differ based on their level of Kpod addiction.
In severe cases, hospitalisation may be required to stabilise the vital functions and correct any medical imbalances found during a check up. This helps to form the foundation of a healthy body, before addressing the psychological factors of addiction.
Counselling and Therapy
Therapy and counselling can provide a safe space for users to reflect and examine their reasons for Kpod use. During these sessions, users can learn more about the harmful effects of drugs like etomidate and ketamine.
Group therapy is also an option to provide former Kpod users with support groups or peer recovery networks. With a common background of shared experiences, this can be a strong form of support.
By encouraging accountability and reducing feelings of shame and isolation, this can be especially helpful for younger Kpod users. This helps to accelerate the rate of recovery from Kpod addiction.
Family Therapy and Education
One of the most important pillars of support is family. Alongside therapy for former users, therapy for affected family members can help them to understand the situation.
Through a neutral third party, this provides a safe space for them to process and manage their feelings.
Family members can also learn about the signs of substance abuse and what to look out for. They can also learn some simple coping mechanisms to help former Kpod users stave off relapses.
As Singapore grapples with Kpod addiction, we may unfortunately see more and more users fall victim to the dangerous side effects of these drug-laced vapes. While it is important to extend a helping hand to those who want to quit, it is also crucial for Singaporean society to fully understand the dangers of Kpod addiction.
