Like other gas station drugs such as kratom, tianeptine, or delta-8, phenibut use is on the rise across the United States. While some may view phenibut as a harmless supplement helpful for everyday anxiety or stress, it’s actually a harmful drug that can cause some serious consequences. In fact, phenibut withdrawal and addiction are very real risks when you begin to take it yourself.
What is Phenibut?
Phenibut was originally developed in the 1960s in Russia to help relieve anxiety and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, as well as improve cognitive function in the military. Today, it’s a central nervous system depressant that works similarly to benzodiazepines like Xanax or Klonopin. You may find phenibut for sale at mini marts, smoke shops, convenience stores, or online. Referred to as a dietary supplement to maintain legality, phenibut products are often marketed as an “anxiety reliever” or “smart drug,” shares the Missouri Poison Center. Other deceptive label claims associated with phenibut include:
- “Helps balance mood”
- “Promotes focus, relaxation, and positive mood”
- “Counteracts irritability and restlessness”
- “Improvement of memory, learning, and concentration”
- “Increased libido”
SOURCE: Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology (BCPT)
Behind the scenes, phenibut is similar to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which lessens the excitability of brain cells, according to Discover Magazine. Consequently, some people have reported feeling relaxed and happy when taking phenibut, but this is also largely based on the amount you take. People will also use it as a substitute for other drugs like benzos, as well as to manage opioid, benzo, or alcohol withdrawal, shares BCPT.
However, there has been growing awareness in recent years of Phenibut’s dangers. In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that phenibut is not a dietary ingredient and should not be marketed as such, even issuing warning letters to various companies, shares the Utah Legislature. Between 2009 and 2019, there were over 1300 phenibut exposure calls to poison control centers throughout the US. Phenibut is also known to produce harmful side effects like seizures, increased heart rate, and delirium.
The Prevalence of Phenibut Withdrawal and Addiction
Another challenge associated with phenibut is its potential for dependence and addiction. Like other drugs, you can develop a tolerance for phenibut over time, requiring you to take larger doses more often to achieve the same effects. Your brain develops a chemical dependence on phenibut as a result, leading to addiction. Common symptoms of phenibut addiction may include:
- Using phenibut for longer periods of time than intended
- Using phenibut to cope with stress or negative feelings
- Experiencing cravings or urges to use phenibut
- Experiencing phenibut withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit (more on that later)
- Needing to use more phenibut more often to get the same results
- Continuing to use phenibut despite any negative consequences
- Prioritizing phenibut use over personal, school, or work responsibilities
Like other addictive substances, once you’re dependent on phenibut and try to stop using it, you can experience phenibut withdrawal. In fact, your phenibut withdrawal timeline may begin within hours after your last dose and in some cases can continue on for a few weeks. If you’ve been a long-term phenibut user, you’re more susceptible to severe phenibut withdrawal symptoms. According to a 2024 report by BCPT, over 95% of cases of acute phenibut withdrawal required therapeutic intervention. And in some cases, phenibut withdrawal was so severe that psychomotor agitation (a withdrawal symptom) was non-responsive to pharmacological interventions.
Phenibut Withdrawal Symptoms
When you experience phenibut withdrawal symptoms, your body has gotten used to the regular supply of phenibut in your body, so it has to physically adjust to the drug’s absence, even if it’s only been a few hours. This makes it incredibly difficult, and even dangerous, to quit the drug cold turkey. Some of the phenibut withdrawal symptoms you may encounter when you stop using the substance include:
- Tremors
- Delirium
- Anxiety
- Psychomotor agitation (pacing, fidgeting, or other unintentional motions)
- Insomnia
- Visual hallucinations
- Auditory hallucinations
- Heart palpitations
- Nausea or vomiting
- Phenibut cravings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Depersonalization (feeling detached from or unlike yourself)
- Reduced appetite
- Depression
- Fatigue
When you experience phenibut withdrawal symptoms, you’re also more susceptible to phenibut overdose. This is because you may resume phenibut usage as a way to cope with your withdrawal, but the amount you take may be too much for your adjusting body to handle. An overdose can lead to extreme drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, and loss of consciousness.
Get Help for Phenibut Withdrawal and Addiction in New England
Just because you can buy phenibut online or at a local retail store, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. If you think you’ve developed a dependence on phenibut, it’s important to get help before things get worse. At Sana at Stowe in Stowe, Vermont, we can help. Our detox and withdrawal management services can help you navigate phenibut withdrawal safely, and we also provide comprehensive drug addiction treatment to help you achieve long-term sobriety. To learn more about our treatment programs, call us today.
