Can you snort melatonin? Unbelievably, many people who are looking for a quick high will resort to abusing natural supplements and hormones like melatonin. These individuals may even attempt to use these substances in unconventional and unsafe ways to get high. Whether you are curious or even know someone who might have this problem, keep reading to learn what happens if you snort melatonin.
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Can You Snort Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the brain in response to darkness. It is released by the pineal gland in the brain and then released into the bloodstream when it’s dark. As a result, melatonin helps with the timing of our circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and sleep.
Melatonin production is prevented by exposure to light, which is why it is recommended that people stay off their phones and TVs when trying to sleep. Melatonin is available as an over-the-counter supplement that can be taken to promote sleep, treat sleeping disorders, and provide relief for jet lag.
As with other supplements, too much of anything is not a good thing, and abusing vitamins or supplements can have dire consequences. Some people snort melatonin to increase its effects or produce a strong high.
The substance is absorbed into the bloodstream before it reaches the brain and produces its effects. When a drug is snorted, it is absorbed through the nasal membrane and into the surrounding blood vessels.
The blood vessels then carry the drug to the heart, where it can be carried throughout the body, including major organs like the brain. The drug must then pass through the blood-brain barrier, a protective lining of endothelial cells that separates the blood from the brain.
Because snorting drugs allow them to enter the bloodstream directly, they can affect the brain almost immediately. This can increase the abuse potential of the substance because of the high produced when it is snorted. Below are some reasons you cannot snort melatonin.
What Happens When You Snort Melatonin?
Snorting melatonin introduces powdered substances into the nasal passages, which can cause breathing problems. Long-term intranasal drug use can also lead to chronic nosebleeds, runny noses, a loss of smell, and even a perforated nasal septum. Some of these consequences may be reversible once melatonin abuse is stopped, but over time, repeated intranasal drug use can lead to permanent damage.
What happens if you snort melatonin includes side effects like:
- Constantly runny nose
- Damage to nasal passages
- Damage to the nasal cavity and septum
- Difficulty swallowing and speaking
- Ear pain
- Facial swelling and pain
- Nasal congestion
- Nose bleeds
- Oral ulcers
- Pain in the nasal passages
- Throat damage
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Can You Get High on Melatonin?
Usually, the motivation to abuse drugs is the high they produce. However, you cannot get high on melatonin, no matter how it is used. In fact, abusing melatonin in any way can interfere with a person’s sleep schedule and have the opposite effect.
But can you get addicted to melatonin? No! Unlike many other sleep medications and supplements, melatonin is non-habit forming, meaning you cannot get addicted to it. However, as we have mentioned, misusing melatonin in any way can interfere with the brain’s ability to produce it naturally as well as with the person’s sleep cycle.
Additionally, sniffing melatonin can cause severe damage to the nose and other areas of the body, such as the respiratory system. Engaging in drug-taking behavior may also be a motivation to misuse other drugs that are more harmful and addictive.
Fortunately, our nationwide addiction treatment centers offer various levels of addiction care ranging from inpatient to outpatient services that can help people with substance use disorders get clean. From medically assisted detox to alumni services, our Banyan locations are here to help.
Call Banyan Treatment Centers today at 888-280-4763 to get started.
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