--- title: "Recognising a GHB or GBL Emergency in Time" url: https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/emergencies-with-ghb-gbl/ date_published: 2024-03-15 date_modified: 2026-08-18 --- # Recognising a GHB or GBL Emergency in Time ## Inhaltsverzeichnis - [What is GHB or GBL?](#h-what-is-ghb-or-gbl) - [What you should do in a drug emergency?](#h-what-you-should-do-in-a-drug-emergency) - [Protection from assault in the event of a GHB/GBL emergency](#h-protection-from-assault-in-the-event-of-a-ghb-gbl-emergency) - [What you should do if someone is asleep after using GHB but can be woken up](#h-what-you-should-do-if-someone-is-asleep-after-using-ghb-but-can-be-woken-up) - [What NOT to do in an emergency with GHB/GBL](#h-what-not-to-do-in-an-emergency-with-ghb-gbl) - [GHB/GBL: why even small amounts tip over](#h-dosage-of-ghb-gbl) The use of narcotics is widespread among men who have sex with men. [Drugs](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/fisting-drugs/ "Drugs") such as **GHB or GBL** provide disinhibition and increased libido. But can also cause a drug emergency, which can lead to life-threatening situations. In such a case, it is important to act quickly and ensure medical care. You can find out what you need to know about emergencies involving GHB/GBL in this article. ## What is GHB or GBL? GHB (short for gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and GBL (abbreviation for gamma-butyrolactone) are synthetically produced substances. Which are normally used in pharmacology or industry. Both are classified as narcotics. GHB is available as a salt in powder or liquid form. GBL is available as a colorless liquid and is drunk diluted. The special feature of GBL is that it is biologically inactive and is converted by the body into GHB. It is therefore a precursor substance of GHB and develops its pharmacological effects through rapid conversion to GHB. Depending on their dosage, GHB and GBL have both stimulating and relaxing effects. According to many users, their effect lasts for about an hour. After this time, a new dose must be consumed to maintain their effect. Therefore, GHB and GBL are frequently used. Especially at the often very long [chemsex](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/bdsm-chemsex/ "chemsex") parties that are popular in the [gay community](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/magazine-en/society-community/ "gay community"). Which increases the risk of emergencies. In high doses, GHB and GBL can cause unconsciousness or (coma-like) sleep. Which is why they are also known colloquially as knockout drops. In addition, the substances known as liquid ecstasy, G, Gina or fantasy can also lead to uncontrolled shouting, convulsions, [vomiting](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/blowjob-vomiting/ "vomiting") and convulsions. ## What you should do in a drug emergency? Different substances can lead to different emergencies due to their different effects. Therefore, if you witness such an emergency, you should pay attention to the symptoms and take appropriate countermeasures. In general, the following recommendations apply in the event of a drug emergency: - Keep calm and ask others present for support - Do not leave the helpless person alone until professional help arrives - Try to have a calming effect on the person in need of help (speak in a calm voice, make physical contact by placing your hand on their arm). - Keep the person awake if possible. - Try to create a protected environment. - Prevent the so-called “relapse”, i.e. renewed consumption. - Report the affected person to the emergency services and tell them about the measures you have taken. In the event of a drug emergency with GHB and GBL, unconsciousness may occur. If you come across a person who is unresponsive and cannot be woken up by gentle shaking, you should definitely call the emergency services. You must then check the breathing and, if the person is not breathing on their own, start chest compressions. Until the person arrives, it is advisable to provide them with fresh air, for example by breathing in, and to place wet cloths on their neck. ## Protection from assault in the event of a GHB/GBL emergency One consequence of GHB/GBL use can be unconsciousness, and very often the ability to make decisions independently is also lost. Both can lead to strangers becoming violent, for example at a chemsex party. It is therefore important that you (as the organizer of the party, for example) react and protect unconscious people or people who are no longer able to make decisions. If you notice that a person is no longer able to [consent](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/bdsm-consent/ "consent") to or refuse a certain sexual practice, for example, then remove them from the situation in question. This includes, for example, intervening to end sex that is taking place and stopping film or video recordings. In this context, you should also ensure that the person concerned does not send any explicit or even pornographic images or videos on their mobile phone. Especially at large chemsex parties, you should also make sure that a person who is no longer able to make decisions is not walking around and exposing themselves to the risk of sexual assault. In such situations, people like to go without condoms, which means an additional health risk due to [STIs](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/health-en/sexually-transmitted-infections/ "STIs"). You should also prevent them from walking on the street unaccompanied. The person should also not get into a pool or bathtub alone, as they could fall unconscious and drown. Also prevent the person concerned from being given more drugs. ## What you should do if someone is asleep after using GHB but can be woken up If the dosage of GHB/GBL is too high, the person consuming it may fall asleep. In this so-called G-sleep, respiratory arrest can occur at any time. Breathing problems or sudden snoring are considered warning signals, although both symptoms do not always occur. It is important to count the number of breaths taken at least once a day. If there are fewer than eight breaths per minute, it is urgently necessary to call an ambulance. While many consumers wake up from G-sleep themselves, there is no guarantee of this. Therefore, you should definitely try to wake the person up and keep them awake. If this is not possible, an ambulance must be called. The quicker you react, the quicker the person will get help. Not too hesitant, a person with GHB/GBL [overdose](https://gay-blog.tomrockets.com/en/overdose-on-poppers/ "overdose") can save their lives. ## What NOT to do in an emergency with GHB/GBL There are various measures in circulation about what to do if someone has taken an overdose of GHB/GBL. Much of what you may have heard, you should never do, such as making sure the person throws up (keep that famous finger down your throat). You should also not try to inject the person with liquid, as this could accelerate the absorption of the drugs into the bloodstream. In the case of unresponsive people in particular, it is rumored that a so-called “Upper” is useful. With the case of drug intoxication, any additional drug administered would only make the situation worse. In addition, the person would then have several different drugs in their system, which would only make rapid treatment more difficult. A very sensible rule is therefore not to give additional drugs to someone who is already “high” anyway. ## GHB/GBL: why even small amounts tip over There is no safe amount of these drugs, and you will deliberately find no recommendation for one here. Height, weight, tolerance, the purity of the GHB/GBL and how much someone has slept or eaten change the effect so much that general statements about tolerability are impossible. Everyone reacts differently, and even minimal differences in amount decide between a high and an overdose. Topping up also often ends in an emergency, because several portions overlap. After all, no matter how much you write about the safest possible use of GHB/GBL, the fact remains that you are taking a great risk when using these drugs that cannot be minimized. When consuming [GHB/GBL](https://www.drugcom.de/drogenlexikon/buchstabe-g/gbl/), you should therefore at least refrain from topping up. It is also a good idea to ask friends to keep an eye on you while you are using and to intervene if you have a drug emergency with GHB/GBL. By taking such precautions, you can at least reduce your risk somewhat.