GHB and GBL: honest help when G has become a problem

Please read this first

The gap between a dose and an overdose is very small. FRANK says it’s very easy to overdose on GHB and GBL, and that overdose can lead to unconsciousness, coma and death. Never mix G with alcohol. NHS advice warns the two interact and can kill, and taking G with other downers such as benzos or ketamine raises the risk of going under.

If someone can’t be woken, call 999. If they’re unconscious but breathing, put them in the recovery position so they don’t choke, and stay with them until the ambulance arrives. Tell the crew everything you know about what was taken.

Don’t stop suddenly if you use every day. Withdrawal from G can start within a couple of hours of the last dose, get worse quickly and cause seizures. If you’ve taken G for more than 7 days in a row, the NHS says not to try to stop by yourself. Get medical help from a drug service or your GP, or go to A and E if you’re already unwell.

FRANK is confidential and open 24 hours on 0300 123 6600, or text 82111. If you feel hopeless or have thoughts of ending your life, Samaritans answer free calls on 116 123 around the clock.

G often arrives through a particular scene. It might be club nights, chill-outs or sex parties, where it’s around and everyone seems to know what they’re doing with it. Over time the weekend can creep into the week, and the gaps between doses can get shorter. If that’s where you are, it can feel frightening to look at it straight.

Below are the honest risks and the UK help that genuinely fits. If G is part of using drugs during sex for you, my page on chemsex covers that side in more detail. You deserve proper support, and most of it costs nothing.

Signs GHB or GBL use has become a problem

FRANK says people who take GHB or GBL regularly can develop a dependence, and the NHS says dependence can develop quickly. Signs that G has a hold on you include:

  • Using on several days in a row, or every day
  • Needing to keep taking it through the day or night so you don’t feel unwell
  • Feeling shaky, anxious, sweaty or confused as it wears off
  • Passing out, going under, or friends having to look after you
  • Mixing it with alcohol or other drugs, even though you know the risks
  • Work, money or relationships starting to suffer

Because G can make people pass out easily, FRANK also points out that it has been linked to rape and other sexual assaults. If you think something happened to you while you were under, you can talk to your GP or a sexual health clinic in confidence. NHS sexual health clinics support people who have experienced sexual assault.

Where to get help for GHB and GBL in the UK

  • Your GP. A good, confidential place to start, especially if you use G often. Be honest about how much and how often, so they can plan a safe way for you to come off it.
  • FRANK. Whatever the time, you can speak to FRANK in confidence on 0300 123 6600, or text 82111. Read FRANK’s guide to GHB and GBL.
  • Local drug services. Most are run by the NHS or charities, and the NHS says you can approach one yourself if you’d rather not go through your GP. You’ll usually have a keyworker to support you. Find support near you
  • NHS sexual health services. If G is part of sex for you, a sexual health clinic is another good place to ask for support. The NHS guide to G from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS sexual health service is a clear, practical read.
  • Support groups. Narcotics Anonymous has face to face and online meetings across the UK, and a helpline on 0300 999 1212 (10am to midnight). SMART Recovery runs free meetings, online or in person.
  • Family and friends. Adfam has guidance for families, and Addiction Family Support runs a helpline on 0300 888 3853 for anyone affected by a loved one’s drug use.

Where hypnotherapy fits

Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist

Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for GHB or GBL dependence, and I don’t offer it as one. If you use G regularly, a drug service or your GP must be part of your recovery, because coming off it can be medically dangerous.

Where I can help is alongside that care. When people step away from G they often find the things it covered up are still there: the nerves before going out, the need to switch off, the confidence it seemed to give in sex or with new people. Our sessions can work on stress, sleep and confidence, and on the routines and places linked to using, so the weekends feel less like a fixed path. It still takes your own effort, but sessions can give that effort some support.

Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re getting support from a drug service or your GP, and whether you’ve been using daily. If I think you need medical help first, I’ll tell you honestly.

Coming off G: everyday steps that help

  • Talk to a service before you change anything. If you use G often, speak to a drug service or your GP before you cut down or stop.
  • Keep alcohol and G apart. NHS advice is never to mix them, because together they can kill.
  • Know the emergency steps. FRANK’s page on what to do in an emergency explains the recovery position and when to call 999. It’s worth your friends knowing too.
  • Change the weekend plan. If certain apps, parties or people always lead to G, give yourself some distance from them while you get support in place.
  • Look after your mood. If anxiety or low mood sits underneath your use, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies in England, or talk to your GP.

If you also use ketamine or drink heavily, my pages on ketamine and alcohol list more places to turn.

Common questions

Is GHB addictive?

Yes, it can be. FRANK says people who take GHB or GBL regularly can develop a dependence, and the NHS says dependence can develop quickly. Withdrawal symptoms reported include confusion, shaking, seizures and coma, especially when someone runs out and has to stop suddenly.

How do I stop taking G safely?

If you use G often, don’t stop suddenly on your own. NHS advice is that if you’ve taken G for more than 7 days in a row, you shouldn’t try to stop by yourself, and that coming off it should be done with medical supervision. Contact a drug service or your GP, or go to A and E if you’re already in withdrawal.

Why is mixing G with alcohol so dangerous?

Both slow your body down. NHS advice warns that G and alcohol interact and can lead to death, and that other downers such as benzos and ketamine also raise the risk of going under. If someone has mixed them and can’t be woken, call 999.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.

I’m worried about someone else’s G use. What can I do?

Learn the emergency steps, because with G that knowledge can save a life: call 999 if they can’t be woken, and put them in the recovery position if they’re breathing. For your own support, Adfam and Addiction Family Support help the families and friends of people who use G and other drugs. You can’t make the choice to stop for them, but you can get support for yourself.

Talk it through

If you’re already getting support and want help alongside it, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll go through what support you have in place and whether sessions would add something to it. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and I send you a recording of the hypnosis afterwards. Session options and fees are set out on my working together page.

Book a consultation (£49)

Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. Sources: FRANK, GHB and GBL; NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight sexual health, GHB and GBL; FRANK, what to do in an emergency; NHS, drug addiction: getting help. Checked October 2026.