WETUMPKA, Ala. (WSFA) – Tianeptine is among the newest unlawful medication pouring into Alabama. The substance is marketed as a complement that helps with anxiousness, melancholy and power ranges. However specialists say the drug has negative effects much like heroin.

“As a result of it’s in your mind, it’s such as you’re withdrawing from two or three totally different sorts of medicine all at one time,” mentioned Dr. Melissa Thompson with the Ivy Creek Detox Unit at Elmore Group Hospital.

The hospital is seeing increasingly more folks struggling with tianeptine withdrawal. It makes folks anxious, unable to sleep, nauseous, and might even result in demise.

It’s troublesome to cease the drug from spreading. The physician mentioned folks can get it in neighboring states.

“Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, you should buy it at any gasoline station,” Thompson mentioned.

In different states, it’s generally known as Tianna, Tianna Crimson and ZaZa.

The physician mentioned lots of the sufferers coming to the power are college-age college students, like college students from Auburn College.

“Particularly with our proximity to Auburn and the college setting, there may be lots of this dependence that individuals don’t learn about,” Thompson mentioned.

Folks in professions that require lots of power and focus are additionally hooked on the drug.

To assist, the hospital is residence to the Ivy Creek Detox Unit, which might help deal with tianeptine withdrawal. Hospital officers mentioned not lots of locations know the way.

“When folks name in or amenities name us, they only are at a lack of understanding of some other locations, and it’s one thing that we now have had some success with right here,” mentioned Heidi Smith with Ivy Creek Healthcare.

The hospital desires folks to know the dangers and methods to get remedy in case the substance is an excessive amount of to reveal.

“As a result of, like we mentioned, we’re in a disaster with this,” Smith mentioned.

Individuals who need assistance can contact the Ivy Creek Detox Unit at 334-567-4311 at extension 2154.

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