GUEST COLUMN: Someone drugged my drink: What I learned about effects of date-rape drugs

Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash

By Katherine Abughazaleh

Guest Columnist

(Editor’s Note: This column is reprinted with permission from a narrative thread from Katherine Abughazaleh on Twitter. You can follow her on Twitter — @abughazalehkat — The column also appears in the Carroll (Iowa) Times Herald)

Someone drugged my drink this weekend.

Here are some symptoms of a spiked drink that I wish I knew beforehand (and was never told):

First, I am OK. I also hesitated sharing this because I don’t want it to seem like I’m trying to get sympathy or attention or something. If I knew what being drugged feels like, I might have connected the dots faster.

It feels wrong to not openly speak about it.

The only symptoms I know I had immediately after ingesting the drug were:

1. Complete blackout and

2. Vomiting

Based on the state of my apartment, I could tell there was disorientation, but because of the blackout I have no idea what happened.

I woke up incredibly confused in the morning because I have never totally blacked out in my life, even on my craziest nights.

Apparently this is very common. If you’ve never blacked out before, but suddenly lose hours of memory after a couple of drinks, that’s a HUGE red flag.

The next morning was like no hangover I’ve ever experienced. Even similar symptoms were so much worse:

- horrible brain fog

- difficulty articulating my thoughts

- massive headache

- extreme sensitivity to light

- throat pain (from the vomiting)

- muscle weakness

- nausea

I didn’t feel normalish until Sunday night.

I slept over 12 hours that night and then called my doctor who said my symptoms aligned with a drug rather than simply being drunk.

I’m 23. I still bartend part-time. I know my alcohol tolerance. I know how to be safe with my drinks. And yet this still happened and I still feel like it’s my fault for not being careful.

I have no idea who did it. I was getting a single drink alone after my bar shift at my local bar. And next thing I knew, I was awake in my bed, on my side, with vomit down the front of my shirt.

I feel over-dramatic and embarrassed by sharing this, like I’m crying out for attention. But I really wish I had known at least the signs and symptoms beforehand rather than going through two days of realizations and checking myself.

I’m fine. I’m good. I was lucky someone saw something wrong and insisted on walking me home.

I just want people (especially women) to know that date rape drugs are not some rarity that only come out at frat parties.

Someone can spike your drink even if you’re careful.

And if something seems wrong the next morning, don’t second guess yourself.

(Katherine Abughazaleh is based in Washington, D.C.)