What Is Boofing? Everything You Need To Know
Boofing is a method of substance use that is not often talked about but carries real risks that deserve attention.
While some people see boofing as a shortcut to faster effects, the risks that come with are serious and often go overlooked. What feels like a quick fix can lead to harmful risks and take a serious toll on your mental and physical health.
What Is Boofing?
Boofing is a method of taking substances that occurs when drugs or alcohol are inserted through the anus.
The term “boofing” was first popularized in the 1980s and was used in pop-culture as slang to describe anal sex. The word has evolved over time and is now most commonly used to describe the method of taking substances rectally.
Other names for boofing include:
- Booty bumping
- Butt chugging (alcohol)
- Plugging
- Hooping
- UYB (up your bum)
Common substances used through boofing are:
- Alcohol
- Opioids
- Meth
- Cocaine / crack
- MDMA / ecstasy
- Ketamine
- Benzodiazepines (Xanax and Valium)
Medical History of Boofing
In medical settings and hospitals, rectal insertion has historically been a trusted way to deliver medication quickly and effectively when other methods aren’t ideal.
Since medication can bypass the stomach, rectal insertion is commonly used for patients who can’t swallow medications—like those who are vomiting, unconscious, having seizures, or recovering from surgery. ⓘ
Before IVs became widely available in the 1950s, rectal enemas were also used to administer fluids and nutritional supplements. ⓘ
By the late ’90s and early 2000s, people began using rectal insertion recreationally, drawn to the fast-acting results that had originally made it valuable in medical treatment. But outside of medically-supervised settings, this practice can carry significant health risks.
Why Do People Boof?
Some people choose boofing recreationally as a way to use drugs because it can produce a faster, more intense high, but it’s not without severe risks.
The anus is made up of thin skin with access to a large amount of blood vessels, meaning that substances enter the bloodstream faster. Because absorption is more direct, highs can come on faster and be dangerously strong.
When swallowed, substances must pass through the digestive system which normally breaks down some of the substance before it can hit your bloodstream. Rectal-use skips this, which can make the substance more potent and unpredictable.
Other perceived benefits of boofing include:
- The effects of boofing are similar to injecting or snorting drugs, but health risks such as collapsed veins, nasal damage, and lung damage can be avoided
- It’s a more discreet approach, often chosen to prevent other people from suspecting drug use
- Because this method produces a more intense high with less substance, it can be used to stretch drug supply
How It’s Done
- Dissolving substances in water and inserting them into the anus with a needle-less syringe
- Dabbing, or inserting powder, into the rectal lining
- Imbedding drugs into homemade or purchased suppositories
- Insertion using other tube-like applicators, like a straw, shot glass, etc.
Severe Risks of Boofing
While some turn to boofing for its fast, intense high, boofing poses serious health and safety concerns that cannot be overlooked.
Boofing puts you at a much higher risk of overdosing due to the way it makes your body process substances. Because substances are absorbed directly into your bloodstream and do not pass through the liver’s filtration system, overdoses can occur suddenly and without much warning.
Smaller amounts of substances are needed in order to feel effects when boofing because of how they are efficiently absorbed. Many people do not realize this, putting them at a higher risk for overdose, also.
The lining of your rectum is delicate and absorbent. Because boofing can cause damage to this sensitive area, you are also highly susceptible to getting infections, especially if you use tools that are unsterile or have been shared with someone else.
Boofing puts you at a high risk for:
- HIV
- Hepatitis
- STIs (Gonorhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis)
- Bacterial infections
- Fungal infections
Other risks of boofing include:
- Tissue damage, such rectal burns, tears, ulcers, abscesses, or chronic damage
- Severe risk for alcohol poisoning when rectally consumed because alcohol cannot be processed with the help of the liver
- Medical care or addiction treatment may be avoided, even when necessary, due to social stigma, shame, or trauma
Treatment Options for Boofing
Taking a step and seeking help takes bravery. At The Haven, you’ll be met with understanding, not judgment. We are committed to helping you take back control of your life.
Whether you’re navigating substance use, mental health challenges, or both, we’re here to listen and help at our stigma-free treatment centers. With our expert medical staff, a wide range of holistic therapies, and flexible options for residential or outpatient treatment, we will help you find a treatment path that’s personalized to fit your life and your needs.
If you’re struggling with addiction, you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. The Haven is here to help guide you on a path to recovery.
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