Last Updated:

January 30th, 2026

Benzo Fury (6-APB) addiction: Signs, symptoms and side-effects

Benzo Fury is a synthetic stimulant-hallucinogen hybrid, also called 6-APB. Until June 2014, you could buy Benzo Fury legally online in Britain as a “research chemical”. However, it is now a Class B controlled substance with no legitimate medical use. Several deaths were linked to Benzo Fury, which preceded the 2014 ban, but many users still don’t understand its addiction potential or legal status. No matter why you are using the drug, understanding Benzo Fury addiction signs, dangers, and getting treatment quickly could be a matter of life or death.

Benzo Fury Tablets on bottle

What is Benzo Fury addiction?

Benzo Fury addiction is a type of legal high addiction, which includes:

  • Compulsive Benzo Fury abuse
  • An inability to stop despite health or personal harm

Benzo Fury floods your brain with serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, and creates amphetamine-like stimulation with MDMA-style euphoria and mild psychedelic effects. These begin within 30 to 60 minutes, producing an energy surge, an overwhelming sense of well-being and connection to others, and possible visual and auditory hallucinations.

Benzo Fury abuse usually starts at clubs, parties or festivals, and like many first-time drug uses, it can be a really fun or positive experience. However, the comedown begins as the effects wear off, with the crash the result of major serotonin depletion. The obvious solution appears to be taking more Benzo Fury, which locks you into a pattern of use.

Initially, you probably only use Benzo Fury on the weekends, but the contrast between when you’re high and your sober life can make you want to use it all the time. As you do so, you can develop a physical Benzo Fury dependence with horrible withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and depression. This physical dependence, alongside a psychological need, is what creates a full and powerful Benzo Fury addiction.

How to spot Benzo Fury addiction signs

Benzo Fury addiction can slowly transform from the occasional hit at parties into something that dominates your whole life. Addiction denial can be strong because you may tell yourself it’s just for fun or only on the weekends. These Benzo Fury addiction signs can show you when you are deceiving yourself:

  • You avoid parties or social events unless you know Benzo Fury will be available.
  • Your Benzo Fury doses have doubled or tripled since you first started using.
  • After taking Benzo Fury, you are wiped out for days and are too tired to study, or even think straight.
  • You keep missing work or lectures after using Benzo Fury.
  • Your heart races for hours after dosing, sometimes with chest pain or jaw clenching.
  • You buy Benzo Fury from unreliable or darknet sources.
  • You’ve spent money you couldn’t afford on Benzo Fury.
  • You can see your life being affected, but you keep using Benzo Fury anyway.

Why is Benzo Fury addictive?

Benzo Fury releases huge amounts of dopamine into your brain. This is the same “feel-good” chemical that your brain associates with motivation, pleasure and reward. That is why Benzo Fury feels good, but the brain quickly learns to crave and then becomes dependent on Benzo Fury for dopamine action. While this is the reason for Benzo Fury dependence, addiction is also linked to other important causes:

Misconception about names
The word “Benzo” makes some people think of benzodiazepines, which are real prescription medicines doctors use for anxiety or insomnia. That name sounds safe and official, but Benzo Fury (6-APB) is not a benzodiazepine, was never a medicine, and was never meant for human use. Similarly, Benzo Fury is often called a “legal high” because it was previously sold legally online in the UK. While this can also create a false sense of security, Benzo Fury is no longer legal and was never safe.
The emotional high keeps users coming back
Benzo Fury can make you feel deeply connected, confident, and full of love for everyone around you. That rush can feel life-changing, especially for people who normally struggle with anxiety, loneliness, or depression. When normal life feels boring or empty by comparison, using Benzo Fury again can feel almost necessary.
Social groups
Benzo Fury is used at many festivals, club nights, and within friendship groups. When everyone seems to be using it, you may not even think about it as drug use. This is the perfect situation for Benzo Fury drug addiction to develop undetected.

Benzo Fury side effects and addiction dangers

Benzo Fury side effects and addiction dangers can be severe and long-lasting. Here are some of the main risks:

Serotonin syndrome and overheating
Benzo Fury floods the brain with serotonin. When too much builds up, your body can go into a dangerous state called serotonin syndrome. You might feel extremely hot, confused, or start to shake and lose control of your muscles. People have died in UK clubs after dancing for hours while their body temperature climbed without them realising. Even in cool places, overheating can happen quickly and become fatal.
Heart strain and circulation problems
The stimulant effect of Benzo Fury makes your heart work overtime. Blood pressure rises and blood vessels tighten, which can lead to chest pain, irregular heartbeat, or even heart attacks and strokes. These problems have affected young people with no previous health issues, and the risks grow higher the more often you use, if you mix drugs and alcohol, and with Benzo Fury overdose.
Brain damage and memory problems
Benzo Fury may harm the brain’s serotonin system, leaving lasting effects on thinking, memory, and mood. Some people experience brain fog, mood swings and concentration issues long after they stop using.
Mental health complications
Benzo Fury use often leads to anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks, and even full psychotic episodes. For some, depression and social anxiety appear either during Benzo Fury misuse or withdrawal, and they can last long after the physical effects fade.
Unreliable doses and contamination
Since the 2014 ban, Benzo Fury has only been made in illegal labs. That means every batch is different, and some contain completely different chemicals. What is sold as “Benzo Fury” might be far stronger or mixed with other drugs, making every dose unpredictable and increasing the chances of Benzo Fury overdose.

Benzo-Fury-Woman-Encountering-Breathing-Problems

What does Benzo Fury addiction recovery involve?

This drug affects both body and mind, and stopping alone can be tough and dangerous without expert guidance. Here are the three parts of recovery:

1. Detox

Drug detox helps you withdraw safely from Benzo Fury with professionals monitoring your health, and medication and therapy helping stabilise you through this first, hardest stage.

2. Legal high rehab

Drug rehab then focuses on the reasons for Benzo Fury abuse and dependency. You should weigh up all rehab programmes available, and choose one with a diverse therapy schedule, relapse prevention planning and ongoing aftercare.

3. Ongoing recovery and support

Long-term recovery means staying committed to aftercare, practising everything you learned in rehab, and attending NA meetings and similar local support groups. All of this will keep you accountable and give you someone to talk to in the tough times.

Recovery is possible, even after years of heavy Benzo Fury abuse. Contact us now for free advice and to connect with trusted UK treatment centres who have helped thousands of people like you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Benzo Fury the same as benzodiazepines?
No, despite the misleading name, Benzo Fury has no chemical relationship to benzodiazepines. It is a synthetic stimulant-hallucinogen called 6-APB that combines amphetamine-like effects with MDMA-style euphoria.
When was Benzo Fury banned in the UK?
Benzo Fury became illegal on June 10, 2014, when it was classified as a Class B drug. Before that, it was sold openly online as a “legal high.” Possession now carries up to five years in prison, and supply carries up to fourteen years.
Is Benzo Fury more dangerous than MDMA?
Possibly. Research suggests Benzo Fury may be more neurotoxic, causing greater damage to serotonin neurons. It also shares MDMA’s cardiovascular and overheating risks. However, there is no quality control with either drug, so you never really know what is in Benzo Fury or ecstasy or what the dangers are.

(Click here to see works cited)