A student revealed her distress after learning that a friend had spiked her drink, who subsequently acknowledged that she had thought it would be a “joke.”
For her last night out of the year, Gillian Reilly, 29, headed to the bar at the Queen Margaret University student union in Edinburgh.
The final-year acting student, who was eager to spend the evening with pals, began to feel “like my insides were being dragged out” throughout the course of the evening.
She made it home, where she felt lightheaded and had severe stomach cramps. Her illness-related symptoms persisted for “weeks and weeks.”
She later learned through a friend that someone she regarded to be a close friend “thought it would be a giggle to put something in her drink.”
We always had an end-of-year party at the university, and I attended with all of my friends who I had known for a long time, according to Gillian.
Since I was in my final year, many of us would be saying farewell.
I was having a great time drinking everything that was offered to me, but soon I began to feel strange.
“When I returned to my apartment, I felt incredibly strange; it wasn’t as being intoxicated typically feels.”
At first, I had severe dizziness, but soon after, I began to have severe stomach cramps and acute motion sickness.
I first realised something was really wrong the day after because I felt like my insides were being torn out and I was ill for weeks on end.
“I felt so ill, I really believed I was going to pass away.”
It’s unsettling to consider that you should be on the lookout for anybody besides strangers. It sometimes involves individuals you know.
Although the incident occurred in 2016, she has just lately been able to come out and confront it.
I felt incredibly deceived, you think you can trust people, and it really made me question who I can trust, the woman added.
Because I had previously been physically assaulted and no one had believed me, I chose not to notify anybody at the time.
I’ve been really hesitant to come forward ever since they even claimed that I had injured myself rather than thinking it was my assailant.
Ms. Reilly, who is now enrolled in Stirling University’s Adult Nursing programme, claims that her prior experiences continue to haunt her.
It has made me hesitant to go out and visit clubs.
“I was extremely careful throughout freshmen week, and I’m pretty selective about the people I go out with.”
To assist individuals on evenings out, there has to be far more security even today.
Where is security ensuring that the vulnerable, intoxicated persons strolling about campus make it home safely?
The use of needles to spike individuals at universities reached alarming levels last year, according to studies.
“Starting university is meant to be exciting; you don’t want to have to worry about these things occurring,” Ms. Reilly added.
You meet a lot of new people, and although you may want to consider them to be friends, that isn’t always the case.
“You could encounter individuals who do this deliberately hurt you, or in my case, folks who find it amusing to spike people,” the speaker said.