Usually, GHB is used orally or intranasally by inhalation of powdery form of the substance. It is strongly not recommended for intravenous administration in form of a solution. The starting dose, associated with mild perceptible effects, range from 10-15 mg/kg. The user feels empathy, general cognitive load with positive effects, psychostimulation, mood improvement. Medium doses range from 15-20 mg/kg, and the upper bound of medium doses is about 30 mg/kg. Doses of 40 mg/kg and higher are considered as high. They are associated with pronounced side effects. Doses exceeding 60 mg/kg cause transient GHB-associated comatose state, which can last up ton a couple of hours. The time of onset of effects, when administered orally, ranges, on average, from 10 to 20 minutes and reaches its peak at 60 minutes. Total duration of action is about 3 hours. In case of an overdose, with the emergence of drug-induced sleep, it can last up to 6-7 hours depending on the dose. Nowadays, there is a medicament under the name of "Xyrem", which is taken before sleep, titrating the dose depending on the desired effect. It is usually taken at a dose of 4.5 grams half an hour before sleep, dividing the dose by 2.25 grams. GHB is also used for treatment of alcoholism at a dose 5 50-100 mg/kg a day (in 3 or more doses), and also for treatment of alcohol withdrawal.