Crystal Meth Addiction
Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates the central nervous system. Methamphetamine releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It also appears to have a neurotoxin side effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine as well as serotonin, another neurotransmitter. The central nervous system actions that result from taking even small amounts of methamphetamine include increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration hyperthermia and euphoria. Other effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia and aggressiveness. This damage includes vitamin and mineral deficiencies, a lowered resistance to disease, and organ damage. The damage to the brain is even worse, resulting in anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, violent delusions and even toxic psychosis.
Amphetamines cause increased heart rate and blood pressure and may cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain producing strokes. Other effects include respiratory problems irregular heartbeat and extreme anorexia. Over time, methamphetamine appears to cause reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson’s disease, a severe movement disorder.
Crystal meth (methamphetamine) is the most potent form of speed available by far, with or without a prescription, and it is ravaging this country like never before. The street terms for crystal meth include crank, tweak, go-fast and dozens of other names. Cooked in makeshift labs across the country, producing a residue of toxic waste, crystal meth is sold on the street as a powder. It can be injected, snorted, swallowed, or smoked with the smokeable form of crystal referred to as ice. Widely available in the 1960s, legislation and controls reduced its presence radically in the 1970s as production moved to the black market. But in the 1990s, crystal meth returned with a vengeance and is been gaining ground at an incredible rate. Since it can be made anywhere with ingredients easily acquired, crystal meth is popular with an incredibly wide range of users across the country, most utterly unaware of the devastating downside and consequences.
There is no drug currently plaguing the heart of the United States to the same extent as crystal meth. A fundamental idea in our country is that faster is better. From TV dinners to Pentium processors, if there’s a way to do something faster, we’ll jump right on board and not miss a beat, or a coffee break for that matter. Stimulants have always held a fascination for America, and forms of speed are as natural as mom and dad and good old apple pie. There now is a Starbucks on every corner and access to crystal meth in every bar and club. But crystal meth is not as harmless as a cup of coffee. It causes all sorts of problems and trouble for people who take it, and all kinds of people, including tons of kids, are taking crystal meth across this country. Naïve people take speed to eat less and stay awake longer, but the desire to do either behind a hit of crystal meth can be a bigger problem than being overweight or tired. Some use speed to work harder, but find they suddenly couldn’t keep a job. Crystal meth created an insatiable sexual appetite in others, but they find themselves impotent. Sometimes the drug inspired the user to start incredible projects, but they are never able to actually finish anything. For most, crystal meth produces the physical reaction where they are left picking at our faces and bodies for hours on end until they stop by focusing on pulling out their hair.
Methamphetamine also known as “Crystal” Crank” speed is taken orally, intranasally, intravenous injection or by smoking. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection the methamphetamine user experiences an intense sensation a rush that lasts only a few minutes and feels euphoric. Oral or intranasal use produces a high but not a “rush”. Users may become addicted quickly and use it frequently and in increasing doses. Methamphetamine is usually produced in a crude way often in people’s bathtubs and is highly flammable and incredibly toxic and dangerous to produce. Meth labs as they are called are often located in rural areas to try and reduce the fumes and potential of explosions and or fires. Meth amphetamine is definitely on the rise especially among young adults ranging in ages between 20’s to thirties.
Crystal meth intensely amplifies the nervous system, zapping feelings of hunger and fatigue. The result is the same physical stress that follows any extreme exertion like skydiving. But instead of giving themselves a chance to rest between jumps, crystal meth users extend their runs for days and even weeks on end, without stopping for food or rest. The result of such negative actions is the placing of impossible demands on their bodies, resulting in irreversible damage. Ever wonder why you don’t bump into older speed freaks at meetings? The simple truth is that they don’t live long enough to grow old. Crystal meth strip mines the human soul, engineering a gaping hole to personal devastation that can only be filled through the process of recovery. At ONE80CENTER, we have extensive experience helping crystal meth addicts leave the destruction behind and start on the road of long-term recovery.
