Methamphetamine, or meth, is a highly addictive synthetic chemical that acts as a stimulant releasing large amounts of dopamine in the part of the brain involved in reward, motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function producing. It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, injected, or smoked and produces an intense euphoria, or “rush”. Meth increases alertness and physical activity and decreases appetite.

Most of the methamphetamine abused in this country comes from foreign or domestic superlabs, although it can also be made in small, illegal laboratories often found in homes, hotel rooms and basements. Because it is made with common commercial products it can be easily produced for a relatively small investment and therefore readily available making it increasingly popular. In fact methamphetamine addiction has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The RAND Corporation’s Drug Policy Research Center in Santa Monica, California, used federal surveys to determine that about 1% of the US population over 12 years of age uses methamphetamine in any given year. In 2005, there were 900 deaths in the US with meth being the cause of death . As many as 400,000 people in the US are thought to be methamphetamine addicts.

What are the Effects of Methamphetamine Use?

Methamphetamine has toxic effects on the brain. Studies have shown in animals that a single dose of methamphetamine can damage the nerve terminals located in the part of the brain containing the dopamine system. High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous levels that could cause death and/or convulsions.

Repeated methamphetamine abuse can also lead to addiction along with chemical and molecular changes in the brain which can last long after one stops using meth. Some of the long-term effects of methamphetamine use are:

• paranoia
• addiction
• dry mouth
• stroke
• weight loss
• death
• itching
• the feeling of bugs crawling on your skin called formication
• extreme dental problems
• skin acne or sores
• delusions
• hallucination

The Cycle of Addiction

The cycle of addiction starts with an individual who has a problem and is not able to handle or confront it. The person solves the problem by turning to drugs that appear to be an immediate solution because they temporarily made them feel better. The next time this person has another problem their brain remembers that drugs helped the last time so they use them again as a solution. Soon they’re using drugs to get rid of every unwanted feeling they encounter and it is just a matter of time before they become fully addicted and lose their ability to control their drug use. Now, the person is physiologically addicted to the substance. Their body is so used to having the drug that it needs it every day in order to function. A person at this point will do anything to get the drug including begging, borrowing and stealing in order to avoid the physical and mental horrors of withdrawal. Continued abuse leads to physical and mental deterioration of the person causing them to use even more. At this point addiction can either lead to death, prison, or the person seeking help.

What Treatment Should Do

When a person does want to get help it is crucial that they choose the proper treatment facility for them. In order to properly treat meth addiction you must handle not only the psychological aspects of the addiction but also the physical. Since drugs are a poison your body has to work extra hard in order to metabolize them which burns up enormous vitamin and mineral reserves. Also, meth and other drugs end up being stored as metabolites in the body’s fat cells.

Whenever a person body metabolizes anything a small amount of whatever drug is stored there is released into the blood stream and then travels up to the brain causing a biophysical craving for that drug. These residues can be stored in the body for up to five years. An effective treatment program should be able to effectively rid the body of these residues.

After the physical aspect of meth addition is handled it is vital that the mental aspects be handled. The addict must learn the life skills needed to be able handle and confront life and its problems without turning to drugs. An effective program should also address good morals and ethics, something addicts tend to leave behind while using. A good program should also bring their responsibility level back up so they can once again become productive members of society.

How to Get Help

According to a recent study, there were 900 deaths in the US attributed with methamphetamine as the primary cause. If you of someone you know is struggling with a methamphetamine addiction call Narconon at 800-468-6933 and receive a free and confidential assessment and referral with a certified counselor.

References:
http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/drugsmeth/
http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/methamphetamine.html
http://www.howtodothings.com/health-and-fitness/a4413-how-to-recognize-the-signs-of-meth-abuse.html