|
DRUG
SOLUTIONS
Alcohol Addiction
Cocaine Addiction
Crack Addiction
Meth Addiction
Heroine Addiction
Methadone Addiction
Codeine Addiction
Demerol Addiction
Dexedrine Addiction
Dilaudid Addiction
Ecstasy Addiction
GHB Addiction
Hydrocodone Addiction
Lortab Addiction
Marijuana Addiction
Morphine Addiction
Opiate Addiction
Opium Addiction
Oxycontin Addiction
Percocet Addiction
Percodan Addiction
Ritalin Addiction
Rohypnol Addiction
Speed Addiction
Ultram Addiction
Vicodin Addiction
|
|
Crystal Meth - Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, or crystal meth, is a central nervous
system stimulant with a high potential addiction, abuse and
dependence.
What is the scope of methamphetamine abuse in the US?
Methamphetamine abuse, long reported as the dominant drug
problem in the San Diego, CA, area, has become a
substantial drug problem in other sections of the West and
Southwest.
STREET NAMES: Speed, Crank, Crystal, Meth, Uppers,
Bennies, Whiz, Billy, Tweak, Bitch are a few of the
common names for this class of drugs.
Other Forms: Pharmaceutical drugs that are also
amphetamines are Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Ritalin and Cylert.
Methamphetamine, a potent stimulant of the amphetamine
class of drugs, is usually illicitly manufactured and sold in
powder, liquid, or tablet form. Normally mixed with
various cutting agents (the purity varies), methamphetamine
is the commonly abused member of the amphetamine class,
which includes Benzedrine, biphetamine and Dexedrine.
These drugs have limited but legitimate medical uses for
hyperactive children, severe obesity, narcolepsy, and
depression; they are consumed by oral ingestion, sniffing or
injection. (2)
Many regular users inject methamphetamine every four to
five hours. A first-time user can remain high for up to
twenty-four hours. On a "run," users may inject every hour
or so until they finally stop, or "crash," due to exhaustion.
After sleeping for eighteen to forty-eight hours, the user will
awaken depressed, hungry, and then craving
methamphetamine will begin another "speed-run."
Habitual users will inject about 0.25 grams (¼ teaspoon) to
0.5 grams at a time; users on a binge have been known to
inject as much as 1,000 milligrams every two to three
hours. When the drug is injected, a "rush" or "flash" of
intense euphoria occurs within seconds and lasts from four
to eight hours. When the drug is consumed orally, the effects
will occur in twenty to thirty minutes but there may be no
rush or euphoria as with injection. Snorting produces
similar effects, but they are not as intense. Low doses of
methamphetamine stimulate the central nervous system,
resulting in increased blood pressure, respiration and pulse
rate. Short-term use affects one's ability to drive a car, do
complex mental tasks, or perform precise muscle functions;
high doses depress the central nervous system and may
cause sedation.
Although only a blood or urine test can give a definite
diagnosis of methamphetamine use, however use can be
suspected if a person has such symptoms as enlarged pupils
or a pupils that react slowly to light challenges; acne or
chapped lips; needle marks on the arms; an underweight or
undernourished appearance; hyperactivity (the person walks
or talks too fast); violent, argumentative, unpredictable
tendencies; an inability to concentrate, reason, or
remember; insomnia; paranoid or delusional behavior; or
sores on the face, arms, or legs (caused by excessive
scratching). Because of the aforementioned effects, the
person on methamphetamine is often violent and is probably
one of the most dangerous drug users in society.
Chronic use produces many physical, mental, and social
complications, including sinusitis, bronchitis, and
respiratory ailments; nasal ulcers and/or perforation of the
nasal septum; paranoia; mental confusion and forgetfulness;
severe depression and lack of energy between doses;
addiction or dependence; loss of interest and motivation in
work or school; chemical changes in the brain; a distorted
sense of time (the person is frequently late or forgets
appointments); violence or fights; family and interpersonal
difficulties; switches to heroin or alcohol; and frequent
accidents. Alcohol and other drugs multiply the influence of
methamphetamine and its relatives, and such combinations
of drugs commonly cause accidents.
It's not unusual to become addicted to methamphetamine.
Withdrawal from it stimulates several symptoms, including
severe depression, lack of energy, sleep disorders, tremor,
muscle aches, nausea, and an intense craving for
methamphetamine; these symptoms are mainly resolved
after about three weeks. The methamphetamine user who
consumes the drug less often than once a day is probably not
addicted. To cease entirely, this infrequent user usually
needs to solve personal problems related to stress, peers,
family, interpersonal relations, motivation, self-esteem, or
life-style. Persons who use methamphetamine several times
a day, however, may require rehabilitation to terminate use
of the drug.
Research shows that the vast majority of persons who
cannot stop consuming methamphetamine have altered the
chemistry in their nervous systems to the point where their
bodies crave the substance. The major problem is that
methamphetamine drives out the neurotransmitters
dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin; when this
happens and methamphetamine isn't taken, withdrawal
symptoms set in.
Below is the description used in classification of
Amphetamine Addiction used in the DSM-IV (3)
Amphetamine Dependence
The patterns of use and course of Amphetamine
Dependence are similar to those of Cocaine Dependence
because both substances are potent central nervous system
stimulants with similar psychoactive and sympathomimetic
effects. However, amphetamines are longer acting than
cocaine and thus are usually self-administered less
frequently. As with Cocaine Dependence, usage may be
chronic or episodic, with binges ("speed runs") punctuated
by brief drug-free periods. Aggressive or violent behavior
is associated with Amphetamine Dependence, especially
when high doses are smoked (e.g., ice') or administered
intravenously. As with cocaine, intense but temporary
anxiety, as well as paranoid ideation and psychotic
episodes that resemble Schizophrenia, Paranoid Type, are
often seen, especially in association with high-dose use.
Tolerance to amphetamines develops and often leads to
substantial escalation of the dose. Conversely, some
individuals with Amphetamine Dependence develop
reverse tolerance (sensitization). In these cases, small
doses may produce marked stimulant and other adverse
mental and neurological effects.
|
| Top |
|
| |
877-801-5475
|
DRUG
CENTERS |
|
US Centers
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Washington DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North
Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming
Canadian
Centers
Alberta
B.C
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward
Quebec
Saskatchewan
|
|
