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Methamphetamine Addiction
Crank, Speed,
Crystal, Ice, Glass, Tina or Methamphetamine are
some of the many different street names for
Methamphetamine. It is today the most abused
hard drug on the planet. Methamphetamine abuse
is now considered to be a worldwide epidemic.
There are approximately 26 million
Methamphetamine addicts worldwide, which is
twice the number of cocaine and heroin addicts
combined.
When
Methamphetamine is taken into the
body, large surges of dopamine are released in
the brain, causing an intense rush of pleasure
or prolonged sense of euphoria. Over time,
Methamphetamine destroys dopamine receptors,
making it nearly impossible for the addict to
feel pleasure without it. This causes a vicious
cycle of extreme highs under the influence of
Methamphetamine and extreme lows without it.
Extended and chronic use can lead to psychotic
behaviors, including paranoia, insomnia,
anxiety, extreme aggression, delusions,
hallucinations, and even death.
Originating in Japan in the early 1900’s,
Methamphetamine has doubled in potency in the
last 100 years. Cooks (Methamphetamine
manufacturers) use a dangerous and volatile
buffet of legal household chemicals to produce
the drug. Some of the more common ingredients
are: Alcohol, Gasoline additives, Rubbing
Alcohol, Ether (starting fluid), Paint thinner,
Freon, Acetone, Chloroform Camp stove fuel,
Anhydrous ammonia, Rock, table or Epsom salt,
Red Phosphorous, Toluene (found in brake
cleaner), Red Devil Lye, Drain cleaner, Muriatic
acid, Battery acid, Lithium from batteries,
Ephedrine, Cold tablets, Diet aids, Iodine,
Bronchodilators, Energy boosters, and Iodine
crystals.
Powdered Methamphetamine can be snorted, smoked,
injected, diluted in drinks and swallowed or
eaten whole. There are pill forms of
Methamphetamine but are rare and not as widely
used as powdered Methamphetamine. One year of
Methamphetamine use can cause irreparable damage
to the brain and body, causing the user to age
prematurely and look years or possibly decades
older than the really are. One of the more
unfavorable behaviors associated with
Methamphetamine use is sexual promiscuity. An
addict under the influence of Methamphetamine
may engage in sexual acts that they normally
would not do when sober. The rise in libido when
high is quadruple that of the normal, average
sex drive. The risky sexual behavior involved
with Methamphetamine use is one of the leading
contributors to the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases.
The destructive nature of Methamphetamine
doesn’t stop with the addict; it stretches to
all those around them, affecting loved ones and
those close to them. An addict on a
Methamphetamine “run” or binge can stay up for
days, or in extreme cases, weeks at a time. But
eventually, the addict crashes and may sleep for
days to recoup the desperately needed rest.
During this time, children of the addict are
neglected and may find themselves having to fend
for themselves while their parents recuperate.
What used to be a blue collar drug affecting
predominantly rural communities has now
stretched into the white collar world. It is
estimated that there are approximately 2 million
Methamphetamine addicts in the United States
alone. At one time, experts believed that the
Methamphetamine addict was a hopeless case,
unable to be rehabilitated. Today, with a proper
treatment program and continued aftercare, the
Methamphetamine addict is able to recover and
live a happy, purposeful life, free from the
pain of addiction. If you or someone you know
is addicted to Methamphetamine, there is hope.
By: Patrick McLemore
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