Crystal meth is in local news stories fairly often. “A meth lab was busted.” “People were arrested for cooking meth in a trailer,” or “police found a meth lab in the woods” are headlines that no longer surprise the common American. Yet, despite the fact that most young people claim to understand these meth lab busts are often violent situations, and speak with knowledge of the dangers of crystal meth, meth addiction persists.
Crystal meth, named for its crystalline appearance, is made to be smoked or injected and has passed cocaine as a young person’s drug of choice. The drug is a stimulant that provides an extreme energy boost while the effects last longer, which is the reason for its popularity. Addicts may stay awake and active for days before needing to sleep, at which point they will crash.
The efforts to cut down on meth addiction have been creative and in some cases downright frightening. Anti-meth commercials are among the most graphic commercials on the internet, and many were banned from television. It is commonly known meth addiction can have some questionable short term effects, such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Change in sleeping patterns
- Severe mood swings
- Tremors or convulsions
- Elevated blood pressure
- Irregular heart rate
The long term effects of meth are even worse:
- A feeling of bugs crawling on the skin
- Body sores from users picking at their skin
- Psychosis and hallucinations
- Brain damage
- Stroke
- Coma
- Tooth decay
For those who have seen pictures of methamphetamine users before and after they began using, it is clear the results of meth addiction are horrific. Yet after only one time trying the drug, many people become physically and psychologically addicted. The euphoria and stimulant effects from trying the drug are a draw for some people to continue taking it. Once they begin, like with all addictions, it is very difficult to stop. Furthermore, meth has one of the highest relapse rates, with more users failing to achieve long-term sobriety than with any other drug.
The first step in treating crystal meth addiction is detoxification. Your body needs to go through withdrawal, and the symptoms are intense and painful. The recovery and rehabilitation for meth addicts is a long and very difficult process, and will require professional help and advice. For more information, contact Drug Treatment Center Finder.
