Meth Abuse Signs

Methamphetamine is abused widely in the US, especially among school going children, although studies indicate that the rate of meth abuse in these groups is decreasing. Meth abuse produces a wide variety of symptoms in the body and these can be both psychological as well as physical in nature. Meth abuse has dramatic effects on the brain where it causes the rapid release of dopamine which is one of the brain’s n....
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Meth Abuse Side Effects

There are many side effects that are related to meth abuse and these can be both psychological as well as physical in their nature. These side effects are both short term and long term. A person who abuses meth can experience some of these symptoms and the severity depends on the doses administered and the method used e.g. an intravenous injection normally has more drastic effects due to the drug levels in the blo....
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Meth Abuse

Meth (methamphetamine) is a central nervous system stimulant that is structurally related to amphetamine. Meth is found as a white powder that has a bitter taste and is odorless. It is highly soluble in both water and alcohol. It is sold under the brand name Desoxyn in the United States and is used in the treatment of drug-resistant depression and narcolepsy. It is a psychoactive drug that can cause neurotoxicity to the brain’s dopamine receptors.

Meth abuse is associated with many physical and psychological effects .These effects, especially the psychological ones, occur a few minutes after administration of meth and last for a short time. The rush of excitement that accompanies meth is the major reason it is abused so widely. This rush is caused by the release of dopamine to the brain. Dopamine is one of the brain’s neurotransmitters and is associated with reward.

Users of meth describe this rush as extremely pleasurable. However, it only lasts for a few minutes leading to a pattern of abuse referred to as “binge and crash” where the user takes the drug repeatedly, usually over a period of a few days in order to maintain the euphoric feeling.

Meth abuse has been associated with increased libido although it is not classified as an aphrodisiac. This high libido can be quite harmful because a person under the influence of meth has feelings of power and invincibility and can therefore engage in foolhardy activities like having sex without using protection.

High levels of libido make people engage in prolonged intercourse with the result that they develop genital sores this can cause STDs .Meth users also have a significantly higher risk of acquiring HIV, especially if they inject the drug.

Meth is administered either orally, via intravenous injection, intranasally through snorting or by smoking. Injecting the drug or smoking it produces the most rapid effects. When the drug is snorted, it can take about 5 minutes for the effects to be felt and about 20 minutes if it is taken orally.

Other effects experienced when meth is abused include an increases in alertness and wakefulness, psychosomatic disorders, dermatillomania, hallucinations, illusions of grandiosity, repetitive and obsessive behavior, paranoia, irritability and sociability etc.

The physical effects are blurred vision, hypertension, restlessness, dilated pupils, hyperactivity, acne, pallor, itchy skin, tachypnea and bradycardia etc. In the body meth is metabolized into amphetamine and other constituents and is eliminated through urine. About 30-55% of methamphetamine is eliminated from the body unchanged. Methamphetamine can be detected during a lab test in body fluids such as saliva, tears, urine and blood plasma.

Meth is normally manufactured in small clandestine labs which pose a great danger to the people who work there due to the damaging effects of the fumes which can cause lung damage and chemical burns to the skin. It occurs naturally in certain tree species that grow in West Texas. It was first manufactured in Japan in 1893.

Pregnant women who abuse meth give birth to babies with a lower than normal head circumference and these babies can also develop withdrawal symptoms and in some cases require medical intervention. Facilities where meth is manufactured also pose a considerable health risk to future inhabitants.