Tag: addiction

Why should I avoid methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is an illegal drug that is highly addictive and has many names, including speed, meth, tweak, uppers or black beauties. The drug is taken in pill form, or snorted or injected in powdered form. Crystallized methamphetamine, a more powerful form of the drug, is smoked. Methamphetamine causes an immediate feeling of increased activity or a “rush” along with decreased appetite.

Many teens and adults become interested in methamphetamine because they want to get high or a burst of energy to get them through life. When the drug starts to wear off, however, abusers face two options:

  • Suffer through what can be a three-day bottoming-out period of irritability, listlessness, and headaches.
  • Take another dose and risk the beginning of addiction.

Addiction sets in quickly because of the way the drug is taken. Most methamphetamine users either smoke or inject the stimulant; both methods of ingestion rapidly bring on euphoria (extreme happiness). Addiction is closely tied to how quickly a user feels a drug’s effect.

The euphoria is followed by up to 12 hours of overexcited energy. Everything speeds up. Users don’t need sleep. They talk a lot, they have plenty of energy, and they don’t need to eat.

While all of this is going on, methamphetamine coaxes the body to work harder. The heart pumps faster and the metabolism speeds up. The brain’s balance of sedation and activity breaks down. This speed-up can lead to heart failure or aneurysms. (An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in an artery that can grow large and burst or dissect. A broken aneurysm causes dangerous bleeding inside the body. A dissection is a split in one or more layers of the artery wall. The split causes bleeding into and along the layers of the artery wall.)

Methamphetamine remains in the body for a long time. People who are chronic methamphetamine abusers can suffer long-term health effects. In particular, areas of the brain that control speed of muscle movement, verbal learning, emotions and memory can be damaged. Some of the damage may be reversed if a person quits abusing the drug, but recovery can take years. Methamphetamine abuse also increases the risk for stroke, and this damage can be irreversible.

I use drugs pretty regularly. Does that mean I’m addicted?

People who become addicted to drugs or alcohol typically go through predictable stages of abuse. There are five stages of drug and alcohol abuse that can help determine if you are becoming addicted.

Experimentation

Alcohol or drug use starts with experimentation. In this stage, the use is infrequent and the drug is usually obtained from and used with friends. Some people in this stage are able to stop using on their own. Others, however, who believe their substance abuse is solving their problems or making them feel better begin drinking more alcohol or taking more drugs. Once this happens, these people have moved on to “regular use.”

 

Regular use

This stage is characterized by use on a regular basis. The person may continue to use with friends or acquaintances or may use the substance while alone.

 

Problem or risky use

During this stage, the user begins to suffer legal, emotional, physical or social problems like bad grades, behavioral problems at home or at school, car crashes or driving tickets.

 

Dependence

Someone who is dependent on drugs and/or alcohol will continue to use these substances regularly despite the harm their use is causing.

These are characteristics of dependence:

  • Regular use of alcohol or other drugs that leads to failure to fulfill major responsibilities related to family or school
  • Repeatedly drinking or using drugs in situations that are hazardous, such as driving
  • Development of increased tolerance to use, meaning more of the drug or alcohol is needed to have the same effect
  • Withdrawal symptoms if a person cuts back on use

 

Addiction

At this stage, the drug use is compulsive and out of control. Addiction is a medical condition involving psychological and physical changes from repeated heavy use of alcohol, other drugs or both. People who are addicted typically have little to no control over their cravings for and use of alcohol or drugs.

Whether your drug use is at the experimentation phase or the addiction phase, you can get help and you can beat your drug habit. It is very important that you speak with your doctor or nurse about your options for quitting.