Crystal meth, also known as methamphetamine, chalk, ice, and crystal, is an addictive drug. It is a stimulant similar to the prescription drug amphetamine. This drug typically appears as a crystalline powder that is white and odorless. A person most commonly may come across this drug in clubs, on the streets, or at parties.
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Crystal Meth Abuse
How Crystal meth is used
Crystal meth can be smoked, injected, taken in water or alcohol, or snorted. The heaviest users may attempt injections or smoking the drug due to the speed at which it reaches the brain for the more immediate high.
Side Effects of Crystal Meth Abuse
Crystal meth has many side effects that affect its users. When a user reaches a high, an immediate and intense euphoria is the result. This effect fades quickly, leading users to taking more of the drug to obtain a secondary or tertiary high.
Crystal meth affects the brain by increasing the amount of dopamine present. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that is capable of producing feelings of pleasure, motivation, and reward. It also affects motor functions.
Methamphetamine is special in that it can cause dopamine to be released across the regions of the brain at once; this causes a euphoric feeling that comes in a rush. Due to the high and changes in the brain chemistry meth causes, this drug can quickly lead to addiction. Addiction to methamphetamine is a significant problem that is characterized by compulsive drug use.
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Signs of Crystal Meth Addiction
A person who is suffering from a crystal meth addiction can have several obvious traits, recognizable characteristics that friends and family may notice. Confusion, paranoia, insomnia, and talking about strange sensations on the skin are all side effects that could be noticeable to others. The skin may be drawn, lesions may be present, and the teeth may be stained if the drug is smoked or inhaled. Dental decay, what is commonly known as "meth mouth" is fast in onset and difficult to reverse.
The physical effects of stimulants like methamphetamine, cocaine, or amphetamines themselves include:
- Increased appetite
- High heart rate
- Irregular heart beat
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased body temperature
- Malnutrition
- Memory loss
- Aggression
- Psychosis
Methamphetamines can also worsen the progression of HIV. Those who have been found to be HIV-positive and use methamphetamines have shown greater damage to their brains and higher cognitive impairment.
Data from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that over 12 million people, 4.7 percent of the American population, had tried meth at least once. Additionally, 1.2 million of those people had used meth within the year before the survey.
Meth itself is responsible for the spending of $23.4 billion in the United States in 2005, according to the RAND corporation; this cost included care for those who suffer from addiction to this drug, unemployment, child neglect, abuse, crime, and the effects on individual health.
Crystal Meth Addiction Side Effects
Crystal meth is well known for the side effect known as the "binge and crash." This describes a situation where the user takes a large amount of the drug, reaches a high quickly, and then crashes. After the crash, the user may need to take another dose to reach a second high.
Unfortunately, there are other side effects of the drug. Long-term use can result in:
- Dental problems, nicknamed "meth mouth"
- Skin sores from scratching due to hallucinations
- Weight loss
In the short term, it’s more likely for those who use crystal meth to suffer from:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Irregular heart rate
- Increased body temperature or fever
- Increased wakefulness
- High blood pressure
It’s possible for those who inject methamphetamines to contract HIV, Hepatitis B or C, and other infectious diseases. These typically come from drug injections with tainted needles, but having unsafe sex during a high can result in the contraction of these diseases no matter the method a person uses to take the drug. Taking meth can result in reduced inhibitions, so users may not take the precautions necessary to reduce the risk of STDs or other illnesses being spread.
Crystal Meth Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawing from crystal meth can cause severe and frightening symptoms. Some common side effects of withdrawal include:
- Visual hallucinations
- Auditory hallucinations
- Delusions
- Insomnia
- Confusion
- Anxiety
- Psychosis
- Reduced motor skills
- Memory loss
The brain is physically changed when someone uses meth. Structural and functional changes can mean that the brain doesn’t react as it did before the drug was used. Some of these symptoms could reverse after being off the drug for a substantial amount of time, but other symptoms may be permanent due to brain damage.
Crystal Meth Detoxification
Crystal meth addiction detox is done through one of two ways. You can go through medically assisted detoxification or through a medically supervised detoxification.
Medically Assisted Detoxification
With a medically assisted detoxification plan, you’ll go through a medical procedure that helps you reduce and eliminate the drug in your body. This kind of detox is used for those who would physically suffer if they were to stop using crystal meth without tapering the drug. Medications provide a way to ease the harsher kinds of withdrawal symptoms.
Medically Supervised Detoxification
Medically supervised detoxification is another way you can stop using crystal meth. With this process, no medications are typically used to treat patients during the withdrawal process. During the detox, a medical team is located on-site, which means patients are constantly monitored for symptoms and problems throughout the detoxification process.
Crystal Meth Addiction Rehabilitation
Crystal meth addiction rehab can come in many forms, so patients have some options. Some kinds you can try include:
- DBT: This treatment is known as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. It’s a kind of psychotherapy and is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Through this process, patients learn what triggers their thought processes and ineffective behaviors. They learn to identify the cause-and-effect relationship and about how to self-soothe, regulate their emotions, and how to be mindful of their feelings as well as those of others.
- Craniosacral therapy: This rehabilitation method is actually a type of massage. It is designed to manipulate and stimulate the cerebrospinal fluid to help reduce physical stress and headaches. This can be combined with talk therapy.
- Dual diagnosis support: A dual diagnosis, also known as a co-occuring disorder, refers to those who have both a mental disorder and a substance abuse issue. These problems must be treated together to have rehabilitation be effective.
- Art therapy: Art therapy is another rehabilitation method creative patients may enjoy. Through art, patients express their emotions through drawing, creating collages, painting, or participating in other kinds of art projects.
- Biofeedback: Biofeedback gives doctors insight into a person’s mind and body. It is often used for anxious clients, as it picks up electrical signals in the muscles and allows doctors to treat patients by working through emotional thoughts and behaviors.
- Adventure therapy: This exciting kind of psychotherapy invites participants to work through trust-building exercises, to rock climb, backpack, sail, or participate in other games and activities while also working through a talk therapy program.
The purpose of rehabilitation is to prepare you for living without the use of drugs. You may learn coping mechanisms, new hobbies or skills, or participate in a treatment program for dual diagnoses, so you can get the help you need to reduce the affect of secondary diagnoses on your drug use tendencies.
What Are Some Options After Treatment?
After receiving treatment, you have some options available to you. You may consider heading to a halfway house or transitional program that allows you to stay in touch with groups by attending group sessions and private therapy. Sober living facilities are not as rigid as the transitional programs, which control, to some degree, what patients do. Sober living facilities instead provide a safe-house away from drugs and alcohol so individuals can stay clean while transitioning back into normal day-to-day life.
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