Methamphetamine addiction is a very serious problem today. This psychostimulant is very potent and highly addictive. Abuse of this drug has serious physical, psychological, and social repercussions. It can lead to:
- memory loss
- psychotic behavior
- heart damage
- and malnutrition.
Methamphetamine also increases the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. It can quickly turn a thriving community into a crime-ridden, unemployed wasteland. The addiction usually occurs when a person begins to use the drug to enhance or stimulate his sex life and increase his ability to focus and concentrate. The drug enters the brain and triggers a release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. This creates a feeling of euphoria and excitement. Users will quickly become obsessed with performing repetitive tasks such as washing their hands. They often have to take sedatives to get any sleep. As they start to “come down” off their high, they will experience withdrawal symptoms such as depression, excessive sleeping or eating, and anxiety. This in turn causes them to crave the drug again to get that same feeling of elation that they experienced before.
The physical effects of methamphetamine addiction are:
- increased energy
- increased libido
- excessive sweating
- tightened jaw muscles
- dilated pupils
- teeth grinding
- nausea, vomiting
- involuntary twitching
- increased heart rate and blood pressure
- dry mouth
- and difficulty urinating.
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Long-term consequences of drug abuse can include:
- lung and kidney disorders
- brain damage
- liver damage
- heart attack
- and stroke.
As if that isn’t enough, there are also serious psychological ramifications for using methamphetamine as well. Besides being excessively nervous and hyperactive, users also become extremely paranoid and delusional. This can lead to hallucinations and violent behavior.
Because the withdrawal symptoms from meth use are so severe, methamphetamine addiction is very hard to treat.
In 90% of cases, severe crippling depression takes over the individual. Doctors are now using other forms of amphetamine to break the addiction cycle. Some recent studies have also shown that using indatraline, fluoxetine, bupropion, modafinil, or imipramine can help reduce cravings and aid in the treatment process.
So, why is something so dangerous so popular with today’s young people? The high they get from this drug allows them to have the energy to go, go, go. Since they get a constant feeling of pleasure from the surge of dopamine, it leaves them wanting more. It works fast as an aphrodisiac, which adds to its appeal to youth. Since it can easily be prepared with local substances, the availability and affordability of this drug are making methamphetamine addiction a rampant problem that we will be dealing with for years to come.