Why People Take Methamphetamine
Taking this drug might have started out as a way to beat sleep and stay awake for sometimes days at a time, but in the past decade or longer, the drug has been taken as a cheaper form of cocaine, a drug to make someone feel more sociable as it artificially boosts self-confidence.
Another reason for taking speed is the fact it diminishes appetite dramatically, so some people use for weight loss.
The main reason people take it is that they like how it affects the brain, there is the initial pleasure and then a high that can last as long as 6-12 hours.
The drug causes the release of excessive amounts of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter than controls pleasure.
What Chemicals Are In Methamphetamine
When a person takes methamphetamine they are ingesting a wide array of chemicals that are used in the making of this drug. Here is a partial list of the chemicals that are used in the making of methamphetamine.
Rubbing alcohol, ether, benzene, paint thinner, Freon, acetone, chloroform, Anhydrous ammonia, phenyl-2-propone, phenyl acetone, Phenylpropanolamine, toluene, lye, drain cleaner, muriatic acid, battery acid, ephedrine, cold tablets, diet aids, iodine, and bronchodilators.
There are so many volatile and dangerous chemicals mixed together just to make this drug, that whenever a police or fire department finds one of these drug labs in a home, everyone entering the house needs to wear a protective body suit.
The Damage Methamphetamine Causes To the Entire Body
It is an addictive drug and the body builds a tolerance to the drug quickly meaning that the user has to have more of it and more often to continue the same feelings and to avoid the withdrawal symptoms.
Mental Damage Caused by Methamphetamine
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Hearing voices
- Can cause schizophrenia [1]
- Compulsive repetitive behavior such as constantly checking the door locks associated with paranoia.
- Violent or aggressive behavior
- Can cause a person to lose the ability to be happy or joyful without artificial drugs or stimulation
- Lost jobs
- Ruined marriages
Prolonged use can also cause the person to believe there are insects under their skin to the point they will scratch themselves to get at them. Long-term use causes damage to brain cells that are similar to those of a stroke or Alzheimer’s.
When addicts take the drug over and over again it damages the brains wiring in the brain's pleasure areas. Prolonged use of meth can also lead to psychosis and schizophrenia like symptoms, leading to schizophrenia.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant and this causes the body to release high doses of adrenaline inducing anxiety, wakefulness and intense focus.
Users claim this intense focus lets them work far more efficiently when in reality they look back at their work and see it is a total mess they created while on the drug.
Physical Damage Caused by Methamphetamine
Every time a person takes methamphetamine, they are damaging their body. A list of some of the physical damage that is done to the body include:
- Increased heart rate and damage to the heart muscles
- Lower resistance to illness
- Convulsions
- Liver damage
- Extreme rises in body temperature causing brain damage
- Stroke and even death
- Rapid aging [2]
- Sores can develop and take a long time to heal
- Insomnia and long periods of sleeplessness
- Flushing or pallor
- Tremors
- Shortness of breath
- Damage to the teeth and gums
This drug actually ages the body dramatically. Before and after pictures of people who are addicted to the drug are dramatic in how they have aged. By causing the blood vessels to constrict this drug cuts off the proper blood flow to all parts of the body.
Continued usage causes damage to these areas that could inhibit the body from repairing itself. Even though some people might lose weight using this drug, it is because they aren’t eating food and the body is using up all of its stores of nutrition. His or her body is basically wasting away.
The drug causes damage from inflammation of the brain as well as ruining the dopamine receptors causing motor skills and cognitive thinking areas of the brain to be damaged.
In studies done by Dr. Nora Volkow and colleagues at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, PET scans done on users of Methamphetamine showed a 20% increase in brain metabolism.
This was due to inflammation of the brain from this very toxic drug. Dopamine transporters (DAT) had diminished by 24%.
The dopamine transporter losses in the brain for methamphetamine users, is roughly equivalent to 40 years of aging for 2 years of methamphetamine use.
Help For Methamphetamine Dependence
Creatine For Methamphetamine Dependence
Creatine monohydrate is a common and safe nutritional supplement used by athletes, weight lifters, sprinters and many other active people. The thought is that creatine monohydrate can help those with anxiety disorder as well as addiction to methamphetamine.
NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) For Methamphetamine Addiction
NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) is another common supplement that holds promise for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence. NAC has shown signs of working to treat dependence on other addicting drugs and products, including cocaine, marijuana and nicotine.
According to Associate Professor McKetin, "A recent Phase I trial of NAC use in humans found a large reduction in methamphetamine craving, signalling the need for a Phase II trial to confirm this benefit and examine NAC’s effects on other clinically relevant endpoints."
Another great benefit to both of these possible treatments is that they are readily available in the United States as affordable supplements.
Conclusion
You are not doing yourself a favor by using methamphetamine to enhance your study or work abilities. In fact, you are worsening your brain's ability to even understand or remember what you are studying.
If you think this drug is making you better or more socially acceptable, it is doing the exact opposite. The old saying “speed kills” is true, and every time you take meth, you are dramatically aging yourself.
The sooner you quit using methamphetamine,the quicker you can heal your body and mind. And you will heal. The body has an incredible ability to heal itself, if you give it a chance.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Copyright © 2009-2018 Sam Montana
Resources:
[4] PubMed: The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence: a double-blind controlled, crossover study.
The Brookhaven National Laboratory
WGBH and PBS Frontline show about methamphetamine
