Meth
Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug that is similar in structure to amphetamine. Due to its high potential for abuse, methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II drug and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Although methamphetamine can be prescribed by a doctor, its medical uses are limited, and the doses that are prescribed are much lower than those typically abused. Most of the methamphetamine abused in this country comes from foreign or domestic superlabs, although it can also be made in small, illegal laboratories, where its production endangers the people in the labs, neighbors, and the environment.Street names for Meth include: Speed, meth, chalk, ice, crystal, glass
How Is Meth Abused?
Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, intranasal (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking.What Adverse Effects Does Meth Have on Health?
Taking even small amounts of methamphetamine can result in many of the same physical effects as those of other stimulants, such as cocaine or amphetamines, including increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia.Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many negative health consequences, including extreme weight loss, severe dental problems ("meth mouth"), anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. Chronic methamphetamine abusers can also display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects crawling under the skin).
Transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C can be consequences of methamphetamine abuse. The intoxicating effects of methamphetamine, regardless of how it is taken, can also alter judgment and inhibition and can lead people to engage in unsafe behaviors, including risky sexual behavior. Among abusers who inject the drug, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases can be spread through contaminated needles, syringes, and other injection equipment that is used by more than one person. Methamphetamine abuse may also worsen the progression of HIV/AIDS and its consequences. Studies of methamphetamine abusers who are HIV-positive indicate that HIV causes greater neuronal injury and cognitive impairment for individuals in this group compared with HIV-positive people who do not use the drug.
Meth Addiction Treatment
At A Center for Addiction Recovery we help clients with meth addiction to discover or rediscover the original problem or problems. Behavioral interventions - particularly, cognitive-behavioral therapy, a behavioral treatment approach that combines behavioral therapy, family education, individual counseling, 12-step program, drug testing, and encouragement for nondrug-related activities as well as alternative therapies are part of our meth addiction treatment. Our therapists teach our clients how to overcome problems with real-life solutions by equipping them with tools and life skills to confront and handle common obstacles encountered in life. Only when both the underlying reasons for the meth addiction and the meth addiction problem are resolved can a person become a healthy and happy member of society.Currently, there are no medications approved to treat methamphetamine addiction; however, this is an active area of research for the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
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