You may not necessarily understand how a meth addict thinks and feels, but you can get more insight into the nature of a victim, and it can allow you to see that when the individual is snatching, manipulating, or cheating, it is not a personal problem but a sign of their illnesses. Learning how a meth addiction feels and how a meth addict feels can be helpful if you have a loved one with meth dependency.
Know the fundamental importance of Meth
Methamphetamine, also named meth, is one of the most addictive, dangerous, and terrifying drugs out there. Meth is a drug that stimulates the brain more so than most other drugs do and it can greatly impair an individual’s physical and mental well-being.
Methamphetamine is an amphetamine, a nervous system stimulant. Methamphetamine was first marketed as a decongestant and weight loss aid and was once legal and widely available in tablet and injectable form throughout the United States. However, a large population exploited the stimulant which ultimately caused the FDA to restrict the use and classify it as a Schedule II drug in 1970.
Meth is a most usually a white crystalline powder, although it could be other colors as well. It is odorless, salty, and dissolves easily in liquid. It is ingested more often by drinking, snorting, or injection. It can also be packed into a tablet in some situations and can be swallowed through the mouth.
The crystal meth is either crystal clear or violet and usually comes in small crystals. In some situations, drugs such as antidepressants and antibiotics are used to cut methamphetamine. Some drug dealers will put in strong drugs like these in their meth batches in an effort to create more intense highs for users in hopes of gaining repeat customers. However, this increases a person’s chances of overdose especially if they do not realize what has been added. If a person has a regular tolerance to meth and they get a batch that has fentanyl, they run the risk of overdosing and even dying.
While both forms vary in their molecular composition, both meth and crystal meth are the same chemically. Methamphetamine street names include:
- Glass
- Ice
- Crystal
- Crank
- Tweak
The vast majority of today’s meth come from illicit and manufactures labs. Usually, the substance is prepared in “home kitchens” or in “stovetops,” where a few produce small amounts. Meth is also manufactured in the “Mega Laboratories”, that provides high-quality meth (usually run by the cartel or other established crime syndicates). The primary component of meth is generally the stimulant ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, which is usually contained in some cough and cold medications. Meth laboratories are notoriously dangerous because of the poisonous gases and chemicals that are emitted during the drug’s production.
What’s going to happen to a Meth addict?
There are behavioral or cognitive shifts when somebody is under the influence of meth. The substance directly influences a person’s brain and central nervous systems, inducing some seemingly harmless effects and other extremely harmful effects.
Once a person takes meth, they will feel euphoria, as meth activates the brain’s reward system like many other substances and particularly those that are really addictive. The sense of “reward” causes a person to have an uncontrollable desire to use the substance more and more frequently. Now, let’s discuss the effects that continual abuse of this substance can have on a person.
When a person takes the substance, the brain is rewired in many ways. There is something else besides euphoric brain stimulation that can arise if someone consumes meth and that is a sense of raw feelings. Those on meth may not feel the way they normally should, so the individual might really like that because it can help them escape from bad memories or emotional pain they experience when they are sober. Meth not only becomes a way to get high, but also a way to avoid problems like depression and other negative emotions.
Side effects of Meth addiction
Even in small amounts, meth is very strong. It has similar effects when compared to other stimulant substances such as cocaine and heroin. Some common areas that meth use will affect are as follows:
Mood:
- Having a feeling of being elated
- Feeling confident and driven
- Dulled emotions
- Improved physical pleasure
- Severe mood changes/swings
Behavioral:
- Extremely chatty and social
- Increased aggression
- Lack of social awareness
Physical:
- Alertness and wakefulness
- High blood pressure and abnormal heartbeat
- Hyperthermia, an increased body temperature
- Abnormal breathing
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Psychological:
- Poor Self-consciousness
- Schizophrenia
- Depression/Anxiety
- Confusion and delusions
- Hallucinations and paranoia
How does Meth impact the brain?
The volume of the natural chemical in the brain, dopamine, is boosted by methamphetamine. Dopamine participates in the movement, motivation, and strengthening of enriching behaviors. The ability of the medication to produce large levels of dopamine rapidly in the brain’s reward regions enhances the person’s desire to use the drug more and more frequently.
This can greatly affect the overall chemistry of a person’s brain, resulting in some serious side-effects which we previously mentioned above. Even if a person works to recover from meth abuse, the drug is so potent that it can leave lasting changes on a person’s physical and mental health.
New research also suggested the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, a neurological condition that affects coordination, rose in those that used methamphetamine previously. Diseases and disorders like this are all too common for meth users. The abuse of this drug can only result in serious damage to a person’s overall well-being.
Treating Meth addiction
Meth is an addictive and highly dangerous drug. If you know someone that struggles with a meth dependency, it may seem that they could never reclaim control of their lives. However, this is not true. A drug addiction treatment program will help patients sever their reliance on the substance physically and psychologically. If you or a loved one is dependent on methamphetamine, or any drug for that matter, reach out to your local recovery center today to help them get the help they deserve.
