(Crystal Meth) Methamphetamine
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Overview
Methamphetamine (meth) is a stimulant. Regular meth is a pill or powder. Crystal meth resembles glass fragments or shiny blue-white "rocks" of various sizes. Cocaine and potent stimulant pharmaceuticals, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, produce similar effects.
Methods of use
Meth is swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked. To intensify the effects, users may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of intake. In some cases, meth abusers go without food and sleep while taking part in a form of binging known as a “run.” Meth users on a "run" inject as much as a gram of the drug every 2 to 3 hours over several days until they run out of meth or become too disorganized to continue.
Effects on the Mind
Meth is a highly addictive drug with potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant properties. A brief, intense sensation, or rush, is reported by those who smoke or inject it. Oral ingestion or snorting produces a long-lasting high instead of a rush, which reportedly can continue for as long as half a day. Both the rush and the high are believed to result from the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure. Long-term meth use results in many damaging effects, including addiction. Chronic meth abusers exhibit violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. They also can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions. One such delusion is the sensation of insects creeping on or under the skin. The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts.
Researchers have reported that as much as 50% of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged exposure to relatively low levels of meth. Researchers also have found that serotonin-containing nerve cells may be damaged even more extensively.
Effects on the Body
Taking even small amounts of meth can result in increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, rapid breathing and heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia (overheating).
High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous, sometimes lethal, levels as well as cause convulsions and even cardiovascular collapse and death. Meth abuse may also cause extreme anorexia, memory loss, and severe dental problems.
Overdose effects
As noted, high doses may result in death from stroke, heart attack or multiple organ problems caused by overheating.
Overview
Methamphetamine (meth) is a stimulant. Regular meth is a pill or powder. Crystal meth resembles glass fragments or shiny blue-white "rocks" of various sizes. Cocaine and potent stimulant pharmaceuticals, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, produce similar effects.
Methods of use
Meth is swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked. To intensify the effects, users may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of intake. In some cases, meth abusers go without food and sleep while taking part in a form of binging known as a “run.” Meth users on a "run" inject as much as a gram of the drug every 2 to 3 hours over several days until they run out of meth or become too disorganized to continue.
Effects on the Mind
Meth is a highly addictive drug with potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant properties. A brief, intense sensation, or rush, is reported by those who smoke or inject it. Oral ingestion or snorting produces a long-lasting high instead of a rush, which reportedly can continue for as long as half a day. Both the rush and the high are believed to result from the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure. Long-term meth use results in many damaging effects, including addiction. Chronic meth abusers exhibit violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. They also can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions. One such delusion is the sensation of insects creeping on or under the skin. The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts.
Researchers have reported that as much as 50% of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged exposure to relatively low levels of meth. Researchers also have found that serotonin-containing nerve cells may be damaged even more extensively.
Effects on the Body
Taking even small amounts of meth can result in increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, rapid breathing and heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia (overheating).
High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous, sometimes lethal, levels as well as cause convulsions and even cardiovascular collapse and death. Meth abuse may also cause extreme anorexia, memory loss, and severe dental problems.
Overdose effects
As noted, high doses may result in death from stroke, heart attack or multiple organ problems caused by overheating.