Crystal Meth Effects and Addiction

Understanding the Short and Long Term Effects of Crystal Meth

What Is Crystal Meth and Why People Use it?

Crystal meth, pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, is a highly concentrated form of meth, most commonly recognised by its purity and crystalline appearance. Crystal meth is easily, and cheaply made, using chemicals available without need of prescription or license. Known as “poor man’s coke, it can provide a high that is equivalent to cocaine – making crystal meth very attractive to people living in circumstances of deprivation and poverty. Use by First Nation people in Canada, and in rural communities continues to cause concern, particularly as users are most frequently teenagers and young adults, both unemployed and students.

Crystal meth appeals to people in deprived circumstances, it also appeals to people looking for an extra high – some excitement in their life, which makes crystal meth popular as a party drug, used for recreation, and by students.

Methamphetamine short-term effects give the user a euphoric "rush", acting on the central nervous system (CNS) to stimulate feelings of power and omnipotence. Whereas methamphetamine is twice as powerful as amphetamines, short-term crystal meth effects are more intense than for meth. Crystal meth users can feel powerfully aggressive, both physically and sexually. People can rapidly become addicted to crystal meth. Crystal meth users often suffer and cause injury to others as a result of feeling mentally and physically empowered, oblivious to pain and fear.

Why is it Harmful?

Short and long term physical effects of crystal meth are harmful and depleting. Meth use puts the mind and body into a state of hyperarousal. In nature such states of hyperactivity are brief and transient - a normal response to threat. The body is not designed to function on continuous "high alert" with no place to discharge the extra energy that is created.

Short-Term Effects

People amped up on meth may suffer from:

• flushing, or paleness of the skin
• widened pupils
• headaches
• tremors and spasms
• a dry mouth
• difficulty to deal with people and events in their environment.

While on crystal meth, the mind and body want to act and react, rather than evaluate and consider appropriate responses and actions.

Long-Term Effects

Chronic use of crystal meth can make users suffer from:

• excessive anxiety
• lack of sleep
• feelings of depression
• reduction of appetite for food

Typically crystal meth users become thin and haggard looking due to dehydration, and the effects of malnutrition. Crystal meth users will generally get "meth mouth" - infected gums, decaying teeth, with sunken facial features and rigid lines around the mouth.

Mental Effects

Mentally, there is confusion, a loss of ability to think rationally. Use of crystal meth exacerbates and produces symptoms of paranoid thinking, obsessive-compulsive behavior, hallucinations and violence.

Intense and chronic use of crystal meth typically makes users less able to respond appropriately to social cues and situations. Long term users become irritable, withdrawn or aggressive, preoccupied only with finding a means to get more supply of the drug. Long term use of meth can make it difficult for people to keep regular attendance at work, may cause them to have issues and difficulties with workmates on the job, and lead to dismissal and unemployment.

Long term crystal meth effects of delusional thinking, causing irrational behavior, can continue long after someone has stopped using the drug.

Crystal Meth Withdrawal Effects

Withdrawal effects of crystal meth include dopamine depletion, and an inability of the brain to restore the chemicals needed in the brain to maintain effective brain function. Extreme depression and suicidal thoughts are a direct result of chemical depletion in the body, a lack of sleep, rest and nutrition that is essential for the mind and body to be restored to balance.

A range of mental disorders can arise as post acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) when using crystal meth – the mood swings of bi-polar and schizophrenia, delusions and hallucinations, the come-down from using crystal meth is depressive and disordering of both emotions and thinking. The aftermath of intense crystal meth use leaves a person feeling “shattered”, vulnerable to continued use and to further physical and emotional depletion.

Effects on Society

Crystal meth users with responsibility for children are neglectful of domestic chores, and can be emotionally abusive and neglectful. Crystal meth user parents often find their children taken into care for their protection.

Meth and crystal meth users will sometimes choose to live communally in a clan house, where meth is manufactured and addicts resort to a range of criminal behaviours to support their meth addiction. Occasionally, in the aftermath of meth lab explosions, children are found to have been living in the house, sometimes injured or killed. There is a high prevalence of crystal meth use among females, and they are more likely to suffer as a result from extreme depression.

Addiction to crystal meth distances the user from the community and human relationship. Anti social tendencies and social isolation is intensified and the problem of rehabilitation is made more difficult due to the fact that residues of crystal meth remain in the body for longer than most other drugs. Unless an effective and complete detox method is used, crystal meth addicts remain vulnerable to continued cravings and need.

The problems and difficulties in life that lead people to use crystal meth only become more of a problem when people start to use meth as an "answer" to their problems. Chronic amphetamine use erodes all capacity and incentive to make a positive change.

Narconon: a Solution to Crystal Meth Addiction

Ending addiction to crystal meth requires a complete and thorough physical detox of all residues of the drug that can remain in body fats and tissues, and randomly trigger relapse. The Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, following the internationally acclaimed Hubbard detox methods, is known to eliminate drug residues and other toxins out of the body.

People addicted to crystal meth can recover from their addiction when given comprehensive support and encouragement, together with a drug rehab program that first completely remove toxic drug residues from their body, then rehabilitate their mind and finally give them tools and abilities to deal with life difficulties without the use of any toxic substances. Narconon Program offers such a drug detox and rehab program.

More Information about the meth addicts recovery program from Narconon