Crystal Meth

Crystal meth is a colorless, odorless synthetic stimulant. Its appearance has been described as small fragments of glass or shiny “rocks” in various sizes. Just like methamphetamine, crystal meth produces a long-lasting euphoric high. However, it is more pure than regular meth and its effects are said to be more intense and last longer. Crystal meth users can smoke, snort or inject the drug. Users typically smoke the drug in glass pipes, similar to those used for crack cocaine.

The desired effects of crystal meth include increased attention and physical energy while suppressing the users appetite. When the user first takes the drug they experience a brief and intense rush that is followed by a long-lasting euphoria. The effects of the drug can last 12 hours or longer depending on how much of the drug was taken and how the user ingested the drug. Immediate negative effects users experience when they use the drug are faster breathing and heart rate, enlarged pupils, raised blood pressure, an elevated body temperature, stomach pain, trembling, and panic attacks. These short term effects come on after the users initial dose and typically dissipate in a few hours. When users take larger amounts of the drug their side effects often include high body temperature, excessive sweating, hindered vision, dizziness and dramatic increases in their body temperature. This dramatic increase in their temperature can elevate to hazardous, sometimes fatal levels that may cause convulsions.

When the pleasurable effects of crystal meth fade the user experiences a “crash” or withdrawal symptoms. They have been described as feelings of  severe depression, increased appetite, confusion, disorientation, fatigue, insomnia, nightmares, and suicidal tendencies. Some users take more of the drug to ward off their withdrawal symptoms. This may work initially but will only make the users “come down” that much harder when they inevitably “crash.”

This continual use of the drug can cause some very serious side effects. Overuse of meth can bring on problems with paranoia, radical mood swings, memory loss, and damage to the user’s immune system. Another common problem with this drug is overdose. Users often continue to take the drug when they feel the effects fading. The problem with this is that even though the physical “high” is diminishing the concentration of the drug in the user’s blood is still at dangerous levels. This can cause side effects including tachycardia (a heart rate that exceeds normal) that sometimes will last for the duration of the high. An additional issue with the overuse of crystal meth includes an increased potential for stroke due to the effects the drug has on the user’s blood vessels.

As with other highly addictive drugs, crystal meth users tend to “binge” on the drug. This means that they take the drug repeatedly over a long period of time; sometimes for days or even weeks on end. Users find that they develop a tolerance to the drug’s euphoric effects and need to increase the amount they take to achieve the same high the initially felt. Users have expressed that they build a tolerance to the drug’s effects more rapidly when they smoke or inject the drug vs. snorting it.

Few people are able to remain social users (using primarily on weekends or a few times a month) for any length of time. Crystal meth is extremely addictive and relatively inexpensive when compared to cocaine. This is why it has taken the country by storm and created so many addicts in its path.

There are many serious side effects that users experience that can last for months or years after they stop using the drug. These may include agressive behavior, delusions, panic attacks, unclear thinking, and inability to sleep. Intravenous users put themselves at risk for viral diseases including hepatitus, HIV and other blood-borne viruses. Injection users also suffer the risk of abscesses, damaged veins, heart infections, tuberculosis and liver or kidney disease.

Very few people are able to stop using this drug without help from treatment professionals. Addiction treatment involves detoxification, learning life skills, relapse prevention and counseling on the underlying issues that drove the addict to use. Crystal meth addicts often make many attempts to quit using before they are successful. Drug rehabilitation will significantly increase the odds of a successful recovery.

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