Methamphetamine

Stages of the Meth Experience

1. The Rush

The rush is the initial feeling when snorting, smoking or injecting meth which can last up to 30 minutes. The physical response includes accelerated heartbeat, metabolism and blood pressure.

2. The High

The second stage commonly results in increased energy, exaggerated mannerisms and obsessive or argumentative aggressions towards an insignificant item (such as digging). The high can last four to sixteen hours.

3. The Binge

A binge is uncontrolled or repeated use of any drug (including alcohol) driven by the urge to maintain the high by continuously using more. The longer the binge lasts, the more mentally and physically hyperactive the abuser becomes. Each time, the rush becomes fainter and eventually is lost for good. A binge can last anywhere between three to fifteen days.

4. Tweaking

The tweaking stage is the most dangerous. The initial rush can no longer be felt, even though the cravings for meth are still intense. A common side effect is scratching of the skin and feeling like bugs are crawling underneath the skin. Additionally, appetite, sleep and clarity are often gone. The abuser is in a psychotic state, seeing and hearing things that no one else can perceive. Abusers can become harmful to themselves and others during this stage.

5. The Crash

The crash is when the body shuts down after days of no rest or food, unable to cope with the overwhelming drugs digested. The crash typically involves one to three days of sleep, producing a debilitating hangover.

Methamphetamine is taken orally, smoked, snorted, or dissolved in water or alcohol and injected. Smoking or injecting the drug delivers it very quickly to the brain, where it produces an immediate, intense euphoria. Because the pleasure also fades quickly, users often take repeated doses, in a “binge and crash” pattern.

Meth is composed of over 10 toxic chemicals and exposure to these chemicals can be fatal. Crystal meth can cause permanent brain damage that may be irreversible even once the drug is stopped. Areas of the brain responsible for emotion, memory, verbal learning and motor skills are altered with long-term meth use.

Meth use can cause irreversible physical harm to the body:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or cardiovascular death
• Liver, kidney, and lung damage

Meth use also causes long-term damage to the mind:

• Loss in sexual desire
• Ruins the ability to have healthy sleep habits.
• Confusion, moodiness, anxiety and delusions

Crystal meth is cheap because the ingredients are readily available, making it easier than other drugs to make. Meth is also highly addictive, resulting in a drug of long-term use.

Methamphetamine was developed in Japan 1919 during World War II when both sides (U.S. and Japan) used it to keep their troops awake. Although methamphetamine is not a new drug, it has become more potent and dangerous in the past three decades.

In the 1950’s, meth was prescribed as a diet aid and as an anti-depressant, often stimulating the brain’s neurons to help ward off post-traumatic stress and mental illness. It soon became widespread in the sports industry, football and baseball athletes often took part in the stimulant to increase performance.

When the Food and Drug Administration deemed meth illegal for most use (excluding similar properties used in amphetamines), gangs began creating illegal superlabs across the nation, manufacturing and distributing the highly illicit drug. Known as “poor man’s cocaine,” meth became popular within rural communities.

Today, most of the drug is available through online black markets, Asian countries and throughout the Czech Republic. Both supply and demand for meth in the U.S. are high.