Crystal Meth Addiction
There is almost no area of a persons life that is not affected by crystal meth addiction. The drug destroys their health, relationships, finances, reputation and more. One of the more shocking aspects of crystal meth addiction may be the speed with which it can turn someone’s life into chaos.
No one wants to be caught in the throes of meth addiction. But it can be incredibly difficult to find your way out. If meth addiction is ruining your life or the life of someone you love, this article is for you. If you want to halt crystal meth addiction and begin healing, it is vital to educate yourself. The best place to start is a treatment centers which can help people to overcome addiction.
Defining Crystal Meth
Crystal meth is a potent drug. It is one of the drugs that people most commonly abuse throughout the United States. It has spread far and wide. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that it can be manufactured relatively easy. It doesn’t need to be grown and transported. Another is that it is inexpensive.
Similar to other stimulant drugs, meth abuse causes symptoms such as:
- Euphoria
- Increased energy
- Excitation
- Staying up for a few days without sleeping
- Binging on the drug to keep the high
The symptoms occur due to the way this drug interacts with a person’s brain. Meth affects the pleasure center of the brain and releases dopamine. Dopamine is a pleasure chemical that also reinforces behaviors, whether they are negative or not. Some research shows that dopamine is partially the cause of addiction because of its effects on the pleasure center of the brain.
Street Names for Crystal Meth
People who have an addiction to crystal meth know the street names for this drug. For those who don’t know the street names, they are the following:
- Speed
- Meth
- Crystal
- Ice
- Glass
- Crank
- Blade
- Yaba
- Quick
- Shards
Knowing the street names may help family members and friends to recognize a crystal meth addiction in their loved ones.
Abuse of Methamphetamine
Research shows there are few ways that someone can abuse methamphetamine. Most people will abuse meth in powder form. Many drug users will snort the powder. Others might put crystal meth into a drink, smoke it or inject a solution with it into a vein.
The most potent form of meth usually comes in the form of shards. People usually smoke that version instead of ingesting or snorting it.
The main differences between the two forms are intensity and purity. Each type of use takes a different length of time to reach the bloodstream, such as:
- Injecting or smoking meth takes effect almost immediately
- Snorting the drug takes approximately 3 to 5 minutes
- Ingesting meth takes about 15 to 20 minutes
Most people who have a severe addiction to crystal meth inject or smoke the drug. By doing that, they get the high faster than through the other methods.
Meth Addiction Statistics
There are a lot of people throughout the United States who have an addiction to crystal meth. Sometimes, it can be challenging to understand the entirety of the addiction epidemic. However, looking at statistics can often help people better understand just how serious the crystal meth problem is in the United States.
A 2017 study by National Institute on Drug Abuse shows the following statistics about meth addiction:
- Approximately 440,000 adults in the United States used meth in the prior month before the study
- Just over 1 million people in the United States said they used this drug in the previous year before the study
- Approximately 1% of 12th, 10th, and 8th graders in the study said they used this drug in the prior year
- About 103,000 emergency room visits in 2011 were due to crystal meth use
- During the first part of 2012, crystal meth was the most common drug addiction to be treated in San Diego and Hawaii
- The economic burden of meth is around $23 billion every year
As you can see, the statistics of meth use and addiction are alarming. Many people are losing their lives to this drug.
These tragedies can be avoided. But people must educate themselves and know about the help that is available.
Getting Treatment for Meth Addiction
If you or someone you know is using crystal meth and can’t stop, don’t wait to reach out for help. The sooner you get treatment, the better the chances for a good outcome. Crystal meth addiction is deadly serious. If you know someone who is using meth, don’t take it lightly. No one remains a “casual” meth user for long.
There are numerous treatments people can get for this type of addiction. Some of those include:
- Detox services
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Inpatient treatment
- Partial-hospitalization treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Individual and group therapy
- Attending support groups
- Using recovery resources
The more help you receive, the better your chances will be to overcome meth addiction. We want to note that outpatient treatment is usually not enough by itself to overcome an addiction to crystal meth. You should always get the most help you possibly can. There’s no such thing as “too much” help for a problem after all.
Contact us at Midwood Addiction Treatment if you or someone you love is dependent on crystal meth. We are here to listen and help.