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STREET NAMES: Speed, Crank, Crystal, Meth,
Uppers, Bennies, Whiz, Billy, Tweak, Bitch are a few of
the common names for this class of drugs.
Other Forms: Pharmaceutical drugs that
are also amphetamines are Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Ritalin and
Cylert.
Methamphetamine, a potent stimulant of
the amphetamine class of drugs, is usually illicitly manufactured
and sold in powder, liquid, or tablet form. Normally mixed
with various cutting agents (the purity varies), methamphetamine
is the commonly abused member of the amphetamine class,
which includes Benzedrine, biphetamine and Dexedrine. These
drugs have limited but legitimate medical uses for hyperactive
children, severe obesity, narcolepsy, and depression; they
are consumed by oral ingestion, sniffing or injection. (2)
Many regular users inject methamphetamine every four to
five hours. A first-time user can remain high for up to
twenty-four hours. On a "run," users may inject
every hour or so until they finally stop, or "crash,"
due to exhaustion. After sleeping for eighteen to forty-eight
hours, the user will awaken depressed, hungry, and then
craving methamphetamine will begin another "speed-run."
Habitual users will inject about 0.25 grams (¼ teaspoon)
to 0.5 grams at a time; users on a binge have been known
to inject as much as 1,000 milligrams every two to three
hours. When the drug is injected, a "rush" or
"flash" of intense euphoria occurs within seconds
and lasts from four to eight hours. When the drug is consumed
orally, the effects will occur in twenty to thirty minutes
but there may be no rush or euphoria as with injection.
Snorting produces similar effects, but they are not as intense.
Low doses of methamphetamine stimulate the central nervous
system, resulting in increased blood pressure, respiration
and pulse rate. Short-term use affects one's ability to
drive a car, do complex mental tasks, or perform precise
muscle functions; high doses depress the central nervous
system and may cause sedation.
Although only a blood or urine test can give a definite
diagnosis of methamphetamine use, however use can be suspected
if a person has such symptoms as enlarged pupils or a pupils
that react slowly to light challenges; acne or chapped lips;
needle marks on the arms; an underweight or undernourished
appearance; hyperactivity (the person walks or talks too
fast); violent, argumentative, unpredictable tendencies;
an inability to concentrate, reason, or remember; insomnia;
paranoid or delusional behavior; or sores on the face, arms,
or legs (caused by excessive scratching). Because of the
aforementioned effects, the person on methamphetamine is
often violent and is probably one of the most dangerous
drug users in society.
Chronic use produces many physical, mental, and social
complications, including sinusitis, bronchitis, and respiratory
ailments; nasal ulcers and/or perforation of the nasal septum;
paranoia; mental confusion and forgetfulness; severe depression
and lack of energy between doses; addiction or dependence;
loss of interest and motivation in work or school; chemical
changes in the brain; a distorted sense of time (the person
is frequently late or forgets appointments); violence or
fights; family and interpersonal difficulties; switches
to heroin or alcohol; and frequent accidents. Alcohol and
other drugs multiply the influence of methamphetamine and
its relatives, and such combinations of drugs commonly cause
accidents.
It's not unusual to become addicted to methamphetamine.
Withdrawal from it stimulates several symptoms, including
severe depression, lack of energy, sleep disorders, tremor,
muscle aches, nausea, and an intense craving for methamphetamine;
these symptoms are mainly resolved after about three weeks.
The methamphetamine user who consumes the drug less often
than once a day is probably not addicted. To cease entirely,
this infrequent user usually needs to solve personal problems
related to stress, peers, family, interpersonal relations,
motivation, self-esteem, or life-style. Persons who use
methamphetamine several times a day, however, may require
rehabilitation to terminate use of the drug.
Research shows that the vast majority of persons who cannot
stop consuming methamphetamine have altered the chemistry
in their nervous systems to the point where their bodies
crave the substance. The major problem is that methamphetamine
drives out the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine,
and serotonin; when this happens and methamphetamine isn't
taken, withdrawal symptoms set in.
Below is the description used in classification of Amphetamine
Addiction used in the DSM-IV (3)
304.40 Amphetamine Dependence
The patterns of use and course of Amphetamine Dependence
are similar to those of Cocaine Dependence because both
substances are potent central nervous system stimulants
with similar psychoactive and sympathomimetic effects. However,
amphetamines are longer acting than cocaine and thus are
usually self-administered less frequently. As with Cocaine
Dependence, usage may be chronic or episodic, with binges
("speed runs") punctuated by brief drug-free periods.
Aggressive or violent behavior is associated with Amphetamine
Dependence, especially when high doses are smoked (e.g.,
ice') or administered intravenously. As with cocaine, intense
but temporary anxiety, as well as paranoid ideation and
psychotic episodes that resemble Schizophrenia, Paranoid
Type, are often seen, especially in association with high-dose
use. Tolerance to amphetamines develops and often leads
to substantial escalation of the dose. Conversely, some
individuals with Amphetamine Dependence develop reverse
tolerance (sensitization). In these cases, small doses may
produce marked stimulant and other adverse mental and neurological
effects.
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