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Blog Entry 3 of 3 So This is Life. Hmm.
Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and be the first to see the show that I like to call My Life. My name is Jenna Becker, I am 18 years old, and I just graduated from Columbine High School. Come with me as I attempt to figure out living on my own (well, in my parent's house, but oh well) becoming my own person, and standing up for what I know is right. Should be the ride of my life.

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~ThisIsMyStory

Methamphetamine: A new epidemic
Contributed by: Jenna Becker   on 7/3/2006

Methamphetamine use is on the rise among teenagers in the United States and it runs rampant among people of all ages. Easy to make and use, "meth" is a powerfully addictive stimulant that gives users a rush of euphoria and decreases appetite. It enhances mood by giving the user a strong feeling of well-being and happiness. It also increases body movement, making the user feel jittery and on-edge, and unable to sit still. Using meth will often cause very quick and repetitive body movements.

Methamphetamine is derived from amphetamine, a group of drugs that includes cocaine, Benzedrine, Ritalin, and ephedrine. Meth, the purest, most refined and most powerful form of amphetamine, is much more stimulating to the nervous system than other forms of amphetamine.

It is made in illegal laboratories and has a very high potential for abuse and addiction. Using pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter drug used in many cold medicines such as Sudafed, "meth cooks" pull out the additives in the chemical--the "pseudo" part of the pseudoephedrine--through a disturbingly easy process using household items to manufacture methamphetamine hydrochloride, which looks like clear chunks of crystal.

Some methamphetamine street names include simply "meth" and also "speed," "chalk," "ice," "tweek," "dope," "crystal," "glass," "crank," "tina," and "go-fast." People often use it to feel the euphoric effect of being high and to stay awake for long periods of time. Meth is quite popular with truckers, who need to be awake and alert during tedious 18-hour driving shifts.

A few people even use it for the sole purpose of losing weight. In fact, methamphetamines are prescribed, however rarely, to clinically obese patients to help them lose extra weight. This practice has become more and more scarce over the past twenty years because with research, doctors now realize the drug's highly addictive nature.

Methamphetamine can be taken several different ways. It can be smoked in a pipe that is made of glass, with a long tube leading to the "bowl," which is a small circular opening in the end where users put their meth. It can be crushed and snorted through the nose, which is a more direct route to the brain than smoking gives.

Methamphetamine can also be injected intravenously. This is the most dangerous form of using because it increases the risk of STD's and other serious diseases and infections. Injecting meth straight into the vein creates a huge "rush" or "flash" of intensity that only lasts a few minutes. However, methamphetamine users report that this "flash" of extreme energy and euphoria is the most exquisitely amazing few minutes that they can ever experience.

Methamphetamine can even be taken orally--swallowed by the user because that way it goes directly to the stomach--and has been shown to burn holes in the lining of the esophagus and the stomach.

Methamphetamine stimulates a specific chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is released into the brain to reduce feelings of pain, to give a feeling of happiness and euphoria, and to increase energy. This neurotransmitter stimulates brain cells, which enhance kinesthetic energy and brain activity. As the methamphetamine is stimulating the dopamine, it also has a toxic effect on the brain. It damages brain cells that contain serotonin, another neurotransmitter, as well as dopamine.

The long-term effects of this are devastating. They involve a significantly lower level of dopamine in the brain than is normal, which can result in depression, Parkinson's disease, and severe movement disorder.

Other serious consequences of meth use include the decay and loss of teeth and extreme anorexia, in addition to heart and stomach problems. Many users must eventually face the ultimate consequence of using: death. In a perfect world, this frightening prospect alone would be enough to prevent people from using methamphetamine.

The reality, though, is grim. It is easy to state the fact that meth is extremely addictive. But what really happens when someone becomes addicted to methamphetamine? Many users say that after staying up for a few days off the same meth high, their brain starts to break down. Cat-scans show that meth leaves big black holes--empty areas--where brain tissue used to be. Long-time meth addicts report that years after quitting the drug, they still see shadows in the corner of their eyes and are always jittery or paranoid. Some even say that it has impaired their speech, making them slur their words.

These negative effects are not a factor for a serious meth user, who will value their need and addiction for the drug above all else. One anonymous user says, "Meth makes me feel like Superman. I'll be up for about 24 hours straight, won't eat, and I'll feel completely invincible. But eventually I have to come down, and that's unbearable. It makes me feel like I'm dying and going to hell. And when that's over, I just want more tweek."

Most methamphetamine users report that the incredible euphoric rush and endless supply of energy that go along with being high on meth is about equal to the extreme depression and fatigue that they feel while coming down.

"The main thing that's bad about meth is the aftereffects," states another anonymous meth user. "Coming down, I've never felt so horrible in my life. I'll be up for days on end and hallucinating because after being awake so long, my brain just shuts down. And then when it gets really bad, I'll be thinking that I can actually hear someone else's thoughts or read their mind. Plus I'll get paranoid beyond belief and think that people are out to get me," he continues. "It's completely crazy, but I can't help it." Coincidentally, paranoia is the number one symptom of using methamphetamine, followed closely by the symptoms of high energy and lack of appetite.

Meth may seem fun and exciting for those who have never tried it, but once someone starts using they are in for a very dangerous and life-risking ride. If you or someone you know is trapped in the throes of chronic methamphetamine use, get some help. The only way to completely quit is to make major life changes. Meth addicts must cut themselves off from all their old friends and associates who used the drug with them, and from all activities and habits that triggered using meth.

Sometimes quitting is difficult to face alone. For that reason, many methamphetamine abuse recovery organizations are readily available. Don't wait; get help as soon as you possibly can.

--To find drug rehab and treatment centers in Colorado, call: 1-800-US-NO-DRUGS
--Narcotics Anonymous, World Service Line: (818) 773-9999
--Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT): (301) 443-5052


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Jenna Becker

Littleton , CO

Jenna Becker has posted 3 blog entries and 0 comments since joining on 6/21/2006. Jenna Becker 's average blog rating is 5.
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