Meth is a highly addictive drug. Similar to most drugs, once abused, meth addiction could result to damaging effects towards the user’s body. Upon entering the brain, methamphetamine triggers the quick release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine which regulate feelings of pleasure. It is very active in mesolimbic reward pathways of the brain which causes extreme euphoria.
Methamphetamine has a stimulating effect on sex, mood, and energy. It can cause weight loss and appetite suppression. Also, it offers the body with alertness and the ability to concentrate. Like most drugs, overusing meth develops tolerance. Methamphetamine tires out the brain’s store of dopamine and destroys the wiring of dopamine receptors. The pleasurable effect of the drug is not eternal. Negative effects on the body takes place once the user of meth takes increasing amount due to tolerance. Users usually elicit poor judgment and harmful behaviors such as committing petty and violent crimes. To maintain the pleasurable effect of the drug, the user is likely to take in increasing doses which in turn results to the destruction of body organs, mental disorders, and even death. Long-time users of this drug have been known to develop symptoms of psychosis, like paranoia, aggression, hallucinations, and delusions. Furthermor, physical effects of meth use are diarrhea, palpitations, and dizziness, jaw clenching and facial ticks. It also increases the heart rate that it could lead to sudden heart failure. Some consequences include bronchial dilation, dilation of the blood vessels to the skeletal muscles, dilation of pupils and the emptying of the bladder and intestine.
In the United States, methamphetamine addiction is quite common. There are 1.4 million meth users in America, and it does not stop there. The number of users is rising and it seems that the U.S. government is helpless. Meth is readily available and cheap. Meth’s main targe is the youth most especially those problematic ones; ravaged by broken homes, neglect and little parental influence. A report from the National Association of Countries revealed that meth users comes from the different spectrum of the youth: from high school and college students to white and blue-collar workers.
What is the driving force that makes people to get addictive to meth Meth is easy to use, cheap, and could work as an energy booster. The immediate but temporary benefits of using meth is the once that greatly attract people to use this drug.
Methamphetamine addiction greatly damages a person’s life. This kind of addiction leads to undesirable and unhealthy behaviors. Moreover, depriving the body from taking in methamphetamine would lead to depression, aggression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, and intense craving for the drug.
Getting away from this kind of addiction is quite a daunting task. It is like pulling your hair on your head one by one until nothing is left. Imagine the pain. It is not an overnight process. Most of all, it wouldn’t work if it is a forced thing. The person addicted to meth should be first of all, be very eager and determined to battle the addiction and get rid of it for good. The motivation should not come from the people around the meth users. The motivation should come from the self. One should first accept the problem before doing something about it. Quite a number of meth-specific program solutions have been developed. The purpose of treatment is to train the user new skills that will help cope with the user’s drug cravings and prevent relapses. Meth treatment therapies involve individual and small group approaches. Treatment allows the patient to see beyond the immediate positive effects of drug use and lead them to see the negative effects that inevitably follow. Moreover, recovered addicts are taught to deal with their lives more successfully, increase their confidence and self-esteem, and set positive personal goals.
One easily gets addicted to something, yet it is so difficult to become “un-addicted” if there is such a word. Addiction is similar to letting go of a loved one, we know that letting it go is the exact thing to do, but we find it difficult to do it because we know it would hurt so bad. The determination to do should start within one’s self.