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METHAMPHETAMINE – A TREATABLE ADDICTION
by Orrin Tietz
In recent months the news media have documented the often dramatic effects of methamphetamine use on an individual and have described the nearly epidemic increase of methamphetamine addiction.
The drug is not new. It became commercially available in the 1930’s to treat asthma and sleep disorders. Soldiers and pilots in WWII used it to reduce fatigue and increase performance. During the 1960’s the drug’s dangers became more apparent, and it was removed from the market. Some may recognize it under one of its other names: speed, crystal, crystal meth, crank, chalk, ice, glass, and tina.
What is new is its increased availability and use. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released new data. There was an increase of 11 percent in treatment admission for methamphetamine from 2003 to 2004, and 25 percent from 2002 to 2004. At Club Recovery we have seen increases in 2005 and 2006 as well.
Methamphetamine is manufactured from basic ingredients available in most hardware and drug stores including ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, acetone, paint thinner, anhydrous ammonia, lye, and hydrochloric acid. At first makeshift labs sprang up especially in rural areas, but now about 80% of the drug is smuggled from Mexico.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant that affects the brain almost immediately. For this reason it is sometimes used by students to help them function and work for a long period of time, so they can keep an active social schedule as well as achieve high grades. In the work place the attraction is similar. Workers are looking for something to keep them alert and productive for a long period of time. Men, both gay and heterosexual, sometimes use it to enhance their sexual experience. Both men and women use it for weight loss and energy enhancement.
The drug is easily abused and highly addictive, so casual use can quickly become a disaster of drug addiction. It increases dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and is activated by normal experiences such as food, water, and sex. Cocaine and methamphetamine both cause an increase in dopamine, but while cocaine produces a short-lived euphoria, the effects of a single dose of methemphetamine can last up to 12 hours.
The immediate effect of use of a stimulant is a heightened sense of well-being, euphoria, excitement, heightened alertness, and increased physical activity. There is also reduced food intake and reduced sleep time.
Continued use of methamphetamine may result in inflammation of the heart lining, and among those who inject the drug, damage to blood vessels and skin abscesses. Chronic users may have episodes of violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. Heavy users show progressive social and occupational deterioration. Psychotic symptoms may sometimes persist for months or years after use has ceased.
Research findings suggest that prolonged use not only modifies behaviors, but literally changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways. The changes may even be permanent and may explain the cognitive and emotional deficits sometimes seen in methamphetamine users.
There is hope. This is the most important thing to remember. The myth that only 5 percent of users respond to methamphetamine treatment is not true. Cognitive impairment, paranoia, domestic violence and other effects of the drug are a challenge for treatment, but alcoholics and cocaine users have experienced similar effects of their drug use, and have successfully completed treatment and achieved sobriety. Those who have been caught in the methaphetamine web can also have the hope of healing and recovery.
Information in this article is from Richard Rawson, Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2004.