Smoking the purer, crystalline form of methamphetamine, crystal meth, produces a very intense high similar to that produced by crack cocaine but is much longer lasting. The effects can last for a period of between 4 and 12 hours.
Severe psychosis caused by methamphetamine have been reported in countries where there is widespread use of the drug. Psychosis is a serious mental state where you lose touch with reality and may come to believe things that are not true.
How Old Is Crystal Meth
The crystal form of methamphetamine, sometimes called crystal meth or ice, is extremely powerful and addictive. Some compare it to crack cocaine as both are smoked and give an intense, powerful high followed by a very severe comedown, and both are very addictive.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA1 -reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.htm#toc), approximately 1.6 million people or 0.6 percent of the population reported using methamphetamine within the last year in a 2017 survey. The same study says that the average age of new methamphetamine users was 23.3 years old in 2016. Overall, methamphetamine use affects many individuals within a broad age range each year in the United States.
The use of methamphetamines has increasingly become a problem among the general population because the drug is easy to buy and is made from relatively cheap products. Along the same lines, once methamphetamine is taken, it is very hard to stop further use. This is because the drug is highly addictive due to its influence on dopamine production in the body and the long-lasting euphoric high it provides. The first euphoric feeling that methamphetamine provides individuals can never truly be repeated, leaving many users on a continual chase for a high that can never be experienced again.
Crystal meth, one of the most common forms of the stimulant methamphetamine, is highly addictive. Crystal meth is the crystalline form of methamphetamine. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration4 , it can be easily crushed, allowing it to be consumed in several ways, including swallowed, smoked, snorted, or injected. The color of methamphetamine can be white, yellow, brown, gray, orange, or pink.
Crystal meth is so addictive because it causes your body to release dopamine. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that your body naturally produces. Your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells, which is why dopamine is often referred to as a chemical messenger.
Dopamine also plays a large role in how humans feel as the neurotransmitter helps to control motivation, desire, and cravings. When high levels of dopamine are released in the body, it can cause feelings of euphoria or bliss. So, exposure to substances, such as crystal meth, that increase dopamine production in the body can become highly addictive.
Ultimately, using substances like crystal meth rewards your body with a dopamine high, giving you feelings of intense pleasure. Of course, these feelings of pleasure become harder to reproduce with repeated use of crystal meth. This leaves users in a constant cycle of chasing feelings of euphoria. This cycle is what makes stopping crystal meth use so difficult. But, when done with the guidance of trained health professionals at a treatment center, recovery can always be achieved.
Along with being aware of the common signs of meth addiction and the long-term effects of meth use, it is also very important for the safety of anyone struggling with meth addiction to be aware of the common symptoms associated with crystal meth withdrawal.
Typically, the most intense symptoms of crystal meth withdrawal occur within 24 to 48 hours of the last use of the drug. After the first week of sobriety, most of the intense crystal meth withdrawal symptoms begin to taper off. But the effects of meth use can be experienced for months or even years after using crystal meth. Symptoms like depression and anxiety tend to persist on a long-term basis for individuals maintaining sobriety from crystal meth use.
Another struggle many former meth users deal with is the inability to experience pleasure. This inability to experience pleasure is also known as anhedonia5 Essentially, many former meth users experience anhedonia because it can take as long as two years for dopamine levels to return to normal after the last use of the drug.
The most difficult time and most intense withdrawal symptoms experienced during a crystal meth detox generally occur within the first 24 to 48 hours after the last use of the drug. But withdrawal symptoms can persist for weeks, months, and even years after the last use of the drug.
During the second phase in the crystal meth withdrawal timeline, withdrawal symptoms typically reach a peak three to 10 days out from the last use of the drug. An individual may experience severe depression, anxiety, or fatigue symptoms during this time as the body attempts to find equilibrium without meth. Drug cravings will be heightened during this phase, and individuals may experience muscle aches, shaking, or tremors.
In the third phase of a typical crystal meth withdrawal timeline, most of the intense physical withdrawal symptoms will begin to subside during the third to fourth week of crystal meth detox. While the physical symptoms will begin to subside, intense drug cravings will probably continue during this time. Along with intense drug cravings, symptoms of fatigue may linger, and depression may be experienced. So, it is essential to have a support team and detox plan even a month out from the last use of the drug.
While crystal meth detox is not as dangerous as detoxing from other drugs such as opioids or cocaine, there are still dangers associated with crystal meth withdrawal. One of the biggest concerns associated with crystal meth withdrawal is dehydration. So, it is beneficial to be under medical guidance when dealing with crystal meth withdrawal symptoms and when trying to stay hydrated through a balanced diet. Overall, medical detox is very useful for receiving nutritional and hydration support during the throes of crystal meth withdrawal.
Unfortunately, there are not currently any FDA-approved prescriptions specifically designed to ease the methamphetamine withdrawal process like there are with other drugs such as opioids. So, the most common crystal meth treatment methods for withdrawal symptoms continue to be centered around medical supervision and behavioral interventions.
While there are not currently any FDA-approved medications to help with the methamphetamine withdrawal process, some prescriptions are given to help prevent short-term physical symptoms like tremors, nausea, and vomiting. Some prescriptions are also given to help with psychological and mood symptoms during recovery from addiction to crystal meth.
If you or a loved one are currently struggling with crystal meth addiction, there is hope and a road to recovery waiting to be started at the Windward Way Recovery Treatment Center. Here, at Windward Way Recovery, we understand the struggles that come along with drug addiction and recovery. Our qualified and professional staff will be there to help you or a loved one through the difficult process of crystal meth withdrawal.
Looks and appearance. We heard that people had heard from others how meth was impacting their physical appearance (e.g. teeth, weight, sudden weight loss, skin, looking ill) and the impact that has on their social standing.
Situational risk. We heard from nearly everyone that they had shown up to a situation where they were going to use crystal meth and have sex that was different than their expectations, feeling a loss of control over the siituation or uncertainty about how much they could trust the person or people around them.
Health risks. While secondary to the social risks, we did hear that people had experienced injection-related infections and for people who were HIV positive that there was some concern crystal meth impacted the efficacy of their medication and, in turn, their viral loads.
Use of methamphetamine (ice) is against the law. Federal and state laws provide penalties for possessing, using, making, selling, importing or exporting, or driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
The use of methamphetamine is an increasing struggle among many individuals living in the United States. In a 2017 survey, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA1 -reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.htm#toc reported that 1.6 million people (or 0.6 percent of the population) reported using methamphetamine within the last year. If you or a loved one is grappling with methamphetamine use, there is hope, and there are many pathways you can follow to achieve and maintain recovery from addiction.
Remember, when it comes to detoxing and recovery, it is in your best interest to seek help or guidance from trained health professionals at a trusted treatment center. Read on to learn more about methamphetamine use, how long the drug stays in your urine, and the steps you can take when seeking treatment for drug addiction.
The prescription form of methamphetamine is Desoxyn. It was also used at this time by people who needed to stay awake and alert for long periods. As the usage became more pronounced and injectable methamphetamine because more available, people were abusing the medication leading to the US government making it illegal and classifying it as a Class II substance in 1970.
Today, methamphetamine is the second most popular illicit drug in the world, only second to marijuana. Methamphetamine can be made from relatively inexpensive products. It is highly addictive due to the euphoric long-lasting high that it creates, and the user keeps trying to match that first euphoric high, increasing the amount each time to do so. Methamphetamine can be sold either as a powder or a crystalline form that looks like a chunk of rock. The color can vary from white, yellow, brown, gray, orange, or pink. 2ff7e9595c
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