Methamphetamine (Meth)

Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, intranasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking.

Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug that is similar in structure to amphetamine. Due to its high potential for abuse, methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II drug and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Although methamphetamine can be prescribed by a doctor, its medical uses are limited, and the doses that are prescribed are much lower than those typically abused. Most of the methamphetamine abused in this country comes from foreign or domestic laboratories, although it can also be made in small, illegal laboratories, where its production endangers the people in the labs, neighbors, and the environment. Making illegal meth is extremely hazardous and often fatal to its manufacturers.

Methamphetamine, popularly shortened to meth or ice, is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Since it stimulates the mesolimbic reward pathway, causing euphoria and excitement, it is prone to abuse and addiction. Users may become obsessed or perform repetitive tasks such as cleaning, hand-washing, or assembling and disassembling objects. Withdrawal is characterized by excessive sleeping, eating and depression-like symptoms, often accompanied by anxiety and drug-craving. Meth is usually manufactured in makeshift laboratories and sold illegally.

Meth has long term physiological effects on the addict that may take up to a year to heal. The drug actually alters how the brain is able to feel pleasure and makes the user who is recovering feel depressed even after they have discontinued its use. The meth abuser often is abusive to loved ones due to the aggressive feelings they feel as a result of meth use.

Q: What is the first step to dealing with meth addiction?

A: Most commonly, the first step to dealing with meth abuse and addiction is to enter the individual into a controlled detoxification program. Caron Texas commonly treats the chemical dependency as an initial focus in the individual’s personalized alcohol treatment and drug rehab plan.

Q: Can meth addiction be fatal?

A: Death from meth can be caused by a number of medical issues including severe anorexia, hyperthermia, convulsions or cardiac collapse.

Meth treatment includes carefully supervised inpatient detox for the addict, followed by a carefully selected combination of individual and group therapies. Caron encourages family therapy to heal the wounds that meth addiction has caused the family involved. Education and relapse prevention are our main focus.