Meth is a household name after it was the major plot point in the television series Breaking Bad which aired between 2008 and 2013. It was easy to watch that show and let the drug almost become romanticised. But there’s nothing romantic about a person who is struggling with a chemical dependence on methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive drug that targets the central nervous system. It is a potent stimulant in the amphetamine family. When someone struggling with drug addiction to methamphetamine uses the drug, they will experience a very intense and short high that lasts between five and thirty minutes long, after the feeling of the high dissipates the drug will still increase the person’s activity and give them a sense of wellbeing that can last for six to twelve hours, depending on the person taking the drug and how much was administered. Some users binge the drug by taking it every few hours for days. Due to the stimulant qualities of methamphetamine and it’s high potency, users have been known to stay awake for long periods on the drug without consuming food.
Methamphetamine is an illicit substance created in illegal labs across the wider United States, though methamphetamine is often produced in the southern parts of the country like Texas, California, Arizona, and Utah, the drug is reaching further due to wider trafficking and is becoming more and more available to the whole country. Methamphetamine has several nicknames and can be known by the following:
- Meth
- Crystal Meth
- Ice
- Glass
- Speed
- Crank
The substance generally comes in a white powder, in pill form, or in a crystal or glass like rock, occasionally with a blue tint to them.
How is the drug taken?
- Inhaling or smoking the drug via a pipe
- Snorting a powdered form
- Swallowing a pill
- Mixed with water or alcohol and injected into the veins
Side Effects of Meth Use
- Persistent wakefulness
- Increased physical activity
- Heightened respiratory activity
- Heightened cardiac activity
- Irregular cardiac activity
- Increase in blood pressure
- Abnormal body temperature
- Loss of some cognitive functions
- Compromised memory
- Increased likelihood of contracting HIV
- Increased likelihood of contracting Hepatitis B or C
- Increased likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted disease
- Dramatic weight loss
- Major dental issues
- Intense body itching that leads to breaking of skin and sores, making meth addicts easy to spot
- High anxiety
- Steady confusion
- Incessant sleep complications
- Violent outbursts
- Extreme and irrational paranoia and distrust of those around the user, in their community & outside the community
- Hallucinations, or visions and experiences of things that are not based in relation
Even with all of those side effects meth is a popular drug of choice. Consistent use of meth over a long period of time can result in loss of cognitive function in the brain’s dopamine and serotonin center. This causes a user to suffer from a loss of verbal skills and leads to impaired coordination.
Treatment For Meth Addiction in a Florida Drug Detox Center
If a person struggling with substance abuse and chemical dependence on meth in Florida decides they are ready to seek detox and rehabilitation treatment they would be well to seek out addiction recovery centers in Florida. Psychiatric services are offered at recovery facilities which add to the possibility of successful active recovery. FHE Health offers a beautiful treatment facility and employs a licensed staff of qualified clinicians to monitor your mental and physical wellbeing. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you.
