Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug, meaning that it temporarily increases alertness and awareness. It is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly affects the central nervous system in the brain. This article will discuss the long and short term affects of methamphetamine on an abuser, the symptoms of meth use, how it affects women and their children. You will learn how to begin recovery from a meth addiction and what to expect during detoxification.

Methamphetamine is a man-made drug. Overtime it can change the way you act and think. Amphetamines were given to soldiers and factory workers in world war two, to help them stay alert. In the 50's, methamphetamines were prescribed to help people loose weight. Todays meth is much stronger than it used to be and causes far more long term problems. Meth is cheap to make and the recipe is easily accessible over the Internet making its use wide spread. Meth can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ingested orally. It goes by many street names, such as - speed, meth, white, ice, crystal, and glass.

Methamphetamine enters the brain causing a constant release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, stimulating the brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. Meth produces a sense of euphoria and excitement, causing users to be prone to abuse and addiction. A person usually becomes addicted when they use meth as a stimulant, because it enhances the sensations of pleasure, sex alertness,and the ability to concentrate.

There are several signs to look for if you suspect meth use

1 incessant talking

2 rapid eye movement

3 dilated pupils

4 sweating that is not related to physical activity

5 shaking

6 weight loss

7 skin sores

8 picking at skin or hair

9 violent behavior

10 depression

11 severe nail biting

12 nose bleeds

13 lack of personal hygiene

Meth affects a user both in long term and short term ways. The short term effects are : decreased sleep, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, feeling of confusion, irritability, insomnia,euphoria, shaking or tremors, anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, and aggressiveness. The long term affects are : increased heart rate and blood pressure, irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain producing strokes, respiratory problems, irregular heart beat, anorexia, loss of teeth, increased rate of aging, cardiovascular collapse and death.

When an addict cannot get meth they go through withdrawals. Withdrawals can have the following symptoms:

1 excessive sleeping and eating

2 depression symptoms that are accompanied by anxiety

3 drug cravings

Women make up around 60% of meth addicts that have used in the past 12 months. Many of these women are mothers or are pregnant. Mothers using meth directly effects their children. The use of meth often leads to child neglect and removal of the child from the home.

Meth is very different from other drugs, detoxification for alcohol and other drugs may take hours or a few days, meth will remain in the persons system for six weeks or longer. Meth not only affects the persons physical health, put also their mental and emotional well-being.

The first two to three days of detoxifying a person ma sweat profusely, have shaking or trembling in their hands and legs. The person may sleep a lot, having overly vivid dreams, or they may not sleep at all. A person may experience nausea and loose bowels. They will have flu like symptoms such as a low grade fever, flushed skin, and aches and pains. Detoxification is not an enjoyable experience but it is a necessary process to overcome and addiction to methamphetamine.

In conclusion, methamphetamine is a very strong addictive drug that affects many people every day, but there is hope for those who want to quit using. This article discussed the long and short term affect of methamphetamine on an abuser and the affects on women and their children. You learned the signs and symptoms of meth use. You also learned how to begin recovery and what to expect during detoxification.

Tags & Keywords : meth addiction, meth, methamphetamine, help for meth users, detoxification