Methamphetamine Addiction: The Facts

 

Methamphetamine is known by many names: crystal meth, meth, ice, crystal; but in the end it has the same symptoms, signs and effects irrespective of what you choose to call it.  Unfortunately, television shows have made it look like a 'cool' thing to do; but it just plain isn't.  It is a highly addictive, class-A drug made of toxic and explosive chemicals that are capable of killing people in or near the 'meth houses'.  So, if it can kill people while being cooked imagine what it's doing to you when you take it.

Meth is more often than not smoked, but it can also be injected directly into a vein or snorted.  Once received it has euphoric effects along with an increased arousal and rush of adrenaline.  Addicts have been known to stay awake for days because of the high until crashing from sleep deprivation.

With the good stuff, comes the bad.  While you feel great, you can also experience violent mood swings with strong feelings of paranoia.  Aggression, anxiety, extreme insomnia, hallucinations and dehydration are all common when using meth. 

Some meth addicts also show feelings of irritability, fear, major depression and homicidal and/or suicidal thoughts.  In fact, many addicts will act on these suicidal thoughts which is why they are placed on suicide watch when undergoing rehabilitation treatment. 

The psychological effects are not the only symptoms of meth addiction, there are also physical effects indicating that meth is a severe health risk.  These are elevated blood pressure, and irregular heart rate, tremors, convulsions and body sores from picking at the bugs that are supposedly crawling underneath your skin (hallucination). 

Those are the short-term physical effects; the longer-term effects are brain damage, stroke, coma and irreversible heart conditions. 

In conclusion, while there is treatment available to help overcome methamphetamine addiction it is recommended you consider whether the effects are worth a painful withdrawal process; as well as the possibility of detrimental long-term psychological and physical effects.

Information on Sleeping Pill Addictions

 

Sleep is an important part of life. In fact, to be healthy, you need to sleep a certain amount each evening in order to be alert and refreshed the next day. For most people, eight hours is the magic number. However, for a number of reasons, there are those that simply can't get as much sleep as they need or want at night. If this applies to you, you may have even tried (or thought about trying) sleep medication to help make the situation more bearable.

While these medications can help, there is also a hidden danger. Sleeping pills like Lunesta, Sonata and Ambien are addictive; it is possible that by taking the medication to help yourself sleep, you may become dependent on the pills. In addition, some patients do not follow the instructions on the packaging and take many more pills than they should to achieve a good night's sleep. This is often because their bodies have started to build a tolerance to the product, meaning that it does not work as well as it used to. Obviously, it is very dangerous not to follow the instructions as they pertain to any medication. An overdose is certainly possible under these circumstances.

Patients that are addicted to sleeping pills often feel panic at the thought of not having them by their side. They go through withdrawal if they run out of the product, a process that is very difficult on the body. However, it is important to remember that all hope is not lost for these individuals. A medical professional can point patients in the right direction and assist them in getting help for their addition. If you feel you might have a sleeping pill addiction, do not wait to get help. Similarly, if you fear for a friend or family member, reach out to them as soon as possible.