Methamphetamine, what is it?
Methamphetamine, or “meth”, is a man made drug that is a powerful stimulant. When taken it can increase alertness, physical activity and decrease appetite. When a person smokes or injects methamphetamine he/she will experience a brief intense sensation or what is more commonly referred to as a “rush.” When the drug is snorted or ingested orally there is not the rush but there is a long-lasting high which can last for as long as half a day. This high or rush is the result of a high lever of dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate pleasurable feelings.

Methamphetamine is toxic, the large release of dopamine in the brain which is a result of using the drug is thought to contribute to the drug’s toxic effects on the nerve terminals in the brain. High doses of meth can elevate the bodies temperature to dangerous, sometimes lethal levels; it can also cause convulsions.

Methamphetamine, what are the long term effects?
If methampetamine is used long term there could be many damaging effects, including the obvious, addiction to the drug. Chronic methamphetamine abusers show symptoms of anxiety, paranoia, psychotic behaviors, violent behavior, confusion and insomnia. A methamphetamine addict may also be delusional (they sometimes think insects are crawling on them), have auditory hallucinations and mood disturbances. Methamphetamine addicts can experience such extreme paranoia that can result in suicidal as well as homicidal thoughts.

Unlike an opiate or heroin addict there are no real physical withdrawal symptoms associated with methamphetanine addiction. However, once off the drug the addict may be depressed, have anxiety, fatigue, aggression and an intense craving for the drug. Research has shown that with prolonged use of methamphetamine as much as 50 percent of the dopamine producing cells in the brain can be damaged, even if the abuser is using relatively low doses of the drug.

Methamphetamine, how is it different from other stimulants? Methamphetamine, like cocaine and amphetamines, are classified as a psycho- stimulant. Methamphetamine is similar to amphetamine (i.e. Diet pills) and the neurotransmitter dopamine, but it is very different from the drug cocaine. The major differences is in the basic mechanisms of how at the level of the nerve cell.

Methamphetamine, in contrast to cocaine, has a much longer duration of action and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body; cocaine quickly metabolizes in the body. Because meth is present in the brain longer it has a prolonged stimulant effect.