please help guys, crystal meth problem

[cosmicpimp2]

I dont know where to look for info and ive been searching the web but i have a serious question and hopefully someone out there is a doctor. Can there be any lasting problems from using meth only once or twice? Ive never done it but i have a friend that has gone crazy and has been locked up for saying stuff like he's god and still thinks wierd stuff even though he's been locked up for a week or so. I think he might have used meth and it messed him up real bad. Thanks guys i appreciate any thing u can find.

[bleepo]

the more you do, the worse it is for you. But once or twice, and you're not going to be delusional, IF it's pure. Pure being used loosely here. Look at what's in that crap. Sudafed, matcheads etc. It could be cut with anything.

 

That being said, none is probably the best quantity. People can tell when people use drugs, and it affects general life, from employment, to how the lady at the supermarket talks to you.

 

BTW, i am not a doctor. I just have life experience.

[Benjamin]

+1

 

A friend of mine is going gung-ho on Eccies. He won't listen, I am past caring that much. If he ends up in a nuthouse that is his problem, even after I point out the studies done elsewhere in the world.

 

Nasty stuff.

[ranjaman]

Any mind-altering drug can cause psychosis, even after the first use if you're susceptible to it.

[Johnny BoomBoom]

Originally posted by bleepo ....snip... Sudafed , matcheads etc. It could be cut with anything. That being said, none is probably the best quantity. People can tell when people use drugs, and it affects general life, from employment, to how the lady at the supermarket talks to you. BTW, i am not a doctor. I just have life experience.

 

Yikes - better watch my decongestant intake......

[bleepo]

Originally posted by Johnny BoomBoom Yikes - better watch my decongestant intake......

yup...

 

I looked into it. Meth is made from Sudafed (active ingredient Psuedoephedrine), match strikers (red phosphorus), Iodine crystals, methanol, acetone, camping fuel, and drain cleaner.

 

It's not suprising your buddy lost his marbles. I would too after subjecting myself to drain cleaner and other goodies. Sadly, that crap is an epidemic among our youth.

[Rippin' Robin]

You'd have to be completely nuts to try it anyway.

[Sixgun77]

I stay away from that stuff. I had a girlfriend who did that every weekend with her friends. This was back when I still used illegal drugs every once in a while. I never saw anyone really lose it though. Sounds more like the kind of thing you hear about in urban legends about LSD. Once I didn't know she was offering me Meth when she asked me if I wanted a bump. I found out and gave it back to her. "I thought you were offering me cocaine! Meth is {censored}ing bad for you!" I know neither is good for you(and I've used only legal drugs for 3 years or so now). If you must mess with drugs, stay away from {censored} that doesn't wear off in and hour or 3. Better yet not to mess with any. Good luck with your friend.

[Phantasm]

Here are some "before" and "after" meth pictures.

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Before(left) and After(right):

 

 

 

[Markee]

It kinda hurts to see friends do the "natural sellection" thing before your very eyes. Some people are just more susceptible to obsessive compulsive behavior than others. In drug use I wonder if it's enflamed by bouts of self loathing and dispair brought on by depression which ironically is a chemical embalance. All you can do is try to get help for your friend and pray for them if you lean that way.

 

Good luck!

[Bonoman]

My rule is that if the drug doesn't come from nature, don't do it.

[Craig Vecchione]

venturawest is a forum regular and is an MD. Perhaps he'll see this thread and respond.

[Sixgun77]

 

Originally posted by Bonoman My rule is that if the drug doesn't come from nature, don't do it.

 

 

Pot and mushrooms made my severly physicly ill every time. I stuck with LSD and coke because they never made me feel bad. I got away from them because they're EXTREMELY bad for you. Everything's bad for you nowadays. Just like booze and cigarettes, moderation is the key IMO.

[Bonoman]

 

Originally posted by Sixgun77 Pot and mushrooms made my severly physicly ill every time. I stuck with LSD and coke because they never made me feel bad. I got away from them because they're EXTREMELY bad for you. Everything's bad for you nowadays. Just like booze and cigarettes, moderation is the key IMO.

 

 

I used to do tons of acid until I heard my brain literally frying one night. I still smoke pot on a pretty regular basis, and if the occasion was right I would probably do mushrooms even though I haven't for about five or six years now. Tobacco is a problem, but I have confidence that I'll beat it sooner rather than later, and I rarely drink anymore because I hate hangovers.

[Craig Vecchione]

Originally posted by Bonoman My rule is that if the drug doesn't come from nature, don't do it.

 

That's not very discriminating. Everything comes from nature. :D

[megadan]

I would suggest reading http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/meth/meth.shtml

for the straight dope, no pun intended.

 

Bottom line, there are no drugs that will make you completly insane from using them just once (well, there are, but you've never heard of them, and you probably never will). However, meth is considered neurotoxic, which is bad. I'd suggest not using it if you can.

 

Though it is metabolized much slower than, say, cocaine, it's primary effects only last 4-8 hours, so it's unlikely that someone would be suffering from direct physical effects. However, as with any powerful drug, people with historys of mental illness, heart disease, or who are on antidepressents can have a much stronger reaction.

 

Finally, an important quotation concerning long term (not 1 or 2 uses) usage:

 

"Users of large amount of amphetamines over a long period of time can develop an amphetamine psychosis, which is a mental disorder similar to paranoid schizophrenia. The psychosis is manifested by hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Bizarre, sometime violent, behavior is exhibited by those with amphetamine psychosis. Symptoms usually disappear within a few weeks after drug use stops."

 

 

That's all I know... I'm not a doctor either, just a student.

[Bonoman]

Originally posted by Craigv That's not very discriminating. Everything comes from nature. :D

 

And I'm {censored}ing wasted, dude! Woo-hoo!

 

Just kidding. What I meant was that if it needs to be treated or cut with more chemicals than less that I don't want to do it. I prefer drugs as close to their natural forms as possible, hence my only smokiung pot and occasionally dabling into mushrooms. Heroin and coke are both altered from their original states to make them potent, and therefore they don't make my list of acceptable drugs.

[Zamfir]

Originally posted by Craigv That's not very discriminating. Everything comes from nature. :D

 

And nature is full of such goodies like deadly mushrooms, poisonous rain forest tree frogs, scorpions, poison ivy, cottonmouths, hemlock, crude oil...

 

 

*munch*

[bnyswonger]

Bonoman's policy pretty much mirrors my own - and I haven't done any psychedelics in a long while...just don't feel the urge anymore.

 

In my wild youth I used to do blotter acid because real acid is about the only thing that will hang on a blotter - the quantities are so small it can't really be polluted.

 

I think anything made with drain cleaner by some moron...

for Pete's sake, have a little self-respect.

[beam]

By way of wikipedia...I'd say tell your friend not to touch it again.

 

Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant that affects the brain by acting on the mechanisms responsible for regulating a class of neurotransmitters known as the biogenic amines or monoamine neurotransmitters. This broad class of neurotransmitters is generally responsible for regulating heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, appetite, attention and responses associated with alertness or alarm conditions. Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, it is generally believed that methamphetamine blocks or impedes the re-uptake of one or more of these neurotransmitters, causing them to remain within the synaptic cleft longer than otherwise. As in most neurotransmitter chemistry, its effects are adapted by the affected neurons by a decrease in the production of the neurotransmitters being blocked from re-uptake, leading to the tolerance and withdrawal effects. In medicine it is used as an appetite suppressant in treating obesity, treating anesthetic overdose and narcolepsy.

 

The acute effects of the drug closely resemble the physiological and psychological effects of the fight-or-flight response including increased heart rate and blood pressure, vasoconstriction, pupil dilation, bronchial dilation and increased blood sugar. The person who ingests meth will experience an increased focus and mental alertness and the elimination of the subjective effects of fatigue as well as a decrease in appetite. Many of these effects are broadly interpreted as euphoria or a sense of wellbeing, intelligence and power. Not surprisingly, it is often noted that meth users often become heavily immersed in what they are doing, which could be anything- it is not uncommon for an entire house to have all of its electronic equipment (TVs, radios, computers, etc) torn to pieces; it is also not uncommon for a meth user to be the exact opposite, one who chooses to construct things from junkyard material. Interestingly enough, some meth addicts become meth chemists ("Cooks"), and will ingest the methamphetamine just to stay awake for the long chemical reaction process.

 

The 17th edition of The Merck Manual (1999) describes the effects of heavy use of methamphetamines in these terms: "Continued high doses of methamphetamine produce anxiety reactions during which the person is fearful, tremulous, and concerned about his physical well-being; an amphetamine psychosis in which the person misinterprets others' actions, hallucinates, and becomes unrealistically suspicious; an exhaustion syndrome, involving intense fatigue and need for sleep, after the stimulation phase; and a prolonged depression, during which suicide is possible" (p. 1593). Depending on delivery method and dosage, a dose of methamphetamine will potentially keep the user awake with a feeling of euphoria for periods lasting from 2 to 24 hours.

 

The acute effects of meth wear off as the brain chemistry starts to adapt to the chemical conditions and as the body metabolizes the chemical, leading to a rapid loss of the initial effect and significant rebound effect as the previously saturated synaptic cleft becomes depleted of the same neurotransmitters that had previously been elevated. Many users then compensate by administering more of the drug to maintain their current state of euphoria and alertness. This process can be repeated many times, often leading to the user staying awake for days at a time, after which secondary sleep deprivation effects manifest in the user. Classic sleep deprivation effects include irritability, blurred vision, memory lapses, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, nausea, and in extreme cases death. After prolonged use the meth user will begin to become irritable, most likely due to the lack of sleep.

 

Methamphetamine is reported to attack the immune system, so meth users are often prone to infections of all different kinds, one being an MRSA infection. This, too, may simply be a result of long term sleep deprivation and/or chronic malnutrition.

 

It is a common belief that methamphetamine gives people "super-human strength." This belief originates from the 'biker-drug' that was popular even before methamphetamine; PCP. Neither methamphetamine nor PCP actually increase muscular strength, (in fact, PCP, like Ketamine, is an anesthetic and reduces muscular capability). It does, however, cause much more motivation in the user; it is a stimulant and very similar to the amphetamines often used to treat conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder.

 

Other side effects include twitching, "jitteriness", repetitive behavior (known as "tweaking"), and jaw clenching or teeth grinding. It has been noted anecdotally that methamphetamine addicts lose their teeth abnormally fast; this may be due to the jaw clenching, although heavy meth users also tend to neglect personal hygeine, such as brushing teeth. It is often claimed that smoking methamphetamine speeds this process by leaving a crystalline residue on the teeth, and while this is apparently confirmed by dentists, no clinical studies have been done to investigate.

 

Some users, particularly gay or bisexual men, exhibit sexually compulsive behavior, and may engage in extended sexual encounters with one or more individuals, often strangers. As it is symptomatic of the user to continue taking the drug to combat fatigue, an encounter or series of encounters can last for several days. The compulsive sexual behavior and impaired judgment from both the drug and sleep deprivation has created a link between meth use and STD transmission, especially HIV and Syphilis. See Crystal and sex.

 

 

Addiction

 

As with cocaine, methamphetamine is primarily psychologically addictive. Unlike heroin or alcohol, methamphetamine is not physically addictive, meaning that when an addict quits using methamphetamine no acute withdrawal syndrome results. However the mental and social consequences of quitting can be severe and extremely difficult for the addict to experience. As with all addictions relapse is a common occurrence.

 

In an article about his son's addiction to methamphetamine, a California writer who has also experimented with the drug put it this way: "his drug has a unique, horrific quality. In an interview, Stephan Jenkins, the singer in the band Third Eye Blind, said that methamphetamine makes you feel 'bright and shiny.' It also makes you paranoid, incoherent and both destructive and pathetically and relentlessly self-destructive. Then you will do unconscionable things in order to feel bright and shiny again" (David Sheff, "My Addicted Son," New York Times Magazine, February 6, 2005, p. 44).

 

Former users have noted that they feel stupid or dull when they quit using methamphetamine. This is because the brain is adapting a need for methamphetamine to think faster, or at what seems to be a higher level.

 

With long-term use, enough dopamine will have flooded the brain to cause chemical cell damage. This often leads to slow thinking (which in turn requires that the addict use meth to 'fix' it), and depression. This is known colloquially as "The Vampire Life".

 

 

Pros and cons

 

The good effects of methamphetamine use are experienced immediately. The bad effects occur with chronic use (more than six to twelve months).

 

 

Pros

 

* Increased awareness and alertness

* Greater motivation

* Increased thinking and brain activity (short-term)

* Weight loss (may also be a negative depending upon circumstances)

 

 

 

Cons

 

* Severe psychological addiction

* Depression

* Erectile dysfunction ("Crystal dick")

* Possible long-term cognitive impairment due to neurotoxicity

* Tooth decay

* Damage to immune system

* Persistent anhedonia with chronic use

* Death

[Bonoman]

Originally posted by bnyswonger I think anything made with drain cleaner by some moron... for Pete's sake, have a little self-respect.

 

WINNER OF THE BONOMAN POST OF THE DAY AWARD!!!

 

And you're right, I think that's exactly what it comes down to - these people don't really care about themselves at all and have no hope or sight of a future, so they pollute their bodies with chemicals and match-heads. Match-heads people! You know there's something wrong when you're ingesting match-heads on purpose!

[bnyswonger]

Originally posted by Bonoman WINNER OF THE BONOMAN POST OF THE DAY AWARD!!!

 

sig updated.

[Shocker]

Yikes. Anything in which the consequence of erectile disfunction is so common as to be given a slang nickname (Crystal dick!) is something to be avoided like the friggin' plague.

 

//S

[Crescent Seven]

OK, I've done tons of meth, and yeah, it's bad juju. But I can't imagine that it made your friend loco.

I've known people that have stayed up for 25 or 30 days on that {censored}, and that's the point where you start to lose your mind. Honestly, I don't think your friend was that deep into it.

 

Meth makes you stupid for about a week after you stop doing it, but I've never seen anybody go crazy on it. Even so, thank god I met my wife when I did, she saved my {censored}ing life from that {censored}.

C7

[venturawest]

beam said everything you need to know.

 

C7 got lucky.

 

yes, even a few doses can make you crazy, especially for people who already have underlying neurotransmitter imbalances.

 

here's a glib summary that i once heard from an addict: crystal meth makes you feel alive, like you're a new man. the problem is, the only thing that new man wants is another hit of meth.