Methamphetamines

Crystal meth is a highly addictive, toxic and noxious substance, contributing to debilitating psychosis among a growing population of drug abusers who fall victim to the harmful effects of this substance. A form of “speed”, the drug is often manufactured at home using a recently developed  so-called “one bottle method” of drug manufacturing, which meth users are easily able to install and utilize. Combining chemicals including pseudoephedrine, commonly found in over- the- counter but controlled substances like Sudafed and Actifed which contain the chemical compound ephedrine, the drug of choice for the active ingredient found in “meth”.

 
Added to the crushed cold medication compound is an assortment of corrosive chemicals including kerosene, gasoline, battery acid, lithium batteries, acetone. The byproduct of this toxic waste concoction is meth, which creates a state of mental degradation bordering psychosis, with habitual usage being pretty much guaranteed, as the craving for the drug is relentless. Using the drug to the exclusion of everything else, you can tell if someone has a meth addiction by looking at the ravages of their teeth and gums, affected by “meth mouth”, as the side effect from grinding the teeth under the influence of meth is called. All enamel is stripped and rotten teeth and unhealthy, unsightly, disease- ridden gums remain as a testament to the unholy lot of chemicals never meant to be ingested that comprise this drug of death.
 
Meth use soared in America’s heartland, racing through small cities in the Plains states during the first decade of the new millennium. However, now the drug is more widely circulated, with the South and industrial East Coast states popularizing its lethal effects. Powerful and capable of addiction with the first experimentation, the drug shows documented evidence of leading to violence, psychotic behavior and mood disturbance, not to mention the propensity for death, always a factor when dealing with homebrewed deadly concoctions.
 
Negative mental health effects from meth use include:
 
• Violent tantrums, abusive outbursts, angry displays of emotion, blame, denial.
• Shame, self-repudiation, guilt, despondency, depression, suicidal thoughts or actions.
• Stealing, crime, vandalism, crimes with weapons, socially unacceptable behavior.
• Grandiosity, lack of remorse, unconscionable behavior, rudeness, inconsiderate actions, non-empathetic.
• Lack of responsibility, apathy, unmotivated to succeed, inability to focus, non-attention to details.
• Poor personal hygiene, changes in appearance, disorganized and disheveled, unkempt and unconcerned.
• Rapid excessive compulsive talking, obsessive detailing of information, memory loss, convoluted paranoia.
• Weight loss, lack of sleep, disturbance of daily routine, oversleeping, inactivity, meaninglessness of life.
 Source: www.mayoclinic.com , Symptoms of Addiction, Methamphetamines