Crystal Meth
Crystal Meth is really a powerful and extremely addicting substance that can lead to severe psychological and physiological dependence. It is a man-made stimulant that is often abused for its euphoric effects. Crystal Meth is also known for its street term “ice” because of its crystal appearance that resembles ice or glass pieces.
An odorless and colorless substance, Crystal Meth is smoked, snorted and/or injected by its drug abusers. Crystal meth is illegally manufactured as a street drug made in labs where over-the-counter drugs are being chemically altered. Other street names for methamphetamine or crystal meth include Chicken Feed, Biker’s Coffee, Poor Man’s Cocaine, Ice and Batu.
A condition coined as “Meth Mouth” is used to refer to that state wherein crystal meth users and addicts tend to lose their teeth quickly and abnormally. It is characterized by an advanced tooth decay due to heavy methamphetamine use. It coincides with bruxism, or teeth clenching and grinding where the tooth enamel produces wear and cracks; open mouth when sleeping; and hyposalivation, or dry mouth.
Additionally, while under the influence of methamphetamine, users show extreme sexual behavior due to increased sexual pleasure and libido. The drug may also cause an ability to consume extended durations of time for sex and an inability to achieve orgasm. Having all these effects, the use of the drug may then, lead to irresponsible sex which can spread sexually infectious diseases. The drug is also said to cause erectile dysfunction brought about by vasoconstriction, or a constriction of the blood vessels.
The drug is known to cause erratic and violent behaviors among its users, along with mood swings and unpredictability, unusual sleeping behaviors, suppressed appetite, tremors, convulsions, irregular heart rate and increased blood pressure. Many Crystal Meth addicts also experience prolonged anxiety, insomnia and paranoia and even start to have suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
Signs of chronic dependence on Crystal Meth include psychosis and hallucinations, severe weight loss (“he looked like a walking skeleton,” as the mother described her son when he was at his worst stage of his addiction to crystal meth), tooth decay and cracked teeth, and body sores caused by the users’ constant picking at their skin (probably due to the abnormal skin sensation that makes them feel as if bugs are crawling on their skin).
Prolong use of Crystal Meth can cause long term effects such as brain damage that can lead to stroke, coma or even death. And this is why the mother I talked to is happy that there’s hope for her son to be saved now that he will be receiving Crystal Meth rehab.