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The Effects of Crystal Meth on the Mind

As of 2004, approximately 11.7 million Americans ages 12 and older reported trying methamphetamine at least once, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, meaning it has a very high potential for abuse. Although it can be made in laboratories from relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients, users pay a huge price for the toll it takes on their minds and bodies.

  1. Function

    • Crystal meth users report a sudden "rush" of pleasure after taking the drug, along with increased focus, confidence, feelings of desirability and sexual prowess. The drug releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells. The sense of well-being derived from taking crystal meth can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours and includes increased activity and decreased appetite. It can be snorted from powder, smoked, and taken orally or intravenously,

    Crystal Meth and the Brain

    • After the first try, users require increased amounts of the drug to produce the same feeling of euphoria again. Methamphetamine offers an experience that is about 12 times as powerful as the release of dopamine you get from food and sex and other pleasurable activities. When the drug wears off, users often experience deep depression and want to keep taking the drug to avoid crashing. The drug actually changes your brain chemistry by destroying the wiring in the pleasure centers of the brain, making it next to impossible to experience pleasure at all. Sometimes these tissues can regrow, but it takes years and they may never repair completely. Lost cognitive abilities may never be regained.

    Side Effects

    • Side effects of using crystal meth include convulsions, stroke, cardiac arrhythmias, stomach cramps and shaking. Chronic abuse can lead to psychotic behavior such as paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations and out of control rages. Methamphetamine use can cause severe gum damage and dental problems, known as "meth mouth." It can also cause cardiovascular problems including heart attacks, cardiovascular collapse and death. Long-term psychological effects from abuse include insomnia, mental states comparable to schizophrenia, aggressiveness, irritability, confusion and panic.

    Physiological Effects

    • Abuse of methamphetamine can decrease the body's ability to repair itself by causing the destruction of tissues and blood vessels. The skin loses luster and elasticity, causing users to appear much older than they are. Acne appears and sores take longer to heal due to a compromised immune system. Some users have small sores throughout their bodies, the result of picking their skin obsessively. Sometimes they hallucinate that bugs are crawling beneath their skin. Meth users who begin the drug as a way to lose weight end up looking not slender, but gaunt and frail, with bad teeth.

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