Section 3: Facts about Methamphetamine

Signs and Symptoms, Biology, and Awareness

In This Section:
Basic Facts about Methamphetamine, Source: This information was accessed in 2011
from www.methresources.gov which now redirects to the ONDCP website (2012).

Signs and Symptoms of Methamphetamine, Source: This information was accessed

in 2011 from NIDA InfoFacts: Methamphetamine which is no longer available on the
NIDA website.

Anatomy of a Meth User, www.kci.org

Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Research Report Series http://www.nida.nih.gov/PDF/RRMetham.pdf

Methamphetamine and Teens, Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from
www.theantidrug.com which now redirects to www.drugfree.org.

Biology, Behavior and the Brain: Methamphetamine Addiction, Source: This

information was accessed in 2011 from www.nationalmethcenter.org, a website which
is now disabled.

Links:
Frontline: The Meth Epidemic, www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/ (video)

NIDA Drug Facts: Methamphetamine,

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/methamphetamine
NIDA Drug of Abuse: Methamphetamine,
www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Methamphetamine Use and Risk for HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/meth.htm

Technical Support Document: Toxicology/Clandestine Drug Labs:

Methamphetamine, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment,
Volume 1, Number 8
http://oehha.ca.gov/public_info/pdf/TSD%20Methamphetamine%20Meth%20La
bs%2010'8'03.pdf
 Basic Facts about Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain

systems in the brain. Methamphetamine is closely related chemically to
amphetamine, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are
greater. Both drugs have some medical uses, primarily in the treatment of
obesity, but their therapeutic use is extremely limited.

The chemicals or ingredients needed to manufacture methamphetamine are

often illegally diverted from legitimate sources. Some of these precursor
chemicals include pseudoephedrine (contained in over-the-counter cold
medicines), anhydrous ammonia (used primarily as an agricultural fertilizer and
industrial refrigerant), and red phosphorus (used in matches).

Methamphetamine comes in more than one form – it can be smoked, snorted,

injected, or orally ingested, though smoking has become more common
recently. Smoking leads to very fast intake into the brain, which multiplies the
user’s potential for addiction and health implications.

Street methamphetamine is referred to by many names, such as “speed,”

“meth,” and “chalk.” Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear chunky crystals
resembling ice, which can be inhaled by smoking, is referred to as “ice,” “crank,”
“crystal,” “tina,” and "glass.”

Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from www.methresources.gov

which now redirects to the ONDCP website (2012).
 Signs & Symptoms of Methamphetamine
There are certain signs associated with meth use that can be noticeable from the
first time someone tries the drug. Not every user will display every one of these
symptoms; other illicit drugs may also cause similar signs.
Signs of early meth use include:
 Euphoric "high" state (excessively happy)
 Decreased appetite
 Increased physical activity
 Anxiety, shaking hands, nervousness
 Incessant talking
 Rapid eye movement
 Increased body temperature (can rise as high as 108 degrees and
cause death)
 Dilated pupils
 Sweating not related to physical activity

If you suspect someone might be using meth, symptoms can include:

 Paranoia
 Sleeplessness and severe depression
 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
 Extreme irritability and anxiety
 Seizures
 Teeth grinding, bad teeth, and body odor
 Skin ulceration and infections, the result of picking at the skin or
imaginary bugs
 Auditory and visual hallucinations
 Violent and erratic behavior
 Nervousness
 Anhedonia - loss of pleasure
 Dryness of mucous membranes
 Burnt or blistered lips and/or fingertips from holding hot "Ice Pipes"

Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from NIDA InfoFacts:

Methamphetamine which is no longer available on the NIDA website.
Source: www.kci.org
Methamphetamine Addiction:
Progress, but need to remain vigilant– November 2011
A Research Update from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Declines in Methamphetamine Abuse by Youth

• Approximately 13 million people 12 years

and older have abused Figure 1. Percent of Students Reporting Past Year
methamphetamine in their lifetimes; in Use of Methamphetamine, by Grade
2010, approximately 353,000 were 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade
current users (NSDUH). 5
• According to NIDA’s 2010 Monitoring the 4
Future Survey, the abuse rate among 8th
th
10 , and 12th graders declined 3
significantly between 1999 and 2007 and
2
has remained unchanged since then
(Figure 1). 1
• Abuse remains noteworthy in certain
0
areas of the country with indicators
99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
suggesting particular problems in Hawaii, Year
the West Coast, and the Midwest.
SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2010 Monitoring the Future Study
• Methamphetamine’s potent addiction
liability and destructive health and social
consequences make its abuse particularly dangerous.

Methamphetamine acts by increasing the release of dopamine in the brain, which leads to feelings of euphoria.
However, this surge of pleasure is followed by a “crash” that often leads to repeated use of the drug and eventually
to difficulty feeling any pleasure at all, especially from natural rewards. Long-term methamphetamine abuse also
results in many damaging physical and psychiatric effects, such as:

• Addiction
• Violent Behavior
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Insomnia
• Psychotic symptoms (e.g. paranoia,
hallucinations, delusions)
• Cardiovascular problems (e.g. rapid
heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased
blood pressure, stroke).

What Does Methamphetamine Do to

the Brain?
Methamphetamine’s adverse effects on the brain
are clear. Imaging studies have demonstrated
changes in the dopamine system (important for reward, motivation, and learning) as well as structural and
functional deficits in brain areas associated with emotion and memory. These may account for the psychiatric and
cognitive problems observed in chronic abusers. Fortunately, some of the methamphetamine-induced deficits in
dopamine function have been shown to recover, at least partially, with extended abstinence (Figure 2). But even
with the partial recovery found in some brain regions following protracted abstinence, other regions do not show
recovery of function—suggesting that long-lasting and even permanent brain changes may result from
methamphetamine abuse.

Methamphetamine and HIV

Methamphetamine is inextricably linked with HIV, hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Its abuse
increases the risk of contracting HIV not only through the use of contaminated injection equipment, but also
through increased risky sexual behaviors and through physiological changes that may favor HIV transmission.

Methamphetamine abuse may also affect HIV disease progression. For example, clinical studies suggest that
current methamphetamine abusers on highly active antiretroviral therapy may be at greater risk of developing
AIDS than non-users, possibly due to poor medication adherence or interactions between methamphetamine and
HIV medications. Similarly, preliminary studies suggest that interactions between methamphetamine and HIV itself
may lead to more severe consequences for HIV-positive patients who abuse methamphetamine, including greater
brain damage and cognitive impairment. More research is needed to better understand these interactions.

Treatments for Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine addiction can be successfully treated. For example, the Matrix Model consists of a 16-week
intervention that includes intensive group and individual therapy to promote the behavioral changes needed to
remain abstinent, prevent relapse, and establish a lifestyle unrelated to drugs. When applied to methamphetamine
abusers, the Matrix Model has been shown to significantly reduce drug use (Figure 3).

Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Figure 3. Efficacy of the Matrix Model
Recovery (MIEDAR), an incentive-based method for 14
promoting cocaine and methamphetamine abstinence,
12
is another treatment that has demonstrated efficacy in
Mean days of MA use

methamphetamine abusers through NIDA’s National 10

Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. 8
6
There are currently no medications approved for the
treatment of methamphetamine addiction. However, 4
NIDA has made medications development a high 2
priority. For example, a recent clinical trial revealed that 0
the antidepressant bupropion, marketed as Welbutrin® Baseline Discharge 6-Month Follow-up
is effective in reducing methamphetamine abuse in
Source: Rawson et al. (2004) Addiction 99: 708-17
low/moderate users. Additional clinical trials of
bupropion, and other medications (e.g., the antidepressant Mirtazapine) are currently underway. NIDA is also
pursuing the novel approach of using vaccines, where antibodies are generated against the drug itself, to treat
methamphetamine addiction. The antibodies would bind methamphetamine while it is still in the bloodstream,
reduce its entry into the brain, and block its rewarding effects.

For further information please visit NIDA on the web at www.drugabuse.gov or contact:

Public Information and Liaison Branch

Office of Science Policy and Communications
Phone 301-443-1124/Fax 301-443-7397
information@nida.nih.gov
 Meth And Teens (Source: Parents: The Anti-Drug)

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain systems in

the brain. Methamphetamine is closely related chemically to amphetamine, but the central
nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater. Both drugs have some medical
uses, primarily in the treatment of obesity, but their therapeutic use is limited.

Street methamphetamine is referred to by many names, such as "speed," "meth," and "chalk."
Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear chunky crystals resembling ice, which can be inhaled
by smoking, is referred to as "ice," "crystal," and "glass."

Health Hazards

Neurological hazards. Methamphetamine releases high levels of the neurotransmitter

dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It also appears
to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine and serotonin,
another neurotransmitter. Over time, methamphetamine appears to cause reduced levels of
dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson's disease, a severe
movement disorder.

Addiction. Methamphetamine is taken orally or intranasally (snorting the powder), by

intravenous injection, and by smoking. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection,
the methamphetamine user experiences an intense sensation, called a "rush" or "flash," that
lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Oral or intranasal use
produces euphoria - a high, but not a rush. Users may become addicted quickly, and use it
with increasing frequency and in increasing doses.

Short-term effects. The central nervous system (CNS) actions that result from taking even
small amounts of methamphetamine include increased wakefulness, increased physical
activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, and euphoria. Other CNS
effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and
aggressiveness. Hyperthermia and convulsions can result in death.

Long-term effects. Methamphetamine causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and
can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects
of methamphetamine include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat, and extreme
anorexia. Its use can result in cardiovascular collapse and death.

How Dangerous Is It to Teens?

While meth use in the U.S. has been declining, widespread media coverage about the drug
often raises many questions and causes parents to worry about whether their children are
exposed to or using this dangerous substance. Meth is a stimulant drug used for the euphoria
it produces and for weight loss and increased libido. The down side of the high is addiction
and a variety of toxic short- and long-term effects. One of the most serious and unpleasant
side effects is "meth mouth," where the users' teeth rot from the inside out.

Parents need to talk to their kids about meth and the reality of what it does to the body.
Parents also need to know when their teen might be using meth. Some of the most common
signs and symptoms are extremely dilated pupils, dry or bleeding nose and lips, chronic nasal
or sinus problems and bad breath. Because meth is a stimulant, users also experience
hyperactivity and irritability. This includes a lack of interest in sleep and food, leading to
drastic weight loss or anorexia. It may also cause users to be aggressive, nervous, and engage
in disconnected chatter.

Some short-term effects are irritability, anxiety, insomnia, Parkinson-like tremors, convulsions
and paranoia. Longer-term effects can include increased heart rate and blood pressure,
damage to blood vessels in the brain, stroke and even death. Psychotic symptoms can
sometimes persist for months or years even after the user has stopped taking the drug.

Meth use is declining among youth. The Monitoring the Future study shows that among
8th, 10th, and 12th graders, meth use has declined by 28, 47, and 51 percent respectively in
the past three years.

It is important to note that marijuana is still the single largest drug of abuse in this
country — 15 million current or past month users compared to one million meth current or
past month users. Meth is often in the news because of its dramatic effects and
consequences. Illegal meth labs often explode, creating danger to communities through
fires. Meth labs on public lands create dangers to hikers and tourists, and children of meth
users are often abandoned or neglected and are flooding the social services systems in many
areas. Meth is easily made with common ingredients and readily available household
equipment, making it widely and inexpensively available.

Adult methamphetamine addicts often become so obsessed with the drug that they neglect
their children. Twenty percent of the meth labs raided in 2002 had children present. In
addition to general neglect, children living in meth labs face a variety of dangers including the
usual meth lab hazards — fires, explosions and exposure to extremely toxic chemicals.
Chronic exposure to meth lab chemicals can damage the brain, liver, kidneys and spleen and
can also cause cancer.

If you suspect a teen in your life is using meth or is exposed to meth, the time for a
courageous conversation is now. Discuss the risks and effects of using this substance. Even
without addiction, experimentation is too great a gamble. If something interrupts your
conversation, pick it up the next chance you get.

Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from www.theantidrug.com which now
redirects to www.drugfree.org.
 Biology, Behavior, and the Brain: Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine is a powerful drug, roaring through our reservations at an alarming rate of

"speed.” Maybe you've seen a movie that depicts some of the paranoid behaviors of a meth
addict, or maybe there's someone from your own life experience who has used crystal meth. I
know that has been true in my life. Though we may have seen the outward effects of crank
use, most of us have no idea how this deadly, persuasive menace affects us at a biochemical
level.

Classified by the scientific community as a psychomotor stimulant, methamphetamine acts as

a chemical messenger in the sympathetic nervous system. This is the system responsible for
“fight or flight” and other similar behaviors. For this reason, scientists call methamphetamines,
cocaine, and other central stimulants sympathomimetics, meaning they act upon the
sympathetic nervous system.

Chemical Characteristics of Methamphetamines

Chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, communicate information at specific receptor

sites. Methamphetamine is a compound that mimics a neurotransmitter at serotonin (5-HT)
and dopamine (DA) receptor sites, which means that it relays information as though it were
that specific neurotransmitter. The relationship between receptor and receptor site is similar
to that of a lock and its key; the receptor site (lock) is prepared to receive only information
that the specific neurotransmitter (key) recognizes as its chemical counterpart.

Methamphetamine increases the release and blocks the uptake of dopamine. These
monoamines, along with norepinephrine, (NE), and epinephrine (E), play a critical role in
understanding the way in which methamphetamines act upon neurotransmitters in the
sympathetic nervous system and act on the behavior of the organism.

Behavioral Effects of Methamphetamine

The dopamine and serotonin systems influence aggressive, defensive, social and sexual
behaviors. Users of methamphetamines exhibit exaggerations in these behaviors. Bipolar
(manic-depressive) people might also behave this way. People using speed also exhibit
behaviors similar to a schizophrenic.

In animal studies, methamphetamine consumption stimulates locomotor activity, and

produces stereotypic behaviors. These have been related to the norepinephrine, dopamine
and serotonin systems.

Drug-related stereotypy is term referring to repetitive behaviors. In rats, stereotypic behaviors

may include head sways, hyperactivity, avoidance behaviors, and automutilation (self-
mutilation).
 E.Rylander, a researcher in the 1960’s, studied several Danish methamphetamine users. He
was the first to note a behavior known as Punding. Punding is performing a useless task
compulsively again and again. This seems to be the human equivalent of drug-related
stereotypy.

Interestingly, these Danish users reported being aware of their Punding behavior, but were
unable to cease performing it. The behavior could be assembling, disassembling, and
reassembling an apparatus after a compulsive fashion. Punding is known colloquially as
“tweaker habits,” and could include coloring, writing, playing cards, or taking apart items in a
prolonged and bizarre manner.

Amphetamine psychosis is another prominent aspect of methamphetamine use, and is nearly

identical to full-blown schizophrenia. There is a direct relationship between this psychosis
and the alterations in the DA system. Other similarities include hallucinations, aggression,
and increased excitability.

Biology, Behavior, and the Brain

Animal studies have cast a fascinating light into drug studies at a cellular level. The basic
assumption behind all drug use is that it does not take place repeatedly in the absence of
some kind of reinforcement or reward. One contemporary model used as a framework for
the biological basis of addiction is called the "Brain Reward System.” This model studies the
psychological and chemical aspects of drug addiction, proposing that an organism engages in
a drug-seeking behavior because it is somehow rewarding for them to do so. Experiments
show that an animal will work to obtain electrical stimulation to the lateral hypothalamic brain
region. Drugs such as methamphetamine lower the threshold for this rewarding brain
stimulation.

For psychologists, these are important activities to investigate, because it is essential to

understand what the "hook" is for people who get "hooked." (The trouble with drugs is that
people who use 'em just keep on using!) The answer to the question, "WHY "is a bit involved,
however.

Biopsychology and Addiction

Biopsychology is the study of behavior from a biological perspective. Researchers have

established that central stimulants, including methamphetamine, have very specific actions on
certain brain structures. These structures, including the brain's pleasure centers, are
stimulated, which creates a pleasurable effect on the organism. Studies also show that when
an animal receives a stimulant, its reward threshold (minimum level at which an organism
becomes sensitive to a pleasurable stimulus) is reduced, an immediate response to a small
amount of drug. This electrochemical stimulation is what produces sensations of euphoria.
The sensation of euphoria encourages the organism to repeat the pleasure-producing
behavior, but a tricky thing happens after the user experiences the initial enjoyment: It quits
being as enjoyable. The reward threshold increases again, meaning that while these drugs
may be pleasurable at first, the sensitivity to the drug quickly goes down, and the drug fails to
yield the same euphoric results.

This phenomenon is called "Chasing the Ghost" by drug users. There could be an internal
mechanism that serves to protect the system from toxification (poisoning), yet the insanity of
addiction drives the creature to pursue the pleasurable sensation again and again.

The destructive action of this drug is compelling and profound. Though it is unlikely that
drugs will affect every being identically, this overview of the biopsychology of
methamphetamine use paints a dark image for anyone who considers using meth.

One might wonder how an understanding of neurotransmitters and Brain Reward Systems
can have any impact on the monstrous problem of drug addiction. Some argue that it is a
problem only experienced by people of weak moral constitutions or defective characters. In
reality, methamphetamine abuse and addiction is an affliction of many people in many
cultures. "Fathers, soldiers, sons," anyone can join the ranks of methamphetamine addicts. It
remains a leveling influence, a great "respecter of no one."

Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from www.nationalmethcenter.org, a website

which is now disabled.
Source: This information was accessed in 2011 from www.nationalmethcenter.org, a website
which is now disabled.