Teen Meth Addiction
Addiction is considered to be a common social disease that is spreading like wildfire. Addicts may be from any social strata and of any age group. Meth addiction not only affects a user but also his/her friend, family and relatives.
Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. The drugs chemical structure is parallel to that of amphetamine but meth is known to have more serious effects. Meth addiction prompts unnecessary movement and reduces a users appetite. These drugs can cause intoxication for about 6 to 8 hours. However, when the 'rush' decreases, addicts are anxious and may even resort to aggressive behavior. Meth is available in different forms and addicts may smoke, snort, orally ingest or inject the drug.
Long-term use causes addiction and has severe harmful effects. Meth addiction is a persistent disease and users are prone to relapses. Quitting the addiction is difficult as users are highly dependent on the drug. Meth addiction prompts a continuous habit formation and causes substantial changes in the brain.
Meth addicts also experience confusion and insomnia. Chronic addicts may experience paranoia, hallucinations, mood swings, and apparitions. Extreme paranoia may even prompt users to attempt suicide. The paranoia can result in homicidal, as well as suicidal thoughts. Regular use makes addicts tolerant to the effects of the drug. For this reason, users keep increasing drug doses to experience a desired effect.
Chronic addiction may even prompt users to do without food and sleep. They are known to be on a "run" at such times and go to extremes of injecting 2 to 3 hours for several days. This may cause serious problems as the person may become incompetent. When meth addiction is detected, users need immediate medical care to help control the situation and prevent relapses and further abuse. For this reason, addicts need to be under the care of physicians and may have to be admitted into a drug rehabilitation center.
Inpatient treatment can be given on a short or long-term basis. Short-term inpatient treatments keep patients up to 30 days and focus on medical stabilization, abstinence, and lifestyle changes. Staff members are primarily medical professionals and trained counselors. Short-term residential treatments provide intensive but relatively brief residential treatment.
Long-term inpatient treatments offer round-the-clock, drug-free treatment in a residential community of counselors. Patients generally stay in these programs for several months or up to a year or more. Long-term residential treatments provide whole day care, in non-clinical settings. Generally, the more drug treatment an individual receives, the better the outcome. Those who stay in drug treatment longer than three months usually have better outcomes than those who stay for a short period.
There are people who may have a history of prior attempts to end their drug abuse patterns that failed. Such people can be benefited by inpatient residential treatment. Research studies also show that in patient treatment is the most successful modality for individuals with multiple unsuccessful attempts to end their addiction.