Methamphetamine addiction can affect almost any individual, even you. What if someone you knew, such as a loved one, started abusing meth? Imagine a man with a fresh start in life. He met a woman, got married, and settled down on the West Coast. They bought a house together and soon after had their first child. The man started a new, well paying job working over night in construction, which had started taking a toll on him. The man had gotten his brother-in-law a job working alongside him. His brother-in-law suggested methamphetamines as a way to stay energized during the night because of it’s ability to keep a fatigued individual active. Meth is a highly addictive drug, which has disturbing effects on the body, and it caused the man to spiral out of control.
After about a year the man lost everything that he cared about. The man had started to use meth more frequently which changed his home life drastically. Tearing his house apart for remodeling with no intent of actually fixing it. His wife could not stand it anymore and left, taking their child with her. Soon he lost his house and was living on the streets. A lump started to form just below his lip, but it went unnoticed due to the effects of meth. The lump turned out to be cancer that had spread from his skin and into his jawbone. Half of the man’s jaw had to be removed and he had a facial disfigurement for the remainder of his life. If he had not been doing methamphetamines, he may have gotten treatment early on and avoided disaster.
The most common health issues related with drug addiction are those associated with oral health.
One of the most visual effects of methamphetamines is on the oral cavity. Meth aids in the progression of decay in teeth greatly. A met...
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... documented and any odd behaviors indicating abuse.
Dental or oral disease is the most common medical issue in meth addicts who otherwise are mostly healthy. Blackened, stained, rotting or crumbling teeth, that is a characteristic of meth abuse, is known as “meth mouth”. On average, meth users had particularly more missing teeth than that of a control participants and were more likely to report having oral health problems (Shetty). A significant number of meth users showed concerns with their dental appearance, problems with broken or loose teeth bruxism or erosion. Many would assume that users who inject the drug have a lower risk of dental disease than those who smoke or inhale meth but this is false. The intravenous (administered into, a vein or veins) use of meth was notably more likely to be a factor with missing teeth rather than smoking meth.
Conclusion
Addiction may be defined as the chronic use of drugs alongside the problems resulting from their use. Despite the person being aware of the consequences of using the drug, he continues to use it. If not attended to, addiction may cause serious social problems and even death (Hanson et al. 36). In order to address drug addiction, it is vital to understand addiction itself and where it stems from.
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This particular drug couples society with many damaging effects. Society is put in great danger with Methamphetamine users integrated amongst the other population. Children playing in parks and other recreational areas are at risk for exposure to needles left from users. Children who live in homes where there is methamphetamine use or production are at risk for exposure to the drug. Exposure to the toxic substance could cause developmental impairments and ultimately could be life threatening. Children are again put in the crossfire of Methamphetamine when they lose a parent due to a lethal dose, or a parent goes to jail. Many states have formed a Drug Endangered Children’s Program; this program has fought to change Legislation. Due to DEC many states have made extra efforts to protect children from Methamphetamine, unfortunately Kentucky is not a state involved in this program.
Two effects of meth addiction are an increase in property crimes and an increase in the number of children entering foster career. Shockingly, half of the inmates in Portland jails were meth users, and meth addicts commit 80% of the property crimes in Oregon. These statistics show how meth can not only negatively affect an individual and a family, but a whole community. The correlation between property crimes and meth can be explained by the fact that meth is an ultra-stimulant. According to the video, one puff can an individual stay high for even a whole day. As a result, the person’s dependency leads them to do things or commit crimes they would not have done otherwise
According to the Centers for Disease Control, methamphetamine, or meth as it is often referred to, is considered the fastest-growing illicit drug in the United States. The consequences of usage are detrimental to families and employers, not to mention the increasing law enforcement burden of having to find and disband labs making it illegally. (CDC, 2005) Aside from the far-reaching implications of methamphetamine use on these entities, this paper explores the effect methamphetamine has on the structure and function of the human brain.
Maxwell, J.C. & Brecht, M. (2011). Methamphetamine: Here We Go Again?. Addictive Behaviors, 36, 1168-1173. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243901/
Almost everyone can say that they have had an experience with drugs, either it be with just witnessing it or using it. Throughout my life, I have had many bad experiences with drugs and it has taught me to stay away from them. Our society now somewhat looks up to the use of drug, with it being in the music industry or being in movies, it is in our culture and this could hurt us as a country down the road. Now, I’m not saying it is not okay to party once and awhile, but if a person is to party on a regular basis this could turn into an addiction to alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, and even caffeine. In all, there needs to be more facts and ads telling kids about these problems because they are our future and we have to set them up for success.
Meth is not only highly addictive it is easily "cooked" in homes across the country. Unlike some drugs, which are derived from natural sources, meth includes an array of dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can include battery acid, rat poison and motor oil.
“Meth, not even once” is a popular phrase that is associated with this drug. This drug has many known horrible effects associated with it, plus many effects more I am sure are going to be discovered over time. I am intending to cover the history, effects, the different categories of meth abuse, and the withdrawal effects of Methamphetamine in this paper, and what to do if you suspect someone you know is using meth.
The consequences that follow the use of any drug are unfavorable. Although many individuals may see drug addiction as a mere lifestyle choice, it is a problem that many individuals suffer from and inevitably a growing issue that leaves major social and economic impacts.
It is not uncommon to view drug addiction as a problem that is created and maintained by the drug addicts. Most of
Drug abuse and addiction are issues that affect people everywhere. However, these issues are usually treated as criminal activity rather than issues of public health. There is a conflict over whether addiction related to drug abuse is a disease or a choice. Addiction as a choice suggests that drug abusers are completely responsible for their actions, while addiction as a disease suggests that drug abusers need help in order to break their cycle of addiction. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that addiction is a disease, and should be treated rather than punished. Drug addiction is a disease because: some people are more likely to suffer from addiction due to their genes, drug abuse brought on by addictive behavior changes the brain and worsens the addiction, and the environment a person lives in can cause the person to relapse because addiction can so strongly affect a person.
Watanabe-Galloway, S., Ryan, S., M.D., Hansen, K., M.P.H., Wullsiek B., B.A., Muli, V., M.P.A., & Malone, A.C. (2009). Effect of Methamphetamine abuse beyond individual users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 4131, 241-8.Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/207970885?accountid=41057
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.