What is Crack?
Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make highly potent crystals. The off-white chips, rock crystal, or chunks are heated and smoked. The term crack refers to the crackling sound heard when it is heated.

What are the Street Names for Cocaine/Crack?
Street or slang names include blow, Charlie, coke, dust, flake, freebase, lady, nose candy, rock, powder, snow, snowbirds, toot, and white.

How Are These Drugs Taken?
Cocaine is usually inhaled or “snorted.” The powder is chopped, separated into “lines,” and then snorted off a small spoon, or through a straw or rolled-up dollar bill. Though less common, cocaine can be injected into veins or under the skin.

Crack is smoked. Chips or chunks are usually placed in a pipe and heated with a match or cigarette lighter. The user inhales the vapors.

How Does Cocaine / Crack Affect the User?
Cocaine, in all its forms, is a stimulant. It causes the heart to beat more rapidly and blood vessels to constrict. The user’s pupils dilate; body temperature rises; heart rate and blood pressure increase. Cocaine’s immediate effects include euphoria, hyper-stimulation and reduced fatigue. Users of cocaine also report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. The “high” from snorting cocaine lasts approximately 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking crack lasts for five to 10 minutes.

Binge usage of cocaine — when the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses — can lead to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. Chronic use can result in a period of paranoid psychosis, in which the user loses touch with reality.

The effects of crack usage are similar to that of powder cocaine. Because it is smoked, however, the user gets high more quickly, and the effects are more intense. The depression following use is also felt more keenly. Users may become violent during or after use.

Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse

• Behavioral signs: Changes in overall attitude/personality, motivation level, academic performance, sleeping habits, activities, social groups or hobbies. Depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. Inability to meet responsibilities at work, school, or at home.
• Physical signs and symptoms: Red, bloodshot eyes; a runny nose or frequent sniffing; increased energy level or rapid speech; suppressed appetite; extreme mood swings; paranoid delusions.
• Environmental signs: Paraphernalia, including powder residue on mirrors, CD cases or glass; small baggies or balloons, straight razors, rolled dollar bills, tiny spoons. Frequent trips to the bathroom or other private locations; unexplained need for money; frequent absences from work or school.

What are the Dangers of Cocaine/Crack Abuse?
In addition to the risk of injury or death as a result of accidents, violence, or overdose, cocaine or crack abuse can cause or worsen many physical and mental disorders. Negative effects include:

• Dependence / addiction.
• Irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and heart failure.
• Strokes, seizures, fungal brain infections, and bleeding in tissue surrounding the brain.
• Fluid in the lungs, aggravation of asthma and other lung disorders, and respiratory failure.
• Psychosis, paranoia, depression, anxiety disorders, and delusions.
• Sleeplessness, sexual problems, reduced sense of smell, perforated nasal passages, nausea and headaches.
• For intravenous (IV) cocaine users, there is increased risk of hepatitis, HIV infection, and infection of the heart lining or valves.
• The risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases is increased because drug use lowers inhibitions, which may place the user in high-risk situations.
• Pregnant women may experience spontaneous abortion, premature labor, or give birth to low birth-weight babies.
• Crack users often singe eyebrows or eyelashes with the flame of matches or lighters. They may also burn fingertips and other body parts from contact with heated vessels (e.g., glass pipes).
• Death

Treatment Options
Individuals who become addicted to cocaine or crack can be treated using a wide variety of methods, although no medications currently exist to treat cocaine addiction. Behavioral treatments have been shown to be effective in addressing cocaine addiction by helping patients recognize, avoid, and cope with situations in which they are most likely to use cocaine.

If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine or crack abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

Photos courtesy of the DEA
Information, in part, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Marijuana has been around for centuries. Its source, the cannabis plant, was first cultivated for its psychoactive properties more than 2,000 years ago. Although cannabis contains at least 400 different chemicals, its main mind-altering ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).

Marijuana is by far the world’s most commonly used illicit drug and is more dangerous than most users realize.

Today’s marijuana is stronger than ever because most is grown indoors and bred for potency. The average THC levels rose from less than 1% in 1970 to more than 7% in 2005.

What are the Street Names for Marijuana?

There are more than 200 street or slang names for marijuana. These include ace, Aunt Mary, black bart, blunt, boom, chronic, doobee, dope, ganja, golden leaf, GOM (Good Old Marijuana), grass, hash, haze, herb, hemp, hydrophonic, jay, kif, leaf, Mary Jane, nail, northern lights, pot, Queen Ann’s Lace, ragweed, reefer, sinsemilla, spliff, skunk, and weed.

How is Marijuana Taken?

Marijuana and other cannabis products (such as hashish) are usually smoked, sometimes in a pipe or water pipe (”bong” or hookah), or rolled into cigarettes known as “joints.” Some users will hollow out cigars, replacing the tobacco with marijuana, to make “blunts.” Joints and blunts may be laced with other substances, including crack, cocaine, PCP, embalming fluid and other chemicals that alter the effects of the drug, making it more dangerous. Marijuana can also be brewed into tea or mixed into baked products.

How Does Marijuana Affect the User?

Marijuana is a mind altering substance that has some of the same effects of alcohol — specifically as a depressant and as a substance that reduces inhibitions. The user’s experience is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.

The effects of smoking marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes and peak within 10 to 30 minutes. The effects of eating marijuana take longer to peak, and generally last for several hours. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that may induce fantasies, and diminish inhibitions. Perception is distorted and reaction time is delayed, making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a vehicle or boat, or ride a bicycle. Stronger doses can cause more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

Most of marijuana’s short-term effects wear off within two or three hours. However, reaction time and short-term memory can be impaired for up to 20 hours. The drug itself lingers in the body much longer. THC is a fat-soluble substance which builds up in fatty tissues in the body including the liver, lungs, testes, and other organs. Two days after smoking marijuana, one-quarter of the THC content may still be retained. It will show up in urine tests several days after use, and traces may be picked up two to four weeks later, sometimes even longer, depending on the frequency and quantity of use.

What are the Cognitive Effects of Marijuana Use?

Marijuana use impairs learning. Research demonstrates that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. Heavy use interferes with a person’s ability to focus, sustain attention, store memories and other information, and organize data.

What are the Physical Effects of Marijuana Use?

Chronic marijuana smokers are susceptible to chest colds, bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Persistent use will damage lungs and airways and increase the risk of cancer. Researchers estimate that users ingest the same amount of harmful chemicals from smoking one marijuana joint as smoking five tobacco cigarettes.

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having lower birth-weight babies with health problems.

What are the Dangers for Teens Using Marijuana?

Although dangers exist for marijuana users of all ages, the risk is greatest for teens. Studies show that teens using marijuana develop more slowly than their peers and are less able to master coping skills or make healthy choices.

Another concern is marijuana’s role as a “gateway drug.” The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found that adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their non—pot smoking peers. Sixty percent of youngsters who use marijuana before they turn 15 later go on to use cocaine.

By itself, marijuana is a high-risk substance for adolescents. Teens are more likely to be victims of automobile accidents caused by marijuana’s impact on judgment and perception. Feeling uninhibited, teens are also more likely to have unprotected sex which can result in unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Signs and Symptoms of Marijuana Abuse

How can you tell if someone is using marijuana? There are no hard and fast rules, but there are warning signs. Bear in mind that many of the signs and symptoms listed below may also be caused by other problems.

Behavioral signs: Changes in overall attitude/personality, motivation level, academic performance, sleeping habits, activities, social group or hobbies. Depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends.

Physical signs and symptoms: Dizziness or trouble walking; silly or giggly for no reason; red, bloodshot eyes; short-term memory loss; loss of appetite or increase in appetite.

Environmental signs: Paraphernalia, including pipes, bongs, cigars and rolling papers; odor on clothes and in the bedroom; use of incense and other deodorizers; use of eye drops; clothing, posters, jewelry, music promoting drug use.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with marijuana abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB) and Rohypnol are central nervous system depressants. Because they are often colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added to beverages, ingested unknowingly and used to aid drug-assisted assault (”date rape”). It is illegal to manufacture or distribute these substances for human consumption in the USA.

Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB), is a central nervous system depressant which is abused for its euphoric, sedative, and anabolic (body-building) effects. Because very small amounts of GHB are found in the human body, GHB is often billed as a natural supplement. It was widely available over-the-counter in health food stores during the 1980s, until 1992 when it was made illegal in the USA.

Rohypnol, a trade name for Flunitrazepam, belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines — the same drug family as Valium, Halcyon, and Xanax. Rohypnol is significantly stronger than the other drugs in this family. Rohypnol is sold in both Europe and Latin America as a sleep aid, but is illegal in the USA.

What are the Street Names for GHB and Rohypnol?How Are These Drugs Taken?

• GHB is also known as easy lay, G, Georgia Home Boy, gamma-oh, liquid ecstasy, liquid E, liquid X (Note: GHB is not Ecstasy), GBH or Grievous Bodily Harm, Organic Quaalude, scoop.
• GBL and BD, are substitutes for GHB. Street or slang names include blue nitro, firewater, invigorate, revivarant, renewtrient, revitalize Plus, somato pro, thunder nectar, and verv.
• Rohypnol is also known as circles, the date rape drug, the forget pill, La Rocha, Mexican valium, R-2, rib, roachies, roofies, roofenol, rophies, roche (pronounced roe-shay), and rope.

GHB can be produced as a clear liquid (which has a salty taste but no smell), a white powder, or a tablet or capsule. It is most commonly used as a liquid – which is packaged in a small, clear, plastic bottle – and taken orally by the capful. Powder use is on the rise — typically dissolved in a beverage.

Rohypnol comes as a pill, in one and two milligram doses that is taken orally or dissolved in liquid. The tablets are often white with a line across one side, and a number “1″ or “2″ inside a circle and the name ‘Roche.’ It is frequently used in combination with alcohol, and sometimes with other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin (to either accentuate the ‘high’ or help the user ‘come down’ from these drugs).

Both GHB and Rohypnol are inexpensive, which has made them increasingly popular with younger users.

How Do These Drugs Affect the User?

The effects of GHB and Rohypnol follow a similar pattern. GHB takes effect within 10-20 minutes, but doesn’t peak for almost an hour. Rohypnol begins to take effect within a half-hour, but does not peak for almost two hours. Both drugs initially cause a feeling of intoxication similar to alcohol (the user feels relaxed, sociable, and uninhibited), followed by a feeling of drowsiness. The effects can last from four to 24 hours. Higher doses can lead to seizures or coma. Combining use with other drugs such as alcohol can result in nausea and breathing difficulties. GHB and two similar substances, gamma butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4 butanediol (BD) have been linked to poisonings, overdoses, date rapes, and deaths.

What are the Long-Term Effects?

The long-term effects of GHB use are not known. However, since it is made from industrial chemicals, there is a risk of severe burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach from GHB that has been improperly produced. GHB may produce withdrawal effects among users coming down from the drugs effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating.

Rohypnol is both physically and psychologically addictive. Withdrawal symptoms peak three to five days after use, and include extreme anxiety, muscle pain, headache, hallucinations, and seizures. Some withdrawal symptoms, including cardiovascular collapse, can be fatal.

Overdose

Both GHB and Rohypnol present a serious overdose threat. Since they are depressants, both drugs can be fatal when mixed with alcohol. GHB is especially dangerous because its peak effect is delayed and users often take another dose thinking they haven’t taken enough (and GHB can be fatal on its own). GHB is also risky because the strength can vary by batch. Symptoms of overdose can include intense drowsiness, unconsciousness, coma, muscle spasms, disorientation, vomiting, and slowed or stopped breathing. Fatalities usually occur from respiratory failure.

GHB and Rohypnol as ‘Date Rape’ Drugs

Both GHB and Rohypnol have a reputation as date rape drugs. These drugs are easily slipped into someone’s drink (GHB is usually a liquid, and Rohypnol dissolves quickly), making the victim easily persuaded and physically weak, or entirely unconscious, leaving them vulnerable to rape, assault, or burglary. Rohypnol is especially dangerous because it causes black-outs, so the victim may have no memory of what happened to him or her.

Note: Never to accept a drink from someone (even a friend) that has been opened, or left unattended — even if it is just a soda or water. Manufacturers have begun to take steps against this by producing Rohypnol that turns a clear beverage blue or a dark beverage cloudy.

If you think you have been a victim of date rape, go immediately to the emergency room and request a drug test and a rape evaluation. Time is important since the drugs do not stay in the system for a long period of time and are usually not included in standard drug tests. An HIV test is also advisable.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately

In the U.S. there are more than 2,800 drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of illness and disease. Taken under a doctor’s care, these medications help millions of people each year. However, there is a growing trend of self-medicating and/or abusing prescription medications.

The three classes of prescription medications that are most commonly abused are: Opioids, CNS Depressants, and Stimulants.

Opioids — Pain Relievers
These include OxyContin, Codeine, Percodan, Fentanyl, Vicodin (Hydrocodone), Morphine, Percocet, Demoral.

How are Opioids Taken?

Opioids are taken orally as a tablet or capsule or in liquid form; crushed and snorted; or cooked and injected intravenously (IV).

What are the Short Term Effects of Opioid Abuse?

Users report feeling relaxed and indifferent to physical and emotional pain. Some people report feeling drowsy, or even nauseous. A common side effect is constipation. Taking too much of the drug (overdose) can slow down breathing and can ultimately be fatal.

What are the Long Term Effects of Opioid Abuse?

Painkillers are highly addictive. Physical dependence or addiction can develop even when using the drug as prescribed, since the body builds up a tolerance and more of the drug is needed to maintain the desired effect. Withdrawal can be lengthy and physically painful. Users who combine opioids with alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines are at high risk of death from respiratory failure.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants
CNS depressants can be divided into two groups, based on their chemistry and pharmacology: Barbiturates, such as Mebaral and Nembutal, and Benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Librium, and Xanax. CNS Depressants are used to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, panic attacks, and sleep disorders.

How are CNS Depressants Taken?

Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates are taken orally as a tablet; or crushed and snorted.

What are the Short Term Effects of CNS Depressant Abuse?

CNS depressants slow normal brain function. Users report reduced tension, anxiety, or panic. Some users describe feeling calm or drowsy. Over time these effects fade as the body builds a tolerance. In higher doses, some CNS depressants can become general anesthetics.

What are the Long Term Effects of CNS Depressant Abuse?

Misusing benzodiazepines can result in addiction. Withdrawal can be lengthy and painful, and may cause seizures and death. For these reasons, withdrawal should be supervised by a medical professional. Serious problems can occur when Benzodiazepines are used with alcohol, pain medications, and some over-the-counter cold and allergy medications. Such usage can prove fatal.

Stimulants — Prescribed to treat ADHD, narcolepsy, asthma, some forms of depression, and obesity
These include Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall, Focalin, and Dexedrine.

How are Stimulants Taken?

Stimulants are taken orally as a tablet; crushed and snorted; or liquefied and injected intravenously (IV). Some stimulant abusers take the drug anally (known as “plugging” or “shafting”).

What are the Short Term Effects of Stimulant Abuse?

Users feel alert, focused, and awake. Appetite is reduced and sleeplessness can occur. Stimulants increase blood pressure and heart rate and can cause high body temperatures.

What are the Long Term Effects of Stimulant Abuse?

There is a high potential for addiction, paranoia, and sleep deprivation (which can cause psychotic episodes). There is also a danger of long-term insomnia, digestive problems, and erratic weight change. Stimulants are most dangerous when used with over-the-counter medications including cold medications containing decongestants; antidepressants, unless supervised by a physician; and some asthma medications.

Antidepressants — Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s), MAO Inhibitors, Tricyclics
These include Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Paxil, Amitryptylline, Nardil

How are Antidepressants Taken?

Antidepressants are taken orally. These drugs build up in the body over time, so one dose does not have an immediate effect.

What are the Short Term Effects of Antidepressant Abuse?

There are very few initial effects. Most antidepressants take days or weeks to build up in the system.

What are the Long Term Effects of Antidepressant Abuse?

Taken under medical supervision, the dosages of these drugs are customized for the person taking them. Doctors will often change the dosage or substitute other medications according to the patient’s response. Taking non-prescribed antidepressants long enough to feel the effects may cause brain chemicals to become out of sync with one another and can result in emotional disturbances. Stopping antidepressants should only be attempted under strict medical supervision. Alcohol should not be consumed when taking antidepressants. Other drugs may interfere with antidepressants. Long term effects may include addiction, paranoia, anxiety, irregular heartbeat, headaches, and hallucinations.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with prescription drug abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

OxyContin is the brand name for a prescription pain medication containing the ingredient Oxycodone. It exists in tablet, capsule and liquid form. OxyContin is one drug in a class of narcotic opioids prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain. Other drugs that fall within this class include morphine, codeine, propoxyphene (Darvon); hydrocodone (Vicodin); hydromorphone (Dilaudid); and meperidine (Demerol).

How is OxyContin Taken?

OxyContin should only be taken under the close supervision of a doctor. Altering the dosage or sharing the prescription with others is very dangerous. When used correctly, patients take the prescribed pill orally every 12 hours as needed (most pain relievers last only 3-6 hours). Those who abuse OxyContin may crush and snort, chew, or cook and inject the drug to achieve a quick and intense “rush” to the brain.

What are the Street Names for OxyContin?

OxyContin is the brand name for OxyCondone. Street or slang names include Oxy, OxyCotton, Oxy 80, and OC.

How Does OxyContin Affect the User?

OxyContin, like other opioids, blocks physical pain. It can also affect the region of the brain which regulates pleasure and results in an initial euphoria. It may also result in drowsiness, constipation, and, depending upon the amount taken, can depress breathing. Taking a large single dose could cause severe respiratory depression or death.

Opioids like OxyContin may interact with other medications and are only safe to use with other medications under a physician’s supervision. Typically, they should not be used with substances such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. Since these substances slow breathing, their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression.

What are the Long-Term Effects of OxyContin use?

Using OxyContin frequently and over a long period of time can result in increased tolerance to the drug, meaning that higher doses of the medication must be taken to receive the initial effect. Over time, OxyContin becomes physically addictive, causing a person to experience withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not present. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and involuntary leg movements. It’s important to note that due to the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, quitting should be done under a doctor’s care.

Signs and Symptoms of OxyContin Abuse

How can you tell if someone is using OxyContin? One or more of the following warning sign may indicate that a person is using OxyContin. However, they may also indicate problems other than use of drugs.

• Behavioral signs: Changes in overall attitude/personality; decrease in motivation level; loss of interest in activities, social groups, or hobbies.
• Physical signs and symptoms: Sleeping at unusual times; sweating; vomiting; coughing and sniffling; twitching; loss of appetite; sluggish or absent response of constricted pupils to light.
• Environmental signs: Missing medication or unaccounted for medications. Frequent visits to multiple doctors, or making prescription drug purchases online.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with OxyContin abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

OTC stands for over-the-counter. In the U.S. there are more than 780 drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sale over-the-counter without a prescription. These drugs often contain the same or similar ingredients as prescribed drugs. Used as directed, these medications help millions of people each year that suffer from headaches, pain, colds and coughs. However, they are also potentially dangerous.

What is DXM?

Dextromethorphan (DXM) is one of the most commonly misused and abused over-the-counter products. DXM is an ingredient in many cold and cough medicines — pills, powder, liquids, gel caps, and so on. Some of the brand names include Alka-Seltzer Plus, Benylin, Children’s Vicks, Coricidin, Dimetapp, NyQuil, Contact, Pediacare, Robitussin, Triaminic and Vicks Formula 44 to name a few.

Emergency room physicians and healthcare professionals across the country have reported a recent increase in the number of teens misusing cough and cold medicines. Many stores that carry the products have moved them behind the counter in order to have better control over who is using the item and to prevent bulk purchases — an indicator of potential abuse.

What are the Street Names for DXM?

Street or slang names for Dextromethorphan vary by product and region. The most common terms include: dex, DXM, robo, skittles, syrup, triple-C and Tussin.

How Does DXM Affect the User?

The effects of DXM abuse vary with the amount taken. Users report taking as much as 10 to 30 times the recommended dose. DXM abusers describe a set of “plateaus” ranging from a mild stimulation or excitement with visual distortions to an “out-of-body” feeling. Similar to the effects of PCP and Ketamine, DXM’s effects usually last about six hours depending on the dose taken and the individual’s metabolism, height, weight, and whether it is used in combination with other drugs.

Signs and Symptoms of DMX AbuseWhat are the Dangers of DXM Abuse?

• Slurred speech
• Hyper-excitability
• Lethargy
• Sweating
• Hallucinations
• Skin irritation
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain

In addition to the risk of injury or death as a result of accidents, violence, or overdose, DXM can cause or worsen many physical and mental disorders. Negative effects include:

• Coma
• Brain damage
• Liver damage
• Respiratory distress
• Heat stroke
• Death (from arrested breathing)

Not much is known about DXM’s addictive potential. It is thought to be a moderately habit-forming substance.

How to Take OTCs

Just because a medicine is sold over the counter doesn’t mean it’s safe. All medication should be used as the label instructs. Educated users need to be responsible in their use and understand both the benefits and side effects of what they are taking. To keep yourself or a loved one safe, follow these guidelines when it comes to taking OTCs:

• Read all labels and know what’s in the product.
• Take OTCs as directed on the label and only take them for the recommended time.
• Pay attention to age guidelines when selecting a product. Don’t buy adult medicine for a child.
• Learn about potential side effects and food or drug interactions.
• Review storage instructions.
• Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you’re not sure you should take the product.
• Keep OTCs and prescription drugs in a secure container and monitor who is using them.
• Keep up-to-date on your medications. Over time, ingredients change and interactions with new drugs are added to the safety lists.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with OTC abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

Methamphetamine or “Meth” is an addictive stimulant of the central nervous system. Related to amphetamine, methamphetamine is manufactured in illegal laboratories using a combination of common over-the-counter ingredients and a variety of corrosive, poisonous, and carcinogenic chemicals such as acetone, battery acid, bleach, lead and red phosphorous.

What are the Street Names for Meth?

Street or slang names include black beauties, black mollies, chalk, crank, crink, crystal, glass, ice, meth, poor man’s cocaine, speed, tina and yaba.

How is Meth Taken?

Meth comes in the form of pills, tablets, capsules, crystals or powder, which can be swallowed, smoked, snorted, or injected depending on the form.

How Does Meth Affect the User?

Meth is a stimulant. Even in small doses it can increase wakefulness and physical activity and decrease appetite. With continued use, users may experience anxiety, confusion and insomnia as well as psychotic episodes such as paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances and delusions (such as the sensation of insects creeping on the skin). Over time, tolerance to the drug will develop , making the user increase his/her dosage to achieve the same initial effect.

Methamphetamine has a faster rate of addiction than many other drugs including marijuana or alcohol. Long term use can lead to psychotic behavior, hallucinations, addiction or even death.

Meth is often used in a “binge and crash” pattern. Users try to maintain the “high” by binging — barely eating or sleeping for days at a time. Eventually users begin to “crash.” Initially, they become depressed and crave more methamphetamine. But these feelings soon give way to lethargy, followed by a long deep sleep. Once the user awakens, the depression returns and may last for days. This is the time when the potential for suicide is high.

It is not unusual for methamphetamine psychosis to persist for days after the last dose is taken. There are many reports of users remaining paranoid, delusional, apathetic, and socially withdrawn for weeks. Occasionally, methamphetamine-related psychosis lasts for years, but in these cases experts believe the drug may have triggered symptoms of a pre-existing mental disorder.

What are the Dangers of Meth Abuse?

In addition to the risk of injury or death as a result of accidents, violence, or overdose, meth abuse can cause or worsen many physical and mental disorders. Negative effects include:

• Sleeplessness
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Elevated body temperature
• Skin ulceration and infection
• Increased blood pressure, headaches, chest pain, or irregular heartbeat stroke or heart attack
• Seizures
• Irritability, anxiety, paranoia
• Loss of short-term memory
• Lack of self-control
• Permanent damage to brain cells caused by injury to small blood vessels serving the brain

What are the After-Effects of Meth Abuse?

Upon stopping, users may experience depression and anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and intense cravings for meth.

• In the first year of abstinence, the brain begins to recover and there are improvements. Former users will experience fewer and less severe panic attacks and episodes of paranoia and delusion. The user starts thinking more clearly and can successfully control anger and rage. Sleep improves and eating habits become regular. Tremors and muscle spasms get a little better each day.
• Any remaining damage after one year is likely to be permanent.
• Short-term memory problems may be long-lasting or permanent.
• There may be serious dental damage.
• Sometimes, people in recovery from meth may substitute other “addictive behaviors,” such as eating or smoking.

Methamphetamine and Special Populations

Pregnant Mothers: Meth is a powerful stimulant, and use during pregnancy is very dangerous both to the mother and the developing fetus. The mother’s appetite is suppressed, blood vessels constrict, the heart beats faster and blood pressure soars. All of this transfers to the unborn fetus interrupting its natural development and growth. Meth use during pregnancy can result in premature labor, detachment of the placenta, low birth-weight babies and possible neurological damage. Babies that are born methamphetamine-addicted are extremely lethargic. They will also suffer from withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors, sleeplessness, muscle spasms, and difficulties nursing. Learning difficulties may develop.

The Gay Community: Meth use is increasing among men who have sex with men. This population is vulnerable to contracting and spreading sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Drug use increases the risk of sexual assault and rape.

Children: Children living in homes with meth-using parents or in close proximity to meth labs often suffer abuse and neglect. Contact with toxic fumes or residue on floors and other surfaces has negative health effects, including addiction and developmental delays among children. Chemical burns are common among children living in the presence of meth.

Women: Meth use among women is growing. Meth appeals to women’s desires to improve their sexual performance and control weight. Many women report using meth for the first time with a friend or partner. Historically, men outnumber women in drug treatment, but that gap is closing.

Teens: The brain of a teenager is wired to seek out and encourage new experiences. This helps teens learn important new skills, like driving a car. Meth, because it initially causes pleasure, is reinforced by the brain. This means experimentation is highly likely to cause addiction.

Teens in general are impulsive, which means they act without thinking and without regard for the consequences of their actions. Meth makes that tendency much more severe. This means that meth users can easily become aggressive or violent. Meth affects the part of the brain that regulates negative behaviors, including fear, anger, and suspicion.

Meth use can affect a teen’s short-term memory for a long time. This can cause problems at school and in the home. A lot of family arguments begin because teens forget their requests or promises.

What is the Environmental Impact of Meth?

Meth affects not only the users but their families, their neighborhood, and their community. Meth is manufactured in both major cities and remote rural areas. Because small labs are easy to set up, meth can be cooked on tables in kitchens, garages or just about anywhere. During the manufacturing of meth, toxic chemicals released pollute the entire house (walls, carpets, etc.), and hazardous waste pollutes surrounding water sources and sewers. There is also increased risk of fire due to the highly flammable fumes emitted during production.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with methamphetamine abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.