Side effects of Methamphetamine abuse

Amphetamine is the most widely used illicit drug, second to cannabis in Europe, while in the United States, it is second to Cocaine use.

Methamphetamine has over the past decade becoming a major drug of abuse.

Methamphetamine is the pure form of the drug amphetamine that abusers of the substance smoke, inject intravenously, inhale and use orally.

The side effects of methamphetamines last for hours and has been described as very powerful.

Methamphetamine dependence can result in a rapid downwards spiral of person's ability to cope with work and family related obligations and stress.

An meth addict requires increasingly high doses of methamphetamines to obtain the usual high and physical signs of amphetamine abuse which include decrease weight and paranoid behavior.

The side effects of methamphetamine are clinically used to make diagnosis of intoxication. The DSM - Ivm TR diagnosis criteria is as followed:

A. recent use of methamphetamine

B. clinically significant maladaptive behavioral or psychological changes such as euphoria or affective blunting; changes in sociability; hyper vigilance; interpersonal sensitivity; anxiety, tension, anger, stereotyped behavior; impaired judgment, impaired social or occupational function.

C. Two of the following develop shortly after use of methamphetamine.

a. Tachycardia or bradycardia
b. Papillary dilation
c. Elevated or lowered blood pressure
d. Perspiration or chills
e. Nausea or vomiting
f. Evidence of weight lost
g. Psychomotor agitation or retardation
h. Muscular weakness respiratory depression, chest pain, cardiac arrhythmia
i. Confusion, seizures, dyskinesias, dystonias, coma

D. Symptoms not due to general medical conditions or any mental disorder.

The symptoms of methamphetamine intoxication is usually resolved within 24 hours, and generally completely resolved in 48 hours.

Methamphetamine intoxication is followed by a period of crash, where there are symptoms of anxiety, mood swings and fatigue.

These withdrawal symptoms usually peak within two to four days and resolve after a week. The most serious withdrawal symptom is depression that may be associated with suicide or unwanted behavior.

Methamphetamine addiction shares with cocaine addiction the difficulty of helping patient remain abstinent from the drug, which is powerfully reinforced and induce craving, an impatient setting and multiple therapeutic methods are necessary to achieve lasting abstinence.