Methamphetamine's Effects on the Body and Mind: Long Term and Short Term

The NIDA (2008) reports that the immediate effects of the drug include increased activity and talkativeness, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being. As to the use of this drug, the NIDA states that its use is fairly widespread and most especially in the West (e.g., Honolulu, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles) with about 10.4 million people age 12 or older (4.3 percent of the population) having tried meth at some point in their lives.

The NIDA (2008) also reports that approximately 1.3 million people reported past-year usage of the drug in a comprehensive national survey they conducted and that the most likely user is a teenager or very young adult. The drug is potent and the number of people admitted to emergency rooms and hospitals for meth overdose is said to be growing around the country, as is its general usage.

This paper examines the literature on both the long-term and the short-term effects of methamphetamine. Both the physical and the psychological effects of the drug are discussed. The review begins with a brief description of the immediate short-term effects of the drug, emphasizing the way the drug makes people feel when they fi

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in cells (Guilarte, 2001). According to Guilarte (2001), the four primary symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are tremor, rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk, postural instability, and/or impaired balance and coordination. This disease is directly connected to dopamine. Guilarte states that research conducted on methamphetamine has shown that it can decrease dopaminergic neuron terminal integrity and that this makes it likely that people who are addicted to methamphetamine may be at greater risk for the development of Parkinson's Disease in later life. Psychological Effects It was noted earlier that one of the first effects of meth consisted of functional and molecular changes in the brain. Rose and Grant (2008) state that these physical changes are accompanied by a number of psychological effects. These effects include anxiety, confusion, mood disturbances, violent behavior, odd repetitive behavior, paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions. If the symptoms are at the psychotic level, they can last for months, long beyond the time when the addict stops using the drug. Methamphetamine users are often reluctant to seek treatment due to fears of being stigmatized. This is a fear-based psychology that can lead to conti
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Approximate Word count = 1980
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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