Check out Part One and Part Two of the Crystal Meth Series of posts.
For those that might think that Meth is just another drug, here’s some evidence to the contrary and some mulitpart articles on Meth from different popular media stories. This is why the ADD Meth connection is so important to deal with, the consequences of ignorance can be devastating.
Here are some Faces of Meth. First, Theresa Baxter, before using Meth
Here’s Theresa after 3 years and 5 months later after using Meth.
The Oregon Live has a photo gallery with more here. Here’ a video clip that tells the story behind the faces of Meth. Here’s their Five-Part Series Unnecessary Epidemic.
Here’s an award winning series of articles on Meth in Kitsap county in the state of Washington. Unfortunately no mention of ADHD.
One of our local papers the Vancouver Province did a weeklong series on Meth, very interesting articles, gives many viewpoints, but no mention of ADHD.
Here’s one article from that series, which discusses the impact of Meth on a user.
Dr. Bill MacEwan, a psychiatrist who heads up the University of B.C.’s Schizophrenia program, and the Psychosis program at St. Paul’s hospital says Meth is more addictive than cocaine and more psychologically damaging than heroin. Meth has been even known to induce schizophrenia.
“After extended use, the brain actually begins to require the drug in order to release the dopamine. No drug, no pleasure. Then there’s the intense craving for more, brain cell death, paranoia, hallucinations and psychosis…the cognitive impairment as a result of fried brain circuitry can last a lifetime”
“The flipside is that after extended use, the brain actually begins to require the drug in order to release the dopamine. No drug, no pleasure. Then there’s the intense craving for more, brain cell death, paranoia, hallucinations and psychosis.”
There’s an 18-minute video, Death By Jib, that interviews Meth addicts and their stories, pretty raw, designed to be shown in schools.
To buy a copy, call 1-800-263-6910, or go to Kinetic Video.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
She was so pretty, and then eww, meth really messes with your body. im doing a project in school for my english class, and ive never known anyone to end up looking that bad after meth. but the one person i kno who does meth i dont see often enough to see a big change. dont do meth….keep your body healthy
Crystal Meth seems to be a very terrible drug. Then why do people use it?
probably the same reasons people use other drugs i’d guess. Heroin and crack cocaine are also terrible drugs and people keep using them too. might want to check these out for some reasons
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Sally.html
http://www.request.org.uk/issues/topics/drugs/drugs03.htm
http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/180/theordrg.html
I just read Ellen Hopkins Crank and the sequel Glass. Meth is an absolutely terrible drug. Infact all drugs are.
Save yourself before you looser yourdelf.
I am a substance abuse counselor in a prison and and a large per centage of my clients screen positively for ADD. Which should not be all that surprising, that those who self-medicate ADD with meth should run afoul of the law. Is there any special support group for Ex-offenders with ADD? Also it seems to be a tremendous waste of money,lives and resources to incarcerate those with ADD when perhaps simply proper medication and a support group could provide real and immediate rehabilitation.
JWR
That women’s image has been used over and over again to portray the height of abuse. Seems to be a tool used to create shock factor. I’ve known a number of hard-core users, whome have not turned out to resemble anything like that photo.
The point of this thread is to discuss why illicit use is synonemous with ADHD. The question is, are ADHD people attracted to METH because it’s an aid for undiagnosed ADHDer’s??
Hi Greg,
not every meth user will turn out looking like that, but she’s not the only one that does, it’s part of a series of before and after photos of other people who used meth.
I’d argue that they do, meth is a stimulant, Adults with ADHD are treated with prescription stimulants which are safer than meth and aren’t made using ingredients like drano etc. Many meth addicts are using meth to self medicate. Because society can’t/won’t be bothered to make ADHD diagnosis and treatment more of a priority. Their cost of ignoring people with ADHD is higher taxes, higher crime, property loss, death, injury etc.
Greg/All I’m a recovering addict(21 years clean) I see the effects of meth every week and it’s true that not all methheads turn out like theresa, but many do, it depends how far their addiction has progressed.
I’ve seen this image many times before but did not know until tonight that this woman is a person I knew in high School. I broke down when I found out who she is…I KNEW HER! Theresa was such a fun person! Zany, funny! This is such a shame.
Within each drug’s given user population, there will be addicts that are higher functioning than others, and you might never know they were users or even addicts. Also, just because some of the meth is made cheaply with household cleaning products does not mean it all is.
We need to realize that the crime associated with most drugs is a direct result of their illegality – prices are high because of the black market, so those addicts with tight funds feel compelled to steal in order to pay for the drug that helps them function physiologically, mentally, emotionally, etc.
The answers are rarely simple…
I have actually known few people addicted to meth ( most are sober and clean now ) but it does screw with your thinking, the way you look, act, etc…. It is one of the worst drug addictions ever, not to say crack or herion are not. My older sister was actually addicted, and lost custody of her newborn son, did rehab and did get him back at age 1, only to lose him again when she had a relapse, ( i ended up adopting him ) and tho she is sober, her mind is messed up from the drug use. Yes, not all meth addicts turn up looking like Theresa, but alot do.