CRYSTAL METH

As part of an ongoing series discussing the effects of crystal meth
on our communities, we'll take a look at why people turn to meth as a
drug of choice and discuss with active users and family members the
devastating physical and social consequences of its use. For reasons
of confidentiality, names have either been omitted or changed to
protect the individual's identity. Some of the people that I spoke
with talked about the shame associated with their addiction and the
familial upheaval caused by the drug dependency.

In reiterating some of the facts about crystal meth, what makes the
drug attractive is its affordability (a few dollars will keep you
high for an extended period of time), and its availability (it is
plentiful and readily accessible). Initially it gives the user a
feeling of euphoria and makes the person alert, it suppresses hunger
and heightens sexual arousal. As for the latter point, initially this
drug increases a person's sex drive, but warps people's judgements
thereby resulting in partaking in risky behaviours. It is not hard to
draw a correlation between increased outbreaks of STD's, not to
mention HIV and Hep C infection rates rising drastically. It has also
been associated with the 'club scene' and raves, and apart from
enhancing sexual experiences it reduces inhibitions. Ironically,
impotence is a common side effect of prolonged meth use. "Crystal
meth's ability to keep users awake and feeling good for long periods
of time has made it a popular drug in the dance club scene and
parties," reports the Canadian Aids Society. Unfortunately once the
high is diminished and users crash, they are flooded with extreme
feelings of depression and a sense of hopelessness, and paranoid and
delusional thoughts. These feelings are exacerbated because of the
sleep deprivation incurred during days or even a week of staying
'up.' It is not unusual for users to display bizarre and/or violent
behaviours and be affected in such a way as to mimic the symptoms of
paranoid schizophrenia.

Frighteningly, large numbers of youth in rural and small towns use
crystal meth as a means to connect with their peers and alleviate the
boredom or the isolation felt because of their geographical locale.

Even more sinister is the fact that marijuana is now being laced with
meth, as is ecstasy, and kids who may be experimenting with other
drugs are unwittingly placing themselves at risk of becoming dependent.

And in larger centres where affordable housing is an issue and
shelters are overflowing (we need only look as far as Nanaimo and
Victoria) and the number of homeless individuals increases, spending
$3, $4 or $5 to keep yourself awake and alert, can be a fairly
attractive option to sleeping in a doorway or under a bush, and
risking losing all of your belongings to theft or confiscation by
authorities. For others who are escaping abuse issues within the home
or suffering from a mental illness, self-medicating with this drug
seems to be a reasonable choice. Unfortunately it quickly takes its
toll on the individual and permanently damages the brain; its effects
on the central nervous system and vital organs can ultimately cause death.

A conversation with a mother of three children revealed these
heartbreaking facts: "I don't even know who my son is anymore.

I used to know him as this caring, loving individual, but now he has
done permanent damage to himself.

We have tried as a family to provide supports, he has stolen from us,
the ties have been severed between him and our two daughters and the
whole situation is killing me and him. The addiction is vicious; we
were so proud of him when he managed to stay clean for a period of
time and hold down a well paying job, but then the cycle of using
began again. We are still trying to help him, and have accessed
services available to addicts, but he continues to fall prey to this
dependency and each day our grief mounts."

Another conversation with the parents of a young girl who is in the
recovery process offered the following thoughts: "For parents, one of
the most difficult things is discovering that your kids have not been
honest with you. They are your children and you want to trust them,
but after a while you don't know what to believe anymore. Because our
child was bubbly and outgoing to begin with, we didn't read the signs.

She had returned from another community and was staying with us when
we discovered the paraphernalia while doing laundry and we were
devastated. When she finally made the commitment to detox, it was a
difficult process because of the limited availability for this, and
for treatment.

She was also in a relationship and it is very difficult to stay clean
if your friend or partner is using, and even more difficult to access
detox programs as a couple.

During her period of drug use her physical health became compromised
as well and she had to have heart ablation therapy performed, most
likely as a result of the drug use. For us and other parents it
boiled down to not knowing what signs to look for to determine
whether your child was using or not. It's so important to keep
talking and communicating with your kids even though this can be
challenging. We need to talk more about this problem, but we don't
because of the shame attached to it, so we isolate ourselves and we
can't do that. We need to speak to other parents, to be involved in
support groups, to voice our concerns and keep our children safe and
healthy." Through hard work and commitment and continuing to attend
programs through Alcohol and Drug Services, this individual now has
six months clean time in.

The following are a few quotes from active users:

"I use it to get high and feel the freedom and be creative. I thought
I could handle it but I can't." ~ Dale

"My friends are doing it, I can stay up and it makes me feel good,
but when I crash everything goes black, so I use again." ~ Maria

"I feel powerful." ~ Chris

Next week's article will wrap up this series which has taken a look
at the effects of crystal meth on our communities. In the interim
another web site that warrants looking at is: www.mappsd.org. On the
right hand side of the page, click on photo galleries - again these
images are visually disturbing, but invaluable to our awareness of
the effects of this drug.

Meth is rarely used in isolation from other harmful substances

Initial perceived benefits are quickly replaced by anxiety, paranoia,
and dysfunction

Long-term use poses serious health risks, and can lead to dependence

Meth is a growing concern, but with help, individuals can recover
full, happy lives