News (Media Awareness Project) - CN BC: Crystal Meth And The Mental Health Link |
| Title: | CN BC: Crystal Meth And The Mental Health Link |
| Published On: | 2005-02-05 |
| Source: | Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-17 01:11:01 |
CRYSTAL METH AND THE MENTAL HEALTH LINK
Crystal meth users usually experience some degree of psychological
problems due to the drug.
Crystal meth-related psychosis is indistinguishable from the psychotic
symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, which is often the most troubling.
A single dose of the drug can keep the user awake for 24 hours or
more, and psychosis most commonly develops with more sustained binges
of use which often last three to eight days at a time.
Symptoms of psychosis seen with crystal meth use include paranoia,
hearing voices, disorganized thinking and a sensation as though small
insects are crawling under the skin.
After binging, the user will sleep for prolonged periods and often
awake with symptoms of confusion and psychosis, along with profound
depression leading to suicidal behaviour and potential violence.
These users are unable to take medication as prescribed such as HIV
medication, methadone or antibiotics and are certainly unable to deal
with their addiction.
After being clean of the drug for several months, about five to 15 per
cent of users developing psychosis will fail to completely recover.
It is often quite difficult to determine what came first, the drug or
the mental illness. A lot more needs to be learned about helping
people with crystal meth related psychosis.
In-patient detoxification from the drug is not available in most areas
and detoxification centres are not able to cope with people who are
dangerously psychotic.
In addition, seven-day stay in detox centre, or a 28 day treatment
centre, are designed for those with cocaine and heroin addiction and
are inadequate to deal with the long-term side effects of crystal meth
dependency.
Research shows that by treating patients early, there may be some
benefits in preventing the development of long-term psychosis and
schizophrenia.
Crystal meth is a dangerous stimulant drug and the initial studies
show link between mental illness and using crystal meth.
* RCMP Const. Beth Blackburn is the drug awareness coordinator for
central Vancouver Island.
Crystal meth users usually experience some degree of psychological
problems due to the drug.
Crystal meth-related psychosis is indistinguishable from the psychotic
symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, which is often the most troubling.
A single dose of the drug can keep the user awake for 24 hours or
more, and psychosis most commonly develops with more sustained binges
of use which often last three to eight days at a time.
Symptoms of psychosis seen with crystal meth use include paranoia,
hearing voices, disorganized thinking and a sensation as though small
insects are crawling under the skin.
After binging, the user will sleep for prolonged periods and often
awake with symptoms of confusion and psychosis, along with profound
depression leading to suicidal behaviour and potential violence.
These users are unable to take medication as prescribed such as HIV
medication, methadone or antibiotics and are certainly unable to deal
with their addiction.
After being clean of the drug for several months, about five to 15 per
cent of users developing psychosis will fail to completely recover.
It is often quite difficult to determine what came first, the drug or
the mental illness. A lot more needs to be learned about helping
people with crystal meth related psychosis.
In-patient detoxification from the drug is not available in most areas
and detoxification centres are not able to cope with people who are
dangerously psychotic.
In addition, seven-day stay in detox centre, or a 28 day treatment
centre, are designed for those with cocaine and heroin addiction and
are inadequate to deal with the long-term side effects of crystal meth
dependency.
Research shows that by treating patients early, there may be some
benefits in preventing the development of long-term psychosis and
schizophrenia.
Crystal meth is a dangerous stimulant drug and the initial studies
show link between mental illness and using crystal meth.
* RCMP Const. Beth Blackburn is the drug awareness coordinator for
central Vancouver Island.
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