Speed
From Drug Rehab Wiki
"Speed" is a slang word that most often refers to "methamphetamine," although it is also a loose term for any illegal stimulant sold on the street.
"Speed" or methamphetamine is a stronger version of amphetamines, a stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system. It used to be available over-the-counter as a diet aid or cold medicine, but it was so widely abused that it became a Schedule 2 drug in 1970. This means that the FDA has determined that while methamphetamine has some legitimate medical purposes, it is so highly addictive and has so much potential for abuse that it must be strictly regulated. The penalties for possessing, selling and making methamphetamine are among the most severe.
Speed has the effect of increasing energy and alertness. Many people feel very powerful and euphoric when they use it, and may appear happy and overly talkative. Side effects can be dry mouth, picking at imaginary bugs or lint, irritability, diarrhea, blurred vision, dizziness, twitching, insomnia, tremors, dry skin, pallor, and hypertension. People with heart conditions have died suddenly when they first tried methamphetamine because it speeds up the heart and blood pressure. Other dangerous side effects can be stroke, coma, seizures, convulsions, psychosis and paranoia. Long-term use can lead to starvation, impairment of memory and cognitive abilities, and "meth mouth," a condition in which you lose your teeth, . Using meth can cause people to take extreme chances and have poor judgment, so addicts often die in accidents or by violence.
Overdoses are common because meth is so widely abused. Symptoms may be convulsions, depression, tremors, rapid breathing and then coma and death. Those who survive meth overdoses often develop kidney failure.
It is not that hard or expensive to make methamphetamine from common household items available in hardware stores, and from cold medications sold in drug stores. A few years ago, the government began making people sign for cold medications and only allowing them to buy it in small quantities. Abusers came up with a new strategy, the "shake and bake recipe," in which you manufacture meth in small batches.
The symptoms experienced during withdrawal from methamphetamine are not as severe as those from narcotic withdrawal, however, it can be harder to withdraw psychologically. Physical withdrawal symptoms last two to four days and include insomnia, sadness, irritability, and moodiness. Depending on how long and in what amounts they abused meth, users experience a psychological "crash" when they stop, which can include severe sadness, lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, irritability, and tiredness. Abusing this drug over-stimulates the reward system of the brain, and can lead to a permanent inability to feel normal pleasure. Most meth addicts need professional help, such as psychotherapy, residential treatment, and support meetings, to remain completely recovered.
