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Teen Meth Addiction

Teen meth addiction currently has an ironclad grip on many adolescents that reside in suburbs and inner cities across the U.S. The reason for this is likely because many teenagers will often become troubled as they begin to struggle with the emotional baggage that is so commonly associated with puberty. Sometimes these adolescent's who are feeling stressed or depressed will begin to experiment with meth in order to escape from reality. Unfortunately, because meth is so incredibly addictive, even adolescents that are casual users of this stimulant may be at a very high risk for developing a teen meth addiction problem. As a matter of fact, there are very few drugs that can derail an adolescent's promising future quicker than meth.

Teen meth addiction has become commonplace in many areas that are located across the United States; according to reports from substance abuse counselors at many quality drug treatment centers ,teenagers that are attending rehab for an addiction to the drug, have reported that using methamphetamine often made them feel like they were invincible. Many female teens will initially become attracted to meth because they have an intense desire to lose weight, so that they can feel more attractive; other teenagers have reported that they have taken it so that they were able to stay awake all night in order to party or to study during finals. The different ways that teenagers are able to obtain meth varies; oftentimes, they have reported that schoolmates, friends, or relatives have introduced them to the toxic and potentially deadly stimulant.

According to some of the most current government research that is related to teen meth addiction, use of this powerful stimulant has been reported to be one of the fastest growing addictions in America; additionally, these same studies have indicated that the only drug that is used more than meth by American teens is marijuana.

Teen meth addiction not only puts an adolescent at risk for becoming dependent on the toxic drug, but can also cause a great number of damaging side effects, which may include: an increased risk of a potential heart attack and the incidence of a stroke in otherwise healthy teenagers. Unfortunately, many recently conducted studies that are related to teen meth addiction have concluded that some of the cognitive damage in the brain that has been directly linked to the use of the drug could, in many instances, are irreversible. The chronic use of meth has often been reported to cause inflammation in the lining to the heart; additionally, the episodes of psychosis in teens that have reported the regular use of this toxic stimulant will often persist for up to many years after the teenager has stopped using the drug. All of the potential side effects of teen meth addiction are too numerous to list, but some of the most significant long term effects of meth use are listed below:

• Teen meth addiction could potentially cause damage to the nerve cells in the brain that regulate serotonin.
• Teens who inject meth are commonly at a much greater risk of developing HIV and hepatitis
• Teen meth addiction can cause a loss in the brain cells that help to transport dopamine; thus, making it extremely difficult for the adolescent to experience pleasure in the absence of the drug.
• Teen meth addiction can cause sores to be located all over the face and the body. These will develop when a meth user begins scratching in response to hallucinations that will often make them believe that there are bugs under their skin; it is at this point that a meth user will begin to scratch compulsively at these imaginary bugs, often causing bleeding and scabbing.
• Teen meth addiction can cause a condition that is often referred to a "meth mouth", which is commonly characterized by severe tooth and gum disease.
• Meth use can cause a teen to begin to exhibit erratic and violent behavior.
• Teen meth addiction can cause an otherwise trusting adolescent to begin to live in a constant state of paranoia.

Because teen meth addiction has been reported to not only be highly destructive, but could potentially be deadly, parents must become acutely aware of all of the different signs and symptoms of meth use; this feat can be accomplished through meth awareness education. Listed below are some of the most common signs that are related to teen meth addiction:

• Highly unusual sleeping patterns; teens who are using meth will often not be able to sleep for days, and then will crash for a day or two. A common sign of teen meth addiction is when an adolescent has not slept for a couple of nights still appear to be energized and alert.
• A common sign of teen meth addiction is when an adolescent exhibits a number of nervous tics and behaviors, which may include constant scratching or twitching.
• An obvious visual sign of teen meth addiction is when an adolescent's fingers or lips often appear to be burned; this can occur as a result of smoking the drug, when a meth pipe becomes too hot.
• A potential sign of teen meth addiction is when a generally laid back adolescent suddenly begins to become aggressive and violent.
• The most common hallmark of a teen meth addiction problem is generally related to family members missing money and valuables in the home; as an adolescent's addiction to meth begins to escalate, their addiction can become very expensive.

The bottom line is that teen meth addiction will eventually begin to destroy an adolescent's mind, body and soul, quicker than any other type of drug that is reported to be abused by teens; unfortunately, according to a recently conducted government study that was titled "The Meth Project", one-third of all of the teens reported that they believed that there is a minimal or nonexistent risk in using meth up to several times and approximately 25% of these same teens reported that they believe that there are positive benefits that can be derived from meth use. Many government experts in the field of addiction believe that this particular survey highlights the dire need for public education in relation to teen meth addiction.