Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine, often called crystal meth or speed, belongs to a family of drugs called amphetamines—powerful, addictive stimulants that speed up the body’s central nervous system. Methamphetamine is not legally available in Canada.

Immediately after smoking methamphetamine or injecting it into a vein, the user experiences an intense surge of euphoria. Snorting methamphetamine produces the effect within three to five minutes; swallowing in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Methamphetamine often makes people feel alert and confident. They feel little need for food or sleep. On the other hand, users are also likely to experience many unwanted effects of the drug, including a racing heart, chest pain, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Many report an anxious, wired sense of restlessness and irritability. 

The negative effects of methamphetamine can be extreme and alarming, including paranoid delusions, hallucinations, psychosis, aggressive behaviour and impulsive violence. Injecting methamphetamine through a contaminated needle also increases the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS/hepatitis.

The word psychosis is used to describe a condition in which people have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not. When this occurs, it is called a psychotic episode. The first episode is often very confusing and distressing.

About three out of every 100 people will experience an episode of psychosis in their lifetime. Psychosis affects men and women equally and occurs across all cultures and socioeconomic groups. Psychosis usually first appears in a person’s late teens or early twenties.

Tolerance to the effects of methamphetamine builds up quickly in regular users, meaning they need more and more of the drug to achieve the desired effect. When addicted users stop taking methamphetamine, they have strong cravings for the drug and within a few days experience withdrawal symptoms, including stomach pain, hunger, headaches, shortness of breath, tiredness and depression. 

If methamphetamine is used regularly over a long period of time, people can develop amphetamine psychosis. Symptoms of psychosis often include:

• delusions (false beliefs that are firmly held and out of keeping with the person’s culture)
• hallucinations (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling or feeling something that is not actually there)
• disorganized speech or behaviour (switching rapidly between subjects in speaking, finding it hard to concentrate or follow a conversation, unable to complete everyday tasks)
• restricted emotional and facial expression
• restricted speech and verbal fluency
• reduced ability to begin tasks
• reduced socialization and motivation