Experiences - Meth isn't that bad - nor addictive

[Lasha-Giorgi M.D]

Although swim has never tried meth (and is not going to) considering all the literature he has read about the drug he thinks it must be quiet addictive and dangerous. to look at the drug from pure biochemical side swim will find out that it must be addictive as meth causes high dopamine activity in synaptic gap and after the effects weirs off not much of dopamine is left, so these might become the reason of that bad comedown that other swims describe. with everyday use to say in a simple way the body will become addicted to that high dopamine levels and the normal level brain can produce(12 times less than on meth) will be very little which will for sure cause depression and need of more meth consumption and that need will be very big in swims opinion. To sum up using meth several times is dangerous in swims opinion.
Let me give you some statistics:
When man is eating 50% of dopamine is realized in synaptic gap.
When having sex 100% of dopamine is realized in synaptic gap.
When on cocaine 350% of dopamine is realized in synaptic gap.
When on meth 1200% of dopamine is realized in synaptic gap.
her is a web page swims might find interesting: ---notevenonce dot com--- there are some good videos about how meth works

Reputation Comments on this post:

excellent pos and stats--the percentages make it sso clear, nice job

[riaahacker]

Addiction depends on many factors, swim has used amphetamines and he doesn't have much of a liking for them so he uses them rarely without problem. If someone has a mental disorder like depression for example it will increase their chances of self-medicating with an euphoriant like methamphetamine. Depening on someone's socio-economic standing the person might have more of a chance of becoming addicted. Some have addictive personalities and pick up habits very easily. Potential for addiction may also have a genetic factor. Swim believes that amphetamines are not inherently dangerous but when done too much like alcohol they can become addictive and damaging, so practice moderation and one should be fine

[enquirewithin]

Originally Posted by riaahacker

Addiction depends on many factors, swim has used amphetamines and he doesn't have much of a liking for them so he uses them rarely without problem. If someone has a mental disorder like depression for example it will increase their chances of self-medicating with an euphoriant like methamphetamine. Depening on someone's socio-economic standing the person might have more of a chance of becoming addicted. Some have addictive personalities and pick up habits very easily. Potential for addiction may also have a genetic factor. Swim believes that amphetamines are not inherently dangerous but when done too much like alcohol they can become addictive and damaging, so practice moderation and one should be fine

Some just love the euphoria and mental stimulation it produces! But the side effects.....

[BumpBump]

swim has seen all the videos etc published about meth... and wonders if it is realy that bad or just has alot of bad publicity like Ecstacy does in the uk?
Are them scabby people in the videos real?

[riaahacker]

sure the people are real, the lifestyle of addiction can really wreck havoc on an individual. The good news is that this is only a minority of users who couldn't control themselves. They use the pictures to demonize the usage of the drug while not showing any real facts or what the majority of the users look like.

[Ilsa]

addiction potential is a function several things, two of the most important of these things are: 1. drugs with rapid onset, like meth when smoked or taken intravenously, produce a rush that is.... 2. intensely pleasurable. so much so that users neglect food, sleep and other essential functions. like rats administered cocaine at the push of a lever, addicts are solely focused on the drug. rapid onset and high intensity both drastically increase addiction potential. many addicts start out as occasional, fully functioning users....then once a month becomes every other week, and then every few days....you get the idea. it's not impossible to use and not become addicted, it just requires a significant level of brutal self-honesty, self-awareness, and discipline.

for swim, the risk-benefit analysis simply doesn't play out in meth's favor. she's never done it, and doesnt ever plan to. she's seen many friends go down that road (she just happened to have chosen another, equally maddening path, ) and doesn't feel tempted to follow.

[footscrazy]

SWIM's smoked meth a few times now

SWIM doesnt feel its that addictive either. SWIM has been smoking it for about a year now. SWIM can count the number of times he has smoked.

Uh These meth smokers obviously aren't very experienced then are they and aren't qualified to make statements such as 'Meth isn't that bad - nor addictive'.

These statements suggest these users may be especially susceptible to the insidious nature of meth addiction.

swim used meth for 5 years, including a year of abstinence before experiencing REAL meth cravings - not just 'wanting' it like swiyou has described.

[ex-junkie]

swim thinks its sad that people actually believe that they are invincible to addictions themselves. in a way, its like saying, oh but im not so stupid to get addicted, like millions of other people in the world.

so what makes people like you so special we wonder???

addiction is like thrush people. it wont affect swiy until the conditions are right. lovely reference there i know lulz.

maybe the people who dont get hooked, just dont have the quality, availability, opportunity, etc. if thats the case, consider yourself lucky and back the truck up.

on the flipside, swiy wouldnt be doing too well if suddenly a family member died, or they started dating a dealer, or their cousin baked, etc... cause thats when shit gets tough. there are a lot of external factors other than just the drug itself that cater towards a serious problem.

bah... ignorance... who is swim kidding.

swiy IS invincible, go for your life sweetheart.

[Ilsa]

maybe the OP should start a poll on this....i for one think it would help clarify general opinion on the addiction potential and possible dangers of meth...

[waffen]

Alot of peoples say :Oh iw been taking (something) for long time but im not addicted or something like that .
Swims thinks that alot of people don't understand how addiction is working.They don't realize that some of them are addicted .To recognize the addiction u must know what is the addiction ..Don't be such a fools and think that others become addicted and you will not .
Good luck and be safe .

Reputation Comments on this post:

good advice

[SmokeRings]

SWIM thinks maybe she came off as preachy, and she apologizes if that is the case!

SWIM is definitely addicted to marijuanna and has been addicted to alcohol in the past. SWIM is no fool in thinking that meth can't take over too. SWIM is fully aware of her addictions and freely admits them.

SWIMs real point is that she has known people who lead normal lives and are what you all you would consider "casual" users all the way to daily users, whom most would stereotype by living in trailers, cooking meth, basically the "don't do drugs" mugshot pics. SWIM feels that certain people can put it down, herself included.

SWIM by no means thinks that everyone can, that would be completely ignorant! SWIM is just lucky that meth for her, is only recreational, and it can be, with the right type of person/personality SWIM thinks. The right people meaning someone like herself, who has some sort of apparently body chemistry (this obviously is theory, SWIM is not a doctor) that might lend to her not partaking of it as she does with MJ, as she smokes it daily, she would only be lying to herself if she didn't think she was addicted to MJ.

SWIM does indeed consider herself lucky with regards to meth. SWIM also knows that her addictions tend to lean towards downers like MJ, alcohol, pills. SWIM likes to sleep, always has and is sure that is a factor as well. SWIM lives with bipolar disorder, the downers cater to the depressive side while the manic side obviously enjoys the meth. Lucky for SWIM, her manic side is sporatic at best, just as her use of meth is.

SWIM also knows plenty of people who are just the opposite, who use meth or some form of upper daily and function, go to work, etc. SWIM has also known plenty of people who have died, are living in squallor, been to rehab multiple times, she knows what it can do. She has also seen the same issues with people addicted to MJ, alcohol, etc, both sides of the spectrum on most drugs. SWIM could go without drinking alcohol for the rest of her life, but know people who couldn't imagine a day without. While people SWIM knows think it's bad she smokes MJ every day. Alcohol unfortunately gets a big hall pass, because it's legal.

SWIM just thinks that it is a "to each his own" and that people should think about that before judging one users drug of choice versus their own. To SWIM, it's just like Religions or Politics. SWIM believes that everyone has a right to side with whatever they wish, but should not persecute those for not choosing the same thing.

SWIM is Agnostic, which basically means "she doesn't know" and has family that are Catholics and Southern Baptists and talks to them about how she gets pressured to pick if and when she decides there is a god. Not just with them, but in daily life (she's in the Bible Belt, a church on every corner). When the subject gets brought up, SWIM is not ashamed to tell people, but SWIM hates "the look" from religious folks who can't even fathom questioning their religion.

SWIM used to think she was a Democrat, but as she gets older, finds that she now agrees with certain Republican views. SWIM gets crap from friends she's known for 20 years over this and finds it silly. She doesn't think she should have to pick, nor does she base her friendships/relationships based on Political Affiliation.

Same to be said for drugs.

Did SWIMs point come across better this time? SWIM sure hopes so!

[dr. swim]

Oh, and SWIM is addicted to masturbation, because she is without a partner, and doesn't know of anyone who smokes it, and she wants to spend an entire weekend holed up smoking and fucking, smoking and fucking. Ok, gotta sign off now, I'm only aggitating myself thinking about my piss-poor non-existant sex life! hahaha Thank god for sex toys! lololol

Really. So, uh...any chance "she" happens to live near Orlando? lol don't answer that...

But yeah SWIY's definitely got the right idea using downers. SWIM always finds it easiest to keep his drug use under control with...more drugs. But softer ones...kratom, marijuana, stuff like that...green tea...

[100mg Methylphenidate]

Swim can't see himself getting over amphetamine addiction anytime soon. In fact, he finds himself constantly trying to do random things to get money to get speed. He WANTS to have a speed addiction. He wants to do that shit every single day. He doesn't feel right without it. Yet, he can live without opiates, benzos, alcohol, cigarettes, and weed and get over them eventually. He can go months without amphetamines and still crave them badly.

[ex-junkie]

Originally Posted by 100mg Methylphenidate

Swim can't see himself getting over amphetamine addiction anytime soon. In fact, he finds himself constantly trying to do random things to get money to get speed. He WANTS to have a speed addiction. He wants to do that shit every single day. He doesn't feel right without it. Yet, he can live without opiates, benzos, alcohol, cigarettes, and weed and get over them eventually. He can go months without amphetamines and still crave them badly.

swim is still still craving methamphetamines 16 months or so down the track.


swiy can rid yourself of the need, but the want factor will remain for a while. sucks donkeys balls.

[smax123084]

let me tell you 1 thing...METH IS ADDICTIVE!!! i started doing it only once a week, then it progressed until I was dating the dope dealer 15 years older than me and smoking/snorting 24/7. I ended up losing ALOT of relationships and started to hate myself. All my "friends" were losers that only cared about dope. I look back on that time in my life and can't believe how much that drug changed me. Be careful...

[Grabnar]

swim likes to sleep too much to get habitual on this stuff , it is great for the sex tho , never more explosive orgasm, never actually payed for this stuff but enough swimmers dreamin it up to go around for little to nothing in this locale

[NudieLova]

The addiction does indeed slowly creep up on you. SWIY's main addiction is the pipe. The cleaning and wanting to see it always full...which obviously leads back to addiction to the drug itself

[Dr.Evil]

Meth is terribly addictive and extremely harmful to anyone who does it. Lasha-Giorgi M.D knows what they are talking about! Before the current research being ran in the lab I work in, they were doing studies on psychostimulants (mainly meth and cociane with various other experimental drugs).....the data clearly showed that (in animal models) Meth is neurotoxic......there were long-lasting reductions in DA content, tyrosine hydroxylase (enzyme that catalyze's the rate-limiting step of DA synthesis), and the Dopamine transporter in the striatum. Imaging studies in humans also, suggest that Meth users are literally killing off there DA neurons, and reducing there density of the Dopamine transporter.

DA plays a vital role in the reinforcing qualities (what makes something addictive) of any drug, and when you have these insane amounts of dopamine being released in your brain from meth.....it doesn't need to produce its own anymore. The brain self-regulates itself, and starts to shut down DA production......In a nutshell this is the biological basis of addiction

But, addiction has so many factors from novel stimuli associated with the drug (it has been shown that you show a meth user a pipe/herion user a needle, etc... they will have a rush of DA release in their brains, because the mind associates that stimulus with the incoming drug----think Pavlov's dogs) all the way to genetic factors. When it comes down to it Meth is addictive (generally) but addiction itself is so complex that people don't really know 100% what completely goes into it.

[OtherIsomer]

Originally Posted by Dr.Evil

Meth is terribly addictive and extremely harmful to anyone who does it. Lasha-Giorgi M.D knows what they are talking about! Before the current research being ran in the lab I work in, they were doing studies on psychostimulants (mainly meth and cociane with various other experimental drugs).....the data clearly showed that (in animal models) Meth is neurotoxic......there were long-lasting reductions in DA content, tyrosine hydroxylase (enzyme that catalyze's the rate-limiting step of DA synthesis), and the Dopamine transporter in the striatum. Imaging studies in humans also, suggest that Meth users are literally killing off there DA neurons, and reducing there density of the Dopamine transporter.

DA plays a vital role in the reinforcing qualities (what makes something addictive) of any drug, and when you have these insane amounts of dopamine being released in your brain from meth.....it doesn't need to produce its own anymore. The brain self-regulates itself, and starts to shut down DA production......In a nutshell this is the biological basis of addiction

But, addiction has so many factors from novel stimuli associated with the drug (it has been shown that you show a meth user a pipe/herion user a needle, etc... they will have a rush of DA release in their brains, because the mind associates that stimulus with the incoming drug----think Pavlov's dogs) all the way to genetic factors. When it comes down to it Meth is addictive (generally) but addiction itself is so complex that people don't really know 100% what completely goes into it.

Is it then correct to assume that casual use would produce less degenerative results? Or would each use cause a specific amount of damage, that in eventuall addition would result in the same decreased production of dopamine?

[Dr.Evil]

That is what I would assume, and it is the case with any type of drug you take..the less you use it the less it changes your body chemistry.

But, I am not positive in terms of Meth....some studies have suggested that any use at all (at high doses) causes neurotoxicity and dopaminergic neuron death. This is why its such a dangerous drug, normally over exposure of drugs will cause slight neurochemistry changes (less receptors produced, less DA, etc..)....but will not cause neuron death.

They believe that because it increases DA levels so dramatically (~1200%) and raises your body temp....it can cause DA neuron death with any use. The high levels of DA cause a buildup of reactive oxygen species(hydrogen peroxide) from its break down which is also believed to contribute to it's neurotoxicity.

So to answer your question they don't really know. The less its done the less degeneration you might have, but you can't replace brain cells.....yet

-happy swimming

Reputation Comments on this post:

An informative answer.

[OtherIsomer]

Very interesting.
Swims pet wookie thanks swidrevil.

[humdroid]

meth isnt available in Y's country, but y got addicted to strong speed.
looking back, Y guesses Y should have asked the question, "How would he feel if he could not get speed?"
Y didnt do speed everyday, he could not handle daily use of that shit.
Even though he had more days off it than on, he did do it a few times a week, at least once a week, usually twice, or more.
Y stopped when supply dried up, he was not really ready to stop.
He has only been off it just over three months, but supply was drying up about a year previous, so he had many breaks the year before.


bottom line, ask swiy'self, how he would feel, should speed be taken away totally, his answer will reveal itself. This will be guidance to avoid addiction.

[riaahacker]

I'm very aware that methamphetamine is dopaminergic neurotoxin, but I wonder if these changes are reversible or if they can be prevented. If dopamine is being metabolized into free radicals antioxidants should be able to reduce or prevent methamphetamine induced neurotoxcity.

This is very interesting:

Dopaminergic changes were studied in the caudate nucleus of adult female mice after pre- and post-treatment with an antioxidant, selenium, 72 h after the multiple injections of methamphetamine (METH, 4×10 mg/kg, i.p. at 2-h interval) or an equivalent volume of saline. Selenium treatment prevented the depletion of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in caudate nucleus resulting from the METH treatment. These data suggest that METH-induced neurotoxicity is mediated by free radical and selenium plays a protective role against METH-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity.

While this may prevent neurotoxicity to dopaminergic neurons, this will not stop receptor-downregulation. An NMDA antagonist might be able to help to slow or stop the development of tolerance which seems better health wise and money wise for any user of meth, i'm very interested to see if there are anyways to reduce the damage or risks involved in meth use.

[lovelyuy]

Every drug got its good & bad. Example if compare meth with benzo, benzo is definitely more addictive than meth but if compare for bad side effect, those who had serious addiction on meth after continue doing a year or more, they will suffer personality change, mood disorder, depression etc. Even after quitting, the damage had already done to the brain like laspe of short memory, couldn't focus and concentrate on work etc.

For those who like to get high on drug, no matter taking what kind of drug, best advise is to try doing it once a month. Not only can save $ & have extra cash to do some shopping & spending more time with your love ones rather than spend away all the salary & time on drug. Swim had seen many drug addicts that couldn't afford of their dialy usage on drug in the end all end up in prison due to drug smuggling.

Doing drug is fun but addictive must be avoid AT ALL COST!

[east_of_eden]

meth is extremely addictive. if swiy has only used a few times here and there then swiy isn't in a position to know the true effects meth can have on a person.

swim was an IV user for years and became hopelessly suicidal towards the end, her mind was unravelling, she was hallucinating sights and sounds constantly, she felt completely alone and 100% screwed.

^^ and that's just the mental part and btw, swim's done basically every drug and no other drug has done that to her.

now, the physical part ... after going on 5 day binges then crashing and sleeping for two days straight, she would physically not be able to get up without doing another shot. Her body had no natural energy left.

At one point during her meth use she tried to go to college and she would literally space out during class to the point where her eyes couldn't focus on anything and then she would drop her pen (when taking notes) and that would bring her back around for a few seconds, then she would do it again .... how embarrassing!

it can be an amazing drug, but please don't think it's not addictive.