Teen Meth Use

By Leslie Davis

Meth use by teens may have dropped significantly in recent years, but that doesn’t mean use of the drug by the teenage population is no longer a concern.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA’s) 2009 Monitoring the Future survey, the number of high school seniors reporting they used methamphetamines in the past year was 1.2 percent, the lowest since 1999, when it was 4.7 percent. The number of 10th graders reporting that crystal meth was easy to obtain decreased from 19.5 percent in 2004 to 14 percent in 2009.

“We are encouraged by the reduction of methamphetamine use, but we know that each new generation of teens brings unique prevention and education challenges,” said National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins M.D., Ph.D.

That means it’s still important to teach teens about the risks of meth use and work to prevent them from developing a dangerous drug addiction to meth.

What Is Meth?

Methamphetamine, also known as meth or speed, is a stimulant that can be smoked, snorted or injected. Meth is easy to acquire and is relatively inexpensive, making it a drug of choice for many teens who are addicted to drugs.

Part of the reason that meth is so accessible is that it can be produced using legal and readily available ingredients with recipes found on the Internet. New ways to produce meth have become prevalent online, featuring simpler formulas and more streamlined processes that may make the drug more accessible to teens.

No matter which version of meth is used, the drug can have serious and harmful effects. Use of meth can result in the following:

Lowered inhibitions
Decreased appetite
Rapid heart rate and irregular heartbeat
Feelings of invincibility
Increased blood pressure
Sensations of euphoria
Increased wakefulness
Heightened sexual experiences
Hyperactivity

Long-term use of meth can result in extreme weight loss, severe dental problems, violent behavior, anxiety and insomnia. According to NIDA, chronic meth users can exhibit psychotic behaviors, including paranoia, hallucinations and delusions.

Teens at Risk for Meth Abuse

While meth use is a concern among the high school population in general, a 2008 study determined certain risk factors associated with meth use.

The study, published in the journal BMC Pediatrics, listed risk factors for both low-risk teens (defined as teens who don’t use drugs) and high-risk teens (teens who have taken other drugs or have attended a juvenile detention center).

Teens who don’t typically use drugs are more likely to use meth if they abuse alcohol, smoke or are sexually active. “Engaging in these kinds of behaviors may be a gateway for [meth] use or vice versa,” said the study’s authors.

Teens considered at high risk for using meth are those who have grown up in an unstable family environment that included alcohol and drug use or a have family history of crime. Also at high risk are teens who have received treatment for psychiatric conditions. Among high-risk youth, being female is also a risk factor, according to the study’s authors.

Recovery from Meth a Long Process

Like an addiction to any drug, recovery can be a long process that involves re-learning how to live a life of sobriety. For meth users, it may be at least a year for them to regain their impulse control and focus.

“Recovery from meth abuse does not happen overnight,” said Ruth Salo, lead author of the 2009 study by University of California at Davis researchers, published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.

For teens, whose brains are still developing during their high school years, meth may have an even stronger impact on their brain’s normal functioning and take longer to recover from. The use of illegal drugs can negatively impact a teen’s brain development, with brain damage greatest among those teens who begin using at a younger age and continue using for longer periods of time.

Treating a Meth Addiction

Meth addictions are difficult to treat because users experience prolonged, intense cravings for the drug. But, with the help of a residential treatment center for drug addiction or other treatment program, recovery is possible.

“We used to think most, if not all, effects of meth addiction were permanent,” Salo said in a June 30, 2009 article on PsychCentral.com. “I can confidently tell patients that the longer they stay in a structured rehabilitation program and remain drug free, the more likely it is that they will recover some important brain functions.”

The 2009 study conducted by Salo supplements a 2005 study that used magnetic resonance imaging to establish there is a partial normalization of chemicals in selected areas of the brain after one year of abstinence from meth.

“Together, the studies provide strong evidence that, eventually, meth abusers in recovery may be able to make better decisions and regain the impulse control that was lost during their drug use period,” she said.

Teens do best in treatment specific to teens, and with age-appropriate therapy and true peer support groups. Teenage meth treatment needs to be intensive and long-lasting, and needs to occur on an inpatient basis, away from access to meth.

The single greatest predictor for success in teen drug treatment is extensive family support and involvement, and parents and siblings need to participate fully in all offered family counseling and educational seminars.

Teen Meth Use

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