Manic Depression and Meth

General Crystal Meth Information

Crystal methamphetamine is created from d-methamphetamine. Crystal meth is extremely addictive whether injected, snorted, smoked, or swallowed. It’s blue-white in color and looks like crystals or shiny rocks, hence the street name. The long and short term effects of this drug are deadly dangerous and while it’s a stimulant it also works hard to depress certain normal functions people use to live and can cause major depression.

The Connection between Manic Depression and Meth

Meth has numerous dangerous side effects. To learn more about all of meth’s side effects and the adverse reactions that meth addiction can cause visit freevibe. One of the more serious issues that can result from meth use is manic depression.

Meth can lead to depression in both short-term and long-term users as well as appear as a withdrawal symptom. Because of this meth can be a hard drug to quit; no one wants to fight a drug addiction and while they’re in recovery also be feeling depressed. Often with meth depression will occur.

The Brain Connection

It’s been clearly pointed out in various studies why crystal meth leads to depression. Crystal meth creates huge changes in how a brain works. There is a part of the brain called the pre-frontal cortex which regulates the amygdale an area in the lower part of the brain. The amygdale controls emotions and part of why people feel cravings. Crystal meth effects how the pre-frontal cortex does its job, so it fails to regulate the amygdale which in turn fails to control the emotions associated with cravings.

Once an individual comes down from a meth high they start to feel depressed because normally they might handle emotions with the help of the amygdale. Since the amygdale is working improperly all it does is remind them of the drug and increase the cravings someone has for meth. A few studies that spoke with meth abusers noted that this feeling for needing the drug is a crushing depression often followed by a period of manic depression – individuals on meth have reported that these two coinciding periods of depression can feel like someone is ripping them in two. Then of course the person wants to end the bad feelings so they take more meth and the cycle of manic depression and meth repeats; over and over.

Most people cannot function very long with brain imbalances such as the type crystal meth cause. Something gives and often it’s an emotional state of well-being. Manic depression that continues to cycle with depressive disorder is taxing on both emotional and physical health and may push someone to suicidal tendencies.

The Withdrawal Connection

Manic depression and meth is also common when someone is not taking crystal meth for any one reason. They may have run out or be trying to quit for instance.

A research study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggested that people who have been using for a while and then quit may have drug abnormalities like the ones seen in people with mood disorders. The study, published in the January 2004 issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, notes that brain scans of meth abusers showed a huge difference in glucose metabolism from non-abusers. The glucose, something all individuals need regulated to live physically and emotionally healthy, was lacking in areas of the brain linked to depressive disorders, depressed mood, and sadness. Glucose levels were higher than normal in the areas of the brain linked to anxiety and drug cravings.

Along with the glucose differences, the abusers also noted more feelings of depression and anxiety than non-abusers in the study.

This was a good study in that it can aid treatment programs with their goal of assisting people to stop taking meth for good. When care providers know which chemicals need to be regulated correctly in order to regulate emotional health - something can be done to make withdrawal symptoms easier on patients. There is further research needed in this area, though.

To learn more about manic depression visit Medicine Net or talk with your health care provider. To learn about how to get help for drug addiction treatment options for crystal meth abusers take a look at the following resources:

• Addiction Treatment Centers
• Drug Addiction Recovery
• How to Survive Addiction