Drugs have a negative impact on one’s mind, body, and health. From accepted to taboo, from legal to illegal, from psychedelics to opiates, drugs of all kinds hurt the user and, potentially, those around them.
One of the most devastating drugs on the body is crystal meth. Crystal meth is a drug resembling glass that is usually consumed via burning and inhaling. Crystal meth has myriad negative physical effects. Visually, crystal meth has devastating effects on one’s appearance. Even the most naturally beautiful, most fashionable of individuals cannot survive the ravaging effects crystal meth has on one’s aesthetic. Meth destroys your teeth. 'Meth mouth' is the destruction of enamel, severe tooth decay, tooth loss, tooth fracture, and acid erosion. Aesthetically, some can pull off a gap-tooth look; Michael Strahan and the Dutchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, come to mind. But meth mouth is a different animal. People suffering from methamphetamine addiction have visibly rotten and yellowed teeth, missing teeth, and often black gums. Crystal meth use also has the side effect of appetite suppression, resulting in extreme and unhealthy weight loss. Often this is so severe that muscles completely deteriorate and bones are clearly visible even in normally fatty areas of the body. Additional side effects include changes in sleeping patterns, severe mood swings, unpredictable behavior, tremors or convulsions, hyperthermia, elevated blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and irregular heart rhythm. If someone continues to use meth for a prolonged period of time, they may experience a set of symptoms that are categorized as 'tweaking'. Tweaking is a time of intense craving and despair. Their tolerance is too advanced for meth to have an effect anymore. Psychotic symptoms begin to present themselves. Delusions, hallucinations, and distortions of reality are common. If the addict does not die of an overdose before he or she gets sober, they will go into an intense withdrawal period. Because of the prolonged insomnia and lack of food, it is common for recovering addicts to sleep for days after their last hit. After this crash, comes a period where the person dependent on crystal meth may be hungry, thirsty, and fatigued due to the effects of the substance. This period can last up to two weeks and is often accompanied by severe depression. It is of note that a similar set of conditions can affect people who abuse other, less severe stimulants, such as amphetamines, cocaine, and prescription ADHD medications.
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Psychedelic drugs are usually less physically harmful but have to potential to cause devastating psychological and neurological effects. Lysergic acid diethylamide (more commonly known as LSD or acid), hallucinogenic mushrooms (more commonly known as 'magic mushrooms'), and dimethyltryptamine (more commonly known as DMT or as the active ingredient in ayahuasca) are the most common natural and synthetic psychedelic drugs in America. Due to their illegal nature and synthetic properties, it is not uncommon for people who try to take lysergic acid diethylamide or dimethyltryptamine to be sold, and subsequently take a 'copycat drug' instead - usually some type of research chemical not regulated with the intent of human consumption. These can be dangerous and have long-lasting impacts on one’s mental state. However, someone doesn't need to get a bad batch of drugs for them to be dangerous. They are dangerous inherently! People who do psychedelics are more likely to be mentally ill, and if the user has a bad trip, they can get post-traumatic stress disorder and experience flashbacks for years to come. Abuse can also cause permanent damage to the medial temporal lobe and the occipital lobe, the parts of the brain responsible for memory and visual processing, respectively. Anectodaly, I had a friend in high school have an intense trip on dimethyltryptamine. He had a bad dream where all of the images on the posters on his walls came to life and attacked him. Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, and the rest of the Looney Toons cast walked out of his posters liquid Terminator style. Each was armed with various sports equipment that appeared with them in the poster. Bugs Bunny with a baseball bat and barred helmet. Taz with a football and full protective equipment. Marvin the Martian with hockey equipment and an alien hockey stick. That was just one poster. My man survived a friggin onslaught. 1-2s; high-lows; judo throws. Punches were thrown and chokes were fought off. When he got up out of bed in the morning, he was dazed and thought about how crazy and vivid of a dream that was. Until he realized it wasn’t a dream. He was fighting the air and thrashing around the room that whole time. Everything was a mess, posters were torn down, and furniture was damaged. Ever since that trip, he hasn’t had full access to his visual imagination. Somewhat humorous, this incident displays that 'fun' on drugs is dangerous.
Drugs are dangerous for body and mind, heart and spirit. This is an evil from which one should stay as far as possible.
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