Addicted to Methamphetamine

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One day you are the average teenage boy, an aspiring student, good grades, competitive athlete, close family and friends; and then you are homeless, alone, addicted to drugs and eventually end up in jail. This is what happened to Eric. He had heard about Methamphetamine or “Meth” on the news but did not come face to face with it until watching a friend use it. What started out as what he thought was harmless, became something that he could not live one day without. All it took was one time and he was hooked, and the downward spiral began; his life as he knew it would never be the same. He began stealing, lying, lost his family and friends, was kicked out of his house, and eventually lost his freedom. At this time he had dropped out of school and found himself homeless, lonely, tired, hungry, and scared. One night while trying to break into his mother’s house to steal, the police were called and he was arrested. After 6 months in jail he was released and had made every attempt to stay clean; he relapsed several times. It was not until he came to terms that this way of living was hurting him, he became literally sick and tired of the addiction and the pain it was causing. Contrary to some beliefs that the benefits are greater than the risks, Methamphetamine not only is a highly addictive and dangerous drug to both the mind and the body but can have harmful affects to those around you. Ask anyone if there are benefits in using methamphetamine and chances are the answer will be no; however studies have shown that teenagers feel the complete opposite. It is a chilling fact that seventy-seven percent of those reporting to have tried meth were fifteen years of age and even younger (2007, Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly). According... ... middle of paper ... ...t). Retrieved February 8, 2010 http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/MethResources/eric_stone.html Snell, M. (2001). WELCOME TO METH COUNTRY. Sierra, 86(1), 50. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database. Teen attitudes toward meth a sign of trouble, study finds (2007). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 19(37), 5. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2002). Drug facts: Methamphetamine. Retrieved February 8, 2010 http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/meth_facts.html Watanabe-Galloway, S., Ryan, S., Hansen, K., Hullsiek, B., Muli, V., & Malone, A. (2009). Effects of Methamphetamine Abuse Beyond Individual Users. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 41(3), 241-248. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.

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