Around 10% of people in the United States alone have suffered from drug addiction in the past. Being addicted to drugs can ruin a person’s entire life. It can make a person lose their job, it can destroy a person’s personal relationships, and can destroy a person’s health. Crank, which is another name for methamphetamine (also known as meth), is one of the hardest and most dangerous drugs that a person can possibly abuse.
But what is a crank addiction exactly? What makes it so bad and how hard is it to quit? What can crank do to the body or brain over a period of time and what kind of effects does the drug cause?
Keep reading and learn more about why crank is so toxic and why it’s such a hard addiction to kick.
What You Need To Know About Crank (Meth)
Most people are familiar with crank by the name of meth since it is the most common term for the drug in everyday language. However, on the streets, you will more often hear it be referred to as crank since it easily disguises the true nature of the drug and its bad reputation. Meth is actually a relatively old drug since it was invented way back in the early years of the 20th century.
It was originally derived from another drug, amphetamine. Interestingly, methamphetamine was first used for health purposes. In particular, people used it to decongest their nasal passages.
Of course, people back then didn’t know that this drug could be highly addictive and very bad for one’s health. Meth is a stimulant. This means that the drug makes a person more energetic.
Even when taking small doses of this drug, a person will become more talkative and energetic. More than that, stimulants tend to suppress the appetite. This is because of the way the drug affects the nervous system.
When the drug targets the nervous system, it will make the brain think that the body is not hungry even if it is. This is due to the way the drug turns off the nervous system’s “rest and digest” mode which allows a person to feel hungry. At some point in the 20th century, people realized that this drug should not be used as a nasal decongestant and was instead made illegal due to its very addictive properties.
The Details
These days, meth can be found on the streets. Usually, it is sold as a white, crystalline substance. Meth can come in a few different forms, but its crystal form is the most common, although, meth may sometimes be ground up into a white powder.
Meth does not smell like anything and it is easily dissolvable when you add it to water or alcohol. Many people may start using meth for a variety of reasons. What makes this drug “attractive” to some is that it produces a very intense euphoric high.
This high does not last very long but it is so pleasurable that many people end up becoming addicted even after using the drug only once. A person may start using this drug because they are depressed or anxious and they want to try something that will make them feel better. As for most drugs, meth can act as a kind of escape from reality.
Unfortunately, meth can end up making a person’s reality much worse than it originally was. But what exactly does meth do to the body? What kind of effect occurs when someone takes meth and what makes it so dangerous?
What Are the Effects of Crank on the Body?
It is the effects of meth that made this drug so addictive and hard to stop taking. People may take this drug in many different ways. The mode of administration will change the intensity of the drug’s effects as well as how long the drug stays in a person’s system.
For example, some of the most common ways to take the drug include snorting it, injecting it, or ingesting it. When ingesting the drug, it will take some time before it takes effect. This is because the person’s stomach acid will have to break down the drug before it can enter the bloodstream and then travel to the brain to bring about its effect.
On the other hand, snorting and injecting the drug cause an immediate high. For that reason, these methods of administration are very intense as the entire dose of the drug will hit the person all at once. This can be extremely dangerous and sometimes even fatal, especially if the person has never taken the drug before.
When the drug takes effect, the person will immediately experience a very strong euphoric high. This high is what often causes an immediate addiction in people who first take it. Of course, there are always a few exceptions.
Depending on certain genetic factors, some people may be more likely to develop addictions to drugs than others. So, when taking crank, one person may become addicted at once while another may not. Even so, crank remains a very dangerous drug because of how it affects the body.
Besides creating a euphoric high, meth will cause one’s heart rate to increase, it will make a person more talkative, and will increase one’s sex drive. More noticeable symptoms include dilated pupils, shallow breathing, or difficulty breathing.
What You Need to Know
This drug affects the central nervous system and, as such, will change the way a variety of the body’s systems work. This drug will affect everything from breathing and heart rate to hunger, mood, and sleep patterns. When a drug user first starts abusing this drug, the side effects will be more pronounced.
For example, some of the side effects include chest pain, stomach pain, irregular heartbeats, and even seizures. Seizures are more common if the drug user takes too much of the drug at once. However, if a person continues to take the drug, especially over several months or years, the effects will get much worse.
In particular, long-term meth users tend to experience changes in mood and behavior. Often, they become more aggressive. They may be more likely to attack people out of sudden anger and they may become sexually aggressive as well.
Long-term meth users may also experience a variety of mental side effects. Many may experience paranoia to a certain degree as well as depression. Many people addicted to meth feel, at a certain point, that the only joy in their lives comes from using meth.
Using meth can also damage the internal organs, especially the heart since it forces the heart to overwork itself.
Recovering From Crank Addiction
Once an addiction to this drug is formed, it can be very difficult to break. This is especially true for those who have been using this drug for months or years. The longer a person uses this drug, the more that person’s brain will be dependent on the presence of that drug to function.
Stopping a meth addiction cold turkey is very dangerous and can even be fatal in some cases. For that reason, it is important to go into rehab where professionals can look over the drug user. That way, when the person goes through withdrawal symptoms, there will be trained professionals on hand in case serious or potentially fatal side effects take place.
The withdrawal symptoms of crank tend to be quite severe. Many people experience bodily pain, paranoia, extreme anxiety, nausea, diarrhea, and more. In some cases, a person may experience seizures.
Withdrawal Symptoms
The person may also enter such a state of depression that he or she may try to commit suicide. This is not an uncommon side effect. This is because the lack of meth in the body, which generally makes the person feel pleasure, will cause the drug user to experience a severe crash.
This will make the person feel fatigued, depressed, and ill. However, these are only acute symptoms of the withdrawal process. Through the detox process, the person should be able to conquer the less severe symptoms of withdrawals. At a certain point, once the meth is out of the person’s system, the person should be free of their addiction.
After that, it is important to teach the person coping mechanisms so that he or she does not return to the drug.
The Dangerous Reality of Using Crank
Crank, also known as meth, is a very dangerous drug that can cause very stubborn addictions. Crank comes in a white, crystalline form and creates feelings of euphoria when consumed. It can destroy the heart, mind, and body, especially in the long term, but fortunately, drug rehab can help.
To learn more, check out our 12-step program to recovery here.
