Describes the effects of methamphetamine and crystal meth and provides information about drug testing, dependence and withdrawal, and finding treatment.

Meth...crank...ice...No matter what you call it, methamphetamine is an extremely addictive drug. It is expensive and gives users what appears to endless energy. Authors Marylou Ambrose and Veronica Deisler look at the epidemic spread of methamphetamines abuse in the United States. Personal stories and the latest statistics bring the deadly impact of this drug into focus.

Discusses amphetamine and stimulant drug abuse, including the drugs' effects on the body and brain, how people become addicted, and how to seek help with drug addiction.

Describes the history, characteristics, legal status, and abuse of amphetamines and methamphetamines.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to travel the road that a drug addict has chosen, sit back and read about the road into living helland back. Marty Gruber abused drugs for 45 years, and he attempted suicide immediately before he found the door of escape from drug abuse, and the key to a meaningful life. With the aid of Providence Marty found long term meaning, and in the process he has been given the privilege of warning teens about the trap of drug abuse. Research performed in 2010 shows that 48.2 percent of Americas high school seniors have tried illicit drugs. In 2011 the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that drug abuse cost the United States six hundred and nine billion dollars ($609,000,000,000 is not a typo). Most drug addicts die from their addiction because becoming drug free requires help, and many never find that help. Research shows that for each dollar invested in drug abuse prevention, a savings of up to ten dollars in rehabilitation treatment can be achieved. A teenager cant see as far down the road as a seventy-five-year-old man who has already been down that road to just short of its logical enddeath. In Martys case, this was attempted suicide. Marty has returned to warn others not to take the road leading to drug abuse.

In Overcoming Crystal Methamphetamine Addiction, one of the few books to address the topic for a general audience, Dr. Steven Lee, MD, a psychiatrist who specializes in crystal meth addiction, offers a complete guide to the drug, its effects, and how to overcome it. Based on extensive scientific and social research and drawing from his professional experience, he covers everything from the definition and history of crystal meth to the physical and psychological effects; from dealing with the addictive personality to helping a friend or family member cope with it. He focuses on understanding rather than outright condemnation of the drug, and empathetically covers all of the crucial questions: What is crystal meth? How is it made? How does it affect the body? How do you know if you're addicted to it? How do you stop using it? What if you don't want to stop? If you are going to use CM anyway, how can you minimize the damage? What if you quit but slipped and used again?

Could crystal meth use in the gay community be responsible for a resurgence in the AIDS epidemic? According to recent studies, gay men who use crystal methamphetamine were twice as likely to have unprotected sex as those who did not — and more than three times as likely to be HIV-positive. Crystal Meth and Men Who Have Sex with Men is an unflinching look at this dangerous threat to the gay community, addressing the health and mental health needs of “Tina” users who are lost in a downward spiral of addiction and high-risk sexual behaviors. This vital book is the product of a unique collaboration between the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and researchers, clinicians, and community activists. Crystal Meth and Men Who Have Sex with Men contains the published proceedings of two important community events that took place in 2004 in New York City—“The Crystal Meth-HIV Connection: A Public Forum with Harvey Fierstein” and “Crystal Methamphetamine: Understanding and Treatment an Emerging Health Crisis.” Each article—whether drawn from personal account, research study, or online survey—reinforces the reality for the gay community that wherever crystal meth is, increases in sexual risk behaviors for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are sure to follow. This powerful book will help you to identify, approach, and treat clients who use meth, examing the physical, medical, and psychological effects and consequences of its widespread abuse. Topics addressed in Crystal Meth and Men Who Have Sex with Men include: the medical complications associated with methamphetamine use in HIV-infected patients, including hypertension, hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, and stroke the alarming rise in the number of emergency room visits related to crystal meth use the psychiatric consequences of methamphetamine use sexual history taking and screening for sexually transmitted infections creative educational interventions and clinical strategies substance abuse treatment interventions cognitive-behavioral therapy motivational interviewing gay-identified community-based treatment programs “club drugs” and the increase of HIV incidence harm reduction and much more Crystal Meth and Men Who Have Sex with Men is an essential resource for health and mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. It’s equally beneficial for staff and administrators of community-based organizations that serve gay men.

Discussion of methamphetamine abuse and its social costs.