Meth on the Rise in PA: Lancaster Nurse Recently Arrested
Methamphetamine, also known as speed, crank, Tina, tweak, chalk, is a hyper-powered stimulant that individuals in the Philadelphia area as well Lancaster, Pa., and York, Pa., have been using for years. It is a prevalent problem in these communities, and right behind the opioid epidemic in terms of its spread, and damage caused to families. And use is on the rise in our area.
Sometimes people will use meth and opiates together called a “speedball.” This deadly combination can have serious health implications such as stroke, heart attack, shortness of breath, overheating, irregular heartbeat, and even death from overdose. Meth is highly addictive and 10-times as powerful as the other popular drug cocaine, it can be injected, smoked, or snorted.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, meth dominates the chemical called dopamine in the brain by giving it larger amounts than normal. This reinforces the behaviors that act as a reward to users. Through continual use of methamphetamine, the user will gain a high tolerance and want to continue to use the drug over and over again getting them caught in a vicious cycle that causes them to engage in behaviors they normally would not.
Recently a nurse that worked for Lancaster, Pa., county prison was charged with having meth as well as fentanyl in her vehicle while at work. This goes to show how powerful the drug really is because she had a good job, and even worked for a correctional institution, but that did not stop her from using the drug, bringing it to work, and possibly even showing up to work intoxicated.
Long-term use of meth can lead to psychosis, severe depression, anxiety, weight loss, mental illnesses, dental issues, and intense cravings. When an individual stops using meth they can experience horrific withdrawal symptoms and will need to be monitored under the care of a medical doctor as well as 24/7 nursing in a detoxification unit.
While methamphetamine is a terrible addiction there is hope for recovery for individuals that are addicted. Through long term inpatient residential treatment at a place like Daybreak Addiction Treatment Solutions, one can recover from this seemingly hopeless problem. Families should encourage their loved ones to complete a full continuum of care that also includes intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient along with a recovery house or sober living.
Therapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy(DBT), and Motivational Interviewing(MI) can be very helpful for patients to break the cycle of addiction thinking, patterns, and behaviors. If a person is not willing their family is encouraged to reach out to a professional interventionalist who can assist in guiding loved ones in the process to help convince the unwilling person to enter a drug and alcohol facility.
Daybreak Addiction Treatment Solutions is located in Levittown, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia & Lancaster, PA, Baltimore, MD, New York City and Wilmington, DE), provides this page as a forum for general sharing of information. For more specific information relating to drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health or dual-diagnosis disorders, or to inquire further about our residential treatment programs for men and women, please contact Daybreak 24/7 at: 215-478-8047 For those with private health insurance plans, we offer a quick & simple online inquiry form in order to help alleviate the added stress of having to deal with your insurance carrier…we look forward to being an integral part of your new life in recovery!