Your Brain on Meth

Images are powerful – these ones especially. If you’ve ever used meth or have someone close to you that uses and wondered why meth can cause an inherent ability to just stop caring about things, maybe this will help explain. This is a photo of a SPECTscan done on a 28 year old “normal” woman’s brain (left) and a 28 year old meth user’s brain (right). A SPECTscan measures the amount of blood flow to tissues in the body.

Meth brain scan

The subject of this image used meth heavily for eight years – at 28 she’s got visible brain damage. At a glance you can see that areas are literally hollow or inactive. From my research on the subject I was able to glean the fact that meth literally eats away your brain. This plays a big part in the reason why meth users do things that can defy logic. They can effectively lose the part of the brain that would normally be the system of rationale checks and balances. Compounding the problem is the dire need to get high and in chasing that high there is no need for logic; because nothing else matters.

Meth brain scan

The photo above is another SPECTscan of a meth user (details of the subject are unknown) that shows the red areas as parts of the brain that 5% or more or the tissues are actually dead.

There is hope.

These images look scary and are shocking if you don’t know what effect meth has on the brain. There are studies proving that meth can certainly cause irreversible brain damage; however many studies using the same SPECTscan technology show that after prolonged abstinence from meth, areas of the brain can actually reconnect. The dead areas seen in the images can actually be revitalized as the brain forms new pathways and connections.

The human body absolutely amazes me.

Images provided courtesy of Dr. Daniel Amen. For more SPECTscan images from Dr. Daniel Amen - click here.

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  • Cause of Drug Addiction

  • Lucifer’s baby: Man found guilty of murder

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    Topics: Effects Of Meth, Meth Abuse
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    • Christina Clifton

      Yeah Right; and pot is a “gateway drug” to!

    • bodyisatemple

      I am so sorry to hear that when your mom gave birth to you, something was missing in your brain/chemistry that makes you try and compensate for it by doing methamphetamine. At least you have some gray matter, (in other words, at least you are somewhat intelligent) in realizing your inadequacies. Hmmm, it will never help though, (I have heard that men who have a little p*nis, try and stretch them out. Only to find that it was stretched and contorted so much, they now have NO FEELING left in their “area”.) Does that sound familiar? I am so glad my husband has a big p8enis, and a big, healthy brain, also :) .

    • dont touch it

      ive never touched the shit and never would. seeing what it has done to my bro inlaw is enough to keep me straight forever and beyond. Im also a parent and will educate my kids of the danger of drugs as much as i can so they know what it does 75% of first time users dont even know what the shit is doing to them till their hooked and its too late. I ask you had you been educated how many of you would have said no??? probably 75% Ive witnessed first hand a good kid turn into a total wanker all because of meth. And its not him thats affected most its my wife who has recently lost one brother to herion and now looks asthough shes about to lose another. I hate drugs with a passion. 

    • Cookiecake3499

      Can anyone tell me if there is a time after meth when you take the meds and are off meth a while, will the voices ever go away? I talked to my son all his life about the dangers of drugs and he waited until he was 35 yrs old to try meth. Now he is in a hopital from hearing voices and hallucinations. He has been off meth for 1 year. Will he ever get any better? He was on meth for 2 years.

    • Bc Livinsimply

      Id like to know why people are stupid enough to try any drug.  Its plain ridiculous.

    • Bc Livinsimply

      We had everything too.  Nice life, it seemed, until this monster crept in.  We are dividing what is left today and the monster asks who will take care of him.  IT IS VERY REAL!  IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OF TRYING DRUGS-DONT.  ESPECIALLY METH AND THE LIKES.  IT WILL KILL THE SOULS OF EVERYONE AROUND YOU.

    • Bc Livinsimply

      That is what they all say.  You are an idiot in denial. 

    • Bc Livinsimply

      I know what you say is true about the only thing that can fill that void in you is Jesus.  I have never done any type of drug besides what doc prescribes and I review, but other aspects of my life were not in order until  I found that Jesus was the key.  Prayers everyday for those who are using, but mostly for those, now, who have to live with them.  It is a disaster.  May God Bless you all.

    • Bc Livinsimply

      Oh, sounds so familiar, except I didn’t know he needed his drugs.  I told him I wouldn’t live with it and he said he quit.  20 years later he is a mess, all the way around.  I had no idea what was happening.  He reportedly was at work late most nights.  I didn’t believe it all but had no “proof” that he asked for.  When home he slept most of the time, so I didn’t see much, until about 4 years ago when things got so weird, like he wanted to quit his job and start killing for money.  Yes, we too came from decent hard working families.  His still refuses to believe it all and I am excommunicated, of sorts, from his family for bringing it up.  I did, indeed, leave a few mos ago, with so little to speak of.  Drugs do not pay.  Don’t do them.  Get high on life, not drugs. 

    • Bc Livinsimply

      You ARE an idiot in DENIAL!

    • josh

      no you dont know what the fuck YOU are talking about sir.meth is good.

    • weew

      if you have never done shards then stop talking shit about it.you dont KNOW FUCK ABOUT IT.god people are such fucking pussies.

    • weew

      if you have never done shards then stop talking shit about it.you dont KNOW FUCK ABOUT IT.god people are such fucking pussies.

    • Tg

      It’s awful. I just ran away, left the country to get away from the only man I have ever loved.  He’s totally hooked on meth and I blame it for most of the problems. Mood swings, paranoia & violence.  Things would go super good for a little bit then he would start picking fights. He’d push me to the point that I couldn’t handle being around him, so I’d bail or kick him out of my house. I think he was really trying to create a situation where he could go use. I think his addiction has so far ruined my life more than his SO FAR but I got away.  He didn’t.  As I was leaving town, he stole a car I was renting along with about $8000 worth of computer and camera equipment and I’m nursing a bunch of nasty bruises and 2 broken ribs. I hate him for doing the things he’s done to me but on the other hand I think he actually did love me but the drugs have screwed up his brain so much that he reacts in the worst possible ways to losing me. Right now I can remotely access my computer.  (He doesn’t know this).  He’s been watching porn for the past 30 hours straight.  Seriously what a waste!!  The computer contains 7 years worth of my business files and I lost it to a tweaker so he can watch porn non-stop. I wish I could have been able to handle the situation better..  When he was picking fights and I was sure he was doing it to have an excuse to leave and do meth but he would annoy me to the point I just didn’t care…. 

    • Marleygirl5150

      I agree……my mother comes from a family of 12 kids all but 3 are heavy drug users…..since their teens, now in mid to late 50′s their still going and using but god it has taken its toll and they probably wont see there 60th Bday……The shitty part is the youngest brother died at 35 from the same thing John Ritter died of and he was the good one, family, good job great life…and drug free….yet he was the first to go……makes you wonder…….Now my oldest sister is addicted to pills after abusing meth for over 10 years, kicked the meth but replaced with pills……Now she is completely losing her mind….literally……at the age of 34 I worry for her life everyday……

    • experinced

      if you think that the system of law making is that fucking perfect, then you are more of a dumb ass than your  remark.THE problem is people have diffrent way’s of life and people have to live under. lets  say, there law.s. If some one choose’s to indulge in some sort of recreational actitivy that’s there buiness. So  at the comment u said; at what ever cost; that tell’s me u don’t know a real speed freak because we as a speed freak’s  DO NOT SUBSTITUTE SHIT.   J   M   D

    • Lee Ann

      Damn liar…

    • Lee Ann

      You’re a fucking cunt. :{P>

    • Lee Ann

      You must be real stupid if you can’t tell a rail of coke from meth. Meth burns like a mother fucker. I think you’re the one in denial, bitch.

    • lee ann

      Your self-righteousness is duly noted. Now eat shit!!

    • Lee Ann

      Oh yeah…. More laws… That will work… How stupid. You’re a tool.

    • Beautiful_jess7

      I am a sixteen year old girl that just wants daddy to be there and play his part of taking care me of but instead he has been using meth for the past 13 years and continues to do so . He has lost more then 50% of his brain to it. He has been in and out of mental hospitals and hospitals in general . If anyone uses it I would ask them to please stop for the caring of your loved ones . It effects us more then anyone c
      ould imagine , my dads sister is waiting for a phone call to say he pasted away because its gotten that bad .

    • Beautiful_jess7

      I don’t mean to put you on the spot or anything but you sound like my dad , someone who has done it for 13 years but tries to stand-up for what they do and lead everyone to believe their okay and nothing wrong . Why do you do it ?

    • Salmo6344

      I relate to to you 100% i am to also in a drug court program, been off meth for 1 year now. Am barely starting to feel like myself again, went through a period where nothing was making me happy, but i knew the drug was not the solution! Just know that the dopemine in your brain as well as other chemicals has been affected, which makes you feel good naturally! Just stay clean my friend if your feeling like, ok i am clean but why do i fell so off, its normal! Remember if you where like me, who used meth for a number of years, it takes time to repair the damage, our brains are amazeing and will repair themselfs, it just takes time! Stay clean and focused and things will definetly get better! One day at a time!!
        

    • Tanyasharpe7171

      WOW!!! Is it lonely up there on your cross??? Who the hell are u to judge ANYONE??? BTW: Im SURE youre NOT the only one enjoying you husbands penis!!!

    • Tanyasharpe7171

      As someone who DOES know about it…i did it for FOURTEEN years….get some help..PLEASE!!! There’s NOT ONE good thing about it!! EVERYONE i know who has had ANYTHING to do with it has either lost their FREEDOM, FAMILY…and eventually their LIFE!!! NOTHING good ever comes from using this shit!! Name ONE person who has actually built an empire..or any kind of REAL life for that matter using that shit!!

    • Tanyasharpe7171

      And u…are OBVIOUSLY an addict!!

    • Cindycooklmt

      how did you get clean?
      i totally agree. but i’m one of them. FIFTEEN years i’ve been using DAILY. only by the grace of God im still here.
      as long as there’s breath, there’s hope, right?

    • Cindycooklmt

      SERIOUSLY?!!!

    • Cindycooklmt

      I am encouraged by your post. I am a believer but somehow I am also an addict of 15 years. Please pray for me. I know God can deliver me!

    • Happysamuraigirl

      I’d say you are one ignorant little girl. to call all people who do meth are “pretty fucked up in the head”?!? I definately agree with most of what you say except that! I hope you are not just tearing people down just to build yourself up.

      Yes Meth is bad,BUT there many, many, many intelligent & sane-good people who do try it. Why?  The most typical answers to this question were ” I saw my friends all having a goodtime and they don’t look like those addicts on the anti-meth campaign bilboards”
      “I saw my friend getting all these things done and she still had alot of time and energy left to play with her kids” “If I only do a little it won’t hurt me”.” I was very curious about it”
      Yet however in my own personal observations all of them had one thing in common; they were all very unhappy about something in their lives when they started.

      One more thing I need to make clear is that I am NOT making excuses for these people. There are alot of people out there that want the help to quit doing this evil drug and then there a the ones that don’t want to quit. We need to help the people that want to quit and treat them with compassion, understanding, and be supportive. That is what they need above all.  

    • Lojj

      My wife started using meth earlier this year. She was already an alcoholic. 9 months later, she has lost her job, all of her normal friends have stopped seeing her. Now all she has is meth friends. She spent all her money, overdrafted her bank account, traded clothes, her bike for meth. She is now in jail facing a felony for threating to kill me with a knife. She is now homeless, except for a ward of the state, in custody. Her family doesn’t want to see her.  All in just 9 months. I truly love my wife, but am now being ordered by the state to testify against her after I called the police. This whole thing has been horrible to me, not to mention a new meth boyfriend tossed in the middle of it all.   Meth kills.

    • Lee Ann

      Nope. Never tried that crap. But if you think laws will work, then you are as big of a tool as Teresaducker … unless you are the same person.

    • Baby_boy0326

      i certanly belive this is true that the only way to brake dose evil chains that have all people on drugs is jesus christ and remember the bible talks about something thats really true is that the true could set u free.i used meth for about 2 years on and off,and now im a cristian and god has set me free from that evil drug before it was to late and now im happy and blessed.

    • Meth is death

      Money and religion could be argued to be worst than meth!

    • guest

      Yes i agree meth is pretty stupid and honestly i didnt know what the affects were on my brain, and my health. But it is a very powerful and controlling drug that takes over your life. But you can’t sit there and say i know how it is, or how it feels when you never experienced it. But i am on the road to recovery. So if you are on meth…do the right thing and try and get help. Because i promise you once you are off meth your life will get better…everything will get better…there is hope:)

    • Omnk

      Assuming your getting pure meth, its not just a bunch of chemicals. It is “dextro-methamphetamine Hcl” You can get a prescription to methamphetamine in the United States. The prescribed dose is 5mg where crystal meth users take 100-1000mg or more in a night.

    • Rhythman69

      We all of us are here on this earth for a tiny fraction of time. Why shorten it? 

    • Summer_cudd

      I was gave some meth the other day. Its was real gooey and paste like and it had turned orange. I got extremely hi off this. Can anyone tell me why it was paste like and orange and gave me the effect it did?

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