Meth may be the most dangerous illegal drug substance on the market today. If not, it certainly is among the more dangerous substances, up there with heroin. I've never tried meth but have a close friend who is addicted and I've been trying to help him. His health has deteriorated and he exhibits all those terrible sores on his face and body. I've noticed how people look at him, plenty of odd stares everywhere he goes. Do you think users of meth are stigmatized more than other drug users?
I have seen this happen to people I know, which has caused others to not to trust them and also to look at them with eagle eyes like a bird which makes the person who used meth feel unwanted in the area. I know a person who smokes meth, but his face does not change appearance which is interesting and his dad and other relatives don't in touch with him due to his past, and don't trust him around money or any items which are expensive like jewellery as he did take some money from his dad and pawn the jewellery for meth which lead to him being kicked out. I reckon that meth can be addictive and sometimes cause the user to do things which they would not do if they were sober, meth can cause mood swings to happen which may cause changes in the person's life.
Hard to say. One would need to try all of the illegal drugs out there or at least the main ones, and do a comparison as to how much of a grip it has on you. Even so, once the testing is done, there is still personal preference will come into play. From me experience and what I have seen. Meth is a drug that doesn't let go of you once you get a taste of it.
I definitely think that meth users are more stigmatized, but I believe it's for a good reason. There are individuals who are addicted to meth who will do anything to experience the same high, including heinous crimes. The appearance of these people following their illicit meth usage also doesn't aid society's view of the group as a whole. Meth users typically lose a great deal of weight, exhibit sores primarily on their faces, lose teeth, and seem to rapidly age in a matter of months. However, I think that people should focus less on the appearance of the addiction and more on helping those who are addicted. I feel as though this has largely been neglected in favor of pretending that meth addicts don't exist.
I have noticed a change in people after being hooked on meth. Their whole personality can change, often they seem to act distant and the impression they barely know you is a regular thought that comes to mind. I do believe this can change over time with the right enviroment.
I think all addicts are heavily stigmatized, I am not too sure meth users are anymore then others. But I think it also has to do with your area. If there is a lot of usage of one drug and crime to get it, those users are going to face a lot of public violence.
People seem to know more about how a meth addict looks like than any other drug users. That's why they're stigmatized and people give them odd stares. Also, we have to admit, meth users are among the ones who look the creepiest. All drug users are being judged though.
I think drug abusers of any kind are stereotyped. I wouldn't think much of it. For instance, people think that alcoholics look one way, potheads look another, and meth addicts look another. It's just something that people do, we make stereotypes. There is obviously a certain degree of truth to those sterotypes, but I do think that they're harmful towards those who are recovering addicts.
I would say it is stigmatized, but rightly so. It's the only drug I know of that is so highly unstable that it can cause an explosion when being created. Innocent people, especially children, are harmed from being exposed to the chemicals that make the drug in meth lab houses. At one of my jobs, we had to be evacuated one night because a guy in an apartment across the parking lot from us was found to have a meth lab going. We were evacuated by ambulance it was so unsafe.
I think Meth users are stigmatized worse than others addicts, much in the same way Crackheads are. People who abuse prescription pills are thought of as people with legal addictions, like alcohol abusers. I think the Media had grossly misrepresented the meth addict population, portraying them as violent unstable individuals. That's crap. Anyone who doesn't sleep for a week will be violent and unstable, but I don't know many meth addicts who do that after, that initial binge period ends. It's like any mind altering substance, until you have used repetitively, you don't have a handle on it. Users typically twack out for a while, then move on to a more functional habit. As far as doing things you would've not done before the addiction, I think that is up to the individual. I have been a meth addict for over 15 years. I have never gotten violent, stolen from anyone, pimped myself out, or abused my children. If you are behaving in those ways, the drugs are an excuse, not the reason.
I think it is in a way - people talk about 'meth heads' in very derogatory terms. I think a lot of it is to do with what @ktdid mentioned: the portrayal of them as violent and unstable. I think also the negative physical effects of the drug (after considerable use) push the public away quite a lot too. Things that you see in those ads like scabbed skin, sunken eyes and rotting teeth - they make the general public feeling disassociated with these people and in turn, that creates a stigma around the use.
The terms that come to my mind when I think of people on meth are "meth head" and "meth mouth." Meth is a very dangerous drug and it is made up of harmful chemicals that destroy your body. With prolonged use it rots your teeth and will make you look 20 years older than you really are. I can't remember if the sores come as a result of people picking at their skin, or if the chemicals actually start to rot the skin.
Meth use may be stigmatized in a way that other drug users are not, but it isn't without cause. It is a very dangerous very popular drug with clearly visible effects. I think the stigma is their for a reason. Use it as a reason to get and stay clean if need be.