MEDIA CONTACT:
JOURNEYS Program Director, Teri Speck, (402) 898-4135

Luncheon raises awareness about methamphetamine affects on the brain

(Omaha, Neb) - Tuesday, September 18, JOURNEYS will host a special luncheon with guest speaker Dr. Todd W. Stull, Assistant Professor at the University Of Nebraska Medical Center Department Of Psychiatry. Dr. Stull’s topic will be “Methamphetamine and the Brain” and how substance abuse affects the brain.

The luncheon will be held at Happy Hollow Country Club located at 1701 South 105th Street. Cost of the luncheon event is $50 or $30 for professionals in a related field. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. with Dr. Stull’s hour long presentation at 12 p.m. For reservations contact Cali Page at 402-553-6000.

JOURNEYS, recipient of the 2001 Suzanne and Walter Scott Omaha Award, is a collaborative effort bringing together the expertise, knowledge, and mission of three accredited Omaha agencies sharing more than 250 years of caring for the needs of youth and their families. Catholic Charities, Child Saving Institute and The Omaha Home for Boys share a common concern for alcohol and drug addicted youth. Together they developed a full array of substance abuse treatment services designed specifically for youth, ages 12-19.

Methamphetamine affects the brain

Meth is a powerful drug, which changes how the brain works. It speeds up many bodily functions and causes paranoia, the inability to sleep, aggressiveness, and hallucinations. Speed, meth, chalk, crystal, ice, glass are all street names for the drug Methamphetamine. “Meth” is swallowed, injected, or smoked.

However Meth is used, it ends up in the bloodstream where it circulates throughout the brain. Meth affects many parts of the brain but the one it affects the most is the one that contains a chemical called dopamine which is used in the brain to transfer messages through neurotransmitters.

The neurotransmitter most affected by Meth is dopamine. Dopamine is referred to as the “pleasure neurotransmitter,” because it helps you feel good through temporary euphoria. When pleasure happens, dopamine is released.

Meth causes large quantities of dopamine to be released. The reaction is an all day extra sense of pleasure. Eventually the pleasurable effects stop, causing an unpleasant “crash” that often leads to more use of meth. Continued use dilutes the ability to feel pleasure including the ability to enjoy your favorite foods or the enjoyment of spending time with friends. Even small amounts can cause a person to be more awake and active, lose their appetite, and become irritable and aggressive. Meth causes blood pressure to increase and the heart to beat faster.

Scientists are using brain imaging techniques to study the brains of human meth users. They discovered that three years after long-time meth users had quit using the drug, their dopamine neurons were still damaged. This study demonstrates the long-term impact of meth on the brain’s physical structure.

The best way to avoid addiction is to avoid trying meth. For more information on meth visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens at drugabuse.gov.

Signs of Methamphetamine Use