Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that is closely related to amphetamine, but has longer lasting and more toxic effects on the central nervous system. It has a high potential for abuse and addiction which may need treatment in a rehab clinic. Chronic use of methamphetamine results in dependence and addiction. Psychological problems such as anxiety, insomnia, confusion, and violence are also associated with long-term abuse of this drug. Psychotic symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions have been reported.

Methamphetamine is commonly known as "tik" in South Africa. Other common names are "speed" or "meth". It is found in different forms. The form that can be smoked is referred to as "crystal meth". It is a growing problem worldwide because it is quite cheap and easy to make, which makes it readily available. A great many people are coming to drug rehab centers in South Africa to address their addiction to this drug.

Because Crystal Methamphetamine ("crystal meth" or "tik") is smoked it is absorbed quickly into the blood stream. This makes it very easy to get hooked on. Chronic use can lead to serious health problems including memory loss, psychosis, damage to internal organs, aggression, and brain damage. Treatment in a substance abuse clinic or outpatient rehab is recommended for chronic users who may have deeply entrenched behaviours.

Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that increases wakefulness and physical activity. It can create a number of cardiovascular problems including a high blood pressure and a rapid or irregular heart rate. Overdosing on methamphetamine can lead to convulsions and a condition known as hyperthermia where the body overheats. Such overdoses can result in death and should be treated urgently.

The short-term pleasurable effect of methamphetamine is thought to be related to the release of very high amounts of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This is a chemical messenger in the brain that signals feelings of pleasure. It is also responsible for a wide variety of other functions and using methamphetamine will interfere with all of these functions. Damage to the dopamine system is thought to be at the root of how methamphetamine causes brain damage. This results in a person not being able to move quickly and struggle with learning. It also produces problems with thinking and uncontrollable emotions. These damages can sometimes be reversed, but the longer the addiction is left the more damage it will do. Being admitted to a residential drug rehab for a substance abuse program is a good way to halt the damage.

Addiction is probably the most damaging long-term effect that methamphetamine has because once addicted people will continue using even though there are many negative consequences. The American National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as "a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, accompanied by functional and molecular changes in the brain". The psychotic symptoms that are produced by chronic abuse of methamphetamine can sometimes last for months or even years after the addict has been treated in a drug rehabilitation clinic. Stress has been shown to create "flashbacks" of methamphetamine psychosis.

Tolerance is a condition where increasing doses of the drug are required to obtain the same effect. This can develop with chronic use of methamphetamine which means that the pleasure obtained from a given dose diminishes. In other words, users will need more and more of the drug in order to feel good. If methamphetamine is taken away from a chronic user he/she will probably feel depressed, fatigued, anxious, and will crave intensely for the drug. We Do Recover always recommends that withdrawal occur within a proper medical detoxification center (detox).