Meth

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Meth is an interesting drug, interesting in the same way that some folks are interested in the Holocaust of WWII or interested in serial killers...

Meth is a chemical that, when ingested, affects a very specific part of the brain, the part of the brain that produces dopamine.

Dopamine is the chemical that causes us to feel good.  You could even say it is the good feeling. God created us so that when pleasant, beautiful, or desirable experiences happen to us a part of our brain will fire-off some dopamine and we'll feel good.

Meth bypasses the beautiful sunset, or lovely meal, or passionate kiss, runs directly to the brain and cranks on the dopamine faucet, causing the individual to feel great, exceptionally great, greater than they've ever felt, and for no reason other than they smoked, snorted, or injected Meth.

Here's the "too good to be true" part.  As the Meth causes the release of dopamine, it actually changes (damages) how the brain works so that, over time, the only way the person using meth can feel anything is by using meth.  They become dull to everything else.  Those normal triggers fall flat. The beautiful sunset, the lovely meal, the passionate kiss trigger...nothing.

When I worked at the prison in Newton I was talking to an inmate getting ready to be released.  He had been in prison for a number of years.  He had a long history of smoking "crank."  I kept asking him, "How do you feel about your release?"  He would always reply, "I'm excited to get out.  I'm happy." but his demeanor never indicated he felt that way.  He presented as if he felt...nothing.  He seemed to be reciting phrases that he knew he should be saying, but it wasn't in his heart.  He was completely flat.  Although not completely flat, he knew how to get angry.  There must be something about the power of anger that could cut through his stupor.  He was dangerous when he was angry, and not remorseful afterwards even though he could give you textbook answers as to why he got angry, why it was wrong, and what strategies he needs to utilize in the future.

It takes about one year before the brain will start to recover from meth.  The cells in the brain that produce dopamine die, however, other parts of the brain will take over that task to some extent.  The thing that triggers the brain to recover is, get this, a barrage of good experiences (beautiful sunsets, lovely meals, passionate kisses.)

God has caused us to be receptors of goodness.  He has even wired our physiology to be healed by goodness.

 

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:8

 

 chris