ADDICTION TO METH DIFFICULT TO BEAT

The methamphetamine problem does not stop when an offender is behind bars,
area drug counselors said.

Even when dealers are put away, they said users are left to cope with a
very serious disease: Addiction. Addiction brings many adverse conditions
to those it afflicts, said Jessica Trippett, certified addiction counselor
at Westbrook Health Services in Parkersburg.

Addicts often are referred to Westbrook via the legal system, and
counselors must invest a great deal of time in each person after the legal
system has finished, she said.

"One of the biggest problems with crystal meth that I've seen personally is
you're more prone to violence," Trippett said.

"Anger control problems are going to be found with any kind of amphetamine
addiction at all. You don't even have to be addicted."

As with any drug use, a poor ability to reason and make sound decisions is
prominent in the meth subculture, Trippett said.

Many referrals to Westbrook are made by child protective services when
workers discover crystal meth is being produced in a home where children
may come into contact with the drug.

"If they find crystal meth in a home, they will remove a child," Trippett
said. "It's a danger."

There are seven consistent signs of addiction to any substance, Trippett
said. The signs are increased tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control,
unsuccessful attempts to quit continuous use despite adverse consequences,
preoccupation with the drug and using more than intended.

Crystal meth addiction is hard to defeat, Trippett said. The withdrawal
symptoms can be horrendous and can include irritability, sleep problems,
shakes and nausea.

"Crystal meth is highly addictive and it's a hard drug to beat," Trippett said.

The addiction must be defeated in four phases biologically,
psychologically, socially and spiritually, Trippett said. A recovery plan
must be individually designed for each addict, she said.

"The first thing is you would need to be detoxed," she said. "Medical detox
is where they can monitor you to make sure that you come off the drug
safely. Some people don't necessarily need to go through detox."

Biological recovery means abstinence from the drug and maintaining physical
health, Trippett said. Psychological recovery involves learning to deal
with problems with out the aid of narcotics. Social recovery comes when a
person has been removed from the influence of others who use the drug.

Most relapses occur in the social phase of the recovery, she said.

"That's where everybody falls apart on their recovery plan," Trippett said.
"You've got to hang around with nonusing people. You can't continue to hang
around the same group and stay clean, it's not going to happen. You are who
you hang out with."

The meth subculture is so tight addicts are saturated in it, presenting
immense temptation to revert to drug use, Trippett said. She compared the
culture to a gang.

"It's almost like a cult," Trippett said. "If I hang out with people who go
to the opera and listen to classical music, then I'm going to go to the
opera and listen to classical music. Try being on a diet and going to
Holl's Chocolate every day."

Relapses can occur in any of the stages of recovery. Trippett, in her
experience, has observed a few interesting phenomena with drug users.

"Intravenous drug users, what I've found fascinating with them is it's
almost like they're addicted to the needle more than they are the drug,"
she said. "It's weird. An IV drug user, if I put an needle in front of
them, they start Jonesin'

"A pill addict, if you shake a pill bottle, you can see them start craving
it," Trippett said.

Drug users use their addiction to numb life's problems, Trippett said.
Addicts struggle to balance the everyday tribulations of a normal person.

"Anger, stress management," she said. "When you're addicted to drugs, it
takes away so much. You can lose your job, you can lose your family, you
can lose your friends, you can lose your freedom and you lose tons of money."

Everything with addiction happens in stages, Trippett said. As drug use
progresses, so does the addiction and the repercussions.

"You progressively lose more and more in your life," she said.

Losses from drug addiction are not immediately returned when one kicks the
habit, Trippett said. Recovering addicts must work hard to regain what
they've lost.

"It gets worse before it gets better," she said.

The biggest challenge a drug counselor must face is gaining the trust of
someone they are trying to help, Trippett said. Addicts generally are
referred to treatment by the court system. Therefore, they associate
treatment centers with the authorities.

"We're not the police," Trippett said. "If they (addicts) come in here and
they disclose an illegal activity, we don't tell the police unless someone
is in danger."

Anyone who believes they may have a problem with addiction may contact
Westbrook Health Services at 295-5665.

Various programs are available as is federal aid.