Murals (2008) by PHANTAST - Graffiti - Cultural Music & Art Association inc. - 98 Milne St. Benleigh
CRYSTAL AND SPEED.
Crystal methamphetamine (Ice, Meth, Crystal, Crack, Tina) has a strong association with sex. People say it heightens their sexual arousal, increases sexual desire and stamina, and delyays orgasm. However, some crystal users experience 'crystal dick' ( the inability to get erection). This problem can also occur with speed (base amphetamine). Some men use crystal (or speed) in combination with Viagra to overcome erection difficulties caused by amphetamine use, but this drug combination is extremely bad for your heart.
For many people, crystal use begins recreationally, enhencing their sexual experiences and social life.However, problems arise because crystal is extremely addictive. Heavy addiction often occurs very quickly, even for people who have practiced moderation in many aspects of their lives. Crystal can falsely elevate your mood (induce euphoria), increase alertness, and increase enery levels. It can also suppress your appetite and your perceived need for sleep. It puts you in a hyper-state increasing movement and speech, and gives an exaggerated sense of power and sexual desire. This can quickly swich to irrational impulsiveness, aggression, agitation, anxiety, worsening to temporary psychosis including hallucinations and paranoia.
Crystal can speed up the rate of HIV replication, elevating the viral load. Crystal makes the HIV treatment less effective. The fivestyle connected to crystal use can exhaust your immune system -i.e. 'burning the candle at both ends'.
CANNABIS. There is increasing evidence that cannabis (marijuana, dope, pot, weed, green, willow) causes serious depression, anxiety and psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations and severe paranoia). While this type of impact from amphetamines is already well known, similar psychological symptoms are now well documented in relation to cannabis. Heavy use of cannabis can also lead to depression, memory loss, lung damage, low sex drive and loss of libido.
Dependance on cannabis develops somilarly to other drugs. The effects of cannabis can become weaker over time, due to the body's increasing tolerance and adaptation to its effects. Users then find they need more of the drug to get the same effect, which contributes to higher dependence. This causes cannabis users to crave for a smoke to feel okay. Cannabis withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, irritability and anxiety, trouble with sleeping, perspiration and night sweats.
HEROIN AND SEDATIVES. The effects of heroin (Harry or 'H') upon HIV and HIV treatment are not well understood, but the use of these drugs carries a number of burdens upon health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Peter: "Benzo (sedatives) are really addictive - people underestimate them. Added to heroin or morphine, overdoses can occur. Think twice about alcohol in this mix too. If you're hanging out and share a needle - even if it's cleaned - there's no guarantee you won't get hep C, and that's not something you want alongside of HIV. I used speed for a long time but the older I got the 'come-down' were longer, the psychotic behaviour become more frequent and the paranoia became unbearable. Addiction treatment programs gave me some normality and stability - a chance".