drugs + gettin ugly

[georgi]

Hi guys, I saw these people today that are in their 30s and long time drug users and my god they looked ugly...they looked about 50, haggered, wrinkled, yuck...

Ive heard and assumed that drugs eventually can make you look old and ugly, but why is this?
is it due to be dehydrated alot?? (sorry i have no clue actually so these are all guesses)
or all the strain you put on your body?
Apart from just those future effects, i have also heard that in the present it gives you bad skin?

Or is it a 'myth'? i doubt it....
The picture that hopefully comes up in this post really scares me!
Aaah if i keep taking drugs will i look like that???

 

[tiptop]

i look like that and its only been one year.

 

[prodj]

I think that pic is more Meth Abuse then Use...

Some people age worse then others, getting trashed every weekend dosent help i'll bet. Bottom line, look after yourself.

Pre & Post load and eat healthy.

 

[tiptop]

why is the change from year 5 to 6 so great? also there isnt much change after that nor is there much change in the first 5 years. do you think theyre 2 different people and its propaganda? naaaahhhh couldnt be

 

[drug_wench]

yep, well if ur talking meth it takes the crap outta u
i wudnt say i look quite like those people but im definitely gaunt and ive got those horrible tweaking scabs all over.....im only 21 so i guess i dont look OLD as such
ive had more than my fair share of 'walking death' comments recently; its the LOOKS that are the worst - wen uve dun urself in on the meth theres practically a sign on your forehead saying 'druggie'
in the short term even a few back-to-back meth runs over a couple of months makes u look pale and makes you shed weight not to mention u feel the urge to scratch urself to shreds even in ur sleep ( u WAKE wiv new patches bleeding and scratched)
its not just that ur dehydrated, its that your body no longer can get any nutrition, all the energy it takes to maintain a healthy body is being burnt through rapidly and you arent eating or sleeping properly
if u keep taking drugs u wont necessarily look like that
however if u use ANY drugs often enough to be addicted to them for awhile your health and physical appearance will go downhill rapidly
if that pic freaks u out a bit, good, cos u dont want to do that to yourself trust me

 

[aunty establishment]

I never looked that bad, but I do remember when I looked in the mirror one day and scared myself. Sallow skin, hollow eyes, hollow cheekbones. I looked like someone had drawn skeleton makeup on me in my sleep - and I was 20 at the time.

I've seen lots of really nice looking people get uglifyed by meth - and now they've all stopped using, they're all really nice looking again

 

[Cazoom]

I thought that was just an email joke, but i wouldn't know for sure.

 

[katmeow]

I had a fairly extended bender over new years. While I didn't really drop any weight, by about 7th Jan, my under eye area was starting to look bruised on the right side. I can only imagine that after long term abuse, things would get a lot worse. But if you are not using excessively, keep fit and healthy and make sure you are sleeping properly, the ill effects of drug use can be minimised I've been using various drugs recreationally for about 4 1/2 years now and most people tell me I look several years younger than I actually am.

As for the bad skin comment - I think that also relates to not looking after yourself well... ie: say you go clubbing alot in sweaty/smoky environments, don't wash off make up after nights out, getting dehydrated/not eating decent food etc.

 

[aunty establishment]

But if you are not using excessively, keep fit and healthy and make sure you are sleeping properly, the ill effects of drug use can be minimised

Bolded for emphasis. I too know people who've been using for years who look great - and the secret is moderation in everything. If you're the type to take it to extremes *points to self* you're going to wear it eventually - but you can definitely help your body along by eating well (or at least taking a multivitamin ) and sleeping regularly.

 

[psytaco]

I have a friend who was once very attractive. Great body and even pretty face, she had some very startling features. During the time when I first met her she would go out and have a big night once a fortnight or so and I don't think this had much of an impact on her looks or the rest of her life for the matter. But over the christmas holidays (and its along time when your at uni) she lost the plot, started smoking way too much ice, often reguarly throughout the week, doing pills just when she was driving around time, K & G on big nights, and downers for when she needed to sleep. She eventually had a breakdown and no longer goes to uni, she deals and works as a stripper. But I saw her recently and she lost alot of weight, her skin is all pasty and deathly pale, she has dark rings under her eyes and scabs all over her face. This is just in the space of about 4 months since I last saw her. Its a shame coz not only was she once very beautiful but also smart and good fun. Now she looks like shit, and is constantly cracked out and very difficult to talk too.

Also you can she what drugs do to people's appearance if you go to some raves, Like recently at [Event name] I saw alot of people who obviously abuse drugs heavily, one of which I kind of knew from high school. And they don't look well physically or mentally. Really gaunt and skinny, hollow eyes, and rotting teeth. They also look like they are not with it completely psychologically. I guess if you go to big doofs and raves like [Event name] reguarly and are into polydrug use and also abuse over drugs (ie. speed) on a regular basis then it would definately take its toll.

Moral of the story is go easy on drugs like speed, don't use them regularly, eat properly, exercise and look after your personal hygein and you'll be fine. Common sense really.

 

[borats]

This poor girl has been doing the rounds on the net for a long time. All in the space of fourteen years. I can only imagine at the stories behind these photos

 

[gher]

^It's an ad for plastic surgery.

Top: This is you as a woman.
Bottom: This is you as a man.

 

[Diacetylus]

I don't really have much good to say about Meth, as most of it's users that I have come to know, that use regularly are pretty sadly screwed. It's not necessarily to late after you've binged for a while, but I think after abusing such a powerful drug, that puts so much strain on most physical organs, blood circulation, sugar levels, nutrition and well... basically is a whole stress on the whole body in general, you're asking for irrepairable damage.
In my opinion, Methamphetamine abuse, or at least from what I've seen... is the most aging habit one could ever have and the most detrimental, in my opinion far greater than that of alcohol abuse.

For some reason, for most Opiate users that I know (bar a few of the heavy injectors that WILL inject anything they can get their hands on, including meth) look amazingly young for their age. Perhaps this anti-aging affect could be due to Opiates like Heroin relieving alot of stress and worry? Who knows. But, I have always found it amazing how so many Heroin users can still be in such good shape and retain their youth after such strong habits.
I'm guessing it has something to do with the way Opiates "depress" you, as oppose to hyperexcite your brain and body...

 

[person]

That ad hes been chopped to hell, seen it on many flyers/ads, anti-meth campaigns, I myself look fine, smoking meth almost on a weekly basis for several years now. I can easily pick out the g-kids, they float around the club making goldfish expressions, lol..

 

[Urbie]

From year 2002-2004 I was abusing a lot of substances, especially opiates, MD** pills, grog, benzos/downers, acid, cannabis and RC's (before DEA/FBI's operation tryp), and with combination of working graveyard shifts, poor diet, hardly went outside to get some sunshine because I slept throughout the day and worked nights, my skin got so pale almost deathly white, my eyes were often hallow/sunken/brusied, I had lack of engery all the time or motivation to do anything, and ate poor diet, lost few kilos, I looked few years older, since I cleaned up my act when I left Brisbane in October 2004.

Since then I have massively cutted down/elminated a lot of substances, gained weight, my skin got tanned, looks healither, eat balanced diet, and drink plenty fo water, gets outside more often to spend time in the sun, a lot of my mates and relatives often mention I look few years younger for my age (27).

It was kinda scarey for me when I checked my old files in my computer and saw some old pictures from few years back when I was in the dizzy heights of my substance abuse, compared past and current snaps of myself, I noticed a huge differences. Especially in the skin colour department.

Once you stop, clean up your act, you will start look more nicer and heailther.

 

[phase_dancer]

This poor girl has been doing the rounds on the net for a long time. All in the space of fourteen years. I can only imagine at the stories behind these photos

A few kids, financial difficulties and an abusive partner can turn a girl into something far worse than that over 14 years.....


I do agree that the skin thing with meth can be hideous over a long period of time.

A classic Mikey Robbins line went: You know crocodiles are really dogs with a speed habit

On a more serious note; I don't know what the causes this premature aging, perhaps it's continued exposure to impurities in the meth - toxic result, perhaps dehydration (probably most responsible) but possibly also changes in peripheral circulation, and liver function.

While I've observed that most people who use for considerable periods don't regain their youthful appearance, a liver detox can do wonders for the skin. A good friend had really bad skin for her age (32) and at times her BO wasn't pleasant at all. She had been a user off and on for several years, however, after abstaining and getting on a liver cleansing program her skin looks great and her body odour is much, much nicer.

 

[chugs]

people with multiple, chronic, addictions tend to:

a) not eat a balanced meal
b) have some sort of liver & kidney damage (alcohol abuse will do this easily)
c) be defficent in critical vitamins & minerals
d) have insufficent sleep

All those things will make you ugly - that said drugs aren't necessarily the cause. As Phase Dancer said a few kids, financial woes and an abusive partner can easily do it as well.

I know many people who take drugs and look fine.

I know many people who don't look after themselves and as a consequence look terrible.

 

[Teddles]

i dont just think it just meth use, any drug which is abused and puts your body under undue stress can make you look like crap. uppers more so cause it deprives your body of sleep(sleep is very inportant). downers make you fat!!

i have a friend at my work who has partied once in her life and didn't like it, but she looks gaunt and pale cause she cant sleep, she's tries all sorts off downers but nothing works, she can feel herself fall asleeps and she just jerks uprights, i think its a mild form or epelispy? but she just looks like shit and no amount off make up can hide it, poor girl.

not as poor as the poor girl who has had her last fourteen years of police photos just posted all over the web, that just plain unlucky.

still i'd rather look gaunt than fat, my dentist told me i needed four wisdom teeth taken out, i said i'd come back when i had a spare 880$ dollars, three years later and partying every couple of weeks i have a wicked looking jaw line. i'm glad i didn't have them out cause they all came through a treat and it looks wicked. a bit off the topic though

 

[georgi]

I used to take speed every weekend, and pills often too
I did this for about 6 months, but at the time I have to say that it didnt affect my looks and i sort of looked good...
I dont really get pimples, and my skin stayed clear while taking drugs, and yeah did lose a fair bit of weight, of which i didnt need to lose in the first place, but it looked good because i am very active and go to the gym alot, so was still toned and fit...

But then after stopping and not taking anything for about 6 months, now that i have started a little bit again, my skin suddenly is getting breakouts, and i feel like it is often dry and can see little wrinkles!
Also i put on weight when i stopped using

All these things may be due to the past, and now present, drug taking...but it also may be very well to do with just hormones and getting a bit older (just turning 21)....

But when i was taking speed my hair did fall out a fair bit, which could have been to speed, or could have been to stress at the time (stress which was partly caused by speed, uni and depression)...

So yeah its all a bit inconclusive for me!