Addiction to methamphetamine.

Addiction to methamphetamine. Halkitis, P. N. (2009). Methamphetamine addiction. Biological foundations, psychologicalfactors, and social consequences. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. [ISBN 978-1-4338-0423-6; $79.95] In recent years several books have been written exclusively onmethamphetamine; for example, Braswell (2006), Lee (2006), Owen (2007),Roll, Rawson, Ling, & Shoptaw (2009), and Weisheit & White(2009). The growth of these books has paralleled the growth ofmethamphetamine abuse in the United States. The book being reviewed isamong the latest of these books on methamphetamine. The focus of thisbook is on presenting a biopsychosocial perspective on methamphetamineaddiction. The author of the book has an impressive background inresearch with regard to drugs. The book is divided into 11 chapters. The book begins with aForeword and a Preface. The first chapter is about socio-historicalcontexts and epidemiological patterns of methamphetamine. In thischapter the data has been presented from various sources and isup-to-date and accurate. The figures used in the chapter are quiteillustrative such as the figure pertaining to effects ofmethamphetamine, bar graph from National Survey on Drug Use and HealthReport, etc. The second chapter is about the chemistry and biology ofmethamphetamine use. Once again the figures used are quite helpful inexplaining the subject matter. The section on methamphetamine and thedopamine system is particularly well written. The third chapter pertains to illegal production of methamphetaminein the United States. Methamphetamine is different from many other drugssuch as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana that originate from outside thecountry. Methamphetamine is largely manufactured illegally in the UnitedStates. The chapter does a good job in explaining how this drug ismanufactured in illegal labs. The fourth chapter discusses thebio-psychosocial consequences of methamphetamine addiction. The chapteris quite detailed and discusses the cardiovascular effects, neurologicalcomplications, cognitive deterioration, psychiatric consequences,effects on oral and dental health, and immunological effects ofmethamphetamine. The fifth chapter discusses the effect of methamphetamine on sex,sexuality, and sexual risk taking. Sections in this chapter discusseffects of methamphetamine on sexual behavior in gay, bisexual, andother men who have sex with men as well as in heterosexual men andwomen. The sixth chapter is about motivations and antecedents ofmethamphetamine use. In this chapter the biological and medical basesalong with mental health and social bases of methamphetamine areexplored. The author uses current studies to establish these linkages. The seventh chapter is about treatment considerations formethamphetamine addiction. A large number of drug treatment admissionsin the United States are due to methamphetamine addiction. The chapterpresents several modalities of treatment such as cognitive-behavioralapproaches, matrix model, motivational interviewing, contingencymanagement, 12-step approaches, and medication approaches. The eighthchapter is about prevention approaches to address methamphetamine. Thework on Montana Meth Project in rural America and Crystal Meth WorkingGroup based in New York City are presented in this chapter. Alsodiscussed are federal initiatives and drug education curricula inschools along with a discussion on role of fear tactics in addressingthis problem. The ninth chapter discusses working with methamphetamine addictedclients in medical settings. The issues of patient assessment,laboratory and office testing, harm reduction, and management of acuteintoxication are discussed. The tenth chapter discusses working withmethamphetamine addicted clients in mental health settings. The chapterpresents some interesting clinical case studies. The final chapter isabout future directions for research and practice in the area ofmethamphetamine. The author identifies three main areas of emphasis: (a)understanding methamphetamine adhering to a bio-psychosocial model; (b)treating methamphetamine employing a "total health" model; and(c) preventing methamphetamine paying special attention to the period ofemergent adulthood between 18-25 years of age. On the whole, this is an excellent monograph on methamphetamine.The photographs, graphs and other figures that have been providedthroughout the book make it an interesting read. This book would beparticularly useful for researchers and practitioners working in thearea of methamphetamine prevention, treatment, or research. This bookcan also have applicability in graduate classes that focus exclusivelyon understanding methamphetamine. REFERENCES Braswell, S. R. (2006). American meth. A history of themethamphetamine epidemic in America. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse. Lee, S. J. (2006). Overcoming crystal meth addiction: An essentialguide to getting clean. New York, NY: Marlowe & Company. Owen, F. (2007). No speed limit: The highs and lows of meth. NewYork, NY: St. Martin's Press. Roll, J. M., Rawson, R. A., Ling, W., & Shoptaw, S. (2009).Methamphetamine addiction: From basic science to treatment. New York:The Guilford Press. Weisheit, R., & White, W. L. (2009). Methamphetamine: Itshistory, pharmacology, and treatment. Center City, MN: Hazelden. Review by Manoj Sharma, University of Cincinnati