I type this line with a significant dopamine deficiency from my own past usage. What I wouldn't do to take it all back. I've covered this topic in different formats through humor, though I feel this to be a potentially informative source to raise awareness about an issue plaguing the rural United States. Methamphetamine use is on the rise, but if you aren't submersed in a rural or ghetto culture, you wouldn't know it.

I live in rural Appalachia, just at the foothills in Southeastern Ohio. I've even been an addict at a certain point, and even in a drug addled fog, I could see how bad the situation was throughout the entire community. I have trouble speaking for communities outside of my region, but to my understanding it isn't much better. A record amount of opiate overdoses have been reported in Ohio over the past decade, but the methamphetamine usage goes under the radar because people seldomly overdose. A heart attack from prolonged usage is much more likely than a true OD.

Walking around a modest sized village of 1000 or so people, at least half of the pedestrians are blatantly speeding.  Gangly arms, picked skin, and glassy blown pupils are all common ailments amongst the country ghetto folk.  Snitches, who were one exiled for their behavior, are no longer excluded from common illegal activities, because meth and other supplements have crippled the integrity of even the underbelly of this society. What once was a bustling coal town is now pleading to be a ghost town, because ghost towns see much less degenerate behavior.

Marijuana usage is seldom among town, mainly because it's such a low priority for the people that use.  A few elderly drinkers still exist, ranting about the 'kids these days', Kessler bottle in a hand devouted to strictly alcohol usage.  They might not be functioning, but they put the tweakers to shame.

Tweaking on meth has become such a commonality that many names and terms have been coined around it. A bag of meth can be called anything from ice, glass, tweak, cream(the most popular), shake, anny, gogo, all of which are ennunciated by a small population.  It is not uncommon for fentanyl or heroin to be in the dope to get people more addicted, though this is usually undesirable, because it weakens the product's accelerative properties.

Heroin and fentanyl addicts definitely exist, and there are many of them in town, but it's a number closer to 10% compared to the 40-50% that prefer to 'gogo' as fast as they can. It's fairly easy to tell what dope a dope fiend is on by their behavior, facial expressions, and body type. A tweaker is usually twitchy, has ridiculous uncoordinated body movement, can't stand still, and has glassy eyes with blown pupils, whereas the heroin/fetty addict will have a relaxed look with more murky eyes and usually a smirk to follow. There's a clear distortion, compared to a sober civilian that is just relaxed.

Tweakers have coined the term 'sidetwacking' to refer to how they cannot complete a task at hand. Someone on meth will get 50 things halfway done, but will not finish a single thing they set out to do. When half the town is sidetwacking, you see an utter discord that will dishearten even the bravest of souls.

I have lived in this environment for long enough. I cannot do it much longer, but while I'm here, I tend to give it the attention it deserves to the outside world. I will come forth with more articles pertaining to the decayed state of Appalachia.  If you enjoyed my work and could throw a bone to someone that's struggled as of late, it would be greatly appreciated. Coin wallet links below. Thanks for taking the time to read about my home. I do not like seeing it this way, and if success ever blesses me, I intend to pay it forward.

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