Wendy Zuckerman

And she told me something that most scientists studying meth don't. didn't tell me. I love meth.

Jen used to go to these dance parties in South Africa, and she tried meth a handful of times.

Jen used to go to these dance parties in South Africa, and she tried meth a handful of times.

Jen used to go to these dance parties in South Africa, and she tried meth a handful of times.

Anyway, we got to talking about why meth can cause psychosis. And she told me that some of what's going on here is probably from sleep deprivation. Meth can keep you up for days if you take enough of it, and that can make you go loopy in all kinds of ways. But something else is happening here too.

Anyway, we got to talking about why meth can cause psychosis. And she told me that some of what's going on here is probably from sleep deprivation. Meth can keep you up for days if you take enough of it, and that can make you go loopy in all kinds of ways. But something else is happening here too.

Anyway, we got to talking about why meth can cause psychosis. And she told me that some of what's going on here is probably from sleep deprivation. Meth can keep you up for days if you take enough of it, and that can make you go loopy in all kinds of ways. But something else is happening here too.

So right now, you are probably not on meth, and your brain cells are communicating, sending signals to each other in this orchestrated dance that allows you to listen to this podcast and not to think about other stuff swirling around your brain. But because meth has these powerful effects on different chemicals in our brain... Jen says that it can scramble that dance.

So right now, you are probably not on meth, and your brain cells are communicating, sending signals to each other in this orchestrated dance that allows you to listen to this podcast and not to think about other stuff swirling around your brain. But because meth has these powerful effects on different chemicals in our brain... Jen says that it can scramble that dance.

So right now, you are probably not on meth, and your brain cells are communicating, sending signals to each other in this orchestrated dance that allows you to listen to this podcast and not to think about other stuff swirling around your brain. But because meth has these powerful effects on different chemicals in our brain... Jen says that it can scramble that dance.

For example, a really important thing that your brain does is that it inhibits or shushes certain signals. But meth stops some of that from happening. So all of a sudden, you're seeing things and thinking things that you wouldn't normally be.

For example, a really important thing that your brain does is that it inhibits or shushes certain signals. But meth stops some of that from happening. So all of a sudden, you're seeing things and thinking things that you wouldn't normally be.

For example, a really important thing that your brain does is that it inhibits or shushes certain signals. But meth stops some of that from happening. So all of a sudden, you're seeing things and thinking things that you wouldn't normally be.

And so studies find that quite a lot of people who use meth, we're talking maybe one in three, one in two, will get meth-associated psychosis. But this is an experience they'll have while they're high. Those thoughts should go away pretty soon after meth is out of their system. So Tina, she only saw shadow people while she was taking meth.

And so studies find that quite a lot of people who use meth, we're talking maybe one in three, one in two, will get meth-associated psychosis. But this is an experience they'll have while they're high. Those thoughts should go away pretty soon after meth is out of their system. So Tina, she only saw shadow people while she was taking meth.

And so studies find that quite a lot of people who use meth, we're talking maybe one in three, one in two, will get meth-associated psychosis. But this is an experience they'll have while they're high. Those thoughts should go away pretty soon after meth is out of their system. So Tina, she only saw shadow people while she was taking meth.

And Theo only got paranoid like that when he was using heavily. It is worth pointing out, though, that there are some unlucky folks who still get psychotic episodes even after they've stopped using meth. And they can actually end up with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. What's frustrating is that we don't know the chance that this will happen to you.

And Theo only got paranoid like that when he was using heavily. It is worth pointing out, though, that there are some unlucky folks who still get psychotic episodes even after they've stopped using meth. And they can actually end up with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. What's frustrating is that we don't know the chance that this will happen to you.

And Theo only got paranoid like that when he was using heavily. It is worth pointing out, though, that there are some unlucky folks who still get psychotic episodes even after they've stopped using meth. And they can actually end up with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. What's frustrating is that we don't know the chance that this will happen to you.

Researchers told me that it's rare, but your risk goes up the more meth that you use. Now, if you are worried about getting schizophrenia, some research suggests that cannabis might be even riskier than meth. So where does this leave us? Will meth break your brain? Well, while you're using it, it can give you psychosis and make you go a little bonkers.