Perhaps I Held You Too Tightly

Here’s what hours of reading harm reduction material for injecting methamphetamine DIDNT teach me:

When it burns or hurts that means you probably aren’t in the vein anymore. Pull back on the plunger to see if you draw blood into the barrel. Adjust until you get blood again then finish.

Elevate the place where you miss a shot above your heart quickly, massage it to help prevent it swelling. Put a warm compress on ASAP then switch between cold and warm compresses 15 minutes every few hours. If you need to see a doctor then go. It’s not worth losing your arm or something nuts.

The safest areas are your arms, hands, legs or feet as a last resort. No no zones are your neck, genitals and groin and wrists.

The veins in a female’s breasts are frail and I wouldn’t use them but if you must then use extreme caution and inject slowly. Maybe use two veins if you’re doing a big shot.

If you’re using a small, damaged, or frail vein water it down and inject slowly!!!! Be more gentle with delicate veins, they need it. This is for hands, feet or any thin vein you use.

It’s always a good idea to do a double register (pull the plunger back to make sure you still get blood) about halfway through your shots.

Honey holes are the places you can count on to hit 9/10 times. Save at least one for medical purposes but two is better so that you have one for yourself when you’re rushed.

If you’re shaking you’re gonna fuck it up and it’s time for self care. Eat a snack, drink some water, take some deep breaths or whatever relaxes you, check your hands and try again when they’re steady.

Invest in full coverage makeup that’s powerful enough to cover tattoos. Match it to your arms not your face and use it to cover bruises and track marks if you need to. Trust me that it’s worth the money and you will wanna have it eventually.

You’re still going to get dry mouth so don’t let your dental hygeine be neglected.

You aren’t imagining that weird smell. It’s you because you put a bunch of weird shit in your arm. Go take a shower. Do so daily.

You’re one of the big boys now and the rules to the game don’t apply anymore. Look out for yourself first and be prepared to take your l’s. You’re gonna get your heartbroken a few times that’s just part of the game. Learn to give your trust only when it’s earned.

Lock boxes are cheaper than having your shit jacked. People lose themselves when drugs take over.

Thick shots aren’t for beginners unless you’re into wasting your shit and having a shitty ass high. Water them down when you’re learning to hit a vein and worry about rolling with the big dogs once you know wtf you’re doing.

When your shot is thick like syrup put that in a juicy vein that can handle the acidity and consistency. I recommend elbow crooks, the fat bois that go down your forearm. In your legs you can use the big ones on the inside and outside of your knees.

Eventually you’re going to overamp yourself, it happens to everyone. The first time it happens remember that it’s not impossible but it’s really difficult to fatally OD on meth. You might think you’re dying but you aren’t. Lay down where you are, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and try to relax and let it pass. Panicking will only make it worse. You aren’t having a heart attack, it’s just chest pain. It will pass.

If you have any kind of heart condition I think you should do pretty much anything else besides injecting stimulants.

Don’t let just anyone doctor you (hit you with the needle). Watch them do themselves or someone else first. Make them stop if you don’t feel safe or it hurts. There’s nothing wrong with giving someone directions when they have a needle in your arm.

Mark your rigs when using with other people so that you know which ones you’re responsible for getting rid of.

Slamming meth isn’t like doing an opiate in your IV. Site rotation HAS to happen because of the extra damage done to your veins.

Don’t slap your veins, that makes them move away from the skin bc that’s how your body works, it avoids pain. Instead of that, press gently on the vein rapidly and that will help it bulge.

You can stop veins from rolling by pinning them but I haven’t found a way to do that alone. To pin a vein you just have to press down on the vein a couple inches below where the shot will go in. Once there is register you’re good to let it go.

Tying your arm off isn’t as easy as it seems and will take practice. Everyone does it different and don’t worry about what someone else uses as tourniquet. We’ve all used some weird shit, it just be like that.

Dont muscle a meth shot. It hurts, you don’t really get the high you want, and it’s just not worth it. Booty bumping is better when you do it the right way.

Don’t put it in your vein if the blood clotted in the barrel. You could give yourself a stroke or embolism I believe. Big yikes. Booty bump that one too.

If you don’t know something, there are people on tumblr you can ask. Most of us won’t tell you wrong answers on purpose but if you feel like it’s wrong ask someone else. A lot of the drug and harm reduction community has diminished but it’s still here and is a resource. Not everyone will want to help but a lot of us do.

Do your own research on proper and safe injecting. There is a lot out there and google searches give you whole pdf phamphlets complete with pictures.

Use your common sense. Wash your hands before you make a shot and before you inject it if you can. Sterilize with the highest % of rubbing alcohol you can get. And don’t fucking share needles. I know everyone knows but I had to say it.

Don’t cook a meth shot unless you’re trying to just burn off the dope. It dissolves completely in water. You don’t need to cook most drugs unless you’re extracting from a patch or have real deal tar heroin.

Know your limits and respect your body. Self care is more important than ever. Eat food, hydrate a lot, lay the fuck down and let your body rest even if you’re not sleeping, shower, brush your teeth, and take breaks so you can recover.

1. Do meth.

2. Do meth together.

1.That I was going to become a fucking meth head. 2.That I’d unintentionally starve myself for two years - without the luxury of losing much weight. 3.That I would no longer sleep every day. 4.That I’d feel unnecessary paranoia every time I came down. 5.That nobody would like me unless they too did meth, even if I didn’t hurt anyone but myself. 6.That I’d have sex for excess hours and never get off. 7.That my eyes and head would hurt constantly for days and days and days! 8.That I’d have to spend time writing this list while I sit in my bathtub, as an attempt to release my guilt. 9.That I would attempt sobriety and fail miserably every day of my life. 10.That I would lose my great job, my car, my confidence, my pride, my ability to smile, my reason to be a person, and everything and anybody that I have ever loved.