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SPEED DEMON

I'm a 31-year-old, female closet tweaker.  By first impression/appearance, I don't look or carry myself like I'm high on speed, though I've been smoking meth regularly for three years now.

I want to say thanks to New Times for bringing the series on meth to the attention of the public.  These important articles have been honest, informative and sometimes disturbing in their truthfulness.  These stories, especially "Ice, Ice, Baby" ( Robert Nelson, November 24 ( http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2005-11-24/news/feature.html ) ), have given me hope, because I know that -- though it's difficult to find in Arizona -- help is available.

When I do get out of my apartment, or isolation chamber, in Ahwatukee, it's almost always only to go re-up my drug supply.

The tweak world is a sub-society.  We keep going while the rest of you are asleep.  We are also the loneliest people.  We all eventually build walls between ourselves and the rest of the world.

It is time the walls are broken down.  All of us who suffer in darkness, shame, fear and isolation need to find relief.  I'm almost certain there are many others who desperately wish someone understood the painful reality of meth addiction and how tweakers desperately wish to permanently stop doing this drug.

Your stories have shed light on what it's like inside the life of the glass dick.  I imagine that the more the public hears the truth about methamphetamine addiction -- and the high degree to which Arizona is suffering -- the better the chances are for those of us caught in the vicious cycle of meth to come out of hiding and find help.

Name withheld by request