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Shadow People: A Counter Visual of Those Who Use Methamphetamine

ABSTRACT This photo essay offers a counter visual to the common images of people who use methamphetamine (meth). Images of meth users found in the media and in anti-meth campaigns typically paint them as one-dimensional actors who have sacrificed their health, families, and lives for their drug of choice. Such depictions contribute to the stigmatization and demonization of users, which can ultimately impede their recovery. Here, we provide photographs of men who previously cooked methamphetamine but who were in treatment at the time the photographs were taken. The photographs are captioned with quotes from the men to show some of the range of attractions for using, the hazards of chronic use, and the struggles to live free from meth. Our hope is that these images and brief quotes will help to show the complexity of these peoples’ lives.