Author: James Anderson
Meth Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment
Because it builds dependence, you can also become tolerant of the substance’s effect. The danger here is that you may need to take higher doses more frequently through other administration routes (like injecting) to get high. This, in turn, can raise the risk of serious health complications and an overdose. Yet, as more time passes and dependence builds, people use meth more frequently within less social settings.
Thepowdered form of methmay be more common, as it is less potent and potentially less expensive. Powdered meth is most commonly used by snorting it, but can be taken in pill form or dissolved in fluids and ingested. Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.
Another telling symptom of meth use is “tweaking” – a period of anxiety and insomnia that can last for 3 to 15 days. Tweaking occurs at the end of a drug binge when a person using meth can’t achieve a rush or high any longer. Tweaking can cause psychological side effects, such as paranoia, irritability, and confusion due to the desperation to use again. Tweaking from meth can also cause people to experience hallucinations and become prone to violent behavior.
If that happens, consider seeking out additional resources or find a support group for family members or friends of people living with addiction. The first step is to recognize any misconceptions you might have about substance use and addiction. It’s important to remember that ongoing drug use changes the brain’s structure and chemistry. This makes it more and more difficult to simply stop taking the drug. Recovering from alcohol addiction is a challenging journey and, for many people, completing an outpatient alcohol rehab program is a critical step toward long-term sobriety.
Health Problems
- While the risk of relapse is still present, there is a higher chance of recovery if the person makes it this far.
- It’s important to understand the signs of meth use so you can help your loved ones get the treatment they need.
- Methamphetamine, also called meth, is a stimulant drug that is also called street names like crystal meth, chalk, ice or speed.
- Methamphetamine chemically alters how a user thinks and feels, which can make what was once a recreational drug activity a major life priority.
Makers of illicit meth synthesize the drug by isolating the elements of highly reactive products. Cooking meth produces toxic, flammable fumes and may result in chemical explosions. Houses used as meth labs are often inhospitable afterwards, due to the poisonous chemicals that are released when meth is made. In the most severe cases, a person can die or become strongly handicapped because of the damage caused by meth. Long-term meth use can also cause memory loss, possibly due to structural changes in the brain, as well as lung, kidney, and liver damage. That’s because the drug boosts energy and decreases appetite.
Meth produces an intense high that comes on and fades quickly. Coming down can cause difficult emotional and physical symptoms, such as depression and insomnia. As a result, meth addiction often follows a pattern of bingeing on the drug for several days at a time, followed by a crash. If you recognize the signs of meth use, you should seek help from a medical professional orprofessional rehab treatment program. Someone who is using meth can not only harm themselves but can be a danger to people around them. Methamphetamine, also called meth, is a stimulant drug that is also called street names like crystal meth, chalk, ice or speed.
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Another sign someone is using crystal meth is the crash phase. During this period, the person’s body collapses after the constant stimulation from meth, usually ending in long periods of sleep. A crash can last anywhere fromone to three days, and it can be an outward sign of meth use that’s apparent to people around the user.
You may seek out more meth to make these feelings go away. Some people swallow it in a pill form or smoke it by heating up crystals in a glass bowl or pipe and breathing in the vapors. Almost 2.5 million people in the U.S. aged 12 or older say they use meth every year.
Drugs & Supplements
It’s helpful to keep calm when talking to your loved one, but you don’t have to refrain from showing any emotion. Openness and honesty in both your words and feelings can show them just how important they are and how much you care about them. People begin using substances for any number of complex reasons, including trauma and other emotional distress. Only your loved one can tell you about any factors that play a role in their use. Talking to your loved one lets them know you want to support them through whatever’s causing these symptoms. It’s often most helpful to focus on symptoms you’ve noticed personally and avoid making assumptions about the possible causes.
Meth Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment
This can cause you to think scary things that aren’t true. The odds of this happening to you are higher if you go on a multiday meth binge without sleeping. After the high wears off, you may start to feel bad physically and emotionally. These negative feelings may equal the intensity of your high but in the opposite way.
How to recognize addiction in others
You experience mental and physical effects (withdrawal) if you stop taking the drug. Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area. “What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine misuse? “Tweaking” is another element that can help determine whether or not someone is using crystal meth. Powered methcan vary in appearance, but is normally a white or yellowish powder. It is usually impossible to tell powdered meth apart from other drugs that are in powdered form.
This particular phase lasts an estimated two weeks after the initial 7 to 10 days of recovery. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor. Also, the elimination half-life of methamphetamine is 12 hours.