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Located in Belton, TX, Cedar Crest is the leader in mental health care. One of the most important steps in the recovery journey is understanding the signs, symptoms and side effects of meth addiction. After repeated use, an individual will develop a tolerance to meth, which means that they will continuously need more and more of the substance in order to get the desired effect.
Methamphetamine is the child of a drug class called amphetamines, both stimulants that can provide users with increased energy, intense desire to chat, and an overall sense of happiness. However, methamphetamines are different than amphetamines because much higher amounts of methamphetamines are able to reach the brain which increases the potency. meth addiction Meth also gives users a longer and more sustained high which leads to damage to the central nervous system. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that about 1.2 million Americans have abused methamphetamine at least once in the previous 12 months. This means that about 0.4% of the U.S. population has abused meth in the past year.
Meth Withdrawal Signs
Meth can be taken orally, snorted, injected, or smoked, all producing various levels of a euphoric high, “rush,” and intense alertness. Smoking crystal meth, which is a purer form of the illegal drug, produces a very intense high and rush lasting between 4-12 hours. Methamphetamine crosses the blood-brain barrier with greater ease that other stimulants, creating a longer-lasting high and, conversely, higher damage to the body, including damage to the brain and CNS.
- Fortunately, effective comprehensive treatment options exist that can help a person emerge from the depths of meth addiction and resume his or her pursuit of a healthy drug-free future.
- The drug will affect numerous bodily systems, including the skin, teeth, cardiovascular system, and kidneys.
- The effects of withdrawal for someone who has chronically abused methamphetamines vary wildly.
- Our mission is to facilitate optimal health and wellness, free of chemical dependency and mental health concerns.
Our experienced, well trained and compassionate staff are committed to being there when you need them and understand the doubts you may feel and re-experience during treatment. For example, at low to moderate doses it can increase conscientiousness, attention to detail and the ability to concentrate. It can also improve mood to the point that people feel more comfortable around others and thus, be more open in social interactions and more agreeable. This reinforces use of the substance, however, as tolerance develops and more of the substance is needed to achieve the desired affects, the individual begins to experience more negative effects than positive ones.
Learn about meth and substance abuse
Methamphetamine is derived from its parent amphetamines which are both stimulants that provide increased energy, extreme talkativeness, as well as an overall feeling of well-being. Even at similar doses, methamphetamines are different from amphetamines – far higher amounts of methamphetamines are able to reach the brain, increasing the potency of the drug. Methamphetamine also has longer and more sustained effects, which can be pleasant for the user, however, this can cause greater damage to the central nervous system. Understanding the signs, symptoms and side effects of meth addiction is a key component toward starting the recovery journey. As meth use continues, tolerance will develop, and larger doses will be required to achieve the desired effects.
- During this period, the body is deprived of the dopamine that Meth was previously supplying and causes extreme exhaustion.
- Meth can be taken orally, snorted, injected, or smoked, all producing various levels of a euphoric high, “rush,” and intense alertness.
These signs of meth use can be easier to spot as the condition worsens. If you see your loved one using these drugs or you believe they are from the changes in personality or behavior, reach out right away. Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. have used meth and half of those who use it (the equivalent of about 600,000 people) have used it within the last week. People who use meth are at a four-and-a-half times greater risk of death than their non-using peers. Meth use is also the most common substance use disorder for which people seek help, accounting for 90 percent of drug-related treatment activity. According to reports provided by the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 1.2 million people in the United States admitted to using methamphetamine in the year prior to the survey.
What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine misuse?
A crash can last anywhere from one to three days, and it can be an outward sign of meth use that’s apparent to people around the user. Neglecting relationships with friends and family as well as obligations is one of the most important behavioral signs of meth addiction. Meth usually appears in either a powder or crystal form, and can https://ecosoberhouse.com/ be ingested by being smoked, swallowed, snorted, or injected. In the United States, meth is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, which means that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has determined that it has high potential for abuse and that using this drug can lead to severe psychological and physical dependence.
- Reach out to our experienced staff when you are ready to make a change in your life.
- Meth typically appears as a powder or a pill, and can be abused by being swallowed, snorted, smoked/inhaled, or injected.
- A cycle of abuse begins with the user perpetually chasing the initial high.
- The crystals can be white, clear, blue or a combination of these colors.
In these ER visits, meth was the fourth most commonly mentioned drug, following cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. Mount Regis Center is a leading inpatient treatment program for men and women recovering from addiction and behavioral health concerns. 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.
For many people, methamphetamine is a drug that can quickly consume their life and lead to a variety of negative consequences. If you know the early signs of meth use though, you might be able to intervene sooner rather than later and save someone’s life who needs it most. The more severe the physical symptoms of meth abuse, the more likely the person has a serious problem.
While these pleasure centers may heal over time, research is suggesting that the damage methamphetamines cause to a user’s cognitive abilities may be permanent. You may have heard of the term meth mouth, which refers to rotting teeth. Meth addiction is so powerful that people often stop caring about anything else in the world.