Meth Addiction And Abuse

What Is Meth?

Methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive synthetic stimulant. It impacts the central nervous system, causing heart rate, breathing, temperature, anxiety, and paranoia to increase. It comes in powder, pill, and crystal forms and is typically used by smoking, snorting, or injecting.

Pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicines, is usually the main ingredient used in illicit methamphetamine. However, meth can contain other ingredients, including solvents, gasoline, starter fluid, acids, rubbing alcohol, metals, and salts, making it extremely dangerous to digest.

Meth And The Brain

Meth changes each person’s brain who uses it and changes how it functions. It travels through the bloodstream and enters the brain quickly. Once there, it can linger for hours. Meth alters the way the brain communicates with the rest of the body.

Because meth is a stimulant, neurotransmitters release a large amount of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are responsible for making someone feel pleasure and reward. Specific areas of the brain affected by methamphetamine addiction and use include:

• The hippocampus, in which memory and learning occur
• The frontal and prefrontal cortex, which regulate reasoning, judgments, decision-making, and impulse control
• The cerebellum, responsible for movements and cognitive functions

Dopamine is involved in reinforcing rewarding behaviors, even if they have negative short-term and long-term effects. Because meth makes someone feel good in the beginning, they continue using the drug even when it no longer produces the same high.

Someone abusing crystal meth often uses in what are known as “binges” due to its intense but short-acting highs. This is followed by an intense “crash”, where users can feel symptoms of withdrawal for several days.

What Does A Meth High Feel Like?

Someone who uses methamphetamines will likely experience a high with a rush of energy. Depending on how a person uses it, it may keep someone awake and alert for many hours.

Some of the common feelings associated with meth include the following:

However, when meth metabolizes and the initial effects begin to fade, a person will end up feeling:

Meth Addiction Symptoms

Professionals use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to determine if someone has a stimulant or methamphetamine use disorder.

Behavioral changes are often the first signs someone is addicted to meth. These changes may include irritability, paranoia, mood swings, decreased sleep, or anger episodes, to name a few.

Eleven criteria or symptoms help determine if their addiction is mild, moderate, or severe. Two or three symptoms are mild, four or five are moderate, and six or more are severe. The eleven symptoms of an addiction to meth include:

• Misusing more of the drug than intended and for longer periods.
• Being unable to stop misusing meth even after repeated efforts.
• Spending much of their time seeking, using, or recovering from the drug.
• Craving meth or having an intense urge to use it.
• Being unable to fulfill work, home, school, or social responsibilities.
• Continuing to misuse the drug despite it causing relationship problems.
• Giving up important personal, professional, or social activities due to misusing meth.
• Putting themselves in dangerous situations to use or obtain meth.
• Continuing to misuse meth even when knowing it will worsen a physical or psychological condition.
• Developing a tolerance to meth or needing more of the drug to feel the same effects.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when stopping or cutting back the use of meth.

Additionally, noticeable physical and psychological changes may also occur in someone with a methamphetamine addiction. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it may be time to seek treatment.

Side Effects Of Meth Addiction

Aside from the initial rush of energy, euphoria, and loss of appetite, other side effects of meth harm the body. For example, someone can expect the following side effects of a methamphetamine addiction:

• Blood pressure increases
• Heart rate beats faster or irregularly
• Body temperature rises
• Sleep disturbances
• Digestive problems
• Mood becomes irritable or agitated
• Behaviors become aggressive or violent
• Skin itching and scratching

The more someone misuses meth, the more damaging the side effects become, and a person with a meth addiction may experience life-altering results.

Meth can cause dangerous physical symptoms including blood pressure alterations, heart rhythm disorders, seizures, body temperature alterations, muscle breakdown, circulation issues, bleeding, coma, and death.

Long-Term Abuse

Methamphetamines can affect every part of the body. Even when someone stops using meth and enters recovery, they may still have to deal with damage from meth. For example, long-term high blood pressure can lead to heart problems or a stroke. It can also permanently alter how the brain functions. Additional long-term consequences of an addiction to meth include:

• Mental health disorders
• Insomnia
• Hallucinations or delusions
• Paranoia
• Psychosis
• Skin sores from scratching or picking
• Malnutrition
• Major organ damage
• Teeth and gum problems

When someone misuses meth by combining it with alcohol or other drugs, they can expect to experience side effects from each substance. Polysubstance use increases the risk of adverse long-term effects.

Featured Centers Offering Treatment for Meth Addiction

Signs Of A Methamphetamine Overdose

Meth overdoses occur when a person has a toxic reaction after consuming the drug. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that there were approximately 32,537 overdose deaths in 2021 that included psychostimulants, mainly methamphetamine. Meth overdose signs to look for include the following:

• Extreme increase in pulse, breath, or temperature
• Confusion
• Psychosis
• Aggressiveness
• Paranoia
• Chest pain
• Seizures
• Heart attack
• Stroke

Mixing meth with other drugs, intentionally or unintentionally, makes an overdose more probable. Meth is often combined with other substances, like fentanyl, due to their similar appearance. This mixture can be fatal.

Meth Addiction And Co-Occurring Disorders

Co-occurring disorders are the conditions a person has alongside a substance use disorder. Common co-occurring disorders seen with meth use include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Conduct disorder
• ADHD
• PTSD

For some, misusing methamphetamine is a way to cope with a mental health condition. Stimulants may temporarily make someone with depression feel happier and have more energy. Others may develop a mental health disorder because of misusing meth. The side effects of anxiety and paranoia may develop into an anxiety disorder.

Anyone with a co-occurring disorder will benefit from treating both conditions simultaneously since an untreated condition can lead to relapse.

Find Treatment Today

Meth is an addictive substance that can cause dire consequences, including short and long-term physical and psychological damage. For some, misuse may lead to an overdose or death.

When someone has a meth addiction, it may seem like they will never be able to regain control over their life again. Fortunately, addiction treatment programs are available to help someone break their dependence on the drug. If you or a loved one needs help to stop misusing methamphetamine, contact a treatment provider today and learn about your rehab options.