There are many physical side effects of long-term meth abuse, such as tooth meth addiction decay or “meth mouth,” body sores, weight loss, hair loss and outward signs of aging as the drug destroys tissues and blood vessels. (Some meth addicts are misdiagnosed as having a mental illness such as schizophrenia.) Psychosis can cause extreme paranoia, delusions and hallucinations, including the feeling of one’s skin “crawling” with imaginary parasites. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), psychosis can last for several months or years after the individual quits using. The most effective meth addiction treatment programs include medical detox and cognitive therapies. The detoxification process for methamphetamine addiction is the initial step in recovery, focusing on safely managing withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision. This approach ensures that severe symptoms like intense cravings, depression, and anxiety are monitored and treated, reducing the risk of complications.
What are the long-term effects of using it?
- The drug also makes dramatic changes to your brain structure in a very short time, which can lead you to keep using it despite any negative consequences on your life, health, and relationships.
- Meth addiction is an addiction many Americans face, one that can be overcome with proper intervention, and ongoing treatment.
- Additionally, methamphetamine abuse is linked to physical health issues such as cardiovascular stress, hyperthermia, and muscle breakdown, which exacerbate overall health risks.
Inpatient programs provide structured, residential care where individuals live at the facility and receive intensive treatment and supervision. These programs are ideal for severe addiction cases, offering a controlled environment that eliminates access to methamphetamine and other triggers. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for methamphetamine addiction involves using medications like bupropion, mirtazapine, and modafinil to manage dependency and withdrawal symptoms. These therapies, when combined with structured programs and support groups, form a comprehensive treatment approach for methamphetamine addiction.
Methamphetamine: What you should know
- Methamphetamine (commonly known as meth) is a powerful stimulant.
- If you — or your loved one — are ready to get treatment, you may find it helpful to bring a supportive friend or family member into the fold.
- Methamphetamine — also known as ice or crystal meth — is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug similar to amphetamine.
- Someone who uses methamphetamines will likely experience a high with a rush of energy.
- This may account for inconsistency of our non-significant results for this predictor compared to other studies that have found psychiatric severity related to post-treatment drug use outcomes (Darke et al., 2007; Hser et al., 2007).
This feeling occurs because meth increases the amount of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates the body’s natural reward center and provides the user with a feeling of reward and satisfaction after using meth. This sensation reinforces the belief that the user is doing something good and makes them more likely to want to experience the feeling again. At Carolina Center for Recovery and affiliates, we aim to provide readers with the most accurate and updated healthcare information possible. Our certified medical reviewers are licensed in the mental health and addiction medicine fields and are dedicated to helping readers and prospective clients make informed decisions about their treatment.
Learn More About Drug Misuse and Addiction
A high level of dependence means that withdrawal will be difficult. Withdrawal symptoms are optimally managed through a medical detox regime like that provided in a comprehensive treatment program. There are no specific medications designed to treat meth addiction; however, some medications can be helpful in managing specific symptoms of withdrawal like those that address depression, anxiety, and tremors. A few reports have examined MA abstinence patterns for longer post-treatment periods (Rawson et al., 2002 2-5 years post-treatment; Marinelli-Casey et al. reported in Calabria et al., 2010 3 years; McKetin et al., 2012 3 years). These studies suggest that treatment effects decline over time, as measured by MA use status.
Getting started with addiction treatment may feel intimidating at first. We understand this and are ready to help you on your road to recovery. At Carolina Center for Recovery, we work with family members, co-workers and other professionals, as well as directly with the individual in need of support to provide comprehensive care and treatment for addiction. We can offer guidance and insight into the recovery process, and will work to provide you with clarity into the steps that lay ahead. The chances of relapse rates for methamphetamine addiction =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ are significantly high, with a study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence showing that 61% of individuals relapse within the first year of treatment.
Since the treatment involves abstaining from the drug, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, severe depression, anxiety, psychosis, and intense cravings for the drug during the detox process. In fact, it is a man-made drug that was originally developed in the early 20th century for medical purposes and what is alcoholism was used as a nasal decongestant in inhalers to treat respiratory conditions. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and dangerous drug that can cause severe withdrawal symptoms upon quitting. Long-term use of meth can lead to Meth Head Syndrome, which causes several health issues.
How Common Is Meth Use?
Alternative therapies and support groups provide complementary approaches to traditional methamphetamine addiction treatments, focusing on holistic well-being and community-based recovery. Full recovery from withdrawal symptoms requires medical support and behavioral therapy to address both physical and psychological challenges. Usually, people who use crystal meth smoke it with a small glass pipe, but they may also swallow it, snort it, or inject it into a vein. People say they have a quick rush of euphoria shortly after using crystal meth, but it’s dangerous. Note also that our data did not include clinical psychiatric assessment and diagnoses, but used self-reported diagnoses of major mental illness as a proxy. This may account for inconsistency of our non-significant results for this predictor compared to other studies that have found psychiatric severity related to post-treatment drug use outcomes (Darke et al., 2007; Hser et al., 2007).
Signs and Symptoms of a Meth Addiction
Snorting produces a euphoric high, instead of an intense rush, within 3–5 minutes of ingestion. A person who takes methamphetamine orally can feel the effects within 15–20 minutes. If you have a loved one struggle with meth addiction, call American Addiction Centers (AAC) today at to learn about your treatment options and find hope and healing. With treatment, understanding, and a good support network, it is possible for a person to recover from meth addiction. According to a 2018 review of studies, people who have had adverse childhood experiences are more likely to develop methamphetamine-related psychiatric symptoms (MAP).
When meth is being abused, the person may take it in a cycle of high and low or binge and crash repeatedly. This results in repeated doses taken as soon as the high from the previous dose wears off. This cycling or “run” can span from many hours to many days, and it may result in the person not eating or sleeping for an extended period. Methamphetamines are not metabolized out of the system quickly, so they remain in the brain longer, leading to intense and prolonged stimulant effects. These factors combine to drive individuals to use meth as a coping mechanism, thereby increasing the risk of dependence. Potential long-term side effects of misuse can include heart problems and stroke, reduced cognitive function, and complete tooth decay.
Sustained Recovery
For instance, a small amount of crystal meth that costs maybe ten dollars could allow one or two people to stay high and keep partying for a full day or longer. Other reasons meth addicts cite for seeking out the drug include rapid weight loss and the way it lowers inhibitions and increases libido. Some people turn to crystal meth after their tolerance to a different drug has grown so much that they can no longer get high from that substance. Crystal meth can not only provide the high the addict is looking for, it also costs less and lasts longer. With amphetamine placed under federal control, illegal drug suppliers found that ephedrine, used in over-the-counter cold medicine, produces methamphetamine, according to Frontline. It didn’t take long for crystal meth to become “discovered” in the 1980s.
