Meth Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline & Addiction Treatment

Methamphetamine causes dramatic changes to behavior and appearance. People who use meth usually act anxious, depressed and unpredictable. They also develop noticeable side effects, such as sores, sunken eyes and rotten teeth. Because the sensation of hopelessness and negative emotions are intense, the risk of relapse is high. Medical attention must be given to a person who reports suicidal thoughts.

Signs of an overdose

Long-term meth use can damage blood vessels in the brain, and cause stroke and other fatal events such as heart attacks. Meth has also been shown to decrease gray brain matter, which increases the risk for memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease later in life. If you’ve been suffering from poor cognition and memory, or other health problems meth addiction linked to brain damage, it’s possible meth addiction could be the root cause. Depression affects almost 48% of those who struggle with meth addiction. Meth use can alter the natural balance of brain chemicals responsible for controlling one’s mood, and can lead to depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders.

Behavioral Signs

Toward the end of a meth binge, they won’t be able to achieve the pleasant high they felt at the beginning. Meth caused about 3,700 overdose deaths in 2014, and almost 4,900 overdose deaths in 2015 — a 30% increase from the previous year. In 2016 the number of meth overdose deaths increased by 57% and caused 7,700 fatalities. In comparison, opioids including heroin caused over 53,000 overdose deaths in 2016. The stimulant can also bring about a severe crash when the inebriating effects wear off, causing the user to sleep for days afterward. By the 1950s, amphetamine, marketed as Benzedrine, was widely used to treat asthma, hayfever and colds.

• Now anytime I feel that I’m not enough, I look at that little girl and remind her that she is enough — more than enough.
• According to a 2015 study published in BMJ Open, adolescents who combine meth and marijuana experience more widespread problems related to memory, planning and reasoning than youth who abuse meth alone.
• It’s also dangerous to combine meth with other stimulants, like cocaine.
• It’s unwise to try to communicate with someone who is on meth.

Long-term Health Risks

• Users who binge on crystal meth can stay awake for as long as 10 days, often subsisting with very little food or drink.
• This is because methamphetamine floods the brain with dopamine, the feel-good chemical responsible for pleasure, reward and motivation.

I always made sure to look the part of a smart, together, confident young woman. I wore Tahari suits from a used-clothing store, stockings and glasses that I didn’t need. People who wear glasses and pantyhose don’t do meth, right? I was a hard worker, and I stayed hours after everyone left work to transcribe the dean’s interviews, do his expenses, and file things that needed to be filed. I was proud of what I was achieving, even if I was scared of how desperately I needed the meth and what happened if I tried to quit it. Meth withdrawal can also cause a range of physical symptoms, including headaches, tremors, and muscle pain.

• If you’re worried that a loved one is using crystal meth (or any other substance), it’s important to address your concerns with them compassionately and avoid making assumptions.
• Those in recovery from meth addiction often suffer anxiety, depression, and drug cravings, and may tend to sleep a lot and binge-eat to cope with their symptoms.
• By the 1950s, amphetamine, marketed as Benzedrine, was widely used to treat asthma, hayfever and colds.
• This exhaustion begins as severe tiredness and can progress to a nearly catatonic state.
• But as tolerance increases, depression and anxiety may start to occur while under the influence of meth.

Use our rehab directory to find nearby meth treatment centers in your city and state. Meth use affects the portion of the brain that controls rational thinking and emotional response, and can trigger imbalances that lead to the onset of paranoia. Here are 20 meth addiction symptoms https://ecosoberhouse.com/ that can indicate whether you or your loved one needs help, along with information about safe, effective meth treatments. This program is ideal for educating patients and their families, school faculty and staff, behavioral and mental health professionals, and more.

Meth Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment

If someone you love is abusing or addicted to meth, please reach out to an Ark Behavioral Health specialist to learn about our drug abuse and addiction treatment centers. Meth addiction is often treated using a medical or medically assisted detox combined with therapies that treat psychological symptoms of meth addiction. Those in recovery from meth addiction often suffer anxiety, depression, and drug cravings, and may tend to sleep a lot and binge-eat to cope with their symptoms.

Risk factors

But as tolerance increases, depression and anxiety may start to occur while under the influence of meth. However, in the long run, it can cause severe consequences. Its effects are similar to those of other stimulant drugs, such as cocaine. Since the effects of the drug start and fade quickly, people often take repeated doses in what is known as a binge and crash pattern. In fact, some people go on a “run,” which involves bingeing on the drug every few hours for several days at a time, without food or sleep. Methamphetamine, commonly referred to as meth, speed, or crack, is a powerful stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system.

Addiction to Methamphetamines

That said, you always have the option to reach out and find support, and it’s never too late — or too early — to ask for help. If you or someone you know has any signs of an overdose, call for emergency help right away. What’s more, combining meth — a stimulant — with depressants like alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines can have a tug-of-war effect on your bodily functions. That said, meth can have a range of effects beyond euphoria. Healthline does not endorse the use of any illegal substances, and we recognize abstaining from them is always the safest approach.