Methamphetamine Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment Resources
Meth is a highly addictive stimulant with powerful effects that is a popular illicit substance. Many may use it recreationally until they have become dependent or addicted, with devastating results.
Key Points
- Meth is an illegal Schedule II drug substance with a high risk of abuse and addiction.
- Side effects of meth use include decreased appetite, nausea, psychosis, panic, hallucinations, and a fast heart rate.
- Between 2015 and 2018, around 1.6 million people in the United States over 18 abused meth.
- Long-term meth use can lead to organ damage, especially to the lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys.
- Treatment for meth addiction includes medical detox, inpatient programs, holistic therapies, group therapy, and alumni programs.
What Is Methamphetamine?
Meth is a common recreational drug sold illegally on the streets. It is a Schedule II drug, according to the DEA. Around 9.6 million people over the age of 12 have used meth at least once.[1] Meth goes by many names, including crank, crack, black beauties, and yaba.
Side Effects of Methamphetamine
The most common side effects include decreased appetite, nausea, psychosis, panic, hallucinations, and tachycardia (fast heart rate).[2] As a stimulant, meth excites the central nervous system (CNS).
How are Methamphetamines Taken?
Meth is a crystalline or powder substance. It is commonly smoked, though sometimes injected, taken orally, or snorted to enact its effects instantly. This creates a powerful euphoria which often causes addiction and dependence.
Methamphetamine Quick Reference
Drug Category
Stimulant
Commercial & Street Names
Crank, black beauties, uppers, speed
DEA Schedule
Schedule II
Administration
Oral, snorting, smoking, injecting
Statistics on Methamphetamine Use, Misuse, and Addiction
Between 2015 and 2018, around 1.6 million people in the United States over 18 abused meth.[3] It is a more commonly misused recreational drug because it is inexpensive to acquire and has powerful stimulant properties.
Effects of Methamphetamine Abuse
As a stimulant, meth increases the heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Many users suffer panic attacks, psychosis, and hallucinations. Some may become violent, while others may engage in strange behavior. Its stimulant effects are so powerful that some users may have heart attacks.
Can You Overdose on Methamphetamines?
Yes, thousands overdose on this drug every year.[4] An overdose can occur when someone takes too much of the drug at once or mixes it with other substances. This can cause your heart to stop, respiratory depression, coma, and death.
Signs and Symptoms of Methamphetamine Overdose
Common signs of meth overdose include heart attack, hypertensive crisis, seizures, and stroke. The person may be confused, psychotic, and sweating excessively.
What to do if you suspect someone is overdosing on Meth:
Acting fast is key for the survival of anyone who has overdosed. If you have Narcan (naloxone), this can help revive the patient while waiting for help to arrive.[5] Call 911 and stay with the person until paramedics take over. If the person isn’t breathing, perform CPR.
Dangers of Long-Term Methamphetamine Use
Those who use meth short-term experience strong feelings of euphoria. But after a while, that euphoria fades, and studies show that it might be difficult to experience pleasure naturally.[4] This may cause anxiety and depression. Meth also causes organ damage, especially to the lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys.
Methamphetamine Addiction and Abuse
Many people don’t realize they’re addicted to meth until it’s too late. They may use it recreationally until they find they can’t live without it. It is difficult to stop meth use due to the effects on the brain’s pleasure centers. As massive amounts of dopamine is released, the brain is tricked into feeling euphoric, increasing the desire and cravings for more meth.
Signs of Addiction to Meth
Someone addicted to meth may develop unexplained money troubles or steal money from friends and loved ones to buy drugs. Others may become violent or display unusual behavior. Others may close themselves off and not talk to their loved ones for long periods. Physical indicators of a meth addiction include poor dental hygiene and overall oral health.
Meth Addiction and Mental Health
Meth can take a serious toll on one’s mental health because of how it affects the brain. It stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers and makes it difficult for the brain to produce its own pleasure hormones. A decreased ability to experience pleasure often follows long-term meth use.
Over time, this chemical alteration influences memory impairment, learning abilities, informational processing, and negatively impacts the functions associated with emotions.
Certain mental disorders may also spur meth addiction, such as anxiety, depression, BPD, and impulse control disorder.
Meth Addiction Treatment
Meth addiction treatment often takes several months. It involves therapy and support to restore balance and build healthy lifestyle habits. The cost will depend on the treatment program and insurance coverage. Every program is unique to the individual. Choosing a treatment program tailored to your needs will give you the resources to recover from your addiction.
Medical Detox
Medical detox involves medical monitoring as you evacuate the substance from your body. This level of care reduces withdrawal symptoms and makes the detox process safer. Medical detox is also supervised by medical professionals to ensure that you are safe.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment allows you to sleep at the facility and receive treatment during the day. You can also balance work and other duties while receiving treatment. It involves therapy to help you identify the root of your addiction and how you can move past it.
Therapies Used in Meth
Addiction Treatment
Co-Occurring Disorders
Dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders apply when both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition coexist. Some mental health concerns may make it more likely for people to abuse meth.
- Depression: Depressive thoughts may cause a person to seek out meth’s euphoria.
- Anxiety: Anxious thoughts are overwhelming and may temporarily be calmed with unhealthy drug use.
Meth Detox and Withdrawal Management
Meth detox may take a few days up to several weeks as you navigate meth withdrawal symptoms like nausea, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and sweating. Medication-assisted treatment may be available to alleviate symptoms and help you focus on recovery during the withdrawal timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Uses Meth?
Many young people use meth for recreational purposes. Some may also use meth as an alternative to other stimulants like cocaine. It is an inexpensive substance and is therefore more common among disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.
Why Is Meth Addictive?
Meth targets the brain’s pleasure centers, causing a euphoric high shortly after taking it. With long-term use, the brain’s ability to produce pleasure hormones naturally is severely reduced. This often leads to increasing doses and more frequent use.
What Is Meth Cut With?
Meth is cut with inedible ingredients like cat litter, lithium, and rat poison. Each substance is dangerous to ingest on its own but the harmful effects can be magnified when cut with meth.
What does it look like? What is it called? How is methamphetamine … (n.d.-d). Retrieved from https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs3/3981/3981p.pdf on July 4, 2023
Yasaei R, Saadabadi A. Methamphetamine. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535356/ on July 4, 2023
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, March 26). Patterns and characteristics of methamphetamine use among adults – United States, 2015–2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912a1.htm on July 4, 2023
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, July 10). Drug overdose death rates. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates on July 4, 2023
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023a, June 1). Naloxone for opioid overdose: Life-saving science. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/naloxone-opioid-overdose-life-saving-science#: on July 4, 2023
NIDA. 2022, January 12. What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine misuse?. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-are-long-term-effects-methamphetamine-misuse on July 4, 2023
