Meth Addiction: Symptoms, Getting Help, Detox, Treatment, and More

meth addiction

Researchers say overdose deaths linked to meth increased fourfold over the last decade. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is derived from amphetamine. According to NIDA, in 2020, around 2.6 million people aged 12 years and older had used methamphetamine in the past 12 months. Illegal drug manufacturers are called “cooks.” They are at risk of numerous injuries related to the production of methamphetamine.

Meth Addiction Treatment: How to Quit Meth

meth addiction

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. Treatment focuses on relieving withdrawal symptoms and behavioral therapies that help a person identify and manage situations and behaviors that may have led to them using meth. Crystal methamphetamine, which people commonly shorten to “crystal meth” or simply “meth” is a form of methamphetamine that resembles fragments of bluish-white crystal or glass.

Health Conditions

“Patients who are struggling with meth use disorder should definitely have a conversation with their treating physicians to consider whether this option is something they meth addiction should try,” Trivedi said in a statement. Unlike opioid addiction, for which medication-assisted treatment is the standard of care, no medication has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use with meth. When the drug is smoked or injected, the effects are felt extremely quickly; causing an immediate and intense, but short-lived, rush.1 Snorting or oral ingestion produces effects of euphoria within several minutes but not an intense rush.

  • If you use meth on a regular basis, it can change your brain’s dopamine system.
  • The high may linger a little longer if you snort or swallow the drug, lasting up to 12 hours or longer.
  • Your withdrawal symptoms will be strongest during the first 24 hours or so and typically last about 7-10 days.
  • Meth addiction is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat, but it can be done.

How Can You Tell Someone Is Using Crystal Meth?

meth addiction

You may grind your teeth, get dry mouth, or skip good dental hygiene practices when you use meth. People who frequently use meth often have teeth that break, turn black, rot, or fall out. The only surefire way to avoid harm from drugs is to not use them. But if you choose to use meth, there are steps you can take to make your experience safer. There’s ongoing research into the health effects of secondhand meth smoke. Still, you may test positive for the drug if you’re around the smoke.

meth addiction

  • Scientists in the early 20th century developed it in an effort to improve the medication amphetamine.
  • People experiencing methamphetamine addiction should speak with a healthcare professional who can provide support and treatment pathways.
  • Health professionals aren’t there to report you to the police.
  • The project’s lead researcher, Dr. Madhukar Trivedi at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, says the findings were strong enough to give new hope to people struggling with methamphetamine use disorder.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug usually used as a white, bitter-tasting powder or a pill. Crystal methamphetamine is a form of the drug that looks like glass fragments or shiny, bluish-white rocks. It is chemically similar to amphetamine (a drug used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD and narcolepsy, a sleep disorder). Learn about the health effects of methamphetamine and read the Research Report.

meth addiction

In fact, it is a man-made drug that was originally developed in the early 20th century for medical purposes and was used as a nasal decongestant in inhalers to treat respiratory conditions. Inpatient or residential options involve you staying at a 24-hour facility with intensive professional care, including medical supervision. There, you will likely participate in education sessions, individual and group counseling, and behavior therapies. Inpatient treatment is always the best option for addicts, especially long-term users who will have more severe withdrawal symptoms.

The substance is similar in chemical composition to amphetamine, which is a drug doctors prescribe to treat conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. The euphoria you experience when using meth may last only a few minutes. But other effects, like increased energy or higher body temperature, can linger for hours. The U.S. government has labeled meth a schedule II drug, which means it has a high potential for misuse but is legal in certain contexts. For instance, the ADHD medication Desoxyn contains methamphetamine. By law, private insurers have to cover some of the costs of substance use treatment, and most drug rehab centers accept private and public health insurance.

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