Aftercare may include community-based and family-based support systems, mutual-help groups, alumni events, and more. The best treatment depends on the patient’s individual needs and the severity of their addiction, assessed by a healthcare professional. Individuals who take methamphetamine exhibit physical symptoms, whether the person is new to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ taking the drug or physically dependent on it. The side effects of meth can ruin a person’s high and cause a range of health problems. Using meth can cause long-term damage to the person’s health, which often persists even after the person has stopped using the drug. Its effects are similar to those of other stimulant drugs, such as cocaine.
Meth also dries out the saliva glands, which leads to tooth rot and gum decay. And since the user may not practice good oral hygiene habits, these effects are even worse. The acid in the drug weakens the teeth, so that they chip and break more easily. This stimulation meth addiction can increase energy and alertness, so someone using meth may not sleep for long periods of time. If 2 or 3 of the criteria are met, the Meth abuse disorder is considered mild. Four or 5 is considered moderate, and 6 or more is considered severe.
Warning Signs of Meth Use
In some individuals, this loss of control may be represented by selling items to buy drugs, engaging in criminal activities, or participating in other types of risky behaviors to get meth. As a central nervous system stimulant, meth primarily works with a chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine. It’s responsible for reward, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. It works with your reward system to encourage you to repeat important survival tasks like eating nutritious food. Methamphetamine is used medicinally in the treatment of narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. On the street, the drug goes by the names crystal meth, meth, crank, ice, chalk, crystal, and speed.
- The crash can be lengthy for chronic abusers, and bingeing episodes can last for several days or longer.
- Methamphetamine use can also alter judgment and decision-making leading to risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex, which also increases risk for infection.
In addition to the mechanisms of physical dependence, there are also social, experiential, and environmental factors that may place a person at greater risk of developing crystal meth addiction. Substance use disorders and addiction aren’t choices you make — they’re mental health conditions that can have long-term effects on your health and well-being. Addiction (clinically called a substance use disorder) refers to the compulsive, uncontrollable use of meth despite all of the harm that it causes.
Methamphetamine Addiction Symptoms
Your doctor will use this information to help minimize your risk for drug interactions or other complications during detox. Although an intervention may motivate your loved one to seek treatment for an addiction, it could also have the opposite effect. Confrontation-style interventions can sometimes lead to shame, anger, or social withdrawal. In some cases, a nonthreatening conversation is a better option. Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy.
The drug itself may be a white powder, pills, or clear, shiny crystals called crystal meth. Meth use affects chemicals in the brain, specifically increasing dopamine production. When these chemical levels are thrown off, the brain’s communication processes change.