Meth is an illegal drug that can give you a false sense of energy. Also known as “speed” or “crank,” crystal meth is an incredibly addictive stimulant that impacts your nervous system.
The high you get from meth can be very strong and pleasurable, but it’s also very dangerous. Meth can cause long-term damage to your body and brain, and it’s very easy to become addicted to it.
Meth is especially dangerous because it can cause you to lose weight quickly, making you look gaunt and unhealthy. It can also lead to dental problems, skin sores, and other health issues. Additionally, meth can severely damage your brain, leading to memory loss, paranoia, and even psychosis.
Do you need the help of a meth addiction treatment center? If so, call us today at 855.298.3104.
How meth addiction makes you feel
What does meth do to your body? Like many things, it depends on how long and how often you take it.
Methamphetamine, or meth, is a psychoactive stimulant drug that people take for the euphoric high it produces. Some people also take meth to lose weight, increase energy, and stay awake. But why do people take meth in the first place? What’s the appeal to users?
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug. It can cause euphoria, energy, and excitement in the short term, but it also causes damage to the brain and body in the long term. Despite these risks, people continue to use meth because of the high it produces.
Methamphetamine produces a feeling of euphoria, or happiness, that is much stronger than the feeling produced by other drugs. It also increases energy and activity, which can make people feel more alert and alive. These effects are especially strong when meth is smoked or injected, which causes the drug to reach the brain faster.
Most people use meth because it gives them some kind of perceived advantage. Even with the significant downsides, meth can make you feel like you can conquer anything.
For the short term, meth can make you feel like you have more energy and wellness than you actually do. However, this temporary feeling results in an intense crash once you come down from the drug. Meth use is deadly because it usually raises your temperature and blood pressure beyond what your body can handle.
If used over a long period of time, meth can cause brain damage and memory loss.
Side effects of meth include:
- Aggressive behavior
- High temperature/fever
- Unable to sleep
- Mood swings
- Become violent
- Fast aging
- Paranoia
- Not caring about appearance
- Hair/skin picking
- Appetite loss
- Twitching
- Hallucinations
- Psychosis
- Meth sores
What Does Meth Do to Your Body?
However, the more you use meth, the more likely you are to experience adverse side effects. Chronic usage often makes it so meth users can no longer feel pleasure unless they’re using the drug.
Psychotic symptoms can also continue even years after ceasing use. Stress can cause meth psychosis, even if they aren’t currently using.
Physical signs of meth use include rapid weight loss, sleep disruptions and shakes and tremors.
Perhaps one of the most notable signs of meth use is meth sores. These sores start with scabs or lesions that users will often pick at because they feel like something is crawling under their skin.
Meth’s Impact on Your Brain
Meth literally changes your brain structure in several ways. At first, it increases how much dopamine is in your brain. However, the changes it enacts make it so that your brain can’t regulate its own dopamine production. Dopamine becomes depleted, which later leads to extreme mood swings.
These structural changes come with reduced coordination and other cognitive and emotional problems. Even using meth once increases your risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. The parts of your brain related to learning, attention, movement and reasoning are all similarly negatively impacted by meth usage.
Long-term use damages the brain by causing cell death and changing how your mind’s reward system works. Some of these damages are permanent.
How to Deal With Meth Addiction
The addictiveness of meth means that withdrawing from it can be dangerous. To detox safely, you should seek supervision from a medical center.
Washburn house features a meth addiction treatment center that develops a customized plan geared towards your recovery. Most have to go through a medically assisted detox before they’re eligible to start rehab. Once you leave treatment, you aren’t left to go and fend for yourself. Your treatment team will continue monitoring you to help you avoid relapse.
Meth is incredibly harsh on your body, often leaving lasting damage. Don’t let it ruin your health and your life. Call us at 855.298.3104.