People may abuse it frequently and develop tolerance, meaning they need more to get the effects they want. Treatment options include medical detox and inpatient rehab, which help METH-dependent individuals recover safely. Studies such as Schizophr Res and Ann N Y Acad Sci highlight the importance of structured rehab programs for patients with methamphetamine psychosis. Seeing people, lights, or shadows that are not present is another psychotic symptom of methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorders. Research from McKetin et al. highlights how chronic methamphetamine users are at greater risk for persistent psychosis even after withdrawal. This list is not exhaustive but provides a starting point for things to look out for if you believe a loved one might be using meth.

• The sooner people seek medical help, the earlier they can stop the damage to their body.
• Medical detox provides a safe environment for managing withdrawal symptoms, while ongoing counseling and support groups build coping strategies and maintain long-term recovery.
• Methamphetamine, often included under the broader category of amphetamine-type stimulants, shows its most significant abuse rates in parts of Asia, Europe, Australia, and the United States.
• Parkinson’s is characterized by tremors, muscle stiffness, and loss of balance.

Somatic Presentations of Methamphetamine Withdrawal

Methamphetamines cause individuals to become violent even if they were not that way before. As withdrawal continues, anhedonia – the inability to feel pleasure – may persist for weeks or months, reflecting the prolonged recovery of dopaminergic pathways. Severe withdrawal symptoms are most common with heavy or long-term meth use. There’s also an increased risk of loss of pleasure in life, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts. Some people may act on these thoughts, so it’s important to reach out if you are struggling. Clients at Carolina Center for Recovery will undergo a personalized journey through one of our highly effective treatment programs.

What Causes Methamphetamine Addiction?

But outside of these controlled settings, the production, distribution, and use of methamphetamine are illegal, and its illicit street forms—most notably crystal meth—pose significant risks to public health. Learn more about the risks and side effects of substance use disorders, including the signs of intoxication or overdose. Effective treatments include medical detox, inpatient rehab, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and outpatient programs with professional support. You may keep taking meth to feel good or to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms once the drug leaves your body.

How to find a treatment center

The side effects of meth can ruin a person’s high and cause a range of health problems. Our treatment services are catered toward discovering and implementing solutions for sustained, long-term recovery. With the love and support of your family, and loved ones, we make sure to treat your addiction by understanding the root reasons behind it. We do everything in our power to help you succeed in breaking the cycle of addiction, and know that with the right kind of help, everyone is capable of healing. Contact us and we can begin the process of building a life worth living.

Treatment Options for Meth Addiction

If not treated immediately, an overdose can result in organ failure and possibly even death. You can find local treatment providers with a meth abuse therapist directory like Psychology Today, or just searching Google for addiction therapists in your area. People begin using substances for any number of complex reasons, including trauma and other emotional distress.

Long-Term Effects of Meth on the Eyes

• These therapies, when combined with structured programs and support groups, form a comprehensive treatment approach for methamphetamine addiction.
• Treatments such as behavioral therapy, detoxification, and medications like bupropion have shown promise.
• While meth overdose rates may not seem as intimidating as those related to opioid overdoses, the long-term health problems caused by meth often result in deaths that are not counted toward the overdose death toll.
• Poly-substance abuse is incredibly difficult to manage without professional help.
• Inpatient treatment is always the best option for addicts, especially long-term users who will have more severe withdrawal symptoms.

It is possible for the brain to return to a normal state when methamphetamine use feels voluntary, but this often takes several years of sobriety. Any consistent use ofmeth changes the decision-making centers of the brain. The first few times a person gets high, the decision is a conscious choice made in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. After that, the decision moves to the hindbrain — the area responsible for non-voluntary action, such as blinking and breathing. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, meaning it sends messages of pleasure and reinforcement, so when someone takes meth, they feel good and try to seek those pleasurable feelings again. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, meth is highly addictive.

Help them call treatment providers

There are many physical side effects of long-term meth abuse, such as tooth decay or “meth mouth,” body sores, weight loss, hair loss and outward signs of aging as the drug destroys tissues and blood vessels. (Some meth addicts are misdiagnosed as having a mental illness such as schizophrenia.) Psychosis can cause extreme paranoia, delusions and hallucinations, including the feeling of one’s skin “crawling” with imaginary parasites. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), psychosis can last for several months or years after the individual quits using. The symptoms of meth addiction include intense cravings, increased tolerance, alcoholism and withdrawal symptoms when not using the drug. Physical signs often involve rapid weight loss, dental issues (“meth mouth”), and skin sores due to excessive scratching.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Programs

Meth abuse disrupts the central nervous system, leading to signs and symptoms like mood swings and erratic behavior. This damage can even extend to brain cells in areas responsible for decision-making and impulse control, increasing the risk of relapse. Thankfully, evidence-based treatment programs offered by healthcare professionals can help individuals overcome meth addiction and rebuild a healthy life. Recovering from methamphetamine addiction requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the multi-faceted impacts of the drug. Treatment typically involves a combination of medical detox, behavioral therapies, and support groups.