Addicted to Meth: Symptoms, Warning Signs, Overdose & Treatments

Methamphetamine Statistics

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What Percentage Of Meth Addicts Recover? Meth Addiction Recovery Rates: Addicted to Meth

The statistics on meth addiction rehabilitation are comparable to those on all other addictions. It’s crucial to realize that a week of detox removes the physical dependence on meth, leaving the addict with the disease of addiction. Meth has relapse rates that are comparable to those of other chronic disorders like hypertension as a chronic, recurrent mental condition.

What Percent Of Meth Addicts Recover? For the first year of rehabilitation, the recovery rate for meth is between 40 and 60 percent. Even though the meth recovery rate may appear low, it’s crucial to realize that because the disease is chronic and relapsing, as explained by government organizations like the National Institute on Drug Addiction, it may take numerous treatment attempts before the condition is finally controlled. However, the rates of relapse sharply decline after the first year and each succeeding year.

Meth Addicts Before And After (Before And After Meth Addiction): Meth Addiction Before And After

In the United States, methamphetamine usage and addiction are serious issues. Over 100,000 people are now battling a meth addiction, and more than 14.7 million people have tried it. One of the most widely utilized illicit substances worldwide is meth, particularly in the American Midwest. It is a stimulant that is extremely addictive and is producing a bigger problem than the opioid crisis. Meth use can result in dramatic changes in its users. Around $23.4 billion was spent in the United States in 2005 on methamphetamine misuse.

Methamphetamine misuse for a lengthy period of time can ruin someone’s life. The substance results in severe health problems, limitations, and a failure to fulfill personal obligations. The most striking development is the apparent decline in a person’s physical appearance. The effects are terrifying and may render persons invisible.

High-Functioning Meth Addict

People don’t comprehend what it’s like to be a functional meth addict because they have preconceived notions about what addiction is. A meth addict who is still using regularly may start the day by using the drug and do so frequently throughout the day.

Meth is a stimulant, so it boosts a person’s energy and alertness, enabling them to focus on their duties even while they’re high. A high-functioning meth addict might have a strong degree and a decent profession, just like many functioning addicts. In addition to being able to function at work while high, they might also be successful. Despite their drug issue, functional meth addicts may be able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle and positive connections with their loved ones.

They would continue to participate in social activities and attend their children’s soccer games. They’re frequently accountable rather than having strained connections or frequently encountering the law.

Poor dental hygiene or tooth decay, also known as meth mouth, is one of the most typical indicators of meth addiction. Meth mouth is frequently mentioned in conjunction with methamphetamine addiction, but it isn’t necessarily present in this type of functional addict. Methamphetamine addicts with high-functioning levels of care may also practice excellent oral hygiene. It could be challenging to pinpoint their drug use because of this.

There is no question that functional addiction exists, yet a high-functioning addict cannot keep using meth without suffering some negative effects. Drug usage gives them the short-term ability to operate and keep up a certain front. The belief that one is practically invulnerable or an exception to the risks of addiction is another effect of being a high-functioning addict. This is not at all the case. Long-term drug misuse can eventually lead to risky and life-threatening issues, just like with any other substance.

Symptoms Of Crystal Meth Addiction (Addicted To Crystal Meth): Is Crystal Meth Addictive?

How Addictive Is Crystal Meth? Even if you are unfamiliar with crystal meth, you are definitely aware of the considerable health dangers, including addiction, that comes with its usage. It makes sense to feel anxious and eager to lend a hand when you have concerns for a loved one.

It might be difficult to discuss drug use with someone when you’re not certain if they need help. Though you may be concerned that you misread some cues and don’t want to insult them, you still want to offer support. Or perhaps you’re unsure that it’s appropriate for you to bring up the subject.

Whether it’s in made-up TV shows or the frequently seen “before and after” photographs showcasing missing teeth and facial sores, we’ve all seen how the media depicts those who use crystal meth. It is true that some people who use meth might experience a variety of obvious bodily symptoms, such as:

• Pupil dilation
• Quick, jerky eye movements
• Facial twitching
• Increased sweating
• High body temperature
• Jerky or twitchy body movements or tremors
• Decreased appetite and weight loss
• Tooth decay
• High energy and excitement (euphoria)
• Frequent scratching or picking at the hair and skin
• Sores on the face and skin
• Constant, rapid speech

Another mentioned may be severe headaches and trouble falling asleep. It’s crucial to keep in mind that each of these symptoms could also be caused by other disorders, such as untreated dental problems, skin conditions, anxiety, or other mental health difficulties. However, not all meth users exhibit these symptoms.

Meth Overdose Symptoms

Without the use of additional drugs, a meth overdose happens when a person consumes excessive amounts of the drug at once or over an extended period of time and develops a toxic response to it. Organ damage and potentially fatal cardiovascular events like a stroke and heart attack can arise from this reaction.

Mixing meth with other stimulants like ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamines can result in similarly catastrophic cardiovascular problems. The adverse effects of taking meth and painkillers together can be more severe, unexpected, risky, and even lethal.

Meth, as previously mentioned, is a stimulant that activates the CNS, whereas opioids are depressants that slow down the CNS. Contrary to popular belief, mixing meth with opioids or other depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines does not neutralize the effects of the substances. In actuality, the opposite occurs. Combining the two medicines can change or even disguise the symptoms of one or both drugs, which may cause users to believe neither drug is having the desired effect and prompt them to take more of one or both drugs, which may result in an overdose.

Some might unintentionally combine meth and painkillers. As fentanyl looks like methamphetamine in powder form, it is frequently used to adulterate methamphetamine and other street narcotics. When someone unknowingly uses a substance they think is meth but is actually meth laced with fentanyl, they risk overdosing.

Understanding general warning signals can help you spot a potential overdose and get the person the treatment they need, even though the symptoms of a meth overdose—without the presence of additional substances—vary from one person to the next. Meth poisoning alone may show some symptoms, such as:

• Chest pains.
• A rapid increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
• Kidney problems.
• Confusion.
• Altered mental status, including psychosis.
• Heart attack.
• Stroke.
• Circulatory collapse.
• Death

Overdoses with fentanyl (or another opioid) might result in death via sluggish or irregular breathing. It could be challenging to determine whether someone is high or suffering from an overdose when meth is consumed alongside another drug, whether purposefully or unintentionally.

Meth Addiction Treatment (Treatment For Meth Addiction): Treating Meth Addiction

• Risk assessment for medical and mental health issues. Medical supervision can help someone stay safe because meth withdrawal might cause extreme depression or suicidal thoughts.
• Supplying framework and assistance. This can aid in a person’s recovery and help them become ready for additional therapy.
• Removing a user of meth from their environment. This can lessen cravings brought on by environmental cues that might trigger a relapse.
• As necessary, offering dietary assistance. Someone who is battling with meth addiction may need support, such as larger or high-calorie meals, electrolyte supplements, or contact with a food professional. Meth consumption has been linked to weight loss and inadequate nutrition.

Rehab For Meth Addiction: As was already said, after completing detox, patients may enroll in inpatient rehabilitation or outpatient therapy. Several behavioral therapies used in professional treatment can offer a number of advantages, including:

• Helping a patient learn ways to prevent relapse.
• Teaching a patient healthier coping and stress management skills.
• Helping a patient uncover and work through the underlying reasons they developed an addiction in the first place.

Treatment For Meth Addicts: Inpatient rehab offers the additional benefit of round-the-clock supervision and assistance to help patients be safe and take care of any co-occurring problems that may develop. If a person has co-occurring psychiatric disorders or life-threatening medical issues, this additional help may be very important.

Treatments For Meth Addiction: A person who is addicted to methamphetamine may benefit from the following behavioral therapies:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This aids patients in recognizing negative or unhealthy attitudes and behaviors that fuel their substance usage and helping them modify them. According to some studies, CBT and contingency management are particularly effective in treating amphetamine addiction.
• Contingency management (CM). When someone demonstrates a desired behavior (like passing a drug test), it offers concrete rewards; however, if the desired behavior is not demonstrated, the reward is withheld.

Making ensuring a patient gets enough food and exercise during detox and throughout all phases of treatment is crucial for keeping them healthy as they recover.

Can You Die From Meth Withdrawal?

It’s important to keep in mind that while meth withdrawal might be challenging and uncomfortable, it is not a life-threatening condition. Fatigue, anxiety, and depression are among the symptoms of meth withdrawal that are most common. Even while these symptoms may be unpleasant, they are not harmful.

You can get through meth withdrawal and start down the road to recovery with the right help and direction. Please get professional treatment if you or someone you know is battling meth addiction. There is no shame in requesting assistance. Recall that meth addiction is a serious illness that necessitates medical attention.

Medication For Meth Addiction

Meth withdrawal (Meth Withdraws) can neither be treated with drugs nor can stimulant use disorder be treated with drugs that have FDA approval. If a person undergoes medically supervised detox, they could be given additional medications to treat some of the withdrawal symptoms they might experience, such as headaches or insomnia.

How To Help A Meth Addict? How To Help Meth Addicts?

You must strike a balance between acknowledging their plight and urging them to get assistance if you want the greatest outcomes. Consider these actions to assist your loved one as a guide for your procedure.

1. Learn about the condition
2. Decide if you will address your loved one’s addiction
3. Start the conversation
4. Make yourself a priority

Meth Addiction Quotes: Meth Addiction Poems (Poems About Meth Addiction)

• Meth Addict Poem: “My life so far has been a mess
  From cocaine to meth and all the rest
  I am hoping someday will come
  When all my wrongs can be made undone”
• “You’ll sell all your possessions,
  Steal your Grandma’s TV.,
  There’s nothing to stop you,
  When you want some of me!
  But don’t be discouraged,
  ‘Cause I’m easy to make,
  Right in your own kitchen,
  Like baking a cake!”
• “They’re all out to get you,
  Won’t give you no peace,
  The robbers, the snitches,
  The DEA, and Police!…
  Some call me Crystal,
  Crank, Dope, or Meth,
  I answer to any,
  But my real name is ‘Death.’”

We Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions. However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

It can be challenging to accept that you may be living with a mental illness, but once it is properly diagnosed and treated, treating the presenting case of substance abuse can be magnitudes easier. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.