Effects of
Methamphetamine Use
Methamphetamine is an extremely strong stimulant. It is created with toxic, caustic chemicals that have their own damaging effects on the body and mind of the user. It very often creates addiction in just a few uses as a result of the strong cravings that can follow use.
Meth is a very destructive drug that changes a person’s personality and can create severe health problems. A person experiencing the effects of methamphetamine should receive effective help the first moment possible.
Mental and Physical Effects of Methamphetamine
As a person who uses meth loses his or her appetite, the person will usually lose a great amount of weight. He or she may become gaunt. The skin on the face and body may become roughened and pocked with sores.
The meth user very often loses the ability to enjoy life if she or he is not high. Periods off the drug may be spent sleeping, or simply trying to get more drugs.
Emotionally, the meth user or addict may be greatly changed from his or her normal personality. He may seem anxious, confused, disturbed. She may be aggressive and even violent. The children of a meth user may be at risk, not only because of the aggression and violence but also the confusion and neglect. Meth users have been known to lock their children in a closet or the house while they seek more drugs, let small children run around unsupervised outside, or far worse.
Many meth users have turned to manufacturing small batches of meth in order to have their own supplies. This very often exposes children to serious risks by bringing them in contact with toxic chemicals, the drug itself or the threat of explosion or fire.
Long-term effects of meth use include pale, dry, itchy skin or meth mouth, a condition in which all the teeth become rotten and must be removed. There may be hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. A meth user is likely to think that people are following or spying on him. He may get homicidal or suicidal. She is likely to stop taking care of her cleanliness, grooming and personal appearance.
The home of a meth user is likely to be very dirty and littered with trash and debris, possibly even drug remnants and paraphernalia that can harm children.
Damage and Danger to the Meth User’s Health
There are such severe changes to the brain after meth use that many meth users are not able to feel pleasure when they are not using meth. This is one of the ways the drug locks the addict in the habit.
Meth users very often engage in risky sex or drug use practices and therefore may contract sexually transmitted diseases, HIV or Hepatitis C. Users may develop abscesses or blood poisoning.
Over time, meth use can result in Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms. Mentally, a person may develop symptoms similar to schizophrenia.
An overdose of meth can cause extremely high blood pressure, convulsions, stroke, cardiovascular collapse and even death.
Driving under the influence of methamphetamine presents other threats, as the driver may exceed safe speeds, be inattentive and impatient and take extreme risks. These effects may also be suffered during withdrawal.
Helping a Methamphetamine Addict
There is absolutely nothing good about a meth habit and everything bad. Whatever a family has to do to help the person addicted to meth should be done. Children should be protected.
It may take an intervention to get the meth addict to see that they must get help. Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers often work with families to help them find professional interventionists who can work with the addicted person to bring about their desire to get clean.
Narconon programs offer the unique and innovative Narconon New Life Detoxification, one phase of the overall drug rehabilitation action. This program uses time in a low-heat sauna, daily exercise and an exact program of nutritional supplementation to bring about recovery from addiction.
Even the meth addict can recover the enjoyment that comes from a sober, productive life and the achievement of goals. Contact Narconon to find out how to get started.
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