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Meth is a very addictive drug and when used for extended periods of time, it can prove to be seriously injurious to health. The drug proves to be destructive for overall lifestyle of a person. Getting rid of meth addiction is one of the most difficult tasks to complete but people have done that and now they are living a successful life. So, recovery is always possible. With continued use of meth, signs and symptoms of abuse become obvious. Looking for hints in a loved one can help you detect if they are suffering from meth addiction.
Meth produces its harmful effects on an addict. The effects gradually become obvious and seriously harm every aspect of an addict’s life. Changes can be noticed in body, mind and behavior of an addict. Look for these changes in a loved one you suspect of addiction:
Looking for these substances in suspected addict’s room or other places in use may also help:
All the addictions start with recreational use that prolongs for dangerous periods of time. The use turns into abuse and finally addiction.
Meth increases the levels of many neurotransmitters in brain such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are associated with a number of brain functions such as producing feelings of pleasure and happiness. There is a temporary boost in mood, energy levels, heart rate and blood pressure. Feelings of pleasure are resulted. The symptoms of meth abuse include:
Mental symptoms of meth abuse:
Usage of meth even in small amounts may have very potent side effects. The drug can cause cardiovascular problems and even convulsions and seizures.
Prolonged use can have obvious physical symptoms such as lesions on skin, poor coordination, and weird behavior.
Short term effects of meth are temporary that may disappear after drug usage is stopped. These may include:
The drug also produces its long term effects on brain that, in some cases, are not reversible. Such as:
If meth is used via intravenous injections, the risk of contracting blood-borne diseases greatly increases. These diseases may include HIV AIDS and hepatitis B and C. These diseases are able to pass from one person to the other via blood and other bodily fluids. Methamphetamine use also alters the brain structure and impairs the thinking abilities that may lead to dangerous practices during the high phase such as unsafe sex that increases the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
These diseases combined with addiction can have very damaging effects. In a person with HIV, the damage caused to brain by drug is increased by many folds. The permanent damage thus caused to neurons impairs the normal functioning of brain such as thinking and learning abilities, judgment and decision making.
The other long term health effects produced by the drug include:
Breathing in an environment contaminated with meth smoke can lead to presence of drug in the blood but so far, there is no evidence of people getting high on meth smoke or developing health problems from smoking secondhand smoke.
Using meth during pregnancy can induce serious abnormalities in the baby and can even result into an abortion. The abnormalities produced include poor development of heart and brain and other body organs. Premature delivery can also be a consequence. A number of other behavioral, mental and physical abnormalities are also produced as per studies conducted by National Institute on Drug Abuse. The baby fails to live a normal life.
Road to drug and alcohol recovery is easy if you follow our extensive addiction recovery guide.
