Symptoms and Side Effects of Meth Addiction

If you think that you or your loved one have problems caused by meth addiction, as a result you’ll need access to information that helps you understand the recovery process and decide what to do next. Common areas of concern include first of all the telltale indicators of addiction, the realities of drug detoxification/withdrawal and finally the best options for follow-up substance treatment. A firm understanding of these important topics will help you make choices that maximize your chances of halting meth use for good and creating a stable, reliable sober lifestyle.

Signs and Symptoms of Meth Addiction

People with serious methamphetamine problems qualify for diagnosis of a condition called stimulant use disorder.¹ This diagnosis also applies to people affected by any other addictive stimulants, and includes both physical dependence/addiction and damaging, non-addicted abuse. Meth addiction and non-addicted abuse are grouped together because many people have overlapping symptoms of both problems.

Indications that you might be addicted to meth include:

• An inability to control the number of times you consume methamphetamine
• An inability to control the amount of methamphetamine you consume at any given time
• A repeated inability to stop using meth
• Increasing tolerance to meth’s stimulating and mind-altering effects
• The development of strong methamphetamine cravings while not involved in active drug use
• A shift away from previously favored activities and toward repeated meth use
• Continued intake of methamphetamine after your consumption leads to significant physical or mental health-related consequences

Indications of non-addicted meth abuse include continuing to consume the drug after its intake leads to family problems or social disruptions, a meth-related decline in your ability to fulfill major obligations and recurring consumption of the drug while driving or performing other risky tasks.

A variety of additional mental and physical changes may signal the presence of meth addiction.²  Things you may notice (especially in long-term users) include:

• Major dental damage (including cracked teeth and eroded gums)
• Disrupted sleep (e.g., long bouts of sleeplessness)
• Unusually pale skin
• Bouts of aggression and/or violence
• Declining personal hygiene
• Unexplained severe weight loss
• Meth formication (a hallucinated sensation of insects crawling on or under the skin)
• Other forms of sensory hallucination
• Skin sores caused by formication-related itching
• A confused or anxious mental state
• Rising involvement in serious risk-taking behaviors
• Bouts of psychosis (hallucinations combined with delusional thinking)
• A paranoid mental state

While meth belongs to the larger family of amphetamine-based substances, still it is unusually powerful. This means that people who begin a pattern of methamphetamine misuse have significant chances of developing dependence and addiction. In addition, when addiction appears in meth users, it often takes a severe form.

Reach Out For Help

We provide holistic care and treatment using an individualized approach specifically tailored to your needs. Secondly, we help you lead a healthy, substance-free life with adaptive coping and problem-solving skills. Contact us today for more information on our certified staff of professionals, as well as our first-rate facilities.