What Is Meth? Use, Effects, Addiction, and Treatment

The duration may differ for you depending on how often you use meth. On March 5, CBP officers assigned to the Roma International Bridge cargo facility encountered a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of bottled mineral water. The tractor trailer was selected for inspection, which included utilization of non-intrusive inspection equipment and screening by a CBP canine team. After physically inspecting the shipment, CBP officers seized 1,632 bottles containing 2,268.51 pounds of alleged liquid methamphetamine. The narcotics have a total estimated street value of $20,279,137.

Dangers of Methamphetamine Abuse

With treatment, understanding, and a good support network, it is possible for a person to recover from meth addiction. Treatment focuses on relieving withdrawal symptoms and behavioral therapies that help a person identify and manage situations and behaviors that may have led to them using meth. The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA is a biomedical research organization and does not provide personalized medical advice, treatment, counseling, or legal consultation. Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation.

Meth and the Brain

Before you begin detox, you’ll undergo an initial assessment and screening tests for other medical conditions. Your doctor will use this information to help minimize your risk for drug interactions or other complications during detox. Research has shown that methamphetamine withdrawal follows a predictable pattern.

• If someone has concerns that they or a loved one may have SUD, NIDA’s website can offer support and guidance to help them find a treatment program and manage their condition.
• It’s not just about getting high — it becomes about avoiding the low.
• Methamphetamine overdose is a toxic, potentially life threatening reaction to the drug.

How to reduce your risk of relapse

Methamphetamine overdose is a toxic, potentially life threatening reaction to the drug. Your risk of overdose increases if you take a large dose of meth or mix methamphetamine with other drugs. It’s also dangerous to combine meth with other stimulants, like cocaine.

Addiction to Methamphetamines

You may keep taking meth to feel good or to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms once the drug leaves your body. You may have to take more of the drug to get the same high, and you can overdose on meth. Usually, people who use crystal meth smoke it with a small glass pipe, but they may also swallow it, snort it, or inject it into a vein. People say they have a quick rush of euphoria shortly after using crystal meth, but it’s dangerous. It can damage your body and cause severe psychological problems. Curiosity, boredom, peer pressure, weight loss, Twelve-step program to fill a void—the reasons vary for why people try meth for the first time.

This is followed by an intense “crash”, where users can feel symptoms of withdrawal for several days. It’s okay to feel uncertain about what to do next; that’s exactly why we’re here. At Illinois Recovery Center, our team of professionals can create personalized treatment programs that address the complex nature of meth addiction. If you are concerned that you or a loved one are addicted to meth, American Addiction Centers (AAC) is here to help you learn more about meth addiction treatment. Contact AAC at to find out what treatments are available, payment options, insurance coverage, and more. In addition, stimulants such as meth cause tremendous bursts of physical activity while suppressing the appetite, an attractive combination for many people who began using meth to lose weight.

However, drug tests can detect even tiny amounts of meth, so you’ll need to wait much longer before you can test negative on a drug screening. A urine test can detect meth in your system for up to 4 days. A hair test, on the other hand, could reveal meth usage up to 3 months after you last used meth. In everyday language, that means most of the meth will leave your system before the day is done.

• If you — or your loved one — are ready to get treatment, you may find it helpful to bring a supportive friend or family member into the fold.
• Because meth makes someone feel good in the beginning, they continue using the drug even when it no longer produces the same high.
• Others may develop a mental health disorder because of misusing meth.
• This could include detox or medical stabilization, inpatient rehab, therapy, and counseling, as well as aftercare planning and long-term support.

Other NIDA Sites

A meth overdose can be fatal and immediate care from a medical professional is the best possible chance of treating or reversing the overdose. Once formal treatment has ended, aftercare planning will take over. Here, you will transition back into daily life armed with practical coping and wellness skills to maintain sobriety. Safety measures and relapse prevention plans will be put in place to support a lasting recovery. Methamphetamine toxicity or an overdose of methamphetamine is possible and can result in serious, negative health outcomes and even death.

Informing Responses to Harms Related to Methamphetamine Use with Lessons from Public Health Crises

When you meth addiction have an addiction, you can’t stop using a drug, regardless of any negative consequences. Addiction can occur with or without physical dependence on the drug. However, physical dependence is a common feature of addiction. Meth addiction describes when a person develops SUD as a result of meth use. SUD is a medical condition that requires proper medical treatment.

Polysubstance use increases the risk of adverse long-term effects. Additionally, noticeable physical and psychological changes may also occur in someone with a methamphetamine addiction. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it may be time to seek treatment.