Meth Addiction
Methamphetamine is one of the main culprits adding to overdose deaths in this country. According to the 2024 threat assessment by the Drug Enforcement Agency, meth, and other lab-made substances, accounted for 30% of the nearly 108,000 lives lost in 2022. Statistics collected by World Population Review from 2021 showed California had the highest number of meth users in the U.S. with 418,000.
At Bayview Recovery Center in San Diego, California, our men’s only rehab center offers meth addiction treatment and therapy services to help people recover and maintain sobriety.
What is Meth?
Methamphetamine is a man-made stimulant drugs that is very addictive. It produces euphoric effects, sometimes described as a sense of well-being lasting up to 24 hours. Meth is relatively easy to manufacture and inexpensive, which makes it affordable and easily available to teenagers.
Meth can be smoked, snorted, or consumed orally. Smoking or injecting it creates an immediate and intense rush. The effects of snorting the drug are not as intense and require more time to take effect.
Methamphetamine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule II drugs, including cocaine and PCP, have a high likelihood of being abused. Abuse of these drugs can cause severe physical or psychological dependence.
How Does Meth Affect The Brain and Body?
Similar to other stimulants, meth increases focus, wakefulness, and physical activity. Other effects include:
- Increased breathing
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat,
- Increased body temperature and blood pressure
Effects of Meth on Dopamine Levels
At first, meth produces a feeling of well-being and bliss that is beyond the effects of any other substance. It elevates dopamine levels dramatically. Dopamine is a “chemical messenger” (neurotransmitter) associated with the brain’s reward, pleasure, and motivation system. For example, if normal dopamine functioning is about 100 units, meth use spikes it to 1250 units. That’s well above the pleasure that results from food, sex, cocaine, and alcohol. Individuals who use meth report being high for 8 to 12 hours from one dose.
Why is Meth Dangerous and Addictive?
Because of its powerful action on the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals (dopamine and serotonin), methamphetamine is highly addictive. Due to the significantly increased dopamine levels, a euphoric rush is created when the drug is taken. The brain’s levels of serotonin (responsible for mood regulation, appetite, and memory) are also increased.
But when the effects wear off, the brain is drained of both serotonin and dopamine. This creates feelings of anxiety and depression. Continued use of meth also leads to tolerance. This means that a user needs higher doses to receive the same effect. These higher doses fuel the addiction to the drug.
Meth use is linked to increased risk of cerebrovascular (blood flow to the brain) and cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) conditions such as:
- Heart attacks
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Psychosis
- Depression
- Suicide attempts
- Schizophrenia
- Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections
- Hepatitis C
- Adverse birth outcomes
- Dental problems
- Impotence
Signs and Symptoms of Meth Addiction
- Meth paraphernalia–pipes, needles, crumpled foil, spoons, straws, and broken light bulbs
- Extreme sweating
- Ammonia body odor
- Dilated pupils
- Burn marks on fingers and mouth
- Deterioration of physical appearance
- Weight loss
- Meth mouth
Short-Term Psychological Effects of Meth
- Extreme happiness (euphoria)
- Increased alertness
- Increased restlessness
- Excitement
- Anger, irritation, anxiety, or edginess
- Paranoia
- Desire to do meaningless and/or repetitive tasks
- Increased feeling of well-being
Short-Term Physical Effects
- Increased activity
- Rapid breathing
- Decreased appetite
- Irregular and/or rapid heart rate
- Increased body temperature (overheating)
- High blood pressure
- Twitching
- Headache
- Dilated pupils
- Tremors
- Jaw clenching
- Dry mouth
- Seizures
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
Despite this long list of negative effects, users may still become addicted because of the perceived positive psychological effects.
Long-Term Psychological Effects of Meth
Long-term meth use can chemically change the structure and function of the brain. A lot of the effects can continue for several months or years after quitting the use of the drug. Research has shown that at least 50% of the brain’s cells that produce dopamine may be damaged by long-term use of meth, even in low doses. Additionally, damage to nerve cells containing serotonin may be even greater. The long-term psychological effects include:
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Anxiety
- Sleep problems
- Aggressive, violent behavior
- Paranoia
- Mood changes
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Suicidal thoughts
- Homicidal thoughts
- Psychosis
Long-Term Physical Effects of Meth
- Substantial weight loss
- The feeling of insects crawling on the skin
- Skin sores caused by scratching
- Severe dental issues (meth mouth)
- Higher risk of Hepatitis B, C, and HIV
- Alzheimer’s- or Parkinson’s-like symptoms from brain damage
- Lung disease
- Heart issues
- Kidney and liver damage
- High blood pressure
Likelihood of a Meth Overdose
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, especially methamphetamine have risen sharply in recent
years and many of these deaths involved using an opioid at the same time. Sadly, there is no overdose reversal medication for stimulants as there is for opioids.
Factors that affect a meth overdose include:
- Strength and dose–because of the way meth is produced, the potency of each batch is unpredictable
- Method of use–injecting or smoking causes effects that are different from swallowing or snorting
- Personal influence–the age, weight, and overall physical and mental health of the person all play a part
- Tolerance–a history of meth use can affect overdose
- Other drugs–if other drugs were combined with meth, the effects could vary
An overdose can occur very quickly, depending on how the person uses meth. It can have an effect immediately if it’s smoked, and injected meth causes effects in as little as 15 seconds. Still, there’s no set period for when an overdose can occur. It may happen right after use or many hours later.
Meth Overdose Symptoms and How to Help
Signs of a meth overdose alone may include:
- Chest pains
- Rapid or increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Dangerously high body temperature
- Confusion
- Paranoia
- Seizure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Severe stomach pain
- Breathing difficulty
- Psychosis
- Coma
- Death
If you believe someone is experiencing an overdose, get medical help immediately. Be careful around them particularly if they seem extremely excited or paranoid.
- Call 911
- Try to wake them up if they appear unconscious. You can do this by vigorously rubbing their chest with your fist.
- If they don’t wake up, check for a pulse and give CPR if you don’t detect one.
- If they’re having a seizure, hold the back of their head gently to prevent injury.
- If you can, turn their head and body to the side in case they vomit.
- Don’t try to stop their arms and legs from shaking
- Don’t put anything in their mouth
- Stay with them until emergency help arrives
When paramedics arrive, have this information ready, if possible:
- Approximate age and weight of the person
- How much meth was taken
- How was it taken (was it snorted or smoked?)
- How long since the person took the drug
Meth Addiction Treatment
Meth addiction treatment is complicated and requires a comprehensive program that includes:
Detox
Detox helps meth users purge the physical presence of meth from their body. Users can then become reacquainted with life without meth in their body. In cases of severe meth addiction, the person may need hospital inpatient treatment. Meth withdrawal symptoms are extreme and most people relapse before they complete detox. Professional meth addiction treatment helps provide the best outcome.
Counseling and Therapy
Counseling addresses the psychological damage done by the addiction. It also serves to educate users on how to resist triggers and maintain long-term abstinence. For many people, family therapy helps mend relationships and educates families about their loved one’s meth addiction.
Other effective therapies include:
- Evidence-based behavior therapies have been proven to be effective in treating addiction.
- Group therapy helps build support among peers which is important in continuing recovery.
- Individual therapy builds trust between the client and the therapist. Sometimes it uncovers underlying reasons for the person’s drug use.
Meth Addiction Treatment Programs
Residential treatment: clients live at the treatment center with 24-hour supervision.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): PHPs are similar to a residential program but the individual goes home at the end of every day.
Outpatient Programs (OP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP): Sessions at the treatment facility vary depending on the intensity of the outpatient program.
Methamphetamine is one of the most difficult drug addictions to overcome. Any person that engages in meth abuse must find an addiction treatment professional. People who try to quit on their own are rarely able to maintain a lasting recovery.
Drug Abuse Treatment is Available at Bayview Recovery Center
If you or someone close to you is suffering from a meth addiction, Bayview Recovery Center is a male-only treatment center in San Diego, CA. Bayview provides a gender-specific program that offers many benefits including:
- Specialized treatment for emotional and relationship issues
- Encourages a feeling of trust and bonding
- Minimizes sexual tension and distractions
- Supportive gender-sensitive therapy groups
- Open communication about cultural and social pressures
Our therapists and counselors are addiction specialists, experienced in meth addiction treatment. We also have programs that will help you along your recovery journey, including PHPs, sober living, and an aftercare program. You know something’s wrong. Contact us today and don’t suffer through this alone.
Alyssa is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and received her Master’s degree from San Diego State University. She has experience working with individuals in recovery of all ages for over eight years. Alyssa has also worked with at-risk homeless foster youth transitioning into independent living along with the families in the neonatal intensive care unit at UCSD.
