Meth Addiction, or as it’s sometimes known by its full name, Methamphetamine Addiction, or street name, Crystal Meth, refers to an addiction to a synthetic form of amphetamine. Meth Addiction is a very serious problem in the United States. Meth Addiction is widespread to all areas of the United States and continues to be on the upswing. The first step to recovery from Meth Addiction is admitting that there is an addiction. Once that is established, and the user has admitted that they need help, then the long road to recovery can begin.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug chemically related to amphetamine but with stronger effects on the central nervous system. It has many different street names such as “speed”, “meth”, “crystal”, and “crank”. Methamphetamine is used in pill form or in powdered form by snorting or injecting. Crystallized Methamphetamine known as “ice”, or “glass”, is a smokable, more powerful form of the drug. Meth provokes the artificial release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and seratonin in the brain. A Meth high will artificially boost self-confidence, and many users are overcome by a so-called “superman syndrome”. In this state, users will ignore normal physical limitations and try to do things that they’re normally incapable of doing. Meth is highly addictive because most people using will continue using it to avoid the inevitable crash that comes once the drugs initial effects begin to wear off. Even first time users will experience many of Meth’s negative effects.

There are generally three stages to a Meth Addiction: low intensity, binge, and high intensity. The binge or high intensity users smoke or inject Meth to achieve a faster and stronger high; the patterns of abuse differ in the frequency in which the drug is abused and the stages within their cycles.

The binge abuse cycle is made up of these stages: rush, high, binge, tweaking, crash, normal, and withdrawal. The rush usually lasts anywhere from 5-30 minutes and the user’s heartbeat will race and metabolism, the blood pressure and pulse will soar and they will have intense feelings of pleasure. Then you have the high which last anywhere from 4-16 hours. During this stage, the Meth addict will often feel aggressively smarter and will become argumentative. Next comes the binge, which last from 3-15 days. The Meth addict will maintain the high for as long as possible and will become hyperactive, both mentally and physically. The next stage, tweaking is the most dangerous of them all. A “tweaker” typically is a Meth addict who hasn’t slept in 3-15 days and is irritable and paranoid. They often behave and react violently, especially if they’re using alcohol or another depressant causing their negative feelings or associated dangers to intensify. The tweaker will crave more meth, but no dosage will help re-create the euphoric high, which leads to frustration, unpredictability, and a potential for violence making them a danger not only to themselves, but also for medical personnel and for law enforcement. The next stage is the crash and lasts only 1-3 days. During this stage, the meth addict generally poses no threat, becomes very lethargic and sleeps. The final stage is the normal stage lasting, generally, 2-14 days. The abuser returns to a state that is slightly deteriorated from the normal state before the abuse. Then, of course, there’s withdrawal. This will last 30-90 days during which time no immediate symptoms are evident but the abuser first becomes depressed and then lethargic. The craving for meth hits and the abuser may become suicidal. Taking Meth anytime during the withdrawal can stop the unpleasant feelings so, consequently, a high percentage of addicts in treatment return to the abuse.

Meth Addiction is a serious illness that requires treatment in a licensed facility with licensed and certified personnel. If you or a loved one suffers from Meth Addiction, please call us. We are here to help you and your loved ones down their road to recovery.