5 Signs that Indicate Addiction to Meth
Meth is a powerful drug that can negatively impact the lives of those who use it. It’s especially dangerous because of its makeup and properties that allow for addiction to take hold very quickly after just a few uses. Signs of meth addiction can be subtle and requires knowledge of symptoms to recognize that a person is suffering from substance abuse disorder. Understanding these symptoms and knowing what to look out for can help you determine whether or not your loved one is struggling with addiction to meth. The quicker you’re able to recognize the signs of addiction, the faster you’re able to find the appropriate support for your loved one. Below are five signs that indicate addiction to meth.
Physical Signs of Meth Addiction
The physical symptoms of meth addiction are visibly noticeable. They can range from facial acne and body sores to frailness and rotting teeth. Meth addiction and its physical symptoms aren’t purely cosmetic as well. They can also lead to additional health issues such as lowered immunity. When a person is suffering from substance abuse disorder from meth, they are more likely to get infections and diseases due to a weakened immune system.
Psychological Signs of Meth Addiction
Meth addiction can have an extreme and intense effect on a person’s brain. Some psychological signs that indicate meth addiction are paranoia, insomnia, and delusions. These effects can take hold in quick succession after meth use. Meanwhile, long-term meth use can cause sleep deprivation. Going without sleep for several days can induce memory problems and hallucinations. Sleep deprivation can also have significant effects on mood, causing a person to become more irritable.
Behavioral Signs of Meth Addiction
A person’s behavior can take a turn for the worse when they have a meth addiction. Those with a meth addiction will spurn the close relationships that they have formed with loved ones and friends. They will also start to exhibit more deceptive behavior like sneaking around and hiding away some of their possessions. Those who suffer from meth addiction might also begin to steal money to pay for their addiction habits. Once a person becomes addicted to meth, their priorities will often shift in favor of obtaining their next high by any means. This comes at the expense of everything else in their lives, including their relationships and other interests.
Neurobiological Signs of Meth Addiction
Persistent meth use can be consequential for an individual’s brain. It increases the probability of having a stroke and Parkinson’s disease. It can cause nerve damage to the brain as well, while also reducing your nervous system’s effectiveness in repairing the damage. The longer a person is addicted to meth, the likelier the damage it causes can become permanent. This is especially true for anything that happens to your brain.
Signs of Meth Addiction Over Time
Symptoms of meth use can become clearer over time. Its makeup and properties make meth use dangerous for a person’s mind and body. A person suffering from substance abuse disorder involving meth will see deterioration in their motor skills and increased lapses in their thinking as well as serious memory loss. Their behavior can also become more violent and hostile, especially to those closest to them.
Meth addiction can be challenging for both the user and those closest to them. Overcoming such a difficult addiction will require proper addiction treatment and support. At Twin Town Treatment Centers, we provide such support with our helpful resources and evidence-based drug addiction treatment programs that have been crafted to perfectly suit the rehab treatment needs of our patients in Laguna Hills and throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.
Our practices have been shaped by our involvement in a UCLA, SAMHSA pilot project centered on the treatment of methamphetamine and cocaine use disorders. Twin Town Treatment Centers was one of several programs selected to participate in the pilot project to enhance and improve the treatment experience of individuals with Stimulant Use Disorder. We have been trained on how to implement an integrated, research-supported, multi-component approach to treatment. For more information about our programs and how we utilize such an approach, please call us at (866) 594-8844 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment for a no-cost assessment.
