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How To Tell If Someone Is Using Meth

When someone you love is addicted to anything, it can be hard to know what the best course of action is to take. This is especially true when that addiction is to a substance as dangerous as crystal meth.

As a stimulant, crystal meth induces intense happiness and euphoria as well as increased energy and motivation. It is so dangerous because of how addictive it can be. The long-term use of crystal meth can lead to irreversible and lifelong changes to the brain.

Know The Signs of Meth Use

The signs of crystal meth addiction manifest both physically and behaviorally. This can make it easier to determine whether someone is abusing this specific drug. Most of us can identify some symptoms due to the way that the media (crime shows or documentaries) portrays crystal meth addiction. Seeing it in person and having to admit that someone you know and love is struggling with a crystal meth addiction is an entirely different story. Being able to pinpoint these symptoms and being aware of what both addiction and overdose look like can save your loved one’s life.

Is My Loved One Using Crystal Meth?

Physical Signs of Methamphetamine Use

When someone is addicted to crystal meth, there are many associated physical symptoms that could potentially lead to lifelong health concerns and permanent changes to the body and brain. The physical signs of meth use are precursors for more severe and long-term strain that it places on the heart, lungs, brain, liver, kidneys, and muscles. Some of the physical signs to look out for if you believe someone you know has a crystal meth addiction include:

  • Pupil Dilation
  • Quick, Jerky Eye Movements
  • Facial Twitching
  • Increased Sweating
  • High Body Temperature
  • Jerky or Twitchy Body Movements or Tremors
  • Decreased Appetite
  • Weight Loss
  • Tooth Decay
  • High Energy and Excitement
  • Scratching or Picking at the Hair or Skin
  • Sores on the Face and Skins
  • Constant, Rapid, and Sometimes Nonsensical Speech

How Do Meth Users Act?

Crystal meth use and addiction alter the structure and function of the brain. Because of this, there are mental and behavioral changes associated with abuse. These changes can include:

  • Hyperactivity or Restlessness
  • Impulsive or Unpredictable Behavior
  • Aggressive or Violent Reactions
  • Anxious, Nervous, or Irritable Behavior
  • Paranoia or Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Insomnia

People abusing crystal meth may also feel extreme exhaustion, depression, or irritability when experiencing a low as the effects of the drug wear off. This crash from the stimulant effects of the drug and the brain’s need for those feelings of euphoria is what causes the cyclical nature of the drug use, thus leading to addiction.

Social Signs of Meth Addiction

Social signs of meth use include:

  • Selling Possessions for Money
  • Theft or Robbery
  • Increasingly Erratic Family, Work, and Social Presence
  • Open Hostility to Friends, Coworkers, or Family
  • Unexplained Wounds or Illnesses such as Nosebleeds, Pneumonia, Abscess, or Necrosis (from snorting, smoking, or shooting meth)

Someone struggling with meth addiction may lose touch with family and friends fairly quickly after they begin using. Aside from scaring their family and friends, their schedule usually becomes more and more unusual. They may disappear for days or weeks at a time. Since sleep is no longer as much of a priority, there is no telling how long a binge could last. The more sleep-deprived someone becomes, the greater the risk for delusions, hallucinations, and paranoid behavior. It is not uncommon for someone to stay up for days while using meth and experience daylight hallucinations. They may also experience psychotic episodes and delusions.

Signs of Crystal Meth Addiction

A Life and Death Matter

Long-term effects of crystal meth addiction can be:

  • Psychosis
  • Permanent brain damage
  • Deficits in thinking and motor skills
  • Memory loss
  • Aggressive or violent behavior
  • Mood changes

Seeking treatment as soon as possible for crystal meth addiction is the only way to try and reverse or prevent some of these longer-term side effects from creating lifelong problems. Knowing what to look out for can help you better understand meth addiction so that you can offer some level of support in getting someone the help they need.

Understanding the signs of crystal meth addiction is critical in looking out for the signs of an overdose. By knowing what it looks like, you can save your loved ones’ life if an overdose occurs. A meth overdose can lead to brain damage, coma, heart attack, and death.

Approaching Your Loved One

It is important to become as educated as possible about addiction, crystal meth, and what resources are out there to help your loved one get sober and stay sober. By researching this disease, you can enter into the conversation prepared and steer clear of accusing, diagnosing, or blaming. Though it can be difficult, try to approach this subject when they are sober or at least in a positive mood. Make sure to voice your worries and concerns in a way that shows you care about them.

When approaching someone about their addiction, it is important to understand that they have to decide whether they are ready to get help through a treatment program. You have to listen. You don’t have to enable their addiction or support their decision not to seek help, but forcing them or establishing ultimatums may drive them farther away from you and farther into their addiction. You should avoid trying to place blame on them (or yourself) and it won’t help to criticize their actions or try to make them feel worse.

Because crystal meth causes a variety of physical and mental health concerns, it is important to address each of those during treatment. At The Summit Wellness Group, we combine medical and therapeutic care with holistic treatments to provide the most effective dual-diagnosis care possible. We also offer aftercare programs to help our clients even after leaving our programs to support their continued growth and recovery. If you believe your loved one is using crystal meth we’re here to help with the treatment and rehabilitation process to get them back to a sober lifestyle.

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We’d love the opportunity to help you during this overwhelming and difficult process. The Summit Wellness Group is located in Georgia and all of your calls will be directed to one of our local staff members. Our sincere passion is helping people recover so that they can live full, meaningful and healthy lives.

Call us 24/7 at 770-299-1677. If we aren’t the right fit for you then we’ll utilize our expertise and connections within the treatment industry to assist you in finding the best provider for your specific needs. Alternatively you can fill out our contact form and a member of our staff will contact you shortly.