Sober living

People who smoke and inhale meth may have burn marks on their lips and fingers. Those who cook meth at home may even have burn marks on their arms, face, and other exposed skin that may have come into contact with chemicals during the cooking process. Look for visible burn marks on clothing as well, and look for red rashes that can sometimes develop on the skin after one has been working with toxic chemicals. These elements can make a big difference in how well your loved one is supported throughout their recovery.

Understanding Relapse Rates

Brain damage, heart disease, severe dental issues, and chronic mental health disorders like psychosis or depression. Methamphetamine, or meth, is a powerful stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system, causing increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and how fast the body uses energy (Figure 1). Some forms of amphetamines, similar to meth, can be found in very low doses in medicines to treat health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obesity, or sleep disorders.

Personality Changes and Mood Swings

If you have serious psychological symptoms, you may hurt yourself or someone else. Medical detox can help you manage your withdrawal symptoms comfortably and in a safe place, lessening your chances of relapse. Meth drug addiction is extremely addictive, and you may find yourself pulled toward using it more often once you feel the positive effects.

What are the Effects of Meth Addiction?

• Open sores that won’t go away or that become infected are a common sign of meth addiction and may turn into lesions if not treated.
• Thankfully, evidence-based treatment programs offered by healthcare professionals can help individuals overcome meth addiction and rebuild a healthy life.
• Others may develop a mental health disorder because of misusing meth.

This damage can happen very fast once people start using meth regularly. If you’re a treatment provider and have a question, please reach out and someone from our Customer Success team will be in touch with you shortly. Recovery.com uses a standard procedure to make sure treatment provider profiles on our site are current and complete. Seeking help for addiction may feel daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support. The substance is similar in chemical composition to amphetamine, which is a drug doctors prescribe to treat conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. If you’d like to stop using meth, you have options for confidential support and treatment.

Legacy Healing Center Parsippany

Alphabetical list of medications tested in randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials for methamphetamine-use disorder (reviewed in and ClinicalTrials.gov). METH (N-methylated amphetamine) is currently a schedule-II controlled substance, which has two active optic isoforms, d-enantiomer and l-enantiomer 6. Desoxyn, which is d-METH, is rarely medically prescribed due to its strong reinforcing properties.

• No current antidote exists, nor is any treatment approved by the FDA for overdose.
• One of the most noticeable signs of meth use is rapid, significant weight loss.
• This means that it carries a high risk of causing people to become dependent on using methamphetamine or having a substance use disorder.
• More clinical trials with people who abuse METH heavily and more studies in animal models of heavy METH use are warranted.

Kaylyn currently supervises our Conduct and Life Intervention Counseling department. Throughout their program, clients work with Kaylyn directly one-on-one in removing toxic people from their lives and rebuilding trust with loved ones. She genuinely loves helping people on their journey to recovery and brings a friendly, down-to-earth vibe to every session. Elvinesh brings his strong leadership and knowledge of food quality and safety standards from his prior experience as Meat & Seafood Manager for national grocery chains to his current role as Kitchen Supervisor. Elvinesh’s compassion for others and love of food makes for a winning combination to take care of clients from the inside out.

It is not indicative of a character defect or moral shortcoming and a person cannot manage the condition through sheer willpower. According to older research from 2013, primate models demonstrate that meth alters brain structures involved in inhibitory control. These changes may impede a person’s ability to suppress the urge to engage in behaviors that are counterproductive or harmful. Meth releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into the brain’s “reward circuitry” very quickly. Dopamine plays an important role in movement and motor function, motivation, and the reinforcement of rewarding behaviors.

Meth use can alter the natural balance of brain chemicals responsible for controlling one’s mood and can contribute to depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders. You might particularly notice that your loved one goes through very high-energy periods while they’re using meth, and then is deeply depressed when the high ends. The first step is often checking with your insurance provider to see what treatment services are covered. From there, look for treatment centers that are licensed, accredited, and experienced in treating meth addiction specifically. Signs of meth abuse include erratic behavior, damaged skin, insomnia, and paranoia.