The Dangers of Meth Addiction

Methamphetamine, or meth for short, has impacted our society for decades and is still wreaking havoc on numerous cities throughout the US. Whether rural or urban communities feel its presence, meth addiction takes its toll by devastating families, individual lives, and neighborhoods with predictable regularity. Consider the facts and statistics below:

• Crystal meth’s popularity as a street drug can be attributed to the fact that its cost is cheaper compared to other addictive substances (e.g. cocaine and heroin). Another factor is how easily manufactured it is.
• A person’s system can retain crystal meth for up to 12 hours, meaning that the euphoric effect it provides will last a considerably longer period of time compared to other addictive substances.
• Crystal meth is normally consumed in one of four ways – by mouth (or orally), liquefaction and injection, smoking, and snorting.
• “Meth mouth” (or tooth rot as it is referred to normally) is caused crystal meth addiction. It is one of the most obvious physiological characteristics of the addiction and makes a crystal meth addict very easy to spot in a crowd.

When an individual abruptly stops the use of crystal meth after a long period of time, they typically experience some severe and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms which can last up to 48 hours. These include:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Nausea and vomiting
• Paranoia
• Restlessness

Dopamine is released by the brain which activates a person’s psychological reward system. Because of this, crystal meth exhibits an extremely high potential for abuse and addiction. If any of the above applies to you, you may be a candidate for crystal meth drug treatment. 

However, it is advised never to try leaving the drug overnight without professional assistance as the withdrawal symptoms cannot be monitored and can prove fatal for those with heavy addictions. 

It is best to enter professional crystal meth drug treatment to ensure that with medically supported detoxification process, there are qualified medical staffs to monitor the levels of withdrawal symptoms that come into effect.