Methamphetamine chemically alters the brain, which can affect the way someone thinks and feels. The extreme toll that meth takes on someone that’s addicted to it makes it one of the most dangerous addictive substances in the world. The fact that it’s illegal only adds to the danger it attracts. If you observe any signs of meth addiction in you or a loved one, the next thing to do is to consider getting into a meth addiction treatment program. There’s no reason to wait any longer to get professional help, even if the person in question doesn’t seem to be negatively affected by struggling with addiction. If you’re looking for meth addiction treatment programs in Pennsylvania, contact Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge today. Call 888.546.2579 or reach out to our team online.
What Is Meth?
Crystal meth is usually called just meth or methamphetamine. This substance is an illicit drug produced in underground labs. Street-level crystal meth is typically the chemical known as d-methamphetamine HCI. As its name connotes, this form of methamphetamine is crystalline. The crystals can be crushed and consumed orally, injected, snorted, or smoked.
What Are Some Common Signs of Meth Addiction?
The symptoms of meth addiction can be subtle and more obvious, depending on how severe their addiction is.
1. Behavioral Symptoms
Behavioral meth addiction signs are immediately apparent, especially if the person in question is part of a large household. One of the first symptoms of meth addiction that most people will recognize is the sudden loss of interest in hobbies, passions, and other areas of life that were once important to the person in question. Relationships and even career plans start to take a back seat to goals surrounding getting and using meth.
However, behavioral symptoms may not be treated as hard evidence of addiction by some people. Therefore, observing them must be followed by some sleuthing before a loved one tries to talk to the person in question or organizes an intervention.
In the initial stages of meth addiction, addictive behaviors are often hidden by people affected. But the longer it goes on, the less likely they are to care about what people think because meth has become the most important thing to them. During this stage, their loved ones may find hard evidence, such as drug paraphernalia and meth itself.
2. Physical Symptoms
The following are some of the physical signs that may indicate meth use:
- Convulsions
- Droopy facial skin
- Facial acne or sores
- Frail and thinning body
- Increased body temperature
- Increased libido
- Intense scratching
- Liver damage
- Lowered immunity
- Rotted teeth, also known as meth mouth
- Strokes
These physical symptoms can arise after the first few times someone uses meth. However, these signs are also meth addiction symptoms.
3. Psychological Symptoms
Some signs of meth addiction can be psychological. When someone takes meth, there’s a feeling of euphoria because of the drug’s ability to increase levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is part of the brain’s reward system, but dopamine has functions in the brain other than pleasure. It also influences memory and learning ability.
Ongoing meth addiction will continually flood the brain with dopamine. Over time, that will imbalance the brain’s natural dopamine levels and affect dopamine-involved brain functions. In the long term, people struggling with meth addiction may experience the following:
- Memory problems
- Impaired visual memory
- Inability to learn new tasks and skills
- Psychosis, including delusions, hallucinations, irritability, and paranoia
When Should Someone Consider Seeking a Meth Addiction Treatment Program?
If you or someone you love is displaying meth addiction signs, and the signs point to crystal meth, that’s enough to consider getting professional help. Crystal meth is illegal, and feeding a meth addiction with this form of methamphetamine may come with legal consequences. The sooner the person struggling with meth addiction gets into a meth addiction treatment program, the better.
Overcoming meth addiction is not going to be as simple as quitting the drug. First of all, stopping meth use is challenging without the help of a medical detox process. Detoxification isn’t a cure. It’s part of a comprehensive plan that includes many forms of therapeutic care, such as behavioral therapy. Both treatments are necessary to treat meth addiction so people in recovery can resist the urge to relapse and maintain their sobriety for life.
Learn About Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge Today
Are you searching for meth addiction treatment programs in Pennsylvania? Contact Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge today by calling 888.546.2579 or reaching out to our team online.
