Methamphetamine has been one of the top five leading causes of drug-related deaths in West Virginia since 2019. It’s risen and fallen on the rankings over the years, but the fact that meth is capable of serious damage hasn’t changed.
The reality is, the dangers of meth use extend far beyond overdose. Chances are, you already know that. Maybe it’s you experiencing the ups and downs of meth, watching your former self and life slip through your fingers. More likely, though, you’re concerned about someone you love. They don’t seem like themselves anymore. Sometimes they’re extremely energetic and don’t sleep for days, and other times they’re paranoid and irritable. They’re withdrawing from the people, hobbies, and responsibilities that used to matter most to them. What’s going on?
If that sounds familiar, it’s familiar to us, too. As an addiction recovery center, we at Hope for Tomorrow witness and hear stories like this all the time from individuals managing stimulant use disorders and their families. The symptoms we listed above are signs of meth addiction, but there are others to look out for. It’s best to read about them before coming to any conclusions about your loved one. By being able to recognize these signs, we’re all better equipped to help people with meth addiction get the help they need.
People who are regularly engaging with meth are rarely open about it. Thankfully, there are some tell-tale signs that indicate someone might be managing meth addiction – formally classified as a stimulant use disorder.
Physical symptoms of meth addiction are some of the easiest to recognize. They include:
Meth use has a major psychological impact on people. Psychological signs of meth addiction include:
When someone has a stimulant use disorder, it impacts every area of their life – not just their body and mind. Here are some behavioral changes you might notice:
You also might be able to tell if your loved one has a stimulant use disorder based on meth paraphernalia. These are the items someone uses to prepare, take, and store meth.
There are a lot of ways people administer meth. Injecting, ingesting, inhaling, and smoking meth are all possible. This makes for a wide range of meth paraphernalia. See the chart below for more information.
| Route of Administration | Paraphernalia | How It’s Used |
|---|---|---|
| Injection | Needles, syringes, burnt spoons, bottle caps, lighters – especially if the top is broken, cotton balls, extra shoelaces, hair ties, or other elastic bands | People who inject meth usually melt it in a spoon or bottle cap before drawing it into a syringe, frequently through a cotton ball. They need to tie their upper arm to “pump up” their vein before injecting meth with a needle. |
| Inhaling | Scratched surfaces such as mirrors, loose razor blades, cut straws, and empty ballpoint pens | People who “snort” meth have to cut “lines” on a surface before inhaling it through a straw or pen. |
| Smoking | Discolored tin foil and parts of lightbulbs, glass pipes, empty aluminum cans – especially with small holes, lighters, cut straws, and empty ballpoint pens | People who smoke meth often use tin foil, empty light bulbs, or aluminum cans to heat meth in if they don’t have a meth pipe. They inhale the smoke, sometimes through a straw or empty pen. |
Meth is frequently stored in small plastic bags. You might recognize remnants of meth by a crystalline white or brown powder, or larger crystalline chunks.
Let’s be clear: meth in itself doesn’t cause addiction. This might seem like an unusual claim, but let’s break it down.
Meth works because it promotes the release of a neurotransmitter in your brain responsible for pleasure: dopamine. Dopamine is released naturally in response to anything that makes you happy and fades as your brain recycles it to be used again later. Meth causes more dopamine to release in your brain and prevents the brain from recycling it as effectively, causing a dopamine buildup that promotes an intense feeling of euphoria.
At first, meth feels great. This is especially true for people with undiagnosed and untreated mental health conditions, trauma, and other emotional pain they want to escape from. If you’re having trouble finding happiness in your regular life, it makes sense to pursue something that causes you to feel so good, even if you know it could cause damage.
A major problem with meth is that its effects fade quickly. This often causes people in pursuit of pleasure to use more of it quickly, too. In time, meth can interfere so much with your brain’s reward centers that it stops responding much to regular experiences that should bring you joy. This makes it so meth feels like your only source of happiness. Even worse, as you continue to take meth, you’ll develop a tolerance for it, requiring more meth to achieve the original effects – and when you don’t take it, you’ll get sick from withdrawal.
This is the vicious cycle that leads to meth addiction – not meth by itself. Someone who is processing and coping with their pain in healthy ways likely won’t even try meth, and if they do, won’t feel the same need to chase the “high.”
That doesn’t mean it’s safe for some people to take meth. It can be very dangerous for anyone, regardless of their likelihood to develop a stimulant use disorder, and it’s always better not to risk it. It just means meth addiction is about a lot more than meth, and if your loved one is caught in this cycle, it’s not easy for them to stop taking it – and only stopping their meth use likely won’t be enough for them to overcome their stimulant use disorder altogether. They need further support and treatment that will help them address and heal from what started their meth use in the first place.
You’ve probably already seen the damage meth addiction can cause firsthand. You know it’s not just a choice or just a health condition – it’s a comprehensive, all-consuming force in the lives of every person managing a meth use disorder and the people who love them.
The health risks of long-term meth use might be the first concern that comes to mind, and for good reason. Meth can cause significant damage to the body. Cardiovascular complications and stroke are more likely in people who engage with meth chronically. Serious dental damage is possible, and individuals who inject meth are more likely to develop blood-borne illnesses such as HIV through needle-sharing.
Long-term meth use is also linked with many changes in the brain, including in areas related to motor skills, learning, emotion, memory, and decision-making. Symptoms of psychosis, including hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia, can last a long time, even after someone stops taking meth. Long-lasting anxiety, mood swings, and agitation are also possible.
Meth can also interfere with someone’s career, education, and relationships. It harms not just the person with the stimulant use disorder, but the people who love them – especially children who rely on them.
There is also always the chance of overdosing on meth, especially in individuals who take large doses or mix it with other substances. If someone you know has taken meth and is having trouble breathing, unconscious, or having a seizure, heart attack, or stroke, it’s critical to get them medical help as soon as possible.
Thankfully, despite all the damage meth can cause, healing is possible. Brains are remarkably good at bouncing back, and people are known to give second chances to people sincere about changing their ways.
Changing their ways is far from easy for people with stimulant use disorders, and that isn’t their fault. They have a health condition that wages war on their mind and changes it in ways that make it difficult to take steps toward recovery. With your encouragement, and a little courage, your loved one can take that first step and seek meth addiction rehab. There, they’ll receive the support and comprehensive care they need to achieve a happy, meth-free life.
At Hope for Tomorrow, we treat all aspects of every person who comes to us for help, from the root cause of their addiction to the mental and physical health complications it causes. We mean every person, too. Veterans, pregnant women, couples, individuals with other medical conditions, and everyone in between is welcome at Hope for Tomorrow. Everyone deserves the opportunity to heal. Call us today at 877-679-8162 for more on how our care can change your loved one’s life.
Treatment today for a brighter tomorrow.
