Methamphetamine, or meth for short, is an addictive drug that belongs to the class of stimulants. It’s a drug that can cause serious short and long-term problems mentally and physically – especially in the brain.
Meth psychosis refers to one experiencing distorted thoughts and perceptions due to abusing meth. The user can lose touch with reality, and may experience hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
What Is Meth Induced Psychosis?
It’s not uncommon for one abusing meth to experience psychotic symptoms. Research reports that almost half of those abusing meth experience psychotic symptoms. Those that use the drug persistently are more than ten times likely to experience meth psychosis than non-meth users. The symptoms may be similar to what you’d find in someone struggling from schizophrenia.
What Are Methamphetamine Psychosis Symptoms?
Due to the nature of meth, it’s not uncommon for users to experience psychotic symptoms. You also don’t have to be using it for long to experience such symptoms.
Methamphetamine psychosis symptoms can range in intensity and duration. The following are some of the more common symptoms:
- Fast talking
- Not being able to concentrate
- Feeling people are out to get you.
- Being on edge, jumpiness
- The feeling that bugs are crawling on your skin
- Itching
- Distorted reality
- Confusion
- Being hypervigilant
- Displaying unpredictable behavior
- Being overreactive
- Feeling manic
- Suicidal thoughts
Meth Mites
One of the more common signs of meth psychosis is the feeling of having bugs crawling under the skin. This is also known as meth mites, ice bugs, or crank bugs. This is known as a tactical hallucination or delusional parasitosis.
Because the person truly thinks there are bugs burrowing or crawling under their skin, they may scratch and pick at their skin. This can leave sores and perhaps scarring. Untreated sores can lead to an infection of the skin.
Learn more about meth mites and meth sores: https://detoxtorehab.com/what-causes-meth-sores
Meth-Induced Psychosis: How Long Does It Last?
Not everyone that uses meth experiences meth psychosis. For those that do, it’s not predictable at what point they will start feeling such psychotic symptoms. For one person, symptoms may occur after using meth a few times. For another, symptoms may occur after years of using meth. It depends on various factors like the amount of meth used, how frequent, and the person’s mental and physical health.
You may wonder how long a meth-induced psychosis lasts. The time frame varies, as it can last one week to months or years depending on the factors mentioned above. Psychosis can also occur spontaneously for some people. It can happen once and never again, or meth psychotic symptoms can begin slowly and escalate over time.
Keep in mind that when someone experiences psychotic symptoms, it doesn’t always mean they are using meth or another drug. For an accurate diagnosis, it’s important for anyone displaying such symptoms to see a medical professional. It could be meth-induced psychosis or perhaps a mental health disorder such as schizophrenia.
Meth Psychosis Treatment
There is professional treatment available for meth psychosis and meth addiction. Combining behavioral healthcare with addiction rehab treatment is recommended. Some individuals may need inpatient care with around-the-clock monitoring. Others may be able to attend an outpatient treatment center, where they attend a number of sessions throughout the week and return home afterwards.
Having a full assessment done by a mental health expert who specializes in addiction is necessary. This way, the person can know better if they’re dealing with strictly meth-induced psychosis, or perhaps something else, like schizophrenia.
Treatment may involve antipsychotics, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and other medications and therapy modalities depending on the person’s needs. If they are struggling with a mental health disorder and an addiction issue, a dual-diagnosis treatment program can be helpful. This way, they’ll be able to address both the addiction and mental health at the same time.
Reach out For Help
The first step toward recovery from addiction and/or a mental health disorder is reaching out for help. Taking that first step can lead you onto a recovery path that will help you recover and go on to create the kind of life you truly desire.
It may feel a bit scary to let others in to help, but trust that as professionals, you’ll be getting compassionate, expert help exactly as you need. You certainly don’t have to keep trying to recover on your own. We’re here, and we care.
If you believe that you or someone you know suffers from meth induced psychosis, please contact one of our addiction specialists and call (866) 578-7471.
