The Fight Against Crystal Meth

What is Crystal Meth?

“I hit 13 and one of my friends had some meth,” Jayson said.

Crystal meth is an addictive stimulate that produces long-lasting and negative effects on the user’s body. When a user abuses crystal meth it is usually heated in a glass pipe and smoked. However, crystal meth can also be injected or snorted. When the abuser uses crystal meth it takes ahold of him or her, making them turn into someone they never thought they would become. It takes over the mind, body and soul, bringing the abuser to places they don’t deserve to see. Jayson was just an athlete trying to find his way through life, when a friend introduced him to meth and his life took a turn for the worst.

What Will Crystal Meth Do To my Body?

When you abuse meth, you will experience an almost immediate and long-lasting euphoric high. When you smoke the drug, the smoke vapor will move into the bloodstream where it then travels into the brain. The drug acts through the body and brain creating an instant euphoria, followed by a surge of energy. The euphoric effects of crystal meth only last a few hours and they are followed by some very undesirable effects like:

• Significant weight loss.
• Tremors or convulsions.
• Change in sleeping patterns.
• Loss of appetite.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Elevated blood pressure.

When meth is constantly abused it can lead to extreme paranoia, anxiety, and insomnia. In some cases, thoughts of homicide and suicide occur in the user.

What Happens If I Keep Abusing Crystal Meth?

“I didn’t like who I saw in the mirror; I couldn’t stand looking at myself in the mirror,” Jayson said.

When meth is abused for a long time, it can and will cause intense physiological and physical issues. The signs of long-term meth abuse include:

• Confusion and odd behavior.
• More persistent psychotic symptoms–including delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations.
• Increased mental health issues like depression, anxiety and social isolation.
• Feeling of bugs crawling on the skin.
• Body sores from users picking at their skin.
• Irreversible damage to blood vessels throughout the body, including the heart and brain.
• Breathing problems associated with smoke inhalation.
• Stroke.

Constant meth abuse may also increase the chances of severe aging on the user’s skin. Crystal meth can and will destroy the body’s ability to heal creating the chances for acne to develop and making the skin look dull. Your teeth will begin to crack and decay, which is known as “meth mouth.” Jayson was lucky to begin recovery before he could experience “meth mouth.”

Although all long-term effects of meth abuse are serious, constant meth abuse without help can lead to something more serious such as sudden death, stroke, or cardiac arrest.

How Do I Stop Crystal Meth?

Withdrawal symptoms of crystal meth include but are not limited to:

• Intense drug craving
• Feelings of depression
• Loss of energy
• Anxiety
• Itchy eyes
• Increased appetite
• Sleep difficulties, ranging from oversleeping to severe insomnia

“I went to a detox center and I detoxed for about five days,” Jayson said.

When trying to withdrawal from crystal meth it is best for the user to be in an inpatient detoxification facility. It will decrease the chances of a relapse occurring when the user is in a supportive environment surrounded by doctors and individuals who are going through the same feelings and emotions.

When detoxification is completed, the real treatment can begin. When the individual begins inpatient treatment, anything is possible. It can change your life around for the better. Treatment will get to the root of the problem that caused the user to abuse meth in the first place.

“I got a glimpse of what life can really be like today,” Jayson said.

If you want to end your terrible relationship with meth, give us a call today. We are here to help and understand what meth can do to a person. When you call, us you will be talking with someone who has fought the same battle as you and can explain why you should chose recovery over a miserable life with crystal meth.