Legacy Healing Center Blog

Learn how to recognize the signs of meth addiction from Legacy Healing Center.

Is a friend or a loved one acting differently and you are curious about the signs of meth addiction? Meth, or crystal meth, is a nickname for the drug crystal methamphetamine.

This white crystal-like drug can be introduced to the body in a variety of ways including smoking it, snorting it through the nose, or injecting it into a vein.

Meth remains in the brain for much longer than other drugs and gives the user an intense rush as it releases large amounts of dopamine into the body (which causes feelings of pleasure).

Once someone has experienced this rush, they seek it again and again, and this is when you may begin to see signs of meth addiction.

You may be wondering what meth addict symptoms to look out for if you suspect someone is using the drug. Typically, one major sign of meth addiction is the person will lose any desire to do things that they once loved or were once a major part of their life.

You may see them suddenly withdraw from beloved hobbies, or witness strain in their relationships, or issues with their job, school, or other responsibilities.

Because meth will actually change the chemicals in the brain, there are physical symptoms of meth addiction that you may also witness. These include:

• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia or strange sleeping patterns
• Rapid and extreme loss of weight
• Tooth decay and teeth rotting
• Hyperactivity
• Twitches or jerky facial movements
• Anxiousness or paranoia
• Sores on the skin
• Outbursts, erratic behavior, mood swings

Important Signs of Meth Addiction You Need to Know

There are two other symptoms of meth addiction that you will want to be aware of.

First, you may see a friend or a loved one go through a phase known as tweaking. This tweaking phase usually occurs when someone is towards the end of a drug binge.

It can last up to 15 days and the user will typically have high anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia during this time. It can also cause strange psychological behavior in someone, including acting out in violent ways or experiencing hallucinations.

In addition, someone may also exhibit what is known as a crash phase if they are using crystal meth. This occurs when there is no more dopamine to provide to the body because it was all used up during the drug binge.

With no dopamine in the body, extreme exhaustion will occur. This phase can last up to three days and effects may include extreme drug cravings, long sleeping periods, intense fatigue, and symptoms of depression.

If you suspect your friend or loved one is using meth, you will want to also keep an eye out of seizures, heart attack symptoms or heat stroke, which can all occur if someone takes too much of the drug. These symptoms can be fatal if help isn’t administered immediately.

Treatment for Meth Addict Symptoms

No one wants to watch someone they care about to become addicted to meth and potentially destroy their life. Long-term addiction to crystal meth causes even more meth addict symptoms and can cause longstanding health problems both physically and psychologically.

Because meth is one of the most highly addictive drugs, it is crucial that someone doesn’t try to withdraw or handle symptoms of meth addiction on his or her own.

There are a variety of detox and treatment options at Legacy Healing Center that can help someone overcome meth addictions while being cared for by a dedicated medical team.

Reach out to an addiction specialist today at 888-597-3547 and learn about setting up an intervention or more about our program options. Recovery from meth addict symptoms is just a phone call away.