Author: Alex Thompson

Crystal Meth: Signs of Use and Addiction

Crystal meth can dramatically impact the user’s looks and give them certain distinctive characteristics. Roughly 37% of people who use or used meth report a significant impact on their appearance. Powdered meth is often cut, or combined, with other substances. This can either dilute the amount of meth to increase the profit to the dealer or combine the intended effects of meth with other substances. You can’t take medication specifically approved to treat meth.

Liquid meth is usually a clear liquid, but it may have a tinge of color depending on its purity, and whether or not it was cut with other substances. It is typically difficult to tell if a liquid contains meth just by looking at it. Crystal meth earns its name because of its crystal-like physical properties, earning the street name “ice” due to its glass-shard and ice-like appearance. The crystals can be white, clear, blue or a combination of these colors. You aren’t likely to feel tired or hungry when using it, and it can also increase your attention span.

1. The powerful rush you get from using meth makes it easy to get hooked right from the start.
2. This means that you can pay a $100 fine or visit an addiction recovery center instead of spending time in jail.
3. If you or someone you know has any signs of an overdose, call for emergency help right away.
4. Or maybe you’re not even sure it’s your place to broach the subject.
5. It is typically smoked, or heated into a liquid then injected.

It never hurts to read up on crystal meth use and substance use disorder before talking to your loved one. Talking about substance use isn’t easy, especially when you’re not totally sure whether someone needs help. You want to offer support, but maybe you worry you’ve misread some signs and don’t want to offend them. Or maybe you’re not even sure it’s your place to broach the subject.

Common Signs Someone Is On or Using Meth

Methamphetamine hydrochloride (Desoxyn) is the only legal methamphetamine in the U.S. It’s a pill approved to treat ADHD, but doctors don’t prescribe it very often. Some of the changes to the brain that result from inappropriate crystal meth use remain long after a person has stopped taking the drug.

You can have serious side effects and health problems from drug use. Some can affect your physical appearance while others can be fatal. If you use meth while you’re pregnant, you may give birth early or have a baby with a low birth weight. You may use meth to make sex more pleasurable or to lower your inhibitions. But you may not think clearly when you’re high or make the same decisions as when you’re sober.

Meth Withdrawal

The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The person will likely also experience emotional turmoil and strong cravings for some time. Using the drug can lead to lowered inhibitions and behaviors that put the person in danger. Some people find 12-step programs helpful, so if your loved one seems interested, you could also help them find the nearest meeting space.

People who use meth heavily are four times more likely to experience meth mouth and two times more likely to have sores or infections. In a survey by The Recovery Village, people who currently and formerly used meth reported symptoms that lasted long-term, even after they stopped using meth. 23% reported high blood pressure, 27% reported sudden or severe weight loss and 16% reported hallucinations.

Understand they may not feel ready to admit substance use right away

Powered meth can vary in appearance, but is normally a white or yellowish powder. It is usually impossible to tell powdered meth apart from other drugs that are in powdered form. It is also difficult or impossible to tell if other substances have been added to powdered meth. Crystal meth is a more potent form of meth that tends to be purer and more concentrated than other forms. It is typically smoked, or heated into a liquid then injected. Like other forms of meth, crystal meth is entirely synthetic rather than derived from a plant like many other illicit substances.

Scars can form in your veins when you put drugs into them with needles. You may also get bruises around the injection sites or have trouble with blood flow through injured veins. In the past, middle-aged white people used this cheap drug most often. But over the past decade, rates have gone up among Black people and younger folks aged 18-23.

These things can lead to serious tooth decay or gum disease. People who frequently use meth often have teeth that break, turn black, rot, or fall out. You probably won’t be able to tell if the drug you take has dangerous stuff in it, so try to buy meth from someone you trust. After the high wears off, you may start to feel bad physically and emotionally. These negative feelings may equal the intensity of your high but in the opposite way.

But substance use treatment with medical detox and behavioral therapies for addiction can help you recover from meth use disorder. Inpatient programs are typically the most expensive, costing anywhere from $5,000 to $80,000. But what you’ll pay depends on where you get treatment, how long you stay, what services you need, and your health insurance coverage. Regardless of a person’s reason for using crystal meth or the length of time they have been using it, treatment is possible. People should contact a doctor or specialist who deals with substance use disorders for support.

Crystal methamphetamine usually looks like glass chunks or shiny bluish-white rocks. If crystal meth comes as more of a powder, it’ll have a bitter taste like other kinds of meth. If you feel calmer when drinking alcohol, you might assume it’ll help you feel less restless or jittery when you take meth. Many people use meth mainly to feel that initial rush of euphoria.

Crystal meth, also called just meth, is an illegal drug that’s manufactured and created with a combination of cold medicine ingredients and toxic chemicals. While crystal meth is cheap and delivers a powerful high, it’s also very addictive, dangerous and ultimately deadly for many people. Methamphetamine profoundly affects a person’s brain and body. It alters how a person thinks and feels as they prioritize obtaining the next dose of the drug.