Crystal meth, also known as methamphetamine, is a stimulant drug with a high risk of physical dependence.<\/p>\n
The drug has no odour or colour. As a stimulant, it increases central nervous system activity, making a person feel euphoric, powerful, and alert.<\/p>\n
Meth can also result in rapid weight loss, increased libido, and intense feelings of alertness and concentration.<\/p>\n
Some people self-medicate to lose weight, improve sexual performance, reduce depression, or concentrate better at work or school.<\/p>\n
However, as with most addictive substances, prolonged use causes the body to become tolerant of meth. Tolerance may cause a person to use more crystal meth to achieve the same high they previously obtained with a lower dose.<\/p>\n
This can lead to addiction over time. They may experience painful withdrawal symptoms if they stop using them.<\/p>\n
How does crystal meth affect the brain? <\/strong><\/p>\n Crystal meth harms the structure and function of the brain. It impacts brain areas associated with emotion, memory and systems related to judgement. As a result, it has the potential to alter behaviours and emotions drastically.<\/p>\n This could explain why people who use crystal meth regularly frequently experience emotional and cognitive difficulties.<\/p>\n Some brain changes caused by excessive crystal meth use last long after the user has stopped using the drug. Other brain changes may reverse after long periods of abstinence.<\/p>\n Repeated use can have psychological consequences, such as:<\/p>\n What are the physical effects of crystal meth?<\/strong><\/p>\n The drug also has physical side effects, such as:<\/p>\n These are some examples:<\/p>\n The use of the drug can result in lowered inhibitions and dangerous behaviours.<\/p>\n Chronic or excessive use can result in convulsions, stroke, and heart attack.<\/p>\n What are the withdrawal symptoms of crystal meth? <\/strong><\/p>\n Crystal meth produces euphoria for up to 12 hours, and people crave its powerful effects repeatedly.<\/p>\n The same dose, however, no longer has the same effect after several uses. Drug tolerance occurs when a person requires more quantity of the drug to achieve the same effect.<\/p>\n After only a few uses of meth, a person can develop a substance use disorder. When attempting to break the cycle, a person will experience withdrawal symptoms.<\/p>\n Although the person’s blood will be free of the drug after 1-3 days, the psychological and physical symptoms may last longer.Like other drugs, this is because crystal meth alters the brain’s chemistry.<\/p>\n Among the withdrawal symptoms that a person may experience are the following:<\/p>\n What is the treatment for meth addiction? <\/strong><\/p>\n Treatment comprises of:<\/p>\n A holistic model incorporating cognitive behavioural therapy, lifestyle modifications, family therapy, and 12-step facilitation is most effective.<\/p>\n Treatment is possible regardless of a person’s reason for using crystal meth or the length of time they have used it. People should seek help from a doctor or specialist specialising in substance abuse disorders.<\/p>\n Withdrawal Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n Withdrawal symptoms begin to occur within 12 hours of last use and last for a period depending on the quantity, frequency, and duration of use; it will also depend on the individual’s physical health.<\/p>\n The usual symptoms include:<\/p>\n It is safer to be in rehab or a closed medical facility. Otherwise, the addict may give in to the cravings to relieve their withdrawal, which only delays recovery.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Crystal meth, also known as methamphetamine, is a stimulant drug with a high risk of physical dependence. The drug has no odour or colour. As a stimulant, it increases central nervous system activity, making a person feel euphoric, powerful, and alert. Meth can also result in rapid weight loss, increased libido, and intense feelings of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-drug-addiction"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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