Tag: Meth rehab

Get Answers and Treatment Options for Meth Abuse

Methamphetamine or meth is readily available in the United States. However, the highest availability is in the Midwestern and Western regions of the country. This is where many people have seen a loved one struggling and wondered: can you snort meth?

Data from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission reports that the task force seized over 4,500 pounds of illicit meth in 2019, a sharp increase from the previous year. This significant increase in people abusing meth comes despite various federal and state-level actions aimed at restricting the production and distribution of this highly addictive substance.

Meth has devastating effects on the lives of users and their loved ones. Understanding the reason for the continued high prevalence of the drug in the Grand Canyon State is crucial when determining what to do to combat its harmful impact on residents.

There is a wide range of treatment options for meth abuse. Methamphetamine addiction treatment often involves detox, therapy, counseling, and aftercare services from a rehab center.

If you or a loved one is struggling with meth addiction, our addiction treatment providers can help you get your life back on track.

Keep reading to find out more about effective programs for recovery from meth, and how Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery can help you get your recovery started today!

What Is Meth?

Methamphetamine or meth is a highly potent and addictive psychostimulant that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is a white, odorless, crystalline drug that is odorless and bitter.

Developed from amphetamine in the early 20th century, meth was sold by pharmaceutical firms as a nasal decongestant and respiratory stimulant. Some medical disorders that doctors may prescribe amphetamine for include obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methamphetamine is commonly abused because of the intense high it delivers. However, meth abuse negatively affects your health and can be fatal. The armed services widely used this drug during World War II to boost morale, alertness, and endurance.

Time revealed that methamphetamine was a highly addictive drug. So, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States classified the drug as a Schedule II controlled substance because of its high potential for abuse.

Methamphetamine is banned unless a doctor prescribes it for some specific medical conditions. It is highly addictive and easy to manufacture, making it a persistent problem in the drug market.

Consumption for an extended period has disastrous impacts on the user and has negatively impacted whole communities as well.

How do People Use Meth?

Methamphetamine can be manufactured in several forms. This drug can be used in many ways, including smoking, sniffing, injecting, or orally ingesting pills. Injecting meth poses a serious risk of contracting hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the preferred route of meth use varies widely by geographical location. However, a significant percentage of people snort meth. The short-term and long-term effects of meth differ depending on the mode of administration, but all are harmful.

Meth misuse usually follows the “binge and crash pattern,” in which the user attempts to sustain their high by taking many hits in rapid succession. Some users will “run” or engage in a sort of binge, in which they take meth continuously for many days without refueling their bodies with food or sleep.

Can You Snort Meth? Answers to Meth Questions

Meth is often produced in illegal labs at home using everyday ingredients like:

• Pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, which is the main ingredient in meth and found in common cold medications
• Drain cleaner
• Battery acid
• Acetone
• Iodine
• Ether
• Lithium
• Paint thinner

This drug is produced in varying forms, including a solid rock-like formulation known as crystal meth, a liquid, or a powder usually snorted.

Although snorting meth may produce a less intense effect or a lesser high than other routes of administration, such as an intravenous (IV) injection, people who snort meth can experience a wide range of adverse effects.

What are the Dangers of Snorting Meth?

Dangers of snorting meth include:

• Sinus damage
• Nosebleeds
• Damage to nasal tissues
• Nose lining damage
• Elevated heart rate
• Increased body temperatures
• Risk of meth addiction and physical dependence

The Short-Term Effects of Snorting Meth

The effects of methamphetamine abuse are temporary and only present during use. Meth and other stimulant drugs influence the central nervous system, leading to elevated heart and respiration rates, body temperature, and blood pressure.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), methamphetamine’s short-term effects can last anywhere from eight to twenty-four hours, or even longer in those who repeatedly take the drug on binges.

Snorting meth may also have the following short-term effects:

• Intense rush of euphoria
• Heightening of consciousness, vigor, and activity
• Increased energy
• Dry mouth
• Dilated pupils
• Intense perspiration
• Decreased appetite
• Sleeplessness
• Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
• Increased body temperature
• Preoccupation with meaningless routines
• Muscle tension in the jaw
• Irregular and even potentially harmful conduct
• Paranoia
• Tremors
• Irritability

Other short-term effects of methamphetamine use include seizures and abrupt death because of the drug’s strength and impact on the body.

Long-Term Effects of Snorting Meth

Snorting meth for an extended period can cause severe effects. People who abuse meth in binges may go for days without sleeping or eating, a condition known as tweaking.

Below are some of the long-term damage and effects of chronic use of meth:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Delusions
• Memory problems
• Mood swings
• Self-harm thoughts
• Risk of heart attack
• Psychosis

Chronic meth use can also lead to skin sores. These sores are primarily caused by excessive scratching caused by a condition known as meth bugs. This condition makes users feel like they have bugs under their skin. Another long term effect of meth mouth.

What Is Meth Mouth?

If you’re addicted to meth or methamphetamine, you probably have meth mouth, which is a term for tooth decay and poor oral health. This condition is the result of acidic dental decay and drug-induced physical alterations that occur with meth use. It is often referred to as a “dentist’s worst nightmare.”

Meth mouth, along with other changes in facial features and skin damage from snorting or smoking meth, is one of the most noticeable physical changes that occurs when someone consumes meth.

Signs of Meth Mouth from Snorting and Smoking Meth

Meth mouth is characterized by severe tooth decay and gum disease. The teeth of chronic meth users are often rotting, crumbling, and blackened. Below are the common signs of meth mouth:

• Black rotting teeth
• Bad breath
• Bruxism
• Xerostomia
• Cracked, loose, or missing teeth
• Lockjaw
• Gum disease, gingivitis, and periodontitis
• Carious lesions

Contact us today for professional medical advice on how to stop snorting meth at our treatment center.

Detoxing from Methamphetamines with Support

Medically supervised detox programs can assist a person in safely withdrawing from methamphetamine, so they can move on to a more permanent treatment program. However, there are no approved drugs for treating methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms like intense cravings.

A person undergoing medically supervised meth detox will have their vital signs constantly monitored to ensure they remain within safe ranges. Medical professionals can ensure that a person undergoing meth detox receives the fluids, adequate nutrition, and supplements needed to restore physical health. This is because many people going through meth detoxification become very dehydrated and may already be malnourished.

Treatment for Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine is so potent that it usually necessitates a comprehensive inpatient addiction treatment program for people to break free from addiction and stay clean. When someone receives inpatient care at our drug and alcohol rehab center, they can live at the facility while obtaining the best quality of medical care and treatment assistance available. This helps ease the withdrawal symptoms through supportive treatment

Those who don’t have a robust support system or don’t get intensive therapy for their addiction often relapse after abstaining from meth for some time. Although everyone’s experience with recovery is unique, studies have indicated that those who stay in treatment for at least 90 days have the best chance of achieving their long-term recovery goals, such as maintaining sobriety.

Some of the best and most comprehensive addiction treatment available can be found in inpatient programs at Best Rehabs In Arizona. Long-term sobriety from methamphetamine abuse is possible with the help of individualized substance abuse treatment programs that may incorporate a wide variety of therapies, counseling, medication, group participation, arts and recreation, and aftercare services.

Get Help for Meth Abuse at Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery

Drug abuse and addiction can be challenging to beat, especially with meth. However, there are various evidence-based methods for treating methamphetamine abuse and addiction, such as behavioral therapy. The professionals at Best Rehabs In Arizona can help determine the best treatment approach for your addiction or drug use.

Reach out now for a confidential discussion about options if you or a loved one are struggling with meth use!

Meth is a substance that many people are familiar with. It has been used recreationally for a long time. It’s among the most affordable and accessible drugs on the market. But this accessibility has the unspoken side effect of making it easy to take as much as you want. Meth overdoses are shockingly uncommon, and they have spiked recently. Methamphetamine deaths due to overdose more than tripled between 2015 and 2019.

Read on to learn more about protecting yourself from meth overdose, and how to find effective forms of treatment that can help you put aside crystal for good!

What are Methamphetamines?

Methamphetamines, also known as crystal meth or “meth” for short, is a powerful stimulant that can be harmful to the user and those around them. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant or controlled substance. This means it has a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Methamphetamine has no accepted medical use in the United States. It affects the central nervous system and increases energy and alertness. Other effects include irregular heartbeat and blood pressure, fast breathing, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, irritability, and mood issues.

Meth and Substance Abuse: Proven Risks

Methamphetamine can cause serious health consequences and even death. It is highly addictive and can cause permanent brain damage, cardiac arrest, liver failure, increased blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, kidney failure, memory loss, anxiety, and depression. In addition, meth users are at high risk for other serious consequences such as hepatitis B or C, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and dental problems like gum disease or tooth decay (this is also colloquially known as “meth mouth”).

Methamphetamine and other drugs like it also change how the body makes serotonin – a chemical that regulates moods – which can lead to violent behavior and hallucinations. Methamphetamine users who use it as a recreational drug will often become paranoid and aggressive when they use the drug because their bodies do not produce enough natural serotonin anymore. This may make them behave violently toward others or themselves (e.g., suicide attempts).

The truth is that drug abuse in and of itself is commonly viewed as a public health problem. The health risks and mental degradation that often accompanies long-term drug use often can be life-threatening and result in permanent damage.

Without the intervention of treatment and professional medical attention, these dangerous chemicals can be fatal to persons who find themselves unable to halt their usage.

Who is At Risk of Meth Addiction?

Methamphetamine is an incredibly dangerous illicit drug that can lead to addiction very quickly. Abuse of this stimulant drug causes mental and physical changes that make it difficult for users to stop meth use without help.

What are the risk factors for meth addiction? Knowing them may allow for early intervention when it comes to meth use and being able to spot people most at risk of falling victim to this illicit substance.

Genetic History – A family history of meth use, or even other stimulants, can make a person further down the genetic line predisposed to addiction. This is one of the most statistically trackable risk factors. Much the same way that a person with a family history of heart failure is genetically more at risk for that condition, a family history of crystal meth can render generations down the road at risk.

Co-Existing Conditions – Persons with co-existing mental health conditions are often at risk of falling into drug abuse. People with chronic anxiety and depression are chief in that category. This comes from a desire and an aim to try to self-medicate.

Often these people are simply trying to address the pain of their existence at the moment and are not thinking of the other health effects that accompany the drug use. Neurodivergent persons may fall into this category. However, it must be stated that, specifically with regard to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there is a false belief and stigma associated with medication subscribed for ADHD.

The typical stimulant which is medically associated with that condition, methylphenidate, is commonly associated with being equivalent to methamphetamines. It is not. This stigma, ironically enough, can result in neurodivergent persons seeking to medicate appropriately and safely running into logistical or societal blockades.

Environmental Factors – This can be anything from the physical environment, to stress factors, to isolation. Factors in one’s life and environment can push persons towards seeking, in extreme cases, intense forms of escapism in the form of a drug habit. From a socioeconomic point of view, it is important to keep in mind that research has shown that regions with lower-income, poverty, and economic/environmental hardships also correlate with increased drug consumption.

What are The Signs of Meth Addiction?

Meth causes the brain to release abnormally high levels of dopamine, a chemical neurotransmitter that plays a role in motivation, pleasure, and reward. When this happens, users experience feelings of euphoria and energy.

At first, meth tends to make people feel more alert, energetic and sociable. But it also makes them anxious and paranoid. After a while, they may develop sleeping problems or lose interest in eating or having sex. They may have trouble keeping up with their responsibilities at work or school and begin to neglect family members or friends.

Meth Addiction Symptoms at a Glance

Some of the signs of meth addiction, at a glance, are:

• Psychotic symptoms, in the form of violent episodes, including threatening people and breaking things in the home
• Dilated pupils
• Loss of interest in appearance or hygiene
• Irritability, restlessness, and anxiety or panic attacks
• Insomnia (sleeping too much) or hypersomnia (sleeping too little)
• Anorexia (loss of appetite) or bulimia (binge eating followed by purging)

Methamphetamine Overdose: The Facts

A meth overdose occurs when someone uses too much of the drug and has life-threatening symptoms that are severe enough to risk or cause death. Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths have increased every year since 2002.

Meth Overdose by the Numbers

In 2016 alone, more than 63,600 Americans died from drug overdoses — up from 52,400 in 2015. These numbers include both prescription painkillers and illegal drugs like heroin. Methamphetamine use and, subsequently, methamphetamine overdose has been rising in recent years, partially because it’s easy to find and cheap compared to other drugs like cocaine or heroin. The possibility of meth overdose depends on many factors, including the person’s approximate age and amount of the drug taken.

Methamphetamine is also dangerous because too much meth can cause an increase in body temperature and heart rate, which can lead to stroke or heart attack. In fact, according to a study published by the CDC in 2018:

• People who use meth are over three times more likely than non-users to die prematurely from any cause other than injury or homicide
• The odds of premature death by meth overdose are even higher when you look only at deaths due to cardiovascular disease
• Meth users are twice as likely as people who don’t use meth to die from cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure or heart attack

What are the warning signs of meth overdose, then? How can you notice when this might be about to happen, to take action? Meth overdose symptoms may include:

• Tremors or twitching
• Rapid or Irregular heartbeat
• Acute memory loss
• Abnormal breathing
• Chest pain
• Hallucinations
• Agitation or aggression
• Seizures

If you believe you’re witnessing a meth overdose or are about to witness one, the first step would be to call the emergency services and get urgent medical help. Stay with the overdose victim and keep them calm to prevent injury until emergency care arrives.

The Benefits of Getting Addiction Treatment for Meth

Meth overdose is an acute risk of the substance, but that aside, the havoc the habit can wreck on a person’s life, as well as other health consequences associated with it, are enough to justify aggressive medical treatment for the habit. Addiction treatment is perhaps the most important thing that can be done to avoid the risk of meth overdose for someone struggling with the habit.

The treatment process can help with a myriad of health issues. More importantly, overdose is not something to take lightly. If not handled correctly, an experience like that can be final, fatal, and tragic, with no way to walk away from it.

The Treatment Options for Meth Abuse

The addiction treatment process is critical, not just for those at risk of a chronic methamphetamine overdose but anyone suffering from the habit. Treatment starts with detox to rid the body of the dependency on the substance, thus dramatically cutting the risk of overdose to virtually zero. From there, treatment includes therapy to deal with the underlying issues that led to the addiction in the first place.

Much of the drug dependency can be down to feelings of isolation which is why support groups are often heavily utilized in addiction treatment. These support groups can erode much of the stigma persons struggling with drug habits may feel.

Seek treatment for meth addiction today!

If you or a loved one are struggling with a meth or substance abuse habit, contact Best Rehabs In Arizonas! The risk of meth overdose is not something to take lightly.

Reach out to our Admissions staff today, our professional team is standing by and ready to help you take that first step away from addiction and the risk of overdose. Give yourself the break you deserve and reach out now!