Crystal Meth

What is crystal meth addiction?
The effects of crystal meth
Treating crystal meth addiction
Detox

If you’re suffering from crystal meth addiction, recognising the signs and symptoms are vital in getting the right treatment for the addiction as soon as possible. As crystal meth is highly addictive, it may only take one use for addiction to develop. When using crystal meth for the first time, the rush of euphoria encourages you to take it again. However, the body builds up a tolerance to the drug, meaning you will need to take higher doses to achieve the same effect.

What is crystal meth addiction?

Crystal meth is usually clear or blue in colour, and has the appearance of rough crystals or shards of ice. The drug in this form is usually heated and smoked, but can also be crushed into a powder and snorted or injected.

Taking crystal meth can affect your body in a number of different ways. Like other drugs, crystal meth stimulates the dopamine receptors in the brain, releasing feelings of euphoria. This initial rush does not last long, but the influence of the drug can last for up to 12 hours.

The effects of crystal meth

You might experience increased heart rate and blood pressure, which can also raise the risk of heart attack. The higher the dose, the greater the effects.

There’s also evidence that long-term crystal meth use can cause brain damage, although this gradually will get better if you stay off the drug for a long period.

  • Reduced appetite
  • Elevated heart rate
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Irregular heart rhythm
  • Paranoia
  • Agression
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Body tremors

Repeated use of crystal meth can also cause the following symptoms:

  • Violent behaviour
  • Hyper alertness / Increased concentration
  • Insomnia
  • Obsessive and repetitive behaviours
  • Increased energy, self-esteem and libido
  • Sensation of power / invincibility
  • Compulsive skin picking, leading to sores
  • Psychosis
Having an addiction to crystal meth is incredibly dangerous, and there is a high risk of a fatal overdose. Prolonged use of crystal meth may also result in psychosis, where users lose touch with reality, as well as possible brain damage.

Treating crystal meth addiction

Our expert recovery team at Steps Together, use a detox and therapy programme designed to provide all the support and care to help you overcome your crystal meth addiction. We understand that admitting your own dependency is difficult. However, at Steps Together, we believe that is never too late to seek help.

Through the detox programme, we will help stop your crystal meth addiction. While this may seem like a daunting prospect, our highly experienced recovery team are well equipped to guide you through the whole process. Alongside our Therapy Programmes this will enable you to overcome your own challenges and get your life back on track.

Detox

The detox period is the essential part of your journey towards your recovery. Although there will be some discomfort during this process, our expert recovery team will be on hand to provide constant support and supervision. Crystal meth withdrawal symptoms are not as intense as those caused by other drugs, but you may experience the following comedown symptoms:

  • Hopelessness
  • Depression
  • Muscle weakness
  • Lack of motivation
  • Lack of appetite
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Dehydration
  • Muscle pain, particularly from jaw clenching