Methamphetamine, more commonly called meth, is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant affecting the user’s brain and body. Meth use results in increased talkativeness and activity, decreased appetite, and a pleasurable sense of euphoria. These effects give meth a high potential for substance abuse. Meth also changes how the user thinks and feels, which can cause medical or recreational use to turn into a full-blown meth addiction. Given the serious health risks of using it, meth treatment is essential for fighting addiction and long-term recovery.
Northpoint Colorado offers treatment for meth addiction and any co-occurring disorders. Patients will receive withdrawal care before moving on to recovery and addiction treatment. The treatment center focuses on long-term recovery using evidence-based therapies for meth addiction. To learn more about our inpatient meth addiction treatment programs, call us at 888.231.1281.
What Are the Common Signs and Symptoms of Meth Use?
Meth is a stimulant that increases the brain and body’s processing speeds. The drug enters the bloodstream quickly through snorting, smoking, or injecting it. The quick, intense high that meth causes makes it a highly addictive drug. It is common for some people to develop an addiction after just one use.
Meth use can affect both the brain and the body of the user, which causes a wide variety of symptoms. Here are some of the more common symptoms of using meth:
- Hyperactivity
- Twitching, facial tics, and jerky movements
- Dilated pupils and rapid eye movement
- Reduced appetite, noticeable and sudden weight loss, or extreme weight loss
- Skin sores or burns, particularly on the lips or fingers
- Paranoia, agitation, outbursts, or mood swings
- Erratic sleeping patterns
- Rotting teeth
Another symptom of meth use is “tweaking,” which is the term used to describe a period of anxiety and insomnia after a drug binge that can last anywhere from three to 15 days. Tweaking can cause paranoia, irritability, confusion, hallucinations, and even violent behavior.
The user may also experience a meth crash caused by the deprivation of the dopamine that meth supplied. The crash causes extreme exhaustion, resulting in long sleep periods, powerful drug cravings, and depression.
What Are the Side-Effects of Long-Term Meth Use?
When someone abuses meth for a long time, their brain will begin to rely on the drug and its effects. This reliance results in behavioral changes and irreversible damage to various bodily systems. The symptoms of long-term meth use are as follows:
- Respiratory issues
- Heart disease, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death
- Seizures
- High blood pressure
- Malnutrition, liver failure, or kidney failure
- Reproductive issues and birth defects
- Premature aging
- Skin infection
- Blackened, rotting teeth
- Impaired cognition and memory loss
- Paranoia and delusions
- Depression and anhedonia, which is the inability to feel pleasure
- Aggression and psychosis
Get Meth Treatment at Northpoint Recovery in Loveland, Colorado
At Northpoint Colorado, each patient’s meth treatment will begin with a detox program to ease withdrawal discomfort. After this, addiction therapy will retrain the patient’s brain to function normally without meth. Finally, our highly trained staff will provide an aftercare program that ensures patients receive support to maintain a sober lifestyle.
During the course of your meth treatment, we will provide evidence-based therapies, which include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Family education
- Individual and group counseling
- 12-step support
- Encouragement for non-drug-related activities
Our inpatient center in Loveland, Colorado has 64 comfortable rooms and extensive facilities, including an on-site gym.
If you or a loved one is struggling with meth use and addiction, seek help immediately. Our staff at Northpoint Colorado are here to help you safely and effectively detox from methamphetamine. Call us at 888.231.1281 to learn more about our inpatient meth treatment programs.