Every day, someone in the U.S. overdoses on the stimulant drug methamphetamine. This is due, in part, to the drug’s powerful effects on your brain and body. It’s also a result of the illicit, unregulated use of almost all forms of meth. You and your loved one can avoid an overdose by seeking meth addiction treatment from recovery specialists. You can also potentially protect yourself from an overdose’s worst consequences by learning how to spot one in progress.
Knowing the signs of meth overdose can help save a life. Learn more about what to look for from the professionals at Northpoint by calling 888.231.1281.
The Risk of Using Too Much Meth
Most people take meth for its stimulating effects. These effects include an intense form of euphoria, also known as a rush. They also include an increased sense of wakefulness, reduced fatigue, and a heightened ability to focus.
However, meth also impacts you in other ways. For example, it speeds up your normal heart and breathing rates. In addition, it increases your baseline body temperature. You can cope with these kinds of changes as long as they’re not taken too far. Past a certain point, they will overload your system. That point marks the threshold of a meth overdose.
Meth Overdose Signs to Watch For
If someone you know takes too much meth, they’ll probably undergo certain visible changes. Knowing the signs of meth overdose is crucially important. It allows you to respond to what’s happening in ways that help protect your loved one from further harm. The list of meth overdose signs to look for includes:
- Labored breathing
- Mental agitation
- A paranoid mental outlook
- Stomach clutching or reports of extreme stomach pain
- Chest clutching or other signs of angina or a heart attack
- Convulsions
- Loss of consciousness
In a worst-case situation, your loved one may remain unconscious even when you try your best to wake them.
The Hidden Symptoms of Meth Overdose
While it’s vital, knowing the signs of meth overdose isn’t always enough. That’s true because an overdose may also involve symptoms that aren’t always apparent to you. Such hidden meth overdose symptoms may include:
- An irregular heartbeat
- Impaired kidney function
- Kidney failure
- An extremely high body temperature
Although they’re not obvious, these overdose effects can lead to dire health outcomes. Those outcomes may include lasting, serious damage to one or more organ systems. In addition, they may include chronic mental health issues or loss of mental function. Meth-related loss of life is also possible in extreme situations.
When Meth Overdose Symptoms and Signs Overlap
The signs and symptoms of meth overdose don’t always stay in their separate categories. That’s true, in large part, because your loved one can tell you what they’re experiencing internally. When they do, they transform a hidden symptom into information you can act on.
The sooner you get help for someone overdosing on any drug, the better. It’s also important to report all the information you have about what’s happened. Emergency personnel can use this information to guide their treatment choices. The same holds true for any doctors who provide later treatment. Some of the effects of an overdose may not be recoverable. However, the odds for recovery typically increase when prompt care is available.
Contact Northpoint Today for More on Meth Overdose Signs
Anyone who uses methamphetamine can potentially overdose on the drug. If this happens to someone you know, it’s critical that they get help as soon as possible. This means that knowing the signs of meth overdose may be essential in a crisis.
Do you or someone you know need help quitting meth or overcoming meth abuse or addiction? Turn to the addiction professionals at Northpoint Colorado. We feature suitable options for all phases of modern meth rehab. Just call us today at 888.231.1281 or use our online contact form to learn further details.
