Meth abuse has a number of harmful health consequences. Meth is a highly addictive stimulant, or a chemical that causes the body to become more active. Ice, glass, and crystal are typical names for this substance. Many persons who use meth have a variety of mental and physical side effects, both short and long term. Most people who abuse this deadly drug become hooked to it in the long run.
When smoked, snorted, or injected, meth induces feelings of euphoria. Individuals who use meth acquire a tolerance to the drug, requiring increasingly higher doses to achieve the intended effect. To get high, people are compelled to use extraordinarily high dosages of meth. However, increasing the quantity of medications consumed raises the user’s risk of becoming addicted to them and experiencing undesirable side effects.
Long-Term Meth Use Physiological Consequences
Methamphetamine raises dopamine levels in the brain, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and behavior reinforcement. It accomplishes this by inhibiting dopamine reuptake in the brain while also enhancing dopamine release. This generates a surge in dopamine levels, as well as sensations of pleasure and euphoria, which is what makes meth so addictive. However, excessive levels of dopamine are hazardous to the brain and body over time, especially in people who have co-occurring illnesses or physical health issues. The overabundance of dopamine eventually results in undesirable side effects, such as withdrawal symptoms.
- Euphoria
- Increased physical activity
- Increased wakefulness
- Reduced weariness
- Reduced appetite
- Increased breathing and heart rate
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Increases aggression and irritability
Neurotoxic Effects of Meth Abuse
The half-life of methamphetamine is very long. As a result, unlike most other amphetamines, the chemical lingers in the bloodstream and operates on the brain for longer. Meth has the potential to cause more harm to users than related drugs such as cocaine because of its long-lasting nature. Paranoia, auditory or visual hallucinations, and delusions are some of the most common neurological adverse effects of meth use. Anxiety, despair, and extreme mood swings are among the effects that users may experience.
Meth addiction changes the structure of the brain, according to research. Meth users have harmed mental flexibility (the ability to change one’s mind), decision-making, language development, and motor function, among other things. Meth’s long-term effects have also been demonstrated to raise the risk of microglia, which are immune cells in the brain that protect it from infection and other infections. Microglia become more active as a result of an increase in their number, and they begin to destroy normally healthy neurons. Later on, this leads to brain damage and cognitive issues.
Meth Abuse in Texas
A significant percentage of persons in Texas are addicted to methamphetamine. While some meth is smuggled in from foreign countries, the majority is produced in secret at-home labs. As a result, the substance is extremely dangerous because users never know what they will get. Batteries, formaldehyde, paint thinner, and other potentially hazardous substances can be found in meth. All of these harmful substances lead to the long-term consequences of meth addiction.
We have a staff of highly experienced professionals at our Houston, Texas treatment center that will assist you at every step of the journey. They’re ready to create treatment plans tailored to each person’s specific requirements, beginning with detox. The staff at Taylor Recovery Center is here to assist you in your recovery from meth addiction.
