Millions of people across the United States struggle with an addiction to crystal meth, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Also known as speed, crank, or ice, meth is an incredibly addictive stimulant. It affects your nervous system and can seriously damage your mind and body.
Unfortunately, meth users rarely realize the full effect the drug has on their bodies and lives until it’s too late. Below, we’ll go over exactly how crystal meth affects the body, why it’s so addictive, and why quitting meth requires professional supervision and treatment.
The Short-Term Effects of Meth
Meth affects your nervous system by triggering the release of large amounts of dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for feelings of pleasure. The short-term effects of meth can include everything from euphoria and increased energy to sleeplessness and decreased appetite.
Because of the powerful effects of crystal methamphetamine and the dopamine it releases, your body can quickly become addicted to it. Even after only a few uses, you may find it hard to function normally or feel well without using meth.
Once you become addicted to crystal meth, quitting can be incredibly challenging. Detoxing from the drug means you have to go through several uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Meth Withdrawal Symptoms
Meth withdrawal can last for weeks and even months. The most common symptoms include:
- Dehydration
- Muscle pain
- Powerful cravings
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Difficulty sleeping
- Headaches
- Psychosis
- Depression
- Cognitive problems
All these symptoms are a direct result of the effect of crystal meth on your body.
What Does Crystal Meth Do to Your Body?
The corrosive and dangerous chemicals used to make meth can easily damage anyone exposed to them. The effects of meth on the body are powerful and long-lasting. The smoke eats away at the delicate layers of the eyes. Corrosion settles on the teeth, literally eating away at the enamel.
Brain
Meth changes the structure and function of your brain. This can lead to psychosis and aggression, among other effects such as:
- Hallucinations
- Unclear speech—switching between topics, mumbling, jumbling words, and repeating words or phrases
- Hearing people talking to you when they’re not
- Feeling sure people are out to get you or hurt you without any proof
The brain damage caused by meth can also lead to long-term effects like:
- Memory loss
- Mood swings
- Confusion
- Mental health conditions
Heart
Heart disease is one of the main causes of death among meth users. Some of the ways meth affects your heart and cardiovascular system are:
- Constricted blood vessels leading to high blood pressure
- Abnormal or rapid heart rate
- Severe heart failure in young meth users
- Severe and premature heart disease
- Changes to the structure of your heart muscle
- Heart attacks even years after you quit
Immune System
Regularly using meth can damage your immune system, making it difficult for your body to fight off disease and infection. Long-term meth users are more susceptible to infections. These can include HIV, hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted diseases because of unprotected sex.
Kidneys
Continuous meth use can cause kidney damage. This is because the kidneys are responsible for breaking down the large amounts of damaging chemicals found in the drug.
Teeth
One of the telltale signs of meth abuse is tooth decay. While blood vessels, skin, and muscles have the potential to heal, corroded teeth don’t grow back.
Known as meth mouth, the effects of meth on the teeth are a result of meth making your saliva glands dry out. Saliva is what keeps the acid that breaks down food from breaking down your teeth and gums.
Without saliva, acids eat away at tooth enamel and gradually wear it down with every meth session. Combined with teeth grinding—a common behavior among those who use meth—this causes teeth to become rotten, discolored, infected, and eventually fall out.
Skin
People who use meth can seem to age overnight. This is because the drug causes the blood vessels to constrict so much that the body has limited means of healing itself. This means your skin starts drying out and healing much more slowly than before.
The extreme weight loss associated with meth use also means your skin becomes loose, saggy, and wrinkled. This only adds to your aged, sickly appearance.
Infections from the holes where you inject meth are also common and can lead to large, open sores that can take extremely long to heal if they ever heal at all.
Contact Yellowstone Recovery for Help
Addiction to a drug like meth is dangerous and all too common. The powerful short- and long-term effects of meth abuse make getting treatment early on crucial to a successful, rewarding recovery. Yellowstone Recovery specializes in helping people recover from meth and other drug addictions. We’re here to help people with substance use disorder start their journey to lifelong sobriety.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to meth or any other substance use disorder, reach out to Yellowstone Recovery. Call us at (888) 418-4188 and get the treatment you deserve today.
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