Methamphetamine addiction is extremely harmful to your body, especially when you use it in large amounts or for long periods of time. For this reason, anyone dealing with meth addiction should seek professional help as soon as possible. Meth causes a number of serious side effects and long-term consequences. Consider some of the ways meth can damage, or even destroy, your body:
1. Meth Destroys Your Teeth
It’s no secret that meth causes damage to your teeth. Using meth reduces your body’s ability to produce saliva, which allows bacteria to eat away at your teeth unchecked. In many cases, meth also causes you to compulsively grind your teeth, which leads to even more damage.
2. Meth Causes Extreme Weight Loss And Malnutrition
Meth is an appetite suppressant, and it also speeds up your metabolism. Some people using meth have even been known to go days without food. Choosing meth instead of food can lead to extreme weight loss and nutritional deficiencies.
3. Meth Use Raises Your Risk Of Stroke
Using meth puts you at a much greater risk of stroke. During a stroke, a clot disrupts blood flow to part of your brain, which causes tissue death. In many cases, stroke victims have permanent brain damage that manifests as loss of speech, cognitive deficits, memory loss, and/or paralysis. In the worst cases, strokes can be fatal.
4. Meth Damages Your Heart
Meth is a stimulant that raises your heart rate substantially. When you use meth for a long time, you may begin experiencing heart palpitations, and you may even develop an irregular heartbeat. The irregular heartbeat, which is also known as an “arrhythmia,” may cause you to become lightheaded or faint. In more severe cases, arrhythmias cause your heart to stop beating.
5. Meth Is Bad For Your Skin
Using meth can lead to delusions and psychosis that may cause you to pick at your skin compulsively. Over time, you can expect to develop open sores and scarring. These wounds also have the potential to become infected. In addition, meth use causes skin to age faster and become rough in texture.
6. Meth Damages Your Lungs
If you snort meth, you’re at risk of respiratory trauma, such as a collapsed lung. Over time, inhaling meth may also lead to the formation of granulomas in the lungs and the development of interstitial lung disease. Many people who use meth also deal with violent coughing fits and hacking up blood.
7. Meth Can Cause Psychosis
When you use meth for an extended period, you may develop psychotic symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia, such as visual or auditory hallucinations. These symptoms may persist even after you stop using meth. Even if the symptoms go away, they may return without warning regardless of whether you ever use meth again.
8. Meth Lowers Your Immunity
Meth has a negative impact on your immune system, making you more prone to infections from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other invaders. In some cases, these infections can be life threatening.
9. Meth Can Cause Depression
When you use meth, it produces a “high” by causing your brain to release excessive levels of serotonin and dopamine. Over time, the cells that produce these chemicals become overstimulated and may die off, which leads to lower natural serotonin and dopamine levels. You will then have a harder time experiencing pleasure, resulting in depression.
10. Meth Impacts Your Muscles
Over time, those struggling with meth use may develop muscle twitching, tremors, involuntary muscle contractions, repetitive movements, and other musculoskeletal complications.
Meth Addiction Treatment At The Bluffs
Using meth is undoubtedly harmful to your body, and these complications can result in the gradual destruction of your physical and mental health. If you’re using meth, you need to seek treatment as soon as possible. At The Bluffs, we operate customized inpatient treatment programs to help you overcome this substance use disorder and live a better life. Please contact us today to learn more.
