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Written by Drew Redd. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.
Meth addiction is devastating the lives of many people in the U.S. and their families. It causes both short-term and longer-lasting negative changes in the brain and leads to severe physical and mental health problems.
The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) found that 1.6 million Americans used methamphetamine in 2021, while one in every three overdose deaths involved meth. This translates to over 34,000 meth-related overdose deaths.
This is a place to truly reset your life onto the right path. I learned such great healthy habits to live by. The staff are AMAZING so caring and friendly. I consider everyone I met at Ardu family. I truly hope the person looking for an amazing place to begin their new journey starts here. I met Amazing friends for life here.
Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth, is a highly addictive and powerful stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. It is a synthetic drug that can be manufactured illegally using a combination of toxic chemicals and ingredients such as pseudoephedrine, acetone, anhydrous ammonia, lithium, and hydrochloric acid.
Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally, depending on the form. It can come in several forms:
Meth works by increasing the release and blocking the reuptake of dopamine, a brain chemical associated with pleasure and reward. This creates an intense but short-lived euphoric “rush,” leaving users to crave more to maintain the high.
Once you build up a tolerance and develop a dependence, when you try to quit, you will most likely experience unpleasant drug withdrawal symptoms.
Medical professionals at Ardu’s meth detox facility can help you alleviate these symptoms and provide support throughout the recovery process.
Methamphetamine addiction is a complex brain disease. While anyone can become addicted, certain factors can increase someone’s vulnerability to developing methamphetamine use disorder.
Risk factors for meth addiction include:
The process of becoming addicted to meth typically involves the following stages:
It can be excruciatingly difficult—sometimes even dangerous—to quit meth addiction on your own. Our carefully devised treatment plans include a combination of therapies, medication-assisted detox, and support groups to help you safely navigate the challenges of recovery.
Contact Ardu and start your journey towards lasting recovery.
The signs someone is addicted to meth can vary from person to person, but there are common physical and behavioral changes that may indicate a problem.
Physical signs of meth addiction are:
Behavioral signs of meth addiction include:
It’s not always easy to recognize signs of addiction. If you notice these red flags in yourself or someone you love, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Meth use can cause significant damage primarily to the brain, altering its structure and function. It also causes severe physical and mental health problems. Lineberry and Bostwick maintain that people addicted to meth “experience emergent, acute, subacute, and chronic injuries to neurologic, cardiac, pulmonary, dental, and other systems.”
According to a 2022 study published by a group of Harvard and Louisiana State University researchers, here are all the ways meth addiction can damage your health:
On top of these devastating physical effects, meth users often face difficult social, financial, and legal consequences. Relationships with family and friends can become strained or severed as the addiction takes priority over personal connections. Excessive spending on drugs and the inability to manage responsibilities often lead to financial instability.
Our comprehensive treatment programs help you repair and rebuild these essential aspects of your life. Through family therapy sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones, fostering understanding, forgiveness, and support. Individual counseling and self-compassion therapy will guide you in developing a kinder, more accepting relationship with yourself to fix what your addiction broke with others.
A meth overdose is easy to occur because the drug strongly stimulates the central nervous system, which can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening. As users develop a tolerance, they may take increasingly higher doses to achieve the desired effects, increasing the risk of overdose. Overdose risk also increases when meth is combined with other substances, such as alcohol or opioids.
Here are the signs of a meth overdose:
In some cases, the person overdosing on meth can experience a stroke or a heart attack. If you suspect someone is experiencing a meth overdose, call emergency medical services immediately. Prompt medical attention may prevent permanent damage or death.
Most people don’t realize the severity of their problem until they’re deeply entrenched in the cycle of addiction. Meth addiction requires professional support, guidance, and a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to each individual’s unique needs.
When you take that courageous and difficult step and seek help for your addiction, our Provo, Utah rehab center is here for you.
Depending on your specific needs, we offer therapies and programs such as:
…and many others that help you beat addiction and ease into a healthy and sober life.
The first step in getting you clean is the detox.
Ardu offers comprehensive drug detox services to help you safely detox from meth. Our medical detox program provides 24/7 care and effective medications that alleviate the often extremely challenging withdrawal symptoms. We use prescription drugs as needed to make the detox process safe and comfortable.
We often combine the traditional medical approach to treating addiction with holistic methods. At our holistic detox, we offer:
These holistic approaches work together to help relax the nervous system, restore balance, and support your body and mind as you adjust to life without meth. With personalized medical oversight and holistic therapies tailored to your needs, our meth detox program helps you transition into an effective treatment plan with the best chance of long-term success.
At our meth rehab center, we offer inpatient and outpatient treatment programs tailored to your needs. You can choose our intensive outpatient programs or partial hospitalization programs, and work with us to find an outpatient program that works best for you.
Therapies and treatments used in our rehab to help meth addicts overcome addiction include:
These evidence-based therapies work together to address the complex nature of meth addiction, teaching you how to build the skills, knowledge, and support system necessary for lasting recovery.
Anyone struggling with addiction is welcome at our rehab center. Our team will thoughtfully assess your needs and insurance coverage to determine which type of care will give you the best chance of success given your current situation.
If you’re ready to take the first step towards a brighter future, reach out to our admissions team today. To enroll in an Ardu program, contact us online or via phone (801-872-8480).
Drew Redd is the executive director of Ardu Recovery Center and is dedicated to empowering people on their journey to sobriety.
Crystal meth, also known as crystal methamphetamine, is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. It’s commonly found in the form of clear crystals resembling ice or glass and is often illegally manufactured and sold illicitly. Despite its intense euphoric effects, crystal meth use can lead to severe physical and psychological consequences, including addiction, paranoia, and damage to vital organs like the brain and heart.
The most prescribed stimulant is typically methylphenidate, which is commonly known by brand names such as Ritalin or Concerta. Methylphenidate is widely prescribed to manage conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. By increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, methylphenidate helps improve focus, attention, and impulse control in people with ADHD.
Stimulants are not typically used as primary treatments for depression, as they don’t address the underlying causes of the condition. While they can increase energy and alertness, they may actually exacerbate symptoms in some cases. Antidepressants, which work on different neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, are more commonly prescribed for depression.
The safety of stimulants varies depending on factors such as dosage, individual health conditions, and whether they’re used as prescribed. When taken as directed and under medical supervision, stimulants like methylphenidate can be safe and effective for managing conditions like ADHD. Misuse or abuse of stimulants can lead to serious health risks such as addiction, cardiovascular problems, and psychiatric issues.
Stimulants are broadly classified into two main groups: amphetamines and methylphenidate-based medications. Amphetamines include drugs like Adderall and Dexedrine, while methylphenidate-based medications include Ritalin and Concerta. Both groups work by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, but they have slightly different mechanisms of action and potential side effects.
The addiction pathway involves complex interactions between brain regions and neurotransmitter systems. It typically begins with the activation of the brain’s reward circuitry, including the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, in response to pleasurable stimuli like drugs or certain behaviors. Over time, repeated exposure to these stimuli can lead to neuroadaptations in the brain, resulting in tolerance, dependence, and ultimately, addiction.
The difference lies in neurobiological and behavioral patterns. In a clean mind, the brain’s reward circuitry functions normally, responding to natural rewards such as food and social interactions. In contrast, an addicted mind experiences dysregulation in reward processing, with heightened sensitivity to drugs or addictive behaviors and reduced responsiveness to natural rewards. Cognitive and behavioral patterns in an addict’s mind often prioritize obtaining and using the addictive substance or engaging in addictive behaviors, despite negative consequences.
Lineberry TW, Bostwick JM. Methamphetamine abuse: a perfect storm of complications. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 Jan;81(1):77-84. doi: 10.4065/81.1.77. PMID: 16438482.
Kevil, C. G., Goeders, N. E., Woolard, M. D., Bhuiyan, M. S., Dominic, P., Kolluru, G. K., Arnold, C. L., Traylor, J. G., & Orr, A. W. (2019, September). Methamphetamine Use and Cardiovascular Disease. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 39(9), 1739–1746. https://doi.org/10.1161/atvbaha.119.312461
Kim, B., Yun, J., & Park, B. (2020). Methamphetamine-Induced Neuronal Damage: Neurotoxicity and Neuroinflammation. Biomolecules & Therapeutics, 28(5), 381-388. https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2020.044
Edinoff, A. N., Kaufman, S. E., Green, K. M., Provenzano, D. A., Lawson, J., Cornett, E. M., Murnane, K. S., Kaye, A. M., & Kaye, A. D. (2022). Methamphetamine Use: A Narrative Review of Adverse Effects and Related Toxicities. Health Psychology Research, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.38161
Rawson, R. A. (2013). Current research on the epidemiology, medical and psychiatric effects, and treatment of methamphetamine use. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, 21(4), S77-S81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2013.09.039
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