Methamphetamine, more commonly known as meth, is a stimulant that is incredibly addictive. People who use meth often find themselves addicted almost immediately. The boost of energy that meth gives makes it a very tempting drug for those who always feel behind, but that high comes and goes quickly. In order to keep the energy going, the user has to take more and more meth. If your loved one is addicted to this substance, it’s time to talk to them about it. Good Landing Recovery offers meth addiction treatment in a safe, Christian environment.

What Is Meth?

Meth is an illegal drug that is similar to medications such as Adderall. Those medications, classified as amphetamines, are highly regulated due to their addictive properties. These medications are also only prescribed to treat medical conditions such as narcolepsy or ADHD. Meth, on the other hand, has no medicinal purposes. It’s made and sold illegally to make people high. Unfortunately, more than a million people in the U.S. are addicted to meth.

In addition to being shortened to meth, methamphetamine is also known by a wide variety of other names (aka street names), including the following:

• Crystal or crystal meth
• LA Ice
• Chalk
• Hot Ice
• Speed
• Crank
• Blue
• Glass
• Blade
• Poor man’s cocaine
• Tina
• Biker’s coffee

How Does Meth Affect the Body?

Like many other drugs, meth changes the chemistry in the brain. It activates the part of the brain that creates the neurotransmitter dopamine. This chemical is the one that creates a feeling of satisfaction and happiness at a job well done. Many normal actions cause the brain to release dopamine, but the amount released isn’t very much. Meth, however, changes that. It makes the brain create more and more dopamine, pushing past what is a safe level.

With repeated use over time, though, meth begins to affect how the brain reacts to dopamine. It damages and then fully destroys the receptors that register dopamine. This makes it much more difficult for the person to naturally feel happy and satisfied. They then must rely on meth to have these feelings. Everything that used to give the person joy no longer does, so they begin to focus everything on their meth addiction. While it’s possible the brain can heal if the addiction is treated quickly, many people end up with permanent damage. This is one reason why many going through meth addiction treatment may need an intervention.

Why Is Meth So Dangerous?

There are a number of reasons why meth is incredibly dangerous. In addition to the damage it does to the brain, it also affects the body in a number of different ways:

• Meth affects the part of the brain that triggers the hunger response. As a result, users stop eating as much and are likely to lose a dangerous amount of weight very quickly.
• Because it’s a stimulant, people who abuse meth often find it very difficult to sleep. A lack of sleep has been medically shown to greatly affect many parts of the body.
• Meth also increases the user’s body temperature. The body responds to this by sweating, which can lead to dehydration.
• Users often develop osteoporosis, leading to weaker bones and teeth.
• Damage to the kidneys, liver, and lungs. If used for long periods of time, meth can cause permanent damage to these organs.
• Meth also affects the user’s behavior. It can lead to paranoia, aggressive outbursts, and hallucinations.

Here at Good Landing Recovery, we work to address all of these health issues in addition to the addiction. Our drug rehab programs help recovering meth users learn about proper diet and exercise. We assist them with creating and sticking to a regular sleep and meal schedule. We also provide anger management counseling and family therapy to help everyone the addiction affected heal.

Symptoms of Methamphetamine Abuse

While the dangers listed above can certainly be observed in your loved one, they’re often more long-term effects. It’s also easy for the user to blame something else for their weight loss, lack of sleep, and even their aggression. To truly help show your loved one that they’re abusing meth, you need to look for some of the short-term effects, too.

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Increased energy, especially bursts of energy
• Heavy breathing
• Dry mouth
• A general attitude of being excited all the time
• Being more irritable, especially between highs
• Nervousness
• Tremors
• Sweating

You may also start to notice their meth use cycle. They will be excited, happy, and in general “up” after they use, but then they will crash. This is when they become irritable, angry, and depressed. If they go too long without using, these symptoms will become even more evident. Many users start to immediately take more meth as soon as they recognize the crash coming. This can lead to going without sleeping or eating for days at a time.

How Good Landing Treats Meth Addiction

Our team approaches all addictions with a holistic view. We treat more than just the addiction—we help our patients become well physically, mentally, and spiritually. While helpful with all addictions, this method is especially helpful with meth because the drug affects the patient in many different ways. We work with them to begin eating right, exercising, and sleeping regularly. We will also help them find the medical and dental specialists who can help them repair the damage meth has wrecked on their bodies.

Mentally and spiritually, our patients work with counselors to learn how to control their emotions and address their dependence on meth. Patients learn how to deal with any suicidal thoughts their addiction brought to the surface and how to reach out to those they have hurt. Spiritually, we encourage all of our patients to put their faith in Christ. We ask that they accept his grace and his forgiveness so that they can begin rebuilding their lives from a solid foundation.

What Can You Do for Your Loved One?

If you believe your loved one is abusing meth, you may not know what to do. We’re here for you, too. Our team at Good Landing can provide you with resources that can help you cope with your loved one’s actions and help show them that they’re in need of help. Please reach out to us today to talk to us about your loved one’s meth addiction.

These services provided encompass a wide variety of therapeutic settings and intervention modalities.