Symptoms, Signs and Recovery of Methamphetamine Addiction

Meth Abuse and Its Effect on Libido and Sexuality

Because a meth user has a higher libido than usual, other related complications and conditions can end up in his body because of his sexual activity, namely a variety of sexually transmitted infections or STIs (this used to be known as sexually transmitted diseases or STDs). Then again, it can also lead to impairment of sexual performance and libido as the addiction worsens, so it works more on a case-by-case basis.

• Adrenaline and Arousal: In terms of neurology, meth is sought after because of its ability to stimulate sexual arousal and increase your level of adrenalin. The adrenalin provides you with the stamina needed for long sessions of sex.
• Uninhibited Meth Users: Meth also lowers your inhibitions, which in turn can compel you to act dangerously and engage in sex without means of protection against STIs.
• Susceptibility to HIV/AIDS: Meth abusers and addicts are particularly susceptible to HIV, which can then worsen into AIDS. These can be contracted through unsafe sex or through intravenous drug use (like shared needles and whatnot).
• Unsafe Sex or Needle Sharing: A person may get infected through unsafe sex with different partners or by unhygienic and irresponsible needle use.

Dopamine and Its Link to Meth Use

How is methamphetamine so addictive? When you use meth for the first time, there’s an initial euphoric rush from it that appeals to many drug user. It’s particularly effective in raising your brain’s dopamine levels, which is the neurotransmitter chemical released by nerve cells or neurons to send signals that affect reward-motivated behavior.

More to the point, because of the effects of meth on dopamine, the brain rewards you for taking it over and over again by releasing the chemical that’s usually only released when you accomplish some great task. For example, when you finish a project, get a raise, or acquire a promotion, distinct dopamine pathways are opened leaving you feeling good and satisfied with yourself.

Is Methamphetamine addictive? Yes, especially the crystalline variety, is highly addictive because of how it tricks the brain into thinking that taking meth is an accomplishment, leading you to chase after that first high as though you’re doing something worthwhile.

Psychological and Behavioural Signs of Meth Abuse

There are a host of psychological side effects connected to meth abuse. Because meth increases your dopamine levels, these messengers in your brain’s reward system give you a feeling of accomplishment even though all you did is take meth.

Aside from that, dopamine also affects your ability to learn and your memory as well. By abusing meth, you’ll create an imbalance in your brain’s dopamine levels as well as any operations involving dopamine. As a consequence, meth addicts may experience the following complications:

• Psychosis
• Memory problems
• Impaired visual memory
• Inability to learn new motor skills
• Impaired dopamine-related behaviors (includes mood, arousal, movement, and motivation)

Meth abuse is also known for causing psychosis among many addicts. Meth induced-psychosis, in turn, results in symptoms such as the following:

• Paranoia
• Delusions
• Tweaking
• Irritability
• Visual hallucinations
• Auditory hallucinations
• Intense scratching from nonexistent bugs (crank bugs)

Tweaking and Insomnia Due to Methamphetamine Abuse

For 3 to 15 days, meth users and abusers can end up tweaking or tweaked wherein they experience insomnia during that period of time. The tweaked condition usually happens as a consequence of having a meth binge wherein an addict uses meth to chase the original high they got where the dopamine levels are highest before desensitization (wherein your high gets less and less because your body gets used to the meth) sets in. At any rate, the withdrawal symptoms include the following:

There are psychological side effects to being in a state of tweaking, which include:

• Paranoia
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Rapid eye movements
• Walking in a jerky fashion
• Prone to violence and criminal behavior
• Talking in a fast manner with jumbled words

Crank Bugs and Formication

Psychosis from methamphetamine can also cause you to scratch yourself severely to the point of injuring yourself. This occurs because of the increase of blood flow to the skin as well as its increase in temperature (two common side effects of using meth).

Essentially, because your body is so hot, you sweat more. The sweat then has an enzyme that increases your blood circulation rate. As your perspiration evaporates, the sebaceous oil that serves as your skin’s protective cover is also stripped away.

That’s when formication happens. Formication is the name given to the sensation that bugs are crawling under your skin because of meth, which leads you to scratch and pick at your skin in order to get rid of bugs that don’t exist.

skin abrasions and rashes will develop from this picking and scratching. Formication is caused by a combination of the following meth symptoms:

• Dehydration
• Excessive sweating
• Stripping away of sebaceous oil protection
• An increase of blood pressure from under the skin

Meth abusers might even go to extremes like using scissors, knives, or razor blades in order to cut into the skin and try to get rid of these phantom bugs crawling under their skin, resulting in wounds that won’t heal because they keep picking at them (as the famous Linkin Park song Crawling describes). This can then result in open wounds and festering sores that can cause them serious infection.

Meth Addiction Recovery and Detox Options

When it comes to how to get off meth or how to help someone addicted to methamphetamine, there are several ways to go about it. To undergo meth detoxification and recovery, you need to contact a private treatment centre or government-funded rehabilitation service for inpatient treatment. You can also attend outpatient services with minimal weekly meetings and this usually isn’t enough to deal with heavy meth addiction.

As per usual, meth addiction recovery is easier said than done. A solid support system in the form of family, friends, and/or understanding counsellors is called for. Meth recovery typically requires pharmacological and psychosocial intervention as well as community-based prevention during aftercare.

At any rate, what follows is a list of things you can expect regarding your methamphetamine addiction treatment options.

• Psychosocial Intervention: As a short-term solution, family and/or friends may conduct a psychosocial intervention to prevent the worsening or occurrence of meth addiction symptoms in a patient.
• Meth Counsellor: Because meth addiction has many psychological consequences, you need the assistance of a professional who will counsel you on what to do going forward and what to expect while undergoing therapy. You might even get assistance from former addicts in the rehabilitation centre to share their experiences in overcoming their own addictions.
• Inpatient versus Outpatient Rehab: If you have a milder case of meth or a recovering addict, then you might be recommended by a counsellor to seek outpatient treatment. The advantage of this is that you can still reside in your home then attend meetings to help maintain your sobriety, thus your life doesn’t need to end up in a standstill.
• However, severe cases of meth addiction (and most of them are usually severe by the time that you realise you need help) require detoxification, counselling, anti-relapse medication, and 24/7 monitoring by counsellors via an inpatient programme that require you to reside in a rehab treatment centre.
• A Full Continuum of Care Services: Your meth detoxification and rehabilitation programme should occur in a treatment centre and handled by an addiction specialist. This is the most basic thing you should seek for first and foremost as a sufferer of meth addiction.It’s usually better for a severe addict to undergo a structured inpatient treatment programme in a luxury rehabilitation centre than get detox and half-heartedly attend outpatient rehab meetings. This is because inpatient treatment offers focused treatment, support group therapy, stress relief, detoxification, and 24/7 monitoring by professionals.
• Meth Addiction Medication: In order to keep you from relapsing to using meth again due to severe withdrawal symptoms, you might be administered the following meth addiction medications during and after detoxification: Modafinil, Naltrexone, and Bupropion.
• Meth Rehab Aftercare: You’ll also be given follow-up treatment after undergoing rehab. These are focused on helping you reintegrate yourself into society as a contributing member. They’re also there to help you stay concentrated on your recovery while preventing potential meth addiction relapse. These programmes involve individual or group therapy, 12-step programmes, and sober living programmes.

The Dire Consequences of Meth Addiction

Users of crank typically end up becoming homeless derelicts, bankrupt from buying so much meth, losing their families, or in jail. It doesn’t necessarily follow that all meth users end up in dire straits. There are high-functional addicts out there who can use meth and still keep their jobs and families.

However, sooner or later, the risk of ruining their life can come about the more addicted they become to meth. Many meth users end up depressed and self-hating as well because they’ve lost their self-control and lack the will to quit their use of meth. Many meth addicts can even end up suicidal altogether.

Even if addicts don’t act on their suicidal impulse, these thoughts tend to be quite devastating to their mental wellbeing. They require the help, patience, and guidance of qualified rehabilitation centres like The Dawn Drug Rehab (changed link to drug rehab page not homepage) in order to get their condition straightened out before it’s too late. Privacy and aftercare support are likewise ensured in such a programme.

Meth Addiction Treatment at The Dawn Rehab Thailand

Contact us today at The Dawn Rehab in Thailand in order to get a free consultation. By calling us, you’ll have a chance to stay at a safe place to heal. Even when it comes to Schedule II drugs like crystal meth, PCP, and cocaine, we here at The Dawn Rehab are ready to serve you in every way possible.

Our affordable treatment programme includes high-quality, private accommodation and a highly qualified clinical team that offers treatment for not only meth addiction but also all its complications and side effects. Call our affordable centre today before it’s too late! The Dawn Rehab offers onsite detoxification centre and has available consultants 24/7.