Still, you may test positive for the drug if you’re around the smoke. Some of the negative effects of meth use, including hallucinations or movement issues, may go away in the weeks or months after you stop using the drug. But some changes may take years or longer to resolve or never get better. Some people swallow it in a pill form or smoke it by heating up crystals in a glass bowl or pipe and breathing in the vapors. Most of the crystal meth and other meth products used in this country are made by transactional criminal organizations (TCOs)in Mexico.
- If you are not dealing with an immediate drug overdose but seeking help for yourself or a loved one regarding drug addiction, please contact us.
- This could consist of delusional behavior and repeated infections.
- By recognizing the side effects and signs of meth use, you may be able to intervene and prevent a meth overdose from occurring.
- Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule II classification group.
If the patient is actively having a seizure, becoming violent, or having difficulty breathing, do not delay. If they are having a seizure, hydrocodone and alcohol gently hold the back of their head to prevent injury. If possible, turn their head or body to the side in case they vomit.
What to Do in Case of a Meth Overdose
The odds of this happening to you are higher if you go on a multiday meth binge without sleeping. After the high wears off, you may start to feel bad physically and emotionally. These negative feelings may equal the intensity of your high but in the opposite way. You may seek out more meth to make these feelings go away. In the past, middle-aged white people used this cheap drug most often.
You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may keep taking meth to feel good or to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms once the drug leaves your body. You may have to take more of the drug to get the same high, and you can overdose on meth. By law, private insurers have to cover some 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication nch healthcare system of the costs of substance use treatment, and most drug rehab centers accept private and public health insurance. Your costs will depend on the type of health insurance you have and what facilities or services your provider covers. This can assist the medical professionals in reversing the drugs’ effects.
Treatment for an Overdose
DO NOT try to stop their arms and legs from shaking, or put anything in their mouth. People who use meth often need a professional counselor or drug treatment program to help them get better. You a beginners guide to doing drugs for the first time may have similar symptoms, but they’re usually less intense and chaotic. Some people who use meth see or hear things that aren’t there. This can cause you to think scary things that aren’t true.
You can have a toxic or deadly reaction when you take too much meth. The risks of overdose are higher when you mix the drug with opioids or other stimulants such as cocaine, ecstasy, or amphetamines. Your withdrawal symptoms will be strongest during the first 24 hours or so and typically last about 7-10 days.
Meth increases the release of dopamine and, thus, enhances the person’s mood and energy levels leading to increased wakefulness and physical activity. The effects of meth on the body with short-term use include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and a high body temperature (hyperthermia). An overdose occurs when the levels of drugs in the body reach toxic amounts, and the system can no longer break the drugs down safely. In the case of a stimulant like meth, this can raise body temperatures, blood pressure and heart rates to dangerous levels, causing a heart attack or stroke.
Mugshots of extremely thin, disheveled men and women arrested for meth use show the devastating effects of meth addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational incentives have shown effectiveness in treating meth addiction. CBT assists people in recognizing, avoiding and coping with situations that lead to drug use, while motivational incentives use rewards to promote sobriety. Dangerously high body temperature, or hyperthermia, is a common outcome of meth overdose.
Dealing With an Emergency
It is impossible to know for sure how much meth it takes to overdose. A big reason for this is that the purity of methamphetamine is often unknown, as the drug can be laced with other substances like fentanyl. This pattern of use can quickly progress to a substance use disorder. People addicted to meth frequently use high doses of the drug, which increases the risk for overdose. Doctors may use physical restraints in overdoses (or acute intoxication) to prevent harm to themselves or others. Physical restraints may be bandages or cuffs restricting a person’s movement.
Activated charcoal can help bind toxins.7 This can aid in absorbing meth and/or other drugs in the digestive tract. Meth addiction is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat, but it can be done. If you know someone who can’t control their drug use, ask for professional help. You may grind your teeth, get dry mouth, or skip good dental hygiene practices when you use meth.
Seeking treatment for meth addiction can mean the beginning of a new life. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is a leading treatment provider for substance use disorder, with facilities across the country. Withdrawal can make you feel so bad that you can’t stop using meth.
Treatment can help people overcome chronic methamphetamine abuse that can lead to overdose. At meth addiction treatment, clients receive evidence-based care that fits their specific needs. The best way to prevent methamphetamine overdose is to avoid using the drug. Meth abuse can lead to meth addiction, causing people to compulsively seek the drug. When someone has a substance use disorder, he or she obsesses over the drug. A strong form of the drug is illegally sold on the streets.
Meth Overdose Symptoms
Be cautious around a person who appears extremely excited or paranoid. If the person is experiencing a seizure, gently hold the back of his or her head to prevent injury. You can also turn the person’s head to the side to reduce the risk of choking on vomit. If you believe someone has overdosed on meth, call 911 immediately.
Finally, illegal methamphetamine production could expose people to harmful chemicals, possible burns, and explosions. Depending on case severity, an overdose could lead to irreversible damage. Low-level exposure to methamphetamine could damage as much as 50% of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that gives you the feeling of pleasure or happiness.
But if you choose to use meth, there are steps you can take to make your experience safer. If you use meth on a regular basis, it can change your brain’s dopamine system. For example, you may have problems with coordination or learning. Your chances of getting Parkinson’s disease (a movement disorder) may go up. Unless you use an approved methamphetamine medication under the direction of a doctor, there’s no recommended dose for meth. The least risky (and slowest) way to use meth is to swallow it.
Although Poison Control is staffed by medical experts, it is important to remember that they are not a replacement for emergency health care. They may, therefore, direct you to seek emergency medical attention after you contact them. Always call 911 or go to the hospital if you or a loved one has signs of a meth overdose. Health professionals aren’t there to report you to the police.