Methamphetamine is a potent stimulant that affects the central nervous system, creating intense pleasure and euphoric highs. These sought-after effects carry a high risk of addiction.
At our sophisticated and tranquil treatment center in downtown Miami, we treat meth addiction based on the core reasons why each client is abusing meth or crystal meth. We equip you with the tools needed to embrace recovery and a healthier lifestyle to avoid future meth abuse.
Meth and crystal meth flood the brain with dopamine, resulting in powerful euphoric feelings, an intense increase in energy, and various other psychoactive effects. Treatment can help if someone you love is struggling with this potent stimulant. Common signs of meth and crystal meth addiction to look out for include:
Sudden weight loss
Disturbed sleeping routine
Paranoia
Increased violence
Aggression
Increased distractibility
Increased talkativeness
Social withdrawal
Another common sign is "tweaking". Tweaking is the 4th stage that meth users experience and the most dangerous. It is the state that occurs when the user has come to the end of a meth binge and the drug no longer is providing the user with the desired rush or high. This physiological and psychological state can sometimes last for several days. It is often associated with strong cravings for the drug, hallucinations, delusions, scratching of the skin, and intense fidgeting.
Meth users are likely to conceal their drug abuse, so knowing these signs can help you identify meth or crystal meth addiction as soon as possible. With medical and psychological treatment, your loved one can address their drug use, leading to a life
Meth and crystal meth can cause a variety of short- and long-term health effects. Besides the ongoing and pronounced risk of abuse, addiction, and overdose, meth use can have lasting physical consequences for physical and mental health.
Meth and crystal meth cause a surge in dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and the brain's reward system. The initial, intense rush of euphoria lasts for 30 minutes, while the longer-lasting high remains for 16 to 24 hours. Meth highs can cause an array of adverse health effects, including:
Increased heart rate
Irregular heartbeat
Increased body temperature
Decreased appetite
Disturbances to sleep
Elevated blood pressure
Hyperthermia
Stomach pains
Prolonged crystal meth or meth use can create a tolerance to the drug’s effects, meaning an individual needs to take higher doses to feel the desired results. Long-term meth abuse can cause damage to a person’s brain, heart, skin, and teeth. Long-term effects include:
Meth mouth – tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth sores
Risk of overdose
Acute and chronic cardiovascular problems
Irreversible damage to blood vessels – reducing the body's ability to heal naturally
Body sores – caused by picking the skin
Increased risk of mental health issues – paranoia, depression, or anxiety
Drug-induced psychosis – including hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions
Changes in brain function and structure – memory loss
Addiction eventually affects all aspects of your world: family, health, work, and social activities. With the increasing pressures of life combined with today’s fast-paced times, many avoid entering a treatment program - dismissing or delaying the need for care.
However, vigilance in recovery increases your chances of lasting sobriety while reducing the risk of experiencing detrimental consequences, such as overdose. Recovery is about much more than abstaining from methamphetamine.
Avoiding treatment means never identifying the underlying causes and triggers of addiction, and not equipping yourself with the practical techniques of sobriety. Addiction is not easy, and treatment is necessary for those learning to build a stable and healthy life.
At Vita Recovery, our expert Miami team creates compassionate customized care programs to fit your unique needs. Our partial hospitalization treatment is a program involving highly structured and planned days and the length of the program depends on your unique needs. Our intensive outpatient program ranges from four to six weeks, depending on the clinical needs of our clients.
When appropriate, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is available to help pregnant women detox safely and effectively. We also offer a range of non-medical therapies for those who prefer to avoid additional medications during pregnancy but need help managing their withdrawal symptoms.
At Vita Recovery, we work with most major health insurance providers. All insurance companies differ, so the coverage provided will vary. Most policies provide coverage for a set amount of time. We are happy to help you determine your coverage extent and its applicability to our treatment center.
Many who wish to pursue substance abuse treatment are hesitant due to the worry of cost. Everybody deserves to recover from the grasp of methamphetamine use disorder, and we wish to make treatment accessible to as many people as possible. Reach out to Vita Recovery to discuss payment options.
Depending on individual needs, and medical conditions, treatment may be undergone on an intensive outpatient basis with high levels of efficacy. We offer three customizable outpatient options, and will gladly work with you to create an optimal recovery plan suitable for your needs.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) involves medication alongside behavioral therapy sessions. Often medication will be prescribed to help relieve and manage withdrawal symptoms or any co-occurring disorders, making the detox process much more comfortable and often improving client outcomes.
During medical detox, an inpatient or residential treatment program will help clients manage their symptoms and cravings, ensuring the process is as smooth as possible. By providing support and structure, they help clients to focus on recovery.
Methamphetamine, also known as meth or crystal meth, is a powerful central nervous stimulant that is primarily used for its recreational effects and less commonly as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Swallowed, snorted, or injected, meth creates a long-lasting, intense, and addictive high.
