These disorders include:Īccording to the Delta Medical Center, users often exhibit symptoms of depression, psychosis and anxiety before meth use, but the drug exacerbates those symptoms. Long-term meth use can lead to a range of disorders as the drug causes structural and functional changes in the brain.
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Over time, users will experience the sensation of bugs crawling on them-causing them to pick at their skin obsessively, which creates sores, notably on the face. As they become increasingly dependent on the drug, mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and feelings of isolation, are also more likely to arise. Meth users tend to develop persistent psychotic symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations and paranoia.
The long-term psychological effects of meth are also extremely dangerous. Other long-term effects include kidney, lung and liver damage, as well as brain damage similar to Alzheimer’s disease.
One of the most pronounced physical effects of long-term meth use, though, is rapid and severe tooth decay, also known as “meth mouth.”Īside from changes in physical appearance, long-term meth abuse can cause damage to blood vessels of the heart and brain, and high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
As a result, the skin loses its elasticity, giving it a dull look. Physically, meth users will appear to age more quickly as the drug destroys tissues and blood vessels, preventing the body from healing as it naturally should. Since the short-term effects of using meth are so severe, it doesn’t take long for the drug to take its toll on a person, giving way to devastating long-term effects. The immediate euphoric sensation drug users experience after using meth is a short-lived feeling that gives way to a “crash”-a physical and mental breakdown.īeyond the physical symptoms triggered by meth use, drug users can expect a range of negative psychological side effects, including hyperactivity, delusions of power, aggressive or violent behavior, irritability, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and psychosis. Convulsions and seizures that can lead to death.Hyperthermia-a drastic rise in body temperature, which can lead to unconsciousness or death.Physical ChangesĪfter using the drug, meth users also experience some serious physical symptoms, which can cause physical changes to the looks of a person and may include: With its ability to trigger such positive feelings, it’s no wonder meth is such a highly addictive drug. The chemical dopamine floods the parts of the brain that controls feelings of pleasure-so users experience a burst of energy and confidence, creating a state of euphoria that can last about 30 minutes. The Effects of MethĪn extremely addictive drug that affects the nervous system, meth is known to give users a rush of energy that leaves them immediately wanting more. The truth is, meth is in a category all its own with devastating side effects, both short-term and long-term. Many people wrongly assume it’s just another illegal drug, like marijuana, Cocaine Base (“crack”) or heroin. When it comes to methamphetamine-the drug commonly known as meth-there are plenty of misconceptions out there.