Symptoms and Signs of Meth Abuse

By Edmund Murphy

Last updated: 04 March 2024 & medically reviewed by Dr. Jenni Jacobsen

What is meth abuse?

Methamphetamine (meth) is a psychostimulant that is illegal and highly addictive. It has an effect similar to amphetamines or cocaine and is abused for its strong euphoric effects.

Methamphetamines euphoria and other effects occur due to its effect on the brain's pleasure-giving chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine.^[1] These chemicals naturally regulate our feelings of pleasure and reward and abusing substances like meth results in the brain being able to produce and regulate normal amounts of them.

Meth is widely abused throughout the US as it is cheaper than cocaine, its effects last longer, and it is easier to produce with household items. Meth also comes in various forms such as crystal meth and can be abused by smoking, ingesting, or injecting into the bloodstream.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that around 2.6 million Americans over the age of 12 abused meth in 2019 and of these approximately 57.7% had a misuse disorder.^[2]

Meth abuse facts

• Methamphetamine is predominantly manufactured illegally and may contain a variety of harmful and toxic substances.

• Meth is neurotoxic, meaning it can permanently damage dopamine and serotonin neurons.

• The toxicity of meth is increased when it is used with alcohol, cocaine, or opioids.

• Studies have shown that frequent use may lead to permanent structural and functional changes in the brain's emotion and memory centers.

• There is a correlation between meth abuse and an increased likelihood of violent behavior and risky sexual practices^[3]

Short-term effects of meth abuse

As meth is extremely potent, taking even a small amount of it can have the same physical and psychological effects as larger amounts of amphetamines or cocaine. Effects of methamphetamine on initial use include:

• increased focus

• decreased appetite

• rapid breathing

• irregular heartbeat/increased heart rate

• raised blood pressure and body temperature

• A sense of well-being/euphoria

• Increased wakefulness and restlessness

• dilated pupils

• chest pain

Long-term symptoms of meth abuse

While the short-term effects of meth abuse may not lead to harmful health implications (though adverse reactions may occur), long-term chronic use has a wide range of risk factors. These include increased mental health issues and severe physical symptoms such as an increased likelihood of a fatal heart attack. Some common symptoms and effects of meth abuse include:

Addiction and dependence

Meth is a highly addictive drug and even casual users can develop tolerance, dependence, and addiction rapidly. Meth and crystal meth cause the dopamine receptors in the brain to remain active and powerful euphoria keeps users repeatedly using. 

After a short time, users brain's will not be able to produce sufficient amounts of dopamine on their own and will become dependent on meth to feel normal levels of pleasure and enjoyment. This also means they will require larger amounts of meth to feel more pleasure and euphoria, locking them into a cycle of taking more of the substance until they cannot function without it. 

While meth does not have powerful withdrawal symptoms like opioids do, stopping taking the drug suddenly after extended use cause mental health issues.

Physical symptoms

Methamphetamine abuse can lead to a variety of physical health risks as well as uncomfortable and unsightly conditions that can have lasting damage. common health conditions recorded from meth abuse include:

Heart problems

One of the leading causes of death from meth outside of overdose is cardiovascular disease and other heart conditions.^[4] Other cardiovascular conditions associated with meth abuse include:

• high blood pressure

• acute and chronic myocardial toxicity

• coronary artery disease

• sudden cardiac death

• Cardiac arrhythmias

• stroke

Tooth decay

Due to the high amounts of toxic substances found in meth, smoking it (as with crystal meth) can cause the user's teeth to rot, a condition commonly known as meth mouth. Other correlations between meth abuse and poor oral hygiene include higher bacteria due to a lack of saliva, teeth clenching (known as gurning), and a decreased level of maintaining oral hygiene.

Skin problems

One of the more well-observed symptoms of meth abuse is "meth face" which refers to the scabs, scars, and lesions meth users often develop on their heads and faces. Meth users tend to itch and pick at their skin, often as a result of cravings and dehydration, which can cause open wounds which become infected. These skin blemishes can become incredibly uncomfortable and will often lead to pertinent scarring. Deterioration of the facial skin may be exacerbated by extreme weight loss another common symptom of meth use.

Behavioral symptoms

Meth abuse often leads to many behavioral changes in the user. Some of these are a result of the continuing and deteriorating effects of addiction such as becoming secretive and giving up important responsibilities in order to use meth. Others may result from a user having traces of meth constantly in their system. Other behavioral symptoms of meth abuse include:

• Disregarding interpersonal relationships

• Mood swings

• Violent behavior

• Agitation

• Financial problems

• Work issues

Psychological symptoms

Those with a pre-existing mental health disorder will often find that meth abuse causes their condition to become worse, or that they will use meth as a way of self-medicating existing conditions. having mental health issues and substance use disorder, known as co-occurring disorders, is common. According to SAMHSA's 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 9.2 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder.^[5]

Common mental disorders that co-occur with a meth use disorder include:

• Anxiety disorders

• depressive disorders

• bipolar disorder

• attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

• antisocial personality disorder

• Psychosis

There is also a greater risk of suicidal ideation with meth addiction and abuse.

Parkinson’s disease

Methamphetamine has a neurotoxic effect on the brain and can cause permanent damage to neurotransmitters. It can also lead to more prominent brain damage that has been linked to an increased likelihood of Parkinson's disease.

A 2018 study found that meth abuse moderately increased the risk of Parkinson's as well as premature onset.^[6] The researchers suggested that more study is needed to see if there are other risk factors that influence the likelihood of developing the condition but the evidence is unnerving nonetheless. Some neurobiological effects may be partially reversible, but it is important to address meth use early to prevent conditions from worsening.

Signs of meth addiction

All of the above symptoms of meth abuse can act as common signs of meth abuse and addiction. Knowing the signs can help you identify if someone you care about has a problem.

To summarize, signs of meth abuse to look out for include:^[7]

• Deteriorating health, especially in skin and oral hygiene

• behavioral changes such as increased agitation

• Aggressive or violent behavior 

• deficits in motor function and cognitive faculties

• Secretive behavior

• Declining mental health

• Heart or brain damage

In addition to the above signs of meth use, it is important to know what meth pipes and other paraphernalia look like.

It is also beneficial to know what meth looks, tastes, and smells like so you can know how to identify the substance properly. 

Treatment for meth addiction

Effective treatments for meth use disorders predominantly include behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and contingency management intervention. These can be as part of an inpatient or outpatient treatment program or as a comprehensive behavioral treatment approach such as the Matrix Model.^[8] 

Matrix Models for substance use disorders include a combination treatment approach of behavioral therapies, family education, 12-step support, drug testing, and individual counseling. This combination of treatment approaches has been proven to be successful in reducing meth misuse and helping with other addictive stimulants. Incentive-based treatments such as motivational interviewing have also been shown to reduce meth abuse and increase abstinence from drug use.^[8]

If you or someone you care about is struggling with meth abuse and want to break free from dependence, then find a meth addiction rehab near you.