Smoking Meth: Side Effects And Dangers - Bedrock Recovery Center
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(617) 657-2877 Smoking Meth: Side Effects And Dangers Smoking is a common way that people use crystal meth. While it may help people avoid certain side effects of meth use, smoking meth is still a dangerous form of drug use.
Get Help Now! >Addiction > Meth > Routes Of Administration > Smoking
Medically Reviewed By: Manish Mishra, MBBS
on May 27, 2022- How Is Meth Smoked?
- Side Effects
- Dangers
- Withdrawal
- Treatment Options
Smoking through a glass pipe is one of the most common methods of meth use.
It comes with all of the dangers of general meth use, but with additional damage to your mouth, throat, and lungs. Learn more about methods of meth use.
How Do People Smoke Meth?
People may smoke methamphetamine using a meth pipe, a small glass pipe that allows them to inhale the vapors. This leads to a near-immediate increase of dopamine and serotonin.
The effects of a meth high from smoking can last up to 12 hours, which is one of the reasons this method may be preferred.
Side Effects Of Smoking Meth
Methamphetamine can be addictive in as little as one dose. Once addicted, you’re unlikely to break the cycle without professional healthcare and addiction treatment.
Without help, you can expect all of the effects of meth addiction.
Meth Mouth
“Meth mouth” refers to widespread damage to the oral cavity. All forms of meth use can lead to “meth mouth.”
If you use meth, then you are more likely to sustain serious cavities and damage to your gums. According to the American Dental Association, 31% of people who use meth will lose at least six teeth.
In addition to lost teeth, blackened teeth and visible sores are often present in people who have been using meth.
Dry Mouth
Chronic dry mouth is another symptom of meth use. This particular symptom can make “meth mouth” more severe.
Saliva is our natural defense against oral bacteria. It rinses your mouth regularly, helping to remove small particles and bacteria.
Your saliva isn’t enough on its own to protect against tooth decay, but it certainly helps keep harm at bay. The dry mouth associated with methamphetamine use removes this protection.
If you use meth, dry mouth alone can make you more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
Weight Loss
Extreme weight loss is one of the hallmark symptoms of methamphetamine use.
Meth weight loss is caused by a combination of symptoms, including loss of appetite and an artificially increased metabolic rate.
You likely won’t get hungry very often when you’re using meth. If your drug addiction is severe, you may be too preoccupied with addiction cravings to eat.
When you are using meth, your heart rate, body temperature, and respiration rate all increase. Those changes force your body to expel more energy.
With that said, this weight loss is not healthy. The lack of nutrition can actually cause lasting damage to your organs.
Increased Risk Of Addiction
Methamphetamine is highly addictive. In some cases, a single dose can start a life-long substance abuse condition. Over time that addiction will only get worse.
You will find yourself using meth in new ways to get a faster, more intense high. You will find yourself needing larger amounts in smaller windows of time.
As you continue to engage in drug use, your risk of permanent organ damage and fatal overdose will rise exponentially.
Dangers Of Smoking Meth
Smoking crystal methamphetamine comes with all of the health risks listed above plus a few others.
Changes In Body Temperature
Meth use increases your body temperature. If your body temperature rises to dangerous levels, the condition is known as hyperthermia.
Hyperthermia is usually manageable with the help of a trained medical provider. Without treatment there could be damage to your brain and other vital organs.
Blood Pressure Changes
Like most stimulant drugs, methamphetamine increases your blood pressure. If you use meth repeatedly, then these increases in blood pressure will eventually cause damage.
Your blood vessels are flexible but only up to a certain point. As your blood pressure expands them past their natural form, they will begin to sustain wear and tear.
Damage To The Central Nervous System
Meth directly affects the reward center of the brain. It changes the way that specific receptors, especially dopamine, behave. These changes cause the high that you expect when you use meth.
Unfortunately, these same changes will damage your central nervous system. People who use meth show an increased presence of brain cells called microglia.
In a healthy brain, these cells would dispose of damaged neurons. In someone who uses meth, their overabundance results in the destruction of healthy neurons.
Damage to the central nervous system is likely responsible for the mental health conditions, psychosis, and cognitive impairment associated with methamphetamine abuse.
Fortunately, these changes appear to be largely reversible within a year or so of detox.
Lung Damage
Researchers are still working to understand where the lung damage from smoking meth starts and where the damage from general meth use begins. What is known is that meth causes lasting lung damage.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), meth use is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary oedema.
Does Smoking Meth Lead To Withdrawal Symptoms?
Regardless of how you use meth, you will likely experience meth withdrawal symptoms when you quit using it.
While smoking meth avoids some of the stigma associated with injection, it is still incredibly addictive.
Treatment Programs For Meth Abuse
If you or a loved one are abusing methamphetamine, then you should seek immediate help. Meth is highly addictive and incredibly dangerous.
The good news is that there are harm reduction and meth treatment programs in Massachusetts available to help. They can provide the support you need to safely go through detox and addiction treatment.
Find Substance Use Disorder Treatment At Bedrock Recovery Center
Bedrock Recovery Center in Massachusetts is a full-service treatment center that offers a wide range of treatment options to fit every individual.
We offer inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, and therapy options. Therapy can target your addiction and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is fairly common among people who use meth.
To learn more about how you can address the long-term side effects of smoking meth, call our Massachusetts rehab center today. It’s never too late to change your life.
Article Sources- National Institute on Drug Abuse https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/overview
- National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6601696/
Medically Reviewed By: Manish Mishra, MBBS
on May 27, 2022Treatment Programs
- Medication-Assisted Treatment for Meth in Massachusetts
- Inpatient Rehab in Massachusetts
- Pathways Residential Mental Health Program in Massachusetts
- Drug Detox and Alcohol Rehab in Massachusetts
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Table of Contents
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Safer Smoking Kits For Methamphetamine Consumption
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What Does A Meth Pipe Look Like? - Bedrock Recovery Center
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