Has your loved one been taking meth crystal for a long time? It’s important to take action immediately because the person you care about may already be in serious trouble. Prolonged meth crystal consumption leads to a variety of serious health conditions.
In this article, we’ll outline some of the worst dangers associated with long-term meth crystal intake.
6 Worst Dangers of Meth Long-Term Use
1. Brain Damage
Too much meth changes the brain’s structure and function. As a result, your loved one’s cognitive and emotional functions, like habit suppression and learning ability, deteriorate. Coordination and fine motor skills are also affected. In severe cases, meth crystal abuse can cause irreversible brain damage.
What to Do
Whether you’re currently getting treated for meth crystal use disorder or have been in rehab, it’s never too soon to get help for treating brain damage. Seek neurological assessment and enrol in cognitive rehabilitation, where you’ll engage in brain health activities to restore cognitive functions. Participate in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and use cognitive aids like mind maps to process information more effectively. Slowly regain your motor skills and coordination through physical therapy.
2. Heart Risks
Meth crystal abuse can cause serious cardiovascular issues, including heart attack, arrhythmia, and stroke, when used for a long time. Prolonged methamphetamine use can also cause chronic hypertension and other health complications like kidney damage and heart disease.
Prolonged substance use can also damage blood vessels. It can harden your loved one’s arteries and restrict their blood flow. This snowballs into bigger and more serious health conditions like ruptured blood vessels and heart failure.
What to Do
Make sure to address your cardiovascular health if you’ve consumed meth crystal for a long time. Get regular cardiology checkups to monitor heart health. Follow prescribed medications, diets, and exercise routines as your doctor recommends.
3. Infectious Diseases
Your loved one abusing meth may also catch infectious diseases. People addicted to ice drugs tend to engage in risky activities, like sharing needles and having unprotected sex. These activities increase the risk of contracting hepatitis and AIDS. Added to that, poor hygiene, which is common among long-time meth users, can lead to severe skin infections and sores.
The continued use of the drug also compromises your loved one’s immune system. It makes the body more susceptible to infections and diseases like tuberculosis and sepsis. Oral infections, notoriously known as meth mouth, are also common.
What to Do
A proper lifestyle and a stronger immune system are needed to combat this danger. We recommend getting regularly tested for infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Avoid possibly compromising people (e.g., those who are constantly coughing). And seek dermatological and dental care for skin and oral infections.
Ensure your loved one gets a proper diet, exercise, and adequate rest to strengthen their immune system. Maintaining proper hygiene and living in a clean space is also important.
4. Respiratory Problems
High meth doses overstimulate the central nervous system to the point of respiratory arrest. It means your loved one can literally stop breathing. Also, consuming meth crystal for a long time can cause or worsen respiratory problems like asthma. It can also impair the user’s overall lung function and cause serious conditions like chronic bronchitis.
If ingested through smoking, meth is likely to damage lung tissue and airways over time. The result is the possible obstruction of airflow, causing chronic inflammation. Intense inhalation of meth increases the risk of having a collapsed lung as well, a condition that may require urgent medical attention.
What to Do
Many meth-induced respiratory issues require immediate medical intervention. If your loved one has unfortunately developed respiratory problems, it’s important to consult a medical professional. Ensure your loved one takes prescribed medications and gets necessary vaccinations. Further, they should be allowed to have regular checkups to monitor their lung health. Keep them away from environmental irritants, too.
5. Mental Health Issues
Meth crystal can overstimulate the brain, causing overproduction of neurotransmitters like dopamine. This effect can result in meth-induced psychiatric disorders like severe psychosis, a condition characterized by delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Psychosis is one of the most debilitating consequences of long-term meth addiction. Not only can it lead to irrational and dangerous behaviour, but it can also persist long after you stop using the substance. Chronic use of meth crystal also significantly affects emotional regulation. This consequently leads to other psychiatric disorders like severe depression, extreme mood swings, and increased aggression.
What to Do
Most psychiatric disorders that are caused or aggravated by long-term use of methamphetamine require medical intervention.
If you see someone exhibiting severe psychosis, call for emergency services. Antipsychotic medications might be necessary to help manage the symptoms.
A combination of clinical treatment and psychotherapy is a common long-term solution for this type of disorder. Comprehensive mental care is needed to treat mood disorders due to prolonged meth crystal use. It includes counselling, antidepressant prescriptions, and guidance toward healthy coping mechanisms.
6. Weight Loss and Malnutrition
Chronic use of meth crystal can severely suppress appetite. It also promotes poor eating habits like skipping meals and eating very little. As a result, a person might experience rapid and extreme weight loss. Its impact goes beyond appearance. It could lead to muscle atrophy, weakened immunity, and other serious health issues.
Meth-induced malnutrition can also cause severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Further, it can make the body incapable of properly absorbing and using nutrients, causing a wide range of health problems, such as anemia, slow wound healing, and weakened bones.
What to Do
Immediate actions and long-term plans are necessary to deal with meth-induced weight loss and malnutrition. Work with a nutritionist or dietician to create a balanced meal plan. Your loved one might have to follow a regularly scheduled meal that starts with small portions.
Getting blood work or other tests determining the specific nutrients a person’s body needs may also be helpful. It will help you know which multivitamins or supplements are good for your loved one.
Get Professional Help from HARP
The long-term effects of meth crystal can be devastating, both to body and mind. If you or your loved one is struggling with ice drug addiction, remember that help is available. Hills & Ranges Private (HARP) is always ready to help, no matter the stage of your addiction.
At HARP, we offer luxurious facilities, comprehensive support, and holistic treatment. With our compassionate team, we can help you reclaim and rebuild your life. Want to talk more about the negative effects of crystal meth and how our team can assist you? Talk to a family support specialist today.
