Crystal meth is a potent, highly-addictive stimulant that targets the central nervous system. That’s why it’s not surprising that prolonged use of this substance can lead to significant changes in your mood and behaviour. It also leads to emotional dysregulation, a poorly regulated emotional response that falls beyond traditionally accepted reactions.
Understanding the signs of emotional dysregulation related to crystal meth addiction can be useful for effective intervention and treatment. Here are some of the key emotional dysregulation signs to watch out for.
Intense Irritability
This sign of emotional dysregulation manifests as a heightened emotional response to regular stressors. The user’s tolerance for frustration becomes extremely low, and their reaction seems disproportionate to the problem. A minor inconvenience, like waiting a short while, is enough to set them off into a rage.
Outbursts of anger caused by small setbacks usually end with them snapping at friends or family members, causing arguments or physical altercations. During these moments of intense emotion, their reaction will be exaggerated due to the underlying emotional instability caused by crystal meth.
Recommended Actions
Encourage your loved one to practice mindfulness exercises like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation. They can help calm their nervous system, reduce overall stress, and become more tolerant of irritants.
Intense irritability can cause misunderstandings, so if you catch your loved one in the moment, try to communicate effectively with them. Instead of getting angry, try to be more understanding and remember your loved one’s circumstances. You can help your loved one improve their emotional control by encouraging them to incorporate stress management activities into their daily lives. This includes regular physical activities like jogging and yoga or any relaxing hobbies.
Seeing a therapist may be necessary if the intense irritability is severely impacting the daily life of your loved one and the people around them.
Extreme Mood Swings
Extreme mood swings are abrupt, and severe changes in emotional states are one of the common psychological effects of methamphetamine use. A user may experience intense highs followed by deep lows or vice versa. For instance, your loved one may show great confidence and excessive energy one moment and be depressed and hopeless the next.
These intense mood swings are too abrupt and unpredictable to be put to good use. They affect many aspects of your loved one’s daily life. They may feel extremely productive one day when they wake up, only to crash into extreme sadness a few hours later.
Recommended Actions
Try monitoring your loved one’s mood swing patterns and triggers. You can also encourage them to start a mood diary where they can track their emotional fluctuation. A diary can provide them with insights into predicting and managing mood swings.
Also, help them establish a healthy daily routine, such as a regular sleeping pattern and scheduled activities. Regular activities can help reduce the frequency of their mood swings. They can also take prescribed medication for stabilising mood. Connect your loved one with a medical professional so they can get the right medicine.
Aggressive Behaviour
One of the most observed signs of emotional dysregulation due to crystal meth addiction is aggressive behaviour or uncharacteristic hostility that could lead to violence. A person using meth may start reacting with physical aggression toward the slightest stimulus. They’re always shouting, insulting, or threatening others and hitting or breaking objects.
Aggressive behaviour is bad news both for your loved one and the people around them. It can lead to damaged relationships, physical fights, or legal issues. The violence it causes can lead to potentially dangerous situations like being severely injured.
Recommended Actions
If you find your loved one being unnecessarily aggressive, let them take a few deep breaths. Try to stay calm and speak in a slow, clear, and calm voice. Do not use hostile language, and just listen if the person is trying to speak to show that you understand. If possible, remove anything that your loved one might use aggressively.
Seek immediate intervention if necessary, such as contacting emergency services to de-escalate a situation. For a long-term solution, help your loved one get into anger management programs. These programs can provide a structured approach to understanding and controlling anger. Your loved one can also engage in behavioural therapies to address their aggressive tendencies. They can work with therapists to develop appropriate coping strategies.
Paranoia
Paranoia is one of the common indicators of crystal meth addiction. One study showed that 45% of methamphetamine users experience this paranoia. This emotional dysregulation sign involves irrational suspicion toward others. Your loved one may feel that they are always being watched or persecuted or someone is plotting against you despite the lack of evidence.
The distrust brought by paranoia usually leads to heightened anxiety that could impair relationships. It can even cause the affected person to become completely socially withdrawn as they feel like they have no one to trust but themselves.
Recommended Actions
When your loved one starts getting paranoid, don’t dismiss their fears. Instead, try to ask specific questions that will get them to talk about what they are experiencing. Don’t try to take anything from them because it could scare or agitate them into irrational self-defence. Most importantly, support and reassure the individual. Tell them they’re safe with you. But your safety is also important, so keep a distance once they start getting aggressive.
For long-term strategy, we recommend going for a psychiatric evaluation. A comprehensive assessment by a licensed professional can determine how severe your loved one’s paranoia is. This is crucial for exploring the potential underlying cause of this emotional dysregulation and finding a cure until your loved one can get rid of their crystal meth addiction. Medical professionals can also prescribe antipsychotic medications to help manage severe paranoia.
Suicidal Thoughts or Attempts
This is one of the most serious emotional dysregulation caused by crystal meth addiction. Meth-related suicide has a significant contribution to meth-related deaths. One study showed that around 25% of meth users attempted suicide while 1.6% have succeeded.
A combination of neurochemical imbalance, emotional instability, cognitive impairment, and other factors makes planning or acting on suicidal ideas alarmingly common among crystal meth addicts.
Recommended Actions
If your loved one who uses crystal meth expresses severe negative emotions like worthlessness, don’t leave them alone. Try observing to see if they are having suicidal thoughts and immediately spring into action when they show the slightest intention of acting toward the idea.
Seek immediate help by contacting emergency services or crisis hotline. Urgent intervention is crucial for those with suicidal attempts. We also strongly recommend taking a thorough psychiatric evaluation to assess the severity of the problem and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Connect your loved one with mental health professionals so they can develop coping mechanisms and crisis safety plans.
Be there for your loved one. A strong support network consisting of family, friends, and even support groups can provide an individual with the emotional backing needed to overcome negative feelings.
Get Professional Help
When it comes to emotional dysregulation caused by crystal meth addiction, acting upon the early signs is important. Take proactive steps and seek help from appropriate professionals because the complexity involved in emotional dysregulation isn’t something that can be easily self-treated.
If you’re looking for a treatment centre that can do more than just improve emotional regulation, try Hills & Ranges Private (HARP). We offer personalised treatment and a holistic approach to address the underlying cause of your or your loved one’s meth addiction. Our comprehensive care handles all aspects of recovery, like detox, counselling, therapies, and aftercare.
Want to get a free and confidential assessment? Speak to an Addiction Specialist now.