Meth Addiction in Cape May County, NJ (609) 756-3686 ⓘ Who Answers?
Methamphetamine is known on the street as “meth,” “ice,” “glass,” “tweak,” “crank,” and many other names. Among health care providers and medical experts, it is known as one of the most addictive and destructive illegal drugs available in the world today. It’s so addictive that just one use has been known to lead cause meth addiction. The potent effects of the drug, combined with easy and cheap methods of producing it, have made meth addiction nothing short of an epidemic. People in Cape May and beyond abuse meth by smoking, snorting, swallowing, or injecting it, which gives them an intense, euphoric “rush,” followed by a craving for more of the drug when they come down hours, or sometimes days, later. This unforgiving pattern of binging and crashing quickly leads to meth addiction, which puts more physical and psychological demands on the human body than it can handle.
Producing meth is called “cooking,” and the ingredients are both extremely toxic and alarmingly easy to obtain. Among the household chemicals that go into making methamphetamine are those found in iodine, brake cleaner, red phosphorous, paint thinner, drain cleaner, ammonia, battery acid, and lighter fluid. Pseudophedrine, one of the primary ingredients in meth, can be found in over-the-counter decongestants and cold medicines.
Many people with a meth addiction also abuse or are addicted to other drugs or alcohol. As tolerance to one drug builds, individuals often turn to combinations of drugs to produce the desired “high.” Mixing the wrong drugs is extremely risky, with the potential of leading to permanent damage to the brain and heart.
Effects of Methamphetamine
No part of a person’s life is safe from the effects of chronic meth abuse. As if the negative consequences it has on physical health aren’t enough, meth addiction also takes a very heavy toll on an individual’s mental and emotional health, relationships, finances, family life, career, and more. Users often display a variety of symptoms that include psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and violence), depression, insomnia, severe malnutrition and weight loss (meth is an appetite suppressant), tooth and gum decay (referred to as “meth mouth”) skin infections, and irreversible brain damage. The scope and severity of these symptoms makes it vital that individuals be treated for meth addiction as quickly as possible.
Treatment
Dependence on meth often results in painful and disorienting withdrawal symptoms when use of the drug is discontinued. In addition to intense cravings, they often include insomnia, tremors, fever, chills, profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, and seizures. It’s extremely important that detox from meth be undertaken in a medical environment staffed with highly trained health professionals who can administer medications and other treatments to mitigate the risks associated with these symptoms. Without access to medical care, withdrawing from meth could even lead to respiratory failure, coma and death.
After detox, treatment can focus on the underlying addiction and helping individuals plan their drug-free future. Meth addiction is a frightening and difficult condition, but with the right help it can be controlled. If you would like more information about how Cape May County Drug Treatment Centers can help with meth addiction, please give us a call at (609) 756-3686 today. ⓘ Who Answers?