Symptoms of Methamphetamine Use
Stage 1: Low Intensity Use
People who use meth in this stage are primarily adolescents, housewives and shift workers. They do not necessarily become addicted to the drug, but use the drug for the following desired effects:
Not all the users become addicted at this level, but with neuroadaptation of the drug, and increased amounts consumed, toxic effects are experienced:
- Psychological disturbances
- Dangerous weight loss
- Severe insomnia
With the abstinence of meth, the follow syndromes are common:
- Anergia: decreased energy
- Anhedonia: inability to experience pleasure, boredom: in contrast to the intense euphoria of the drug experience, sharpens the user's dissatisfaction with the current state.
- Endogenous craving: "comes from within" or background craving, feelings of dysphoria.
- Environmentally cued craving: immediate, catastrophic, overwhelming craving stimulated by objects, persons, and situations associated with prior drug use.
Stage 2: Binge Use
Effects:
- Aggression
- Violence
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Hyperactivity
- Weight loss
Stage 3: High Intensity Use
Effects:
- Extreme weight loss (50 - 100 lbs.)
- Severe malnutrition
- Aggression
- Violence
- Belligerence
- Toxic psychosis
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Hysteria
- Sleep deprivation
- Stroke
- Heart failure