Most people have heard about the substance meth (short for methamphetamine). It’s a potent stimulant and can be very dangerous when used to induce psychotic symptoms or for other reasons other than medical treatment. People who abuse meth are often robbed of their mental health and close relationships and have their lives stripped from right under them. Let’s explore meth-induced psychosis, its symptoms, and how quality drug counseling programs can help you recover from an addiction.

What Is Methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is a stimulant used for medicinal and recreational purposes throughout the years to treat conditions like obesity or ADHD or to reduce fatigue or appetite. Its parent drug, amphetamine, was developed in 1887 and grew in popularity as it was used to reduce fatigue and pain by soldiers serving in World War II. Methamphetamine lasts much longer than amphetamine and delivers a more powerful feeling. Because of the strength of the substance, it is listed as a Schedule II drug along with cocaine, oxycodone, and other substances with a high potential for abuse.

What Exactly Is Meth-Induced Psychosis?

When you’re in psychosis, your mind distorts specific thoughts and feelings, making it virtually impossible to distinguish the natural world from the imagined reality. Meth users who repeatedly use the drug often find themselves in this state of mind due to the strength of the drug and its addictive properties. As a result, it can cause erratic behaviors that put relationships, jobs, and school commitments at risk. 

Hallucinations and delusions are a significant part of meth-induced psychosis. Over time, meth degrades the world’s reality, leaving individuals feeling as if their new reality is the delusional world they imagine. It’s believed that almost 46% of users experience meth-induced psychosis, with some risk factors including people with other mental health disorders or individuals who mix meth with other drugs.

Symptoms of a Meth-Induced Psychosis

Do you think someone you know might be suffering from a desire to pursue meth-induced psychosis? The only way to get help is to identify that someone might need help, which starts with understanding the symptoms. They include:

  • Individuals experience hallucinations where someone is out to get them.
  • People who are easily agitated or jumpy.
  • People who engage in increasingly aggressive behavior toward people they interact with.
  • Conversations that are hard to understand or follow.
  • Having strange or weird beliefs.
  • A strong feeling that people are “against” the individual.
  • Itchy skin, similar to the feeling that bugs are attacking you.

Can Meth Cause Someone to Hallucinate?

Hallucinations occur when someone visualizes or senses things that aren’t actually there. While many consider hallucinations to be visual, hallucinations also include other sensory things. The intensity of these hallucinations may vary from person to person, but meth can cause individuals to hallucinate in different ways. 

Visual hallucinations are what the name suggests and can include an individual seeing anything from large animals to cars and even other people. Hearing various voices, music, or other sounds is part of auditory hallucinations, and feeling non-existent stimuli is part of tactile hallucinations. Meth can also cause gustatory and olfactory hallucinations, involving tasting non-existent things in their mouths or smelling things that aren’t actually present in the environment. 

Finding the Right Treatment Is as Easy as Contacting Steps to Recovery

Meth is a dangerous substance that you shouldn’t play around with. Individuals engaging in meth-induced psychosis or consuming the substance in unhealthy ways should be aware of Steps to Recovery. Our meth addiction treatment center can help people fight their withdrawal symptoms and recover from their addiction to the drug. Treatment programs include family therapy, our 12-steps programs, and 24-hour supervision that ensure you or a loved one gets the help they need. Fill out our contact form today or call us at267.209.7312 to learn more about how Steps to Recovery can help you.

 

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6191498/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/methamphetamine-induced-psychosis

https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/methamphetamine/why-meth-psychosis-happens-and-how-to-get-help 

https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling 

https://windwardway.com/substance-abuse/crystal-meth/induced-hallucinations/