Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a very strong stimulant. It is similar to the drug amphetamine but has stronger and longer lasting effects. It works by rapidly increasing the levels of dopamine, a natural chemical in your body and brain. Dopamine in your brain is used to help send messages between nerve cells in your brain and the rest of your body. In your body it can act like a hormone, regulating functions like blood pressure, digestion and making wee (urine).

Increased dopamine levels can cause you to feel:

• intense euphoria (excitedness or happiness)
• increased energy and alertness
• heightened confidence.

They can also:

• reduce your appetite
• make you sleep less.

People using methamphetamine can seem:

• energetic
• alert
• talkative
• lacking in focus
• overly confident.

People who use methamphetamine may also:

• stop eating or sleeping
• seem agitated (unsettled)
• have mood swings
• see, hear or feel things that are not there (hallucinations)
• have a dry mouth
• feel sick (nausea)
• experience psychosis and paranoia
• have dilated pupils, seem anxious or confused, make violent threats.

Getting help for your methamphetamine use — The Level

Safer using — The Level

The signs of addiction are known as the 4 Cs. They are:

• compulsion
• loss of control
• cravings
• continued use despite the consequences.

If you use methamphetamine a lot, you might not notice how much it affects you. You are likely to be addicted if you:

• are not able to stop using, even if you have said you will quit
• use more methamphetamine than you used to, to feel the effects
• spend more time getting, using and recovering from your fix (being high)
• use it even when it causes problems with your health or relationships
• always think about it and prioritise it over things such as school, work, or hobbies.

Long-term use of methamphetamine can cause:

• weight loss
• skin sores
• tooth decay and loss (meth mouth)
• cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes
• premature aging.

Methamphetamine causes a surge in your dopamine levels. The feelings this causes makes your brain associate methamphetamine with reward.

The immediate response you get can last up to 30 minutes. Increased levels of energy and wellbeing (the high) can last from 4 to 16 hours. 

Over time, methamphetamine becomes the only thing that makes you feel good, or even normal. This is the main reason people become addicted and find it hard to resist cravings. 

Methamphetamine makes you dependent on it faster than most other drugs. Addiction is less about how many times you use it, and more about how it changes your brain each time. 

Methamphetamine is so highly addictive, and it can be hard to cut down or stop using it. You will start feeling withdrawals within 24 hours of the last time you used it. Severe withdrawals usually last 7 to 10 days.

Managing withdrawals from methamphetamine — The Level

It is important to get help when you want to stop using methamphetamine. There are many ways to get help to treat your addiction, including:

• counselling
• cognitive behaviour therapy 
• medication
• group and family therapy
• detox programs
• residential treatment programmes
• rehab. 

Alcohol and drug services

Ways to make changes or get support — The Level

Talk to your healthcare provider to make a treatment plan that works for you. Having a plan that is realistic for you will help you avoid, or get through, relapses.

Getting help with drug addiction

There are things you can do to support someone you know is using methamphetamine. 

• Think about ways to talk to them about their drug use. 
  How to support people who use drugs — The Level
• Be patient, let them know you are there to support them, and encourage them to seek help.
• Help them when they are going through withdrawals. 
  Make a plan — The Level

It is important to take care of yourself when supporting someone. There are places that can help you.

Support for whānau of loved ones using alcohol or other drugs — Family Drug Support