Methamphetamine (meth) is a dangerous narcotic that comes with a high risk of abuse, addiction, and overdose. Pennsylvania has an average of 5,169 deaths per year due to meth.1 If you know someone struggling with meth abuse, you should be familiar with meth overdose symptoms. Knowing these symptoms can help save the life of a friend or loved one who’s abusing meth.
The Ranch PA welcomes people from all walks of life who are struggling with an addiction to meth, cocaine, heroin, or other dangerous substances. When you arrive at our treatment center in Wrightsville, we’ll evaluate your condition to determine the best course of action to get you healthy. Our meth addiction treatment program is tailored to your unique symptoms and the reasons behind the abuse. It’ll include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness modalities, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and other beneficial therapies.
Recognizing Meth Overdose Symptoms
Methamphetamine is an amphetamine. The federal government has classified methamphetamine as a Schedule II drug due to its potential for misuse, even though it can treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity.
The fast-acting properties of meth is what makes it such a high potential for overdose. The immediate effects of meth include euphoria, increased energy, decreased appetite, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and rapid breathing. While taking this substance, you’ll experience intense cravings for more meth, which is why it’s easy to overdose.
If you suspect a friend or loved one is struggling with meth abuse, it’s important to be familiar with some meth overdose symptoms:
- Extremely high body temperature
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Severe sweating or dehydration
- Intense confusion or delirium
- Hallucinations
- Severe paranoia
- Violent and erratic behavior
A meth overdose can become very dangerous if it leads to heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, organ failure, or respiratory failure. If you recognize these symptoms of a meth overdose, call 911 immediately. Keep the person as cool as possible, as they’re at risk of overheating. Don’t leave them alone, and if they stop breathing, begin CPR until help arrives.
Stopping Meth Abuse
While there’s no cure for meth abuse, millions of affected people have successfully gone through addiction treatment and lead productive lives. Treating meth abuse and addiction is more than possible when you sign up for an addiction treatment program. Addiction treatment specialists can help with easing withdrawals and cravings while you work on learning several coping skills to stop the abuse for good.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Using medication is a very effective and safe way of treating the physical effects of addiction. Medical staff will administer medications based on your treatment plan and monitor you for any adverse reactions. They’ll monitor you throughout the program and adjust the dosage size.
These medications provide temporary support. When withdrawals and cravings vanish, they’ll begin tapering you off the medication until it’s no longer necessary.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT is one of the best ways to treat all types of addiction and mental health conditions. A CBT therapist will work with you to uncover the real reasons behind the abuse and begin treating the behaviors it creates. They use various techniques to teach you to recognize your triggers and find new behaviors to replace the old ones.
Mindfulness Practices
Being mindful is the art of living life in the present moment. This can be very useful when it comes to treating meth abuse. Therapists use breathing techniques, guided imagery, meditation, and other practices to relax the mind and body. This can go a long way to reducing stress levels and cravings for more meth.
Family Therapy
Addiction affects everyone in the family and can be very devastating to relationships and raising children. Parents, spouses, and children will participate in therapy to work through any complications that can arise and cause problems with recovery. They’ll talk with a therapist, work through any lingering issues, and learn how to create a stable and supportive home environment.
Enroll in Our Meth Addiction Treatment Program at The Ranch PA Today for a New Start
Recovery Ranch PA supports anyone struggling with a meth addiction and ready to make a clean start. Our treatment center in Wrightsville has everything you need to stop abusing meth and learn coping skills to lead a healthy and sober lifestyle. Our programs use the top therapeutic methods for treating all aspects of the disorder, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and medication-assisted treatment to create a whole-person recovery experience.
For more information about our meth addiction treatment program, fill out our online form or call 717.969.9126 today to schedule a consultation and tour of our addiction treatment center.
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