Methamphetamine is a dangerous central nervous system stimulant that leads to widespread meth overdose. With effects like energy, focus, sociability, and euphoria, it’s a popular self-medication drug. However, meth does have prescribed medical uses that get abused more often. Also called crank, speed, crystal, and shards, meth has earned itself a reputation as a popular street drug. Unfortunately, with every case of someone abusing meth for a high, there are vast numbers of people overdosing. The term “overamping” is when someone takes too much meth and puts their life in danger. There’s probably a lot you don’t know about street meth and stimulant overdose, so let’s further unpack this substance.
What Is a Crystal Meth Overdose?
If you’ve ever wondered, can you overdose on meth?, the answer is yes. Methamphetamine is a strong enough synthetic substance that even a little can lead to overdose in a person who hasn’t built tolerance. Yet, even people who are dependent on meth can overdose, as they have to keep increasing their dose to get any kind of positive effect. Overamping is the term used to refer to an overdose on meth.
It’s important to note there are numerous forms of meth that can be abused. Medical methamphetamine can be prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but it is often misused. Illicit street meth usually comes in powder form. Further, crystal meth is meth that has been synthetically crystalized into rock-like chunks that get smoked or melted and injected. Alarmingly, it is made with hazardous materials like drain cleaner, antifreeze, and battery acid. Additionally, it can be cut with other drugs like fentanyl.
What is a meth overdose? What does it look and feel like? An overdose is when a person takes too great an amount of meth so that the toxins overwhelm their system. Such a strong amount of meth flooding the system leads to dangerous and intense effects. To explain, methamphetamine is a stimulant that increases activity in your system. Overdosing on meth can cause a rapid heart rate, arrhythmia, high blood pressure, seizures, stroke, and heart attack.
Meth Use Statistics
As discussed, there are medical uses of methamphetamine. Yet, there are also ample meth abuse cases, including regular meth and modified crystal meth. In 2023, approximately 2.6 million people in the U.S. used meth. And roughly 34,000 people in the United States died from overdose deaths involving stimulants like meth in 2022. For people who mixed substances, like meth and fentanyl or meth and cocaine, the numbers increased. Daily, there continue to be hospitalization cases for meth addiction and overamping. In reality, the only real way to break out of the addiction/overdose cycle is to learn how to quit meth in professional drug rehab. Yet, the majority of people never seek help.
How Do People Use Meth?
We briefly touched on the fact that meth has multiple forms and gets used in different ways. Most people think of fine white or colorless powder when they think of meth. Certainly, snorted meth is a popular choice for abuse. However, there are additional ways people sell and use methamphetamine.
Injecting Meth
Meth can be melted down into liquid or dissolved into water and injected directly into the veins. It’s a harsh and dangerous way to intake meth which leads to the risk of skin infection, collapsed veins, and blood-borne diseases. Typically, individuals who inject meth have a serious meth addiction and a high tolerance. Injecting meth is a way to experience quick relief over their withdrawal symptoms because it dissolves into the bloodstream.
Smoking Meth
Both regular methamphetamine and crystal meth can be smoked. By melting down the crystal rocks, individuals inhale the vapors through a meth pipe or homemade vaporizer. One reason why people smoke meth is because it absorbs into the body faster than snorting it, although not as fast as injecting it. Sadly, smoking meth can lead to mouth sores labeled “meth mouth.”
Snorting Meth
Meth can also be snorted through the nose by using powder or by grounding meth tablets into dust. Snorting meth and other stimulants like cocaine is popular in party scenes for a recreational high. Additionally, individuals might rub meth powder into their gums, as it’s another way to absorb the substance. Snorting meth puts you at risk of tissue and nose damage, along with lost sense of smell.
What Are the Sign and Symptoms of a Meth Overdose?
It’s not always easy to tell when someone is addicted to and abusing drugs, even when it’s a powerful substance like meth. However, you can rapidly tell something is wrong when a person overdoses on meth. If you encounter someone who is overamping, it’s imperative to act quickly. Here are some of the meth overdose signs, both physical and behavioral, you can watch for.
Physical Signs
Meth overdose takes a near immediate effect on the body, sending it into an overwhelmed state. Any or all of the below symptoms can occur from meth overamping.
· Convulsions or tremors
· Limb paralysis
· Nausea
· Headache
· Blacking out
· Rapid heart rate
· Arrhythmia
· High blood pressure
· Trouble breathing
· Chest pain
· Stroke
· Seizure
· Heart attack
· Coma
Behavioral Signs
When someone abuses meth, they will show the disorientation and crisis their system is undergoing in their behavior. Sadly, there are many mental and behavioral symptoms that come from meth abuse, which intensify when someone overdoses.
· Inability to sleep
· Hallucinations
· Paranoia
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Recklessness
· Aggression
· Suicidal thoughts
How Much Meth Does It Take to Overdose?
It’s a common question: how much meth does it take to overdose? Truthfully, it really depends on the person. As mentioned, your tolerance matters, along with your history of drug use, size, age, and genetics. People use meth in different forms, mainly snorting it, smoking it, or injecting it. Every element about the drug and the person plays a role. Thus, the question of how much meth leads to overdose has a different answer for everyone.
How long does meth stay in your system? This is also highly individualized and depends on the person. Your system will work to flush meth out. If you stop taking more, you could still have traces in your urine seven days later and in your blood three days later.
Factors that Influence a Meth Overdose
Because it truly varies from case to case, numerous factors contribute to whether someone’s dose is too high. Very quickly, it will become obvious that the person is undergoing overdose symptoms. Factors about the substance include the potency of the meth, its purity, and the way it is ingested. Additionally, factors that revolve around the individual include their size, genetics, and drug history.
Overall, there’s no way to say whether an amount of meth will lead to overamping. What we do know is meth is a strong drug that is not safe to mess around with. Taking any amount could be life-threatening, and your results can vary from one time to another.
What To Do If Someone is Experiencing an Overdose on Meth
If you encounter someone overamping on meth, it is important to act fast. Overdose symptoms set in quickly as the body goes into panic mode. Tragically, it doesn’t take long for the body to start shutting down due to a drug overdose, especially where there’s no help around. To help you feel prepared to step in, let’s outline the steps you should follow if you encounter an overdose situation. Your quick assistance could save a life!
Call 911
The first step should be calling 911 to alert medical professionals of the situation and location. Additionally, once they dispatch a team, the emergency worker will likely stay on the line and walk you through the steps to help. If you’re able to stay with the overdosing individual, here are the next steps to follow.
Use Narcan if Available
Administering Narcan, if any is available, will be an important and potentially life-saving action. Narcan is the brand name for naloxone, an opioid antagonist medication that stops and reverses the effects of overdoses. If the person has overdosed on multiple substances, one being an opioid, Narcan will act on the opioid to make a difference. Unfortunately, if the person has only taken methamphetamine, Narcan won’t help. However, if the person hasn’t taken other drugs but you’re not sure, and administer Narcan anyway, it will be harmless.
Thus, in many situations, it is considered best practice to administer Narcan, as it could make a positive improvement. Narcan comes as an injectable liquid and a nasal spray.
Stay Until Help Arrives
As you stay with the person until the emergency team arrives, try to keep them conscious and focused on you. They may start nodding off. On the other hand, they may be agitated and restless. Engage them in conversation if you can. Also, as best you can, try to keep the person safe from harm.
If they are slumping or lying down, you can guide them into a safe position. Settle them on their side with their top knee bent to keep them from rolling onto their stomach. The most important step is waiting with the individual to ensure the paramedics find them.
What Happens After a Meth Overdose
People who survive meth overdose have lived through a traumatic experience they surely don’t want to repeat. Often, overdose survivors are shaken by their experience and may take on other symptoms of panic, anxiousness, or trauma. However, it is not simple to quit when you’re addicted to meth. The best way to overcome meth addiction is entering treatment at a drug rehab center.
Firstly, individuals complete medical detox to safely and immediately wean them off drugs. Next, they move into residential inpatient treatment to begin intensive healing programming. At Royal Life Centers, we offer trauma-focused care for drug addiction to help people work through their addiction experiences. Finally, individuals transition into outpatient treatment, which is no longer residential. This final level of care prepares people to return to their normal life situations, but as sober, drug-free people! Even after graduating from rehab, individuals receive continuing support through aftercare to help them adapt to life outside of rehab.
Find a Meth Treatment Program
It may seem like there’s no chance of you ever living a life free from meth use from where you’re standing. We assure you, it is very possible! We would like to help you make it happen. At Royal Life Detox, we follow proven drug recovery methods and a holistic approach to care. Not only will we focus on your substance abuse issues but also your mental health, relationships, personal wellness, and any other areas drugs have touched.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an essential part of drug rehab for meth abuse. Psychotherapy is traditional talk therapy that utilizes a number of methods and techniques. Each of our guests participates in individual and group therapy sessions, as tailored to their unique service plan.
Holistic Therapy
Holistic therapy practices are an equally important element of healing at Royal Life Centers. These are alternative practices that engage the mind, body, and spirit. They are paramount to offering the comprehensive, holistic approach to care at the core of our treatment programs. Every guest’s schedule includes a variety of alternative activities based on their interests and passions.
Is Meth Addiction Recovery Possible?
We promise you meth addiction IS possible and close at hand. However, you won’t be able to do it alone. In order to find healing from meth abuse, you have to trust the evidence-based process of drug rehab. In our meth treatment centers you will learn how to replace meth use with healthy coping mechanisms and develop personal motivation to steer clear. Additionally, you’ll make a relapse prevention plan that equips you for independence in your sobriety. We can outline the treatment process for meth overdose in further details if you give us a call. Please don’t wait to seek help!
