Meth Withdrawal Symptoms

Meth is psycho-stimulant drug that has strong effects on the brain and the body. Meth is widely abused as a recreational drug due to the intense pleasurable high achieved as soon as it is taken. However methamphetamine creates powerful dependency to the drug just a few times after it is used. A person not only develops dependency but also becomes tolerant to the drug, over time increasing doses become necessary to achieve the same 'high' that was earlier achieved by a smaller dose. Methamphetamine addiction brings with it several unpleasant effects that create major impairments in the person's psychological, physical and social functioning.

Stopping to take meth, once addicted to it can bring about severe unpleasant meth withdrawal symptoms. Meth achieves its stimulatory effects on the brain and body by effecting a massive release of the brains pleasure and reward system modulating neuro-transmitter dopamine. Meth withdrawal effects come about when the brain no longer has this large amount of dopamine available. Meth unlike opiates does not cause many physical withdrawal effects, however it produces many psychological effects. The severity, length and number of meth withdrawal effects are dependent on for how long the drug has been abused and at what dosages. Recreational uses of the drug in light doses and for very short periods are thought to result in a few days of light withdrawal symptoms on stopping the drug abuse.

Long term addiction to meth causes the brain to need huge shots of dopamine even to function normally, thus stopping meth gets the person into an 'anhedonia' mode. Anhedonia means an inability to experience pleasure about almost anything in life, an immediate fallout of this is depression that can last for days or for months. It is during this state that meth addicts have a relapse, as they think that restarting their meth habit will get their life back on track. A mild anti depressant is sometimes helpful on a meth de-addiction program, as it will help combat the depression and relapse risk associated with it.

Meth withdrawal effects also include restlessness, fatigue, exhaustion, sleep disturbances, mood swings, agitation and aggression stemming from irritability, memory difficulties and attentions deficits. Most meth addicts on a de-addiction course will also experience weight gain. Meth causes a lack of hunger pangs and a higher than normal metabolic rate, once meth is stopped the body returns to its normal metabolic rate and the individual also begins to have regular meals resulting in the weight gain. Light and regular exercising seems to help along on a successful meth de-addition program.

On the whole meth withdrawal effects though severe and unpleasant are thought to be 'lighter' than opiate or heroin addiction withdrawal symptoms. Nonetheless meth addiction is not to be taken lightly as addiction to meth has numerous long lasting and irreversible effects on the brain, body and social relationships. Meth withdrawal effects while lighter than a heroin withdrawal can be a long drawn out affair and can be severe enough to warrant professional help in meth de-addiction.