Meth Sores & Other Dangerous Side Effects of Using Meth

Meth, also known as methamphetamine, is a powerful drug that packs a highly addictive punch. Meth is a stimulant that targets your central nervous system and affects the functions of both the brain and the central nervous system. Meth has various forms of consumption and can be swallowed in pill form, snorted or absorbed through mucous membranes, smoked, or injected.

Meth addiction can cause lasting psychological, mental, physical, and emotional health problems. It is important to know the signs of meth addiction and to monitor yourself and your loved ones who may be at high risk for meth addiction.

Meth addiction is incredibly consuming, and thousands of people die of overdoses annually. That is why it is important to ensure you and your family are safe from meth addiction.

One of the most common signs of someone suffering from meth addiction is meth sores. Meth sores are a type of reaction to the drug as it is absorbed through the body. It is a common sign of meth addiction and meth usage.

Please read on to learn more about meth sores, meth addiction, and what to do if you suffer from meth sores or meth addiction.

Meth Sores & Other Risks of Using Meth

When looking for signs of meth addiction, meth sores are commonplace to start. Looking for meth sores is a great way to determine whether someone is using or addicted to meth. Meth sores are somewhat of a legendary tell-tale sign of addiction.

Pictures of meth sores are frequently shown in anti-drug seminars, help classes, and other drug prevention education. Regardless of what you know about meth sores, they are one of the most important signs of meth addiction or meth usage.

Meth sores are a type of open wound that can form anywhere on the body. They are often found around the arms, chest, hands, and mouth but can also be located elsewhere. Meth sores are symptoms of prolonged meth usage and do not typically show up after one or two uses. Even a person who uses meth sporadically typically will not show meth sores.

This is why meth sores are such a good indication of meth addiction. If a person is showing meth sore, that means that they have been partaking in the drug over an extended time, and the usage has been consistent.

Meth sores are similar in appearance to acne or other types of dermatitis. However, this is generally because they appear on the face of a meth user, so it is easy to misdiagnose meth sores as acne.

Meth sores are generally very inflamed, red, and scabby, even as they heal. They begin as small bumps that look similar to mosquito or bug bites. But once the user begins to itch the area where the sores are, they can quickly get scratched open and become infected. Meth sores also result from burns from meth-related items, nonexistent personal hygiene, skin infections, and a weakened immune system from drug use.

Besides meth sores, there are many other risks involved with consuming meth.

Short term side effects include:

• High blood pressure
• High body temperature
• Increased or irregular heart rate
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Moodiness and behavioral issues

Long term side effects of meth abuse include:

• Heart damage
• Brain damage
• High blood pressure
• Liver failure
• Kidney failure
• Lung damage
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations and paranoia
• Skin itching
• Meth sores
• Osteoporosis
• Dental damage

Many of these issues can take a long time to resolve, even once a person has stopped using the drug. Many of them can cause death or severely damage a person’s ability to function. The long-term effects of meth are incredibly dangerous, and although meth sores do not seem like they are a long-term priority effect, they should be paid attention to if a person displays them.

How Meth Sores Can Point to an Addiction: Signs of an Addiction at Hand

Meth sores are just one of many signs indicating a person is struggling with a meth addiction. Meth sores do not occur when a person is sporadically using meth. They do not occur if a person has taken meth once or twice. A person suffering from a meth addiction for a long time and consistently consumes meth will show meth sores.

That is why meth sores are important in determining whether you or a loved one is suffering from meth addiction.

However, meth stores are not the only sign of meth addiction. Several other signs of meth addiction can occur.

Some other signs that a person might be experiencing a meth addiction are hyperactivity, paranoia, sudden weight loss, agitation or moodiness, peculiar sleeping patterns, poor dental hygiene, twitchiness, tics, burns around the fingers or lips, or violent outbursts.

Other symptoms of meth addiction can be observed by watching the behavior of somebody who may be suffering from meth addiction. A common symptom of meth addiction is a hallucination that bugs are crawling beneath the skin because of a visual impairment stemming from drug usage.

This hallucination makes users scratch their skin feverishly to get the bugs out. Meth-fueled hallucinations are very powerful and contribute to meth sores on the arms and legs. As the person scratches, they create small cuts that can become infected quickly, especially if a person’s immune system is already compromised by drug use.

Observing this hallucination in a person is also a strong indication of meth usage, even if a person uses meth sporadically or once. This is because the hallucination can occur from one use of meth or multiple uses over time. The hallucination is also very common to meth users, so it is easy to figure out the cause.

If you believe that somebody is showing these symptoms of meth addiction, it is imperative that you carefully bring up the topic to the user. Many addicts struggle to think clearly when they are addicted to a drug, so it can be very difficult to reason with or explain your concerns to a person addicted to meth.

If you are experiencing these symptoms after using meth for an extended amount of time, you may suffer from meth addiction. Therefore, getting the help you need to prevent further bodily harm to yourself and others and get you back on a path to a full and happy life is incredibly important.

What to Do if You Have Meth Sores: Treatment Options for Addiction

If you are using meth and believe you may have meth sores, this strongly indicates a meth addiction. Meth addiction does not discriminate against whose life it destroys. The highly addictive quality of methamphetamine drugs makes them incredibly hard to resist once you have taken them.

Therefore, if you believe you have meth sores, treating your meth addiction with sincerity and professionalism is the best.

If you believe you are showing meth sores by meth addiction, you should reach out to loved ones, such as close friends and family members. Explain to them the situation you find yourself in and why you believe you have a meth addiction. This is an incredibly hard part of your journey to a drug-free life, but it can make all the difference.

Owning up to your addiction in front of people you love is incredibly difficult, but it is important. Doing this ensures that you have a support system willing to work with you and do what they can to support you on your journey to sobriety.

Going through a meth addiction is not a good idea yourself. Suffering in silence only makes the suffering louder. Communicate with your loved ones and reach out to healthcare providers or rehabilitation centers such as Ocean Recovery. Creating a support system for you every step of the way is often the difference between someone who lives a full life drug-free and someone who relapses.

If you are suffering from meth addiction, there are ways to get sober and clean. However, many of them require you to want to make a change, and none are easy. Meth is a very severe drug, and it is incredibly addictive. That means the withdrawal and comedown times are intense.

Most programs you can go through to get clean from meth are rehabilitation or medical. These programs are designed to help you overcome your meth addiction in a safe environment while being monitored by professional staff who understand the science and psychology behind addiction.

If you or a loved one is suffering from meth addiction, please get the help you deserve and need. Professional help is just around the corner. Please reach out immediately to start your path to freedom right away. We understand just how difficult recovery from meth addiction can be, and we are proud to do everything we can to help our clients create their best lives drug-free.

Sources:

Ocean Recovery has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations for our references. We avoid using tertiary references as our sources. You can learn more about how we source our references by reading our editorial policy.

1. Gans S. Long-Term Effects of Methamphetamine Abuse. Verywell Mind. Published November 1, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2022. https://www.verywellmind.com/meth-addiction-causes-effects-treatment-5666979