Meth addiction can change the way you look—and fast. Acne, sores and rotting teeth can all be expected. So can lax skin, dramatic weight loss and weakened muscles.
But that’s not even the worst of it. Some of the side effects of meth use can actually be life-threatening.
Let’s take a closer look at all of the damage meth can do to the body.
Meth Skin Conditions
There are a few different ways that meth damages the skin. It starts with a meth-induced increased body temperature and heart rate, which causes the body to sweat more. The result is skin that’s oily and more prone to acne.
From there, a few different things happen. Meth users commonly feel as if bugs are crawling under their skin, so they pick at their face and arms in a vain attempt to get the “bugs” off.
The skin doesn’t do a great job healing itself, because meth use restricts the body’s blood flow, resulting in a weakened ability for the skin to repair itself.
And all of the is made worse by the pool personal hygiene that usually comes hand-in-hand with meth addiction. Permanent scarring is often the result of all of these factors working together.
Meth Mouth
Meth causes a decrease in saliva production, which leads to rotting, decaying teeth. On top of that, meth contains an acid that can damage the teeth. Finally, just like with the skin, all of that is made worse by the poor personal hygiene that more often than not comes with meth use.
Effects of Meth on the Body: The Real Threat
With all that said, rotting teeth and skin sores aren’t what you should be most concerned about.
Meth—and the poor nutrition it often causes—can damage the liver and kidneys. Meth causes high blood pressure that can damage blood vessels. It can cause a heart attack or stroke. Then there’s infertility, shortness of breath and muscle spasms.
And that’s not even getting into all of the mental health issues caused by meth addiction.
That’s no way to live. And it’s an even worse way to die. Leaving meth behind is possible—and you’ll look back someday and realize it was the best decision you ever made.
Hope and Healing at The Raleigh House
Meth makes you feel more attractive, but actually destroys your looks. Meth makes you feel like you can do anything, but it ends up wreaking havoc on your life. You may feel like you can’t live without meth, but what kind of life do you really have with meth?
At The Raleigh House, we believe that everyone deserves to live a drug-free life. We also believe that everyone deserves a chance at leading a good life. That’s why everyone who walks through our doors is assigned their own master’s level therapist who will work with you to come up with a plan for rehab—and for when you get out of rehab. Fill out our form or contact us today to learn more about the meth addiction treatment program at The Raleigh House.