Signs and Symptoms of Meth Use

Meth use significantly impacts a user’s brain and body. These effects are often noticeably present in a number of areas of his or her life. It is not uncommon for frequent meth users to exhibit these behavioral signs of addiction:

• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities once considered important
• Neglect of relationships
• Isolating from others and change in social groups
• Risky financial behavior, such as using savings to buy meth
• Criminal behavior, such as stealing money or items in order to buy meth
• Obsessive focus on a certain task, just as cleaning or organizing
• Forgetting important dates or events
• Increased aggressive or violent behavior
• Clumsiness
• Distracted behavior in social situations
• Risky and impulsive sexual behavior
• Erratic sleep patterns, such as insomnia
• Hyperactivity and extremely high energy, talkativeness
• Extreme loss of appetite
• Displaying a tic or repetitive behavior, such as pulling hair or picking at a particular spot on the skin

Symptoms of Meth Use

Meth abuse can result in a wide variety of physical and psychological effects as their entire body is adversely impacted by the drug.

The following are common physical symptoms of meth addiction:

• Sudden or extreme weight loss
• Extreme sweating
• Irregular breathing
• Nosebleeds
• Slow-healing sores
• Dilated pupils
• Burns, especially on lips or fingers
• Track marks on arms
• Rotting or broken teeth (also known as “meth mouth”)
• Bad breath
• Premature skin aging

The following are common psychological symptoms of meth addiction:

• Paranoia
• Anxiety and agitation
• Nervousness and fidgeting
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Hallucinations
• Belief there are insects crawling under the skin